Best All-Season Audi S4 Tires

The Audi S4 is the high-performance model of the A4 sedan. First seen in 1991 (originally based on the 100), the S4 has matured over the years into a world-class luxury, performance car. The most current model made its debut in 2009 with a face lift as recently as 2012. The Premium Plus trim level sports a tire size of 245/40R18, however you should always double check the size you have currently to make sure you get it right the first time.  

·         BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S - A newer entry from BFGoodrich, that based on our testing is worth serious consideration. Competing against other mid-tier products, the g-Force took top honors by impressing us with wet, dry and light snow capabilities.

·         Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 - The replacement for what was arguably the highest-rated and best-selling tire in the category, this new tire is proving worthy of the name by planting itself in the top spot in our survey results. Ride quality and winter capability are what make this tire special. This updated model's improved steering response ensures it will be a best seller for years to come.

·         Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ - The original A/S 3 delivered incredible levels of wet and dry grip for an all-season tire. The new + (Plus) model looks to maintain those characteristics while improving snow capability. Initial test results from Michelin show an improvement in this area and we are anxious to try them out next winter. If you want the best grip with all-season capability, you will be hard pressed to beat this option.

Are My Tires Too Old?

How old is too old is an oft-asked question. While the industry guidelines say six years in use or 10 years from build, your experience can vary.

The life span you see from any tire can vary greatly depending on how it is used. For example, counter to common belief, an infrequently used tire actually lives a harder life than one that is exercised on a regular basis. Since most people relate tire life to number of miles driven, this can come as a surprise. However, rubber needs to be exercised to remain in top condition. Sitting around for extended periods of time, then being asked to go into full service can result in flatspotting (both temporary and permanent), as well as cracking.

This is more likely to happen when the tires remain mounted on a vehicle and sitting idle with the vehicle weight on them, as opposed to stored off the vehicle. Once you go past either the six years in use or 10 years from build time frame, it is recommended to have the tires inspected by a professional to insure they are still safe to be used. It would be best to have this inspection done at least once a year.   More information on what the industry says about tire aging is available here? Keep in mind that the in-use time starts as soon as the tire is exposed to the elements. For example, your under-the-truck-bed mounted spare is considered in use. Do you have a spare sitting on the back of your Jeep? That's considered in use, too. 

YES, EVEN TIRES HAVE PARTS

      There’s much more to a tire than “where the rubber hits the road.” Let’s look beneath the surface at the different parts of a tire so that you can follow along at your next service appointment.

The Basics

First, let’s start with some tire basics. Modern tires are made up of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fabric, and wire for structure, plus some other chemicals for grip. The part that hits the road is called the tread, typically broken into sections called tread blocks and covered in tiny cuts called sipes that enhance traction. Worn out tread is what typically brings you in to get new tires. Between tread blocks, you have grooves, which channel water away from the tire so you can brake on wet roads. The side of the tire is called the side wall, which protects the inside of a tire from damage. (It’s easy to see in those white-walled tires from the ‘50s, pictured on the right.

Under the Tread
Beneath the surface tread lies your tire belts, which are layers of fibers that hold the tire piles together. Tire piles run perpendicular to the tread and make up the body of the tire, giving it its strength and resistance to road damage. The final part of a tire you need to know is thetire bead, a steel cable that runs along the sidewall to keep the tire attached to the wheel.

Those are the main parts of a vehicle tire. Visit Mr. Goma, our staff is prepared to assist you!

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BMW to develop driverless car technology with Intel, Mobileye

BMW (BMWG.DE) is teaming up with Intel (INTC.O) and Mobileye (MBLY.N) to develop new technology for the auto industry that could put self-driving cars on the road by around 2021.

The alliance highlights a shift in the dynamics of research and development in the car industry, which until recently saw automakers largely dictating terms for suppliers to manufacture their proprietary technologies at specified volumes and prices.

Now carmakers are increasingly striking up partnerships with technology firms using open technology standards, seeking to harness their expertise in areas including machine learning and mapping as they race against Silicon Valley companies such as Google (GOOGL.O), Tesla (TSLA.O) and Apple (AAPL.O) to develop driverless vehicles.

"Highly autonomous cars and everything they connect to will require powerful and reliable electronic brains to make them smart enough to navigate traffic and avoid accidents,” Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich said on Friday at a joint news conference announcing the alliance.

The three companies said their new platform would be made available to multiple carmakers and they expected vehicles with highly and fully-automated driving would be brought into mass production by 2021. It is too early to say which other carmakers would join the alliance, BMW Chief Executive Harald Krueger said at a news conference on the outskirts of Munich on Friday.

Sophisticated cruise control systems already enable "hands off" driving as cameras and computers allow cars to automatically brake, steer and accelerate in traffic at low speeds. But drivers are required to stay in control.

As part of the new alliance, Intel, the world's largest computer chip maker which has been looking to expand into the automotive electronics market, will supply the microprocessors - or central processing units - to control an array of sensors.

Auto camera and software maker Mobileye will supply its Road Experience Management (REM) technology and make its latest EyeQ5 chip available to be deployed on Intel computing platforms.

The three companies said they would demonstrate their technology in a prototype in the near future.

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