Anti-theft lugs... How do you get the covers off?

[R8_V8_driver]

After much deliberation and some opining I went ahead and bought a winter wheel set. I can't deal with garaging this car no matter what kind of nasty stuff they put on the roads around here. I bought this car because it's an exotic that doesn't need an engine rebuild every X0,000 miles. I'm gonna get as much clear bra as I can too. So I want to drive it all year round.

First problem came with ordering the OEM wheel set. I guess Audi USA doesn't have a part number for this, or it's a special part that needs approval from higher up than a dealer parts manager, or a special promotion that is only seasonal (the price extracted was truly "special" for these wheels). It took me insisting that the dealership owner email some rep or another to get it ordered. It came overnight (tho I was quoted a month lead time) so somebody is in a rush to sell me the OEM stuff.

Next? The jack. I don't have a lift so I looked at the manual and checked out the points. Well my more or less barebones car didn't come with a jack, but there's a space for it in the toolkit and the manual calls it optional. The dealer parts guy said the the parts rep told him they don't exist because the car is too low. Seriously!?! I didn't really know what to say. I told him I'd go ahead and find the jack myself and would be by his desk to pick it up when it comes in. Clearly the jack is in the same class of R8 parts as the winter wheel set. A call to the dealership owner got the jack ordered.

So when the temps drop I'm gonna swap wheels myself but of course I'm gonna have to visit service to get the TPMS on the new set recognized by the car (they can't make it easy chez Audi) or so I've heard. That's not a big deal but the final hurdle is the anti-theft lugs. I have the right adapter (at least that came with the car) so I think but I'm not sure how to get the covers off. What's holding them on? Do they just pop off? I was poking around with the hubcap removal tool but am afraid of scratching the wheels and the covers seem to be made of plastic. Does anyone have experience with this?

As a side I special ordered the rear fog lamp from OEM Plus so thank God I don't have to beg someone at the dealership to order it for me, tho I don't know if its a DIY project or not. Has anyone on the forum installed one of these? I know OEM Plus has sold them before. But I didn't find any posts about it.

[Davey_Dee]

The car jack doesn't come as standard in the US but standard in Europe as far as i know...where are you located? Add it to your profile so people can see it will help people give you info thats related to you. As for the lugs i don't own the car yet so couldn't tell you sorry.

[harrison]

Try the lug nut cover removing tool under bonnet. Plastic long horseshoe tongs thingamajig. It WORKS. It's probably in the manual too, and anyone waiting for their delivery could be studying up with the manual PRIOR to delivery.

[R84ME]

Search is your friend!

Here are a couple good jack threads. You did the right thing having the dealer order one, but you may not want to use it.

R8 has no jack?
R8 Car jack

MNGOLFER1 bought the rear fog light, not sure he installed it. Send him a PM. Here's the thread.

Fog light for US R8

[Davey_Dee]

I think i've been proved wrong again so! V8's don't have a car jack as standard but V10's do? And that doesn't depend on location (which it shouldn't)?

[R84ME]

V8's don't have a car jack as standard but V10's do? And that doesn't depend on location (which it shouldn't)?

Truly, it shouldn't, but it does. No jacks in either car on this side of the pond! Presented as a liability issue by AOA. We have to bitch, moan & complain to get one from Audi here in the US but so far, they have accommodated those that ask.

[Davey_Dee]

Don't understand how it would be liability issue if they can give you them upon request why not give you them to start with...just stupid

[R8_V8_driver]

Thanks for the responses. I never thought to search about the jack because I thought since it's in the manual as an option it was a no brainer. But i never imagined the controversy. I forgot that I had seen the post on the fog lamp.

I got the covers off. I didn't scratch anything. But I had to use a surprising amount of force! Thanks again.

[willyjp]

before you spring for a winter wheel and tire pckg. from Audi, check out Tire Rack's suggestion for the R8: that one wheel (O.Z. Ultraleggera HLT) they offer @ around $425 is AMAZING for the price if you look into it. Of course taste is another matter and you may not care for it (though I really don't think it's bad at all).

If you read up on that wheel you will find out that it is NOT forged (which normally you'd want) but it is apparently some NEW CASTING PROCESS (signified by "HLT" it seems); I have forgotten the exact weight they claimed, but it was VERY COMPETITIVE with the factory wheels, which are not bad;

dealing with Tire Rack has always been a distinct pleasure and their phone sales reps are usually extremely knowledgeable and well-informed

if you like that wheel (and after all, it's for your winter tires!), no point paying $800 more per wheel just to have factory wheels; and you can arrange to have them arrive at your door all mounted, dynamically balanced and with TPMS installed so all (Ha!) you have to do is jack up the car and swap. Then go in and get your sensors "enrolled" and you're done!

[R84ME]

Don't understand how it would be liability issue if they can give you them upon request why not give you them to start with...just stupid

Evidently, per Audi, there were initial reports of people being injured using the jack. One of our R8TALK group had a car falling off the jack - could have also been MNGOLFER1? or DESPERADO? I'm pretty sure we all agree though, it's pretty stupid. I wonder if the documentation for 2010 US cars has been updated (references to the jack removed, Willie)?