fake/ imitations of wheels help!!!!

[linhvo]

hi fellow tocau members

i am currently considering getting a set of fake/imitation wheels from mars performance.

however i've been reading a lot from other forums saying they crack very easily.

does anyone here actually hav a set of imitation wheels? how hard are u pushing ur cars and whether they're putting up with it.

http://marsperformance.com.au/4-x-19-Inch-RAYS-VOLKS-TE37-Style-Matt-Black-Alloy-Wheels-Rims-MP37-5-x-1143

otherwise i'll save up that lil extra for a set of rotas

[Rebz]

Honestly man, i don't know how good they are and how long they last for.... but don't take short cuts and get a cheapy brand or a 'fake' cause you'll end up spending twice and getting proper ones in the end.

[Steven]

Fakes can be hit and miss. With some the structural integrity can be suspect, where in others they can actually be made either slightly out of round or not uniformly solid - in both cases resulting in balance issues that might not be able to be sorted using traditional wheel balancing weights.

However with the sheer number of wheel makers out there it is becoming very difficult to determine which brand is a knockoff and which is a legitimate quality supplier - price doesn't necessarily mean quality either.

[prodigy 07]

Honestly, I agree with rebs' comment. If you are looking for good rims that will handle anything you can throw at them, be prepared to spend big $. That said, if you are just looking for something nice to roll around on, these will probably do just fine. I spent around the same money for csa 18s. 2 weeks after fitting them my wife scuffed 1 on a gutter (not happy). Local bob jane shop found the last rim to match in existence as csa stopped making them. I was lucky. Long story short, if you want ultimate performance, buy genuine. If you just want nice wheels, consider a more widely available wheel, copy is ok but don't break them. They'll be a b!tch to find a replacement.

[linhvo]

is there any reputable replicas u would recommend? like for example i hear rota makes good quality imitations and so do varrstoen.

the aurion isnt a performance car and doesnt get subjected to harsh driving condtions so i defs wont be needing proper rays or something....unless i just happen to win the lottery all of a sudden

[Kanmuri79]

is there any reputable replicas u would recommend?

How much u lookin to spend on the reps? What sizing?

[VIPZR6]

My BBS reps have been going strong for almost a year now, no issues. Advantage is if you obtain gutter rash, not so much of a gut renching feeling as if you were running genuines :P which is a good thing in a daily. If I ever want to do any track work, I'll throw my 17's back on anyway.

[Hiro]

I think you'll find that there is a big difference between fakes and copies. Fakes pretend to be the real thing (badges and all, often with pretty shocking results especially if you get tricked into thinking they are the real thing) whereas there are plenty of imitation/copy-style wheels made by relatively reputable companies (whilst the style might be copied/imitated, they don't put fake badges etc on them). You do get a lot of elitist JDM fanboi ****ers who think that you're not a real enthusiast unless you spend $4000 on a set of genuine rims, but in reality most of the population don't really need a featherweight uber-quality racing wheel and an imitation style from a well-known manufacturer is perfectly fine for everyday use.

In short, I really love BBS LMs. I really want a set of BBS LMs. I can't afford a set of genuine BBS LMs, but I'd rather buy a set of LM-style from a company like Rota/Lenso/Linea Corsa etc than buy a set of fakes with BBS badges.

Would you prefer to buy a real Rolex, a fake Rolex from a dodgy street vendor in Chinatown, or a JAG that looks pretty much the same as a Rolex for a tenth of the price? The JAG will give you years of trouble-free operation, as will the Rolex, but the fake will be junk in no time flat. Elitist horologists will get butt-hurt if you don't own a genuine Rolex, but most people have no need for a real Rolex and cannot justify the cost.

[Kanmuri79]

I like Ian's comments, I was lookin at brands like Advanti, G-Max etc that are widely stocked throughout the stores here and also checked out replicas which i would have no faith in buying. But is was looking at spending around $1K

I ended up, and in a slighted scared manor, purchased my Enkeis on Ebay for $1500 delivered. There are cheaper enkeis on there too, depending on size, model and series. If i bought my enkeis locally i think it would have cost me atleast $2K+ which i wouldnt have done.

My wheels shipped from cali to vic in about 4 days. packed perfectly. very happy with my final choice.

[linhvo]

im still not sure, was thinking of 19 inch rotas / te37 style

untill last nite i was thinking of going all out with 20s

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-BMW-AD-30-CONCAVE-WHEELS-FIT-E90-E92-M3-335I-325I-20X8-5-10-Stagger-/281124909669?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item417459b265&_uhb=1

[Kanmuri79]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-ENKEI-RAZR-RIMS-WHEELS-BLACK-MACHINED-20x8-5-5x114-3-40-/271006198744?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item3f193a6bd8

How about these? I'd much rather legit Enkeis than generic stuff like that. Eeeeespciallllly for basically same price!

Would those BMW even fit your car? Do BMW have the same PCD as us? I wouldnt have thought so.

[linhvo]

holy crap, i was looking around at enkeis from overseas, and some of it is actually about same or even less than the fake stuff here, thanks for the heads up mate :D

oh it sed custom pcd, so i thought they wud drill the stud holes in according to wat we order

[Kanmuri79]

holy crap, i was looking around at enkeis from overseas, and some of it is actually about same or even less than the fake stuff here, thanks for the heads up mate :D

oh it sed custom pcd, so i thought they wud drill the stud holes in according to wat we order

This is exactly what i was saying... The ebay seller Cozy Styles has amazing customer service, atleast when i dealt with him. So just so ya know, when you import something over $1000 into australia it gets taxed at customs and i've read on forums that people can pay often around $300 when bringing in wheels depending on what theyre worth. However, Cozy Styles, the champion that he is, marks everything under cost. Apparently the cost of the product and shipping need to come in under $1000. Cozy said they sell alot of wheels to Australia every month and are well aware of the customs taxing.

The invoice i received with the wheels is from LSD Motorsports, based in cali i think. So the ebay seller is probably just selling it on the side. Good for us.

http://www.lsdmotorsports.com/

I know people are aware of ordering from overseas to save but im not sure lots of people know about sellers willing to help with changing the prices... Tirerack.com - I DONT THINK SO.