RE: Is AUDI trying to kill us?

["Dave Eaton" <Dave.Eaton@clear.net.nz>]

when i replaced the oem sp8000's with s02's i found the indicence of wheel
rim bending a major pia (3 rims over 3k kms).  i have since gone back to the
homologated tyre (sourced sp8000's from germany).  there have been no
further incidents.

very interested in your experience with a narrower tyre.  thought long and
hard about it last time, and will probably go this way for the next tyre
change.  i would suspect that turn-in (not a major strength in the s-series,
or rs2) will improve and would braking obviously.

personaly, i'm not sure where the responsibility lies.  i suspect porsche
more than audi.  after all, they developed and homologated the car...

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q
'88 mb 2.3-16

-----Original Message-----

Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1999 23:25:47 +0200
From: "Pantelis Giamarellos" <pantg@otenet.gr>
Subject: Is AUDI trying to kill us?

As you may remember I am driving an AUDI RS2.

When I bought the car from its second owner, it has just been shod with four
brand new Bridgestone S-02 tyres.
The size used was the original fitment of 245/40/17' on the original PORSCHE
CUP design rims of 7'/17' size.

After driving the car for 18 months and experiencing problems with three
tyres being destroyed by potholes and cracks on the tarmac roads I started
seriously thinking about the opinion of my tyres specialist.
When he had seen the car he told me that the 7'x17' rims were too narrow for
the 245/40/17 tyre size.

I contacted Bridgestone European HQ and after a few days the Director of the
Technical department of their Greek representative has phoned me and asked
to examine the tyre.

After he examined the tyre we met and eventhough he proposed to give me two
free S-02 tyres he told me that according to the European tyre norms issued
by E.T.R.O (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation) the fitment of
245/40/17 tyres is illegal for 7x17 rims.

AUDI was fitting the 245/40/17 tyres to the RS2 on the 7x17.

Have other RS2 owners experienced problems with their tyres?