aftermarket wheels: like it, love it, or hate them?

[Dogfather]

Heyyy that makes so much sense. I have never really known rim vs. wheel. I didn't know if "wheel" was the rim/tire combo or what. LOL thats kind of embarrassing considering all the knowledge I like to think I have on cars, but you learn something everyday. Thanks for the clarification

I like to use both in the same sentence.

[Klasse Act]

Aftermarket for me, too. OEM wheels are too outrageously priced for what you get.
Looking to get a set of these TSWs for the Fusion, if Spring ever arrives.


Broadcasting from an undisclosed location.

Outstanding choice Merc, 18's or 17's? Are you going with Continental DWS? The reason I ask is because those are being phases out and replaced with the ControlContacts. Remember I have a guy at Discount Tire.

I love aftermarket wheels because you find something that fits your tastes better, especially if you've modded your car a bit and are looking to tie things in. For instance, on my CR-Z I didn't have the $2k to buy Mugen wheels for it but I did find a wheel close in style and smaller too, the Mugens were 18's and I ended up with 17's, I even had custom acrylic dommed centercap decals made with the "H" logo to give them an OEM look.

Merc, your wheel choice has a simple design and many simple looks sooooo good and clean that it can't be beat, many Rays wheels have a simple look that is stunning. The Pep Boys comments is true to a point but many of the "tuner crowd" have this thing for "real wheels", car looks like hell but has $2k worth of wheels, as long as they're real, just don't get that one, LOL.

I consider myself a "wheel #####" but in the case of my new ride, the wheels are forged and look stunning in both style and finish, no need to be a "wheel #####" now!



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[HateSwirls]

These days the OEM wheels look really nice.
Example.

Take the 2014 GMC, the wheels that they come with truck looks stunning, no way I'd change them out.
I really hate those wheels that spin when the car stops at a light, they spin the entire time the car is stopped, IMO they look ridiculous.

However I love black wheels on a black car so I'd buy some aftermarket black wheels if I had a black pickup , I see more and more black on black these days.
Cool look!

[GreatAvalon]

Klasse- you have a good point. IMO if a car is dropped w/ OEM wheels it looks weird. If you drop the car (springs or coilovers) it needs aftermarket rims IMO.

HateSwirls- LOL those spinners. What is even more funny is, more likely than not 1 or 2 of them don't spin as well as the rest! So it makes them look even worse. I used to see them often, but I haven't seen them much in the last few years or so.

I remember back in middle school when they came out and they had "spinners shoes". Shoes that had plastic circles in them that would spin lol. They were the ugliest things, but if you didn't have a pair you were the odd one out! I'm happy to say I didn't buy into the hype and I never owned a pair.

[215Detailing]

I myself prefer a larger opening to the wheel barrel, some factory wheels can be a pain to clean/maintain (busted knuckles, torn skin, nick,scraps and cuts), and if factory is better hubcaps should not exist in my opinion

[RMM]

I usually prefer OEM accessory wheels. The ones that are offered but no one has. That way you have unique wheels that are still OEM.

VW offers a lot of these.

Most AMW I hate. Rarely do I see a set that doesn't scream "Tuned at Pep Boys" to me. However, there are some I consider "nice" - most of them costing a few thousand a wheel.

These I like (but wouldn't want to clean them), AC Schnitzers:

...

I guess I like AMW that look like they could be a high grade factory option.

My DD is an Audi and I chose some wheels that are only offered as an option: they are rare and they were designed originally for that car - so they were thought with that bodywork in mind and won't look out of place.

I tend to dislike all modifications to a car that are not made or engineered by the factory originally because they tend to add a cheesy look. When I was a kid, the father of a friend of mine had a 911 that was sent to Zuffenhausen to upgrade its engine and suspensions and when it came back it looked absolutely stock (the wheels looked the same but were larger and wider): however it had almost 100 hp more and it behaved like a dream - that's my definition of AF modification!

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

Being a huge car guy, I want the wheels to compliment the body lines. Many people choose wheels without thinking how they will actually look on the car. It irks me even more when they don`t even take care of them. The front end up full of brake dust. Sigh...

[kevincwelch]

I'm a big fan of aftermarket wheels, but I also think they can be horribly overdone and even unsafe if you do not know all the considerations: torque specifications, weight bearing, offset, etc.

Here are my before and after shots:

Before (nice and clean)



After (winter dirty!)


I'll probably move back to the OEM wheels when spring is here to stay, although I may powder coat the wheels to match the gunmetal of my Rial Luganos.

[goldendodo19]

Being a huge car guy, I want the wheels to compliment the body lines. Many people choose wheels without thinking how they will actually look on the car. It irks me even more when they don`t even take care of them. The front end up full of brake dust. Sigh...

Doesn't matter how dirty as long as those tires are shiny then you're good.

Also hate when people mention "rims" as a mod in the sense they "modded" their car.


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[Matt-erhorn]

[QUOTE=CowboyTruckn;1048488]I can't say you're the only high school kid that cares. Granted my day was 10 years ago, I drove an 89 Firebird with fading paint, and what not but I still took the time to wash, and wax it. You would be surprised what the Turtle Wax Color Fix wax stuff can improve no matter how temporary.

Yeah that's why I'm one of the last ones it feels like. So many kids at school and other kids I know my age, just don't care about their car. They go months between gas station car washes. One of my class mates was actually touting the fact that he saves money and hasn't had to have his car washed in 1 1/2 years!