True, but With some guide lines. Don't buy fake parts. If you like the BBS RS look, but can't afford it, buy somthing similar for a price you can afford. But never a fake. That's technically illigal, and portraits a bad image for you.
That Guy you missed the key words... make it WORK and look GOOD. he’s not saying form over function, he’s saying find a median between the two at your budget.
I agree, also like to add if it looks good to you as an individual person and you’re not trying to look good by doing things to style you’re whip just for acceptance of others that’s cool too I guess if it makes you happy, I for one could care less what others think, I got some great 1 piece converted 3 piece wheels but this upcoming summer I’m gonna rock staggered corvette C4 wheels which are possibly the most played out wheel in the last decade, but I really don’t care cuz I like the look of them, and at the end of the day that is all that matters to me.
It all boils down to "Cheap ain't good and good ain't cheap." People want the recognition without making the sacrifice, and they undercut the true proprietors and creators of the industry because "it's their money" and expect the same reaction and performance as the ORIGINAL high quality product. But to each his own, get it how you live.
We have all been there before, putting out $1000 maybe $1500 per wheel, without tires, thinking, I could have got a set of knock-offs and two weeks in Bali living like a king for the price of this damn set of wheels...
i think reps are ok as long as they are trying to improve on the original design in some way, it could be cheaper, could come in more sizes and colours, could improve on the look, could just be an easier to obtain version of a rare wheel. its ok to look at something and say "i could do it better"
Thing is. It shouldn't matter if I'm rocking reps or "real" wheels. Don't like the Varrstoen, XXR, or ESR wheels I'm rolling on? Buy me the set of wheels you want. Then you can talk all the trash you want. Til then. My car. My money. My choice. PS-Y all still havent made a video about Varrstoen....
I don't care about the style so much the quality control. Does giving you real wheels give you a good feel? Yeah I'll be honest I own SSR GTV02s so call me biased. I was looking into a lot of wheels before I even decided to make the purchase. I even looked into Rotas/XXRs/etc, but I wanted to be sure that I was safe. People say that real wheels bend and crack, but they have a higher tolerance. They've been tested thoroughly, it's something I drive everyday. People that say "Well stock wheels are low pressure cast". While that's true the car company designed it very specifically with one particular offset to the design. Meanwhile you can go buy any offset/design of reps and they probably didn't test it as well. My personal opinion, but real wheels just look that much better. It just gives it that nice edge to the car. I'm sure someones cracked volks before but they still have a much higher tolerance. I've seen too many images of people crashing cause their rep wheel gave out. It's dangerous for everyone in the car and the people driving around you. If someone ever crashed into me because of a rep wheel I would be pissed.
Justin Nguyen I ran rep wheels all my life. Never had a crack or bend. Even with the horrible roads around my area. Ive seen real wheels break too. Any wheel will fail under the right circumstances.
I have a friend who totaled his car twice on ESRs. In both cases his car would've been a hell of lot better off had he not had reps. I got SSR 3-piece wheels for $650. 6 fucking 50. There is no excuse for buying reps
Honestly, I understand the appeal. The cost of real wheels is seriously high, one wheel is more than a full set of reps. That said, if you can afford it you should be running real wheels to help support the companies that do the R&D that move the industry forward. They're not just the "original design", they're also the people coming up with the technology for production and the techniques for testing, all of which are critical for safety and quality in the aftermarket wheel community. So many reps are just terrible low quality and people buy them because they're cheap. At the end of the day, buying real wheels is the right thing to do for the community and for yourself. A good rule of thumb is to simply never buy any wheel that's not from a reputable brand and that isn't JWL tested, VIA certified, and TUV certified. This ensures that they're at the very least safe to use on the road. There's a LOT of wheels on the market that aren't road-worthy, in my opinion. Then again, there's a lot of cars which are so cambered out that they aren't road-worthy either. If you can't buy something real, at least buy something safe. Don't put yourself, your family, and other drivers at risk by putting shoddily manufactured wheels on your car.
Nope. That's not how companies work. I should know, I'm a Product Manager in the tech industry, so these types of things are literally something I think about every day at work. Companies are incentivized by profits, and profits can be increased by either increasing revenue while maintaining the same cost or by reducing costs. Since companies that don't make real wheels don't have to spend on R&D for creating new production and test technology, nor do they spend on R&D for their wheel designs, they really just have the cost of their bill of materials + equipment (amortized) + production labor + marketing. This is a really viable business model in industries which don't have strong intellectual property protections, or if you can use crossing national borders to protect yourself from liability. After all, if you spend all the money you would have had to spend on R&D on marketing you can end up with massive revenues at minimal costs == big profits. The problem is, there's no incentive to change. Businesses are driven by customer demand, so if companies making fake wheels and reps get lots of business because of good marketing and low cost, they'll just keep doing what works. There is no incentive for them to invest in R&D at high cost to move the entire industry forward when their pricing doesn't account for it and they know that real wheel companies will do it anyway. The reputational value of making real wheels is the only thing that these companies seek, and it's far more possible to wiggle into the cracks than it is to invest real dollars into R&D. Can a company go from making reps to making real wheels? Sure. Has it ever happened? Not to my knowledge. In the video they make the defining difference between reps vs real wheels as being based on design. I say it's more than that, it's also the actual production and testing technology which companies like BBS and Rays actually developed in-house and then publicized to help increase the safety and strength of wheels in the entire market. I'm sorry, but XXR and Rota are not going to be creating an entirely new method of wheel production or an entirely new testing safety standard anytime soon, it's just not profitable for them, no matter how many of their wheels you buy.
I think it’s ok for people to buy what they want and put whatever they want on their car. My problem is when someone says it’s just as good but cheaper. Or the ones who expect to get props on a setup that isn’t real amongst enthusiasts who value authenticity.
It's okay to do whatever you want as long as you're not endangering other people. That's the problem I have with fake wheels (not necessarily reps) is that they're not safe. Many reps are just as bad. As long as what you buy is JWL tested and TUV/VIA certified, I don't care if it's a rep or real, I'm not judging. But I won't buy anything myself that isn't real.
Ive had real wheels in the past as in CCW. VOLK. SSR. And have 2 sets of Enkei RPF1s. I feel like it depends on the vehicle on what you put on there. Don’t go throw XXR wheels on a nice car. Then again don’t put nice forged on a dumpster. That’s just me tho. Lots of people get “real” wheels for bragging rights but it is kinda annoying hearing all the hate lol. To each his own. Respect the choice of others.
Brandell Warren I actually met some dudes that work for vossen. My unc has a rim shop in Tampa and they come in to check out the shop and sell rims to him for him to sell. They both pulled up in grayish brown Audi’s with vossen tags on😂
Great video! Im not a big fan of replicas to be honest. BUT i remember Ken Block and his team once said “we like to use replica wheels because if the wheel happen to hit something, it will just break apart and it wont damage any major components (eg suspension, axle, etc)”. I guess somehow theres room for those.
A real wheel is any wheel I like that fits my bolt pattern. I take the emblems off anyway. And put on my own custom one. But if it's not a full blow show car having real wheels. Has no benefits. You don't get more BJ's because your wheels are real.
Nascar doesnt have "Fake wheels"you dumbass they have steel racing wheels. And unless youre car is running above 800hp I would stop with the Nascar comparisons.
I don't specifically dislike reps or fakes as long as they're jwl via tested. I just prefer real wheels because I like multi-piece wheels and the reason I that I like the idea that if I don't like the current specs, I'm a lip and a barrel away from new specs, or in my case-- I welded lip/barrel lol.
Wheels depend on the vehicle in my opinion. A daily shouldnt have 4000 dollar wheels. Atleast coming from someone who lives in the northeast. Pot holes and railroad tracks fucked up from snow plows and salt. Most people want to customize their car to be different. Doesn't mean you need expensive track wheels.
Yea but we go winter mode come fall, and shelve the nice wheels until spring. So we can run a nice wheel around here , you just gotta keep an eye on the season.
Yes if you don’t have BC racing coilovers or SSR wheels you get bash about it.... that’s the car community in Florida but I’m sure is like that every were...
Fellow Floridian here, my subie was on BC BR and Cosmis wheels lel. to some degree though you're absolutely right. Why are people here so crazy about SSR..?
Roger Toledo I know! I meant locally at least, what Richard said is true. At least around these parts, SSR seems to be the brand most pushed by the scene, where the rest fall to the back burner, no matter how well made. I genuinely don't remember the last time I saw a set of TE37s on anything here
I've had real and fake wheels and I can attest to the difference in quality and strength. Real wheels are worth what they cost for their build quality and safety.
Yo I swear to god, I saw those SAME EXACT WHEELS in the picture on a bagged 370z, same color and everything, the only different is the wheel on the z was flipped
A few years back before I had my construction company I didn’t have much and I had this Chrysler 300 and I bought replica srt rims and I was in a tight spot and was forced to use my car for work and I had to put heavy tools in the car like a small skaffold and other things I remember I flew one time with the tools on the back on some railroad tracks on a hill really hard and the rims held up really good no cracking or anything i staryed with them rims for years with no problems and they were some 20’s now I’m blessed to be able to get more but don’t forget where I came from cause them rims were good too me I still have the car but sold the rims to my boy and they are still good and running kept the car just finished fixing it to the way I wanted it back then and I just keep it in the garage run it from time to time cause that 300 has sentimental value to me :)
Too be honest, i just bought my first set of wheels for replica prices with superb quality and beautiful looks. These wheels are from am Aston Martin v8 vantage and they amazing!!!! I can't tell you how much I love them, not only for their looks but for the fact that I know I'm getting great quality at a rep price. I say all this to say stop following the "in-crowd" follow you're own path and you'll be surprised what you can come across. Oem wheels ftw
Wtf. Did not know Fitment Industries were an hour away from me until they made WI snow reference and I looked it up lol. Definitely stopping by this spring to decide on my new set up!
I still have my gen 5 2001 Prelude 5spd with 2inch lower in the front and 1.75 in in the back with 17 inch Racing Hart C5's . Anyone else love the H22 as much as I do?
Instead of buying fake wheels, buy OEM wheels from a different model of the make of your car. Just an example if you have a MB look into used Mono block or multi piece Brabus wheels or amg. If you dig deep enough you can sometimes find good deals on said wheels and you won’t have to jeopardize quality as long as you find a good set that is. Just a thought 💭
I rock super cheap vision cross. Dont care if they're fake or rep or what (common mesh pattern). They fit, they're sturdy, they're lighter than stock and look amazing on my car. Anything more expensive to serve exactly the same purpose is for bragging rights only.
MHT is a USA company but have been in the game for a long time & make tons of wheels for other TOP brands, there’s also Lowenhart, Riken, ARE, HRE, OZ, Manaray, Maya/TrafficStar, Lorinser, Carlsson, Speedline, & plenty more that I’m forgetting
The first set of wheels i put on my subie were a secondhand set of Rota Grid R's. The original owner of the wheels politely failed to mention he'd cracked one of them, and in my excitement to have my first set of aftermarket wheels i totally missed the little hairline. The tire debeaded on me a few days later on the way to work. Needless to say, i was pretty unhappy. While i don't run around bashing Rota for this (i don't know what kind of driving the person before me did or what those wheels went through prior to my purchase.) It has made me wary of buying other Rota products simply for the sake of the fact that they *were* cracked. the idea moreso that it CAN happen, not that it WILL. I feel that if you buy them new, you're probably not likely to run into the same issue i did.
Replica wheels $400-$700 new. The Work Meister S2R’s I found on OfferUp that were powder coated purple and have the lip vinyl stickers from factory, $240 with burner tires. Best $240 I’ve spent this decade.
I don't like fake wheels they destroy the company's reputation that made the original one but replicas with the branding of a new company is good until they start making unique designs of their own
"Let us know what you think in the comments. It's probably already on fire down there." 😂😂😂😂 Yes sir, you have lit a fire with THIS one!! So many opinions, some valid and some not. Before I really got into the "behind the scenes" of wheels, I always thought they were like the automotive industry. They "borrow" ideas from each other. Whoever puts it out first, gets the credit. Now I know there is MORE to it than that. But some wheels get bad reputations when it's the owners fault. For example, someone mentioned do a video on Vossen. I've heard nothing but bad things about them over the years. From being a cast wheel to bad customer service. But their marketing campaigns are FIYA!!! Now the problem with their cast wheel or ANY other cast wheel is that when the owner run a stretched tire, or any tire below a 35 series tire, you run the risk of that wheel being damaged on messed up streets!! Not too many wheels will hold up at 40 plus miles per hour and hit a pothole with 25 series tires!! And you blame the wheel!! I think that's where some of Vossen's "bad rep" came from. "Real" wheels are not that much better either. Because you pay TOP dollar for two or three piece wheels, and ride them everyday, you run the risk of the wheel or all four being or getting lose. I think a two or three piece wheel should be on a REAL show car. Not to be driven everyday. Especially a three piece wheel. Just my two cents, carry on.. 😄😄
A video on Buddy Club wheels would be cool to see. I bought my set Brand new Mag Blue 15x8 + 32 for around $600 shipped to my door and they are real wheels. It's a interesting company i don't see much info on. Typically I see most cars running the older P1 design, but not many with the newer p1 design like myself and there isn't much history on them for me to go off of. Their Mag Blue also does seem to be much brighter than other Mag Blue's I see such as the Volk Te37's.
Well, you get what you pay for. A company’s reputation is number one on my list. For example Radi8 wheels are relatively new and look very proper, but I would be hesitant on purchasing a set because of that reason of reputation.
Cory kempland over here with the modern Mopar’s a lot of guys run those Viper reps, some companies offer lifetime warranty. Those would be the ones I’d run if I did. But I don’t like looking like everyone else lol
well since konig is a supporter of the scene i say go for it. some of their designs are reps but they been in the game long enough and should be respected
Not only the car world, but litteraly EVERYTHING suffers under this preconception that only the most expensive brands are "nice" or "respectable" Anything less, and people scoff at you and basically call you a pleb.
Better yet, let me give you another example. I drive a 2006 BMW Z4 E85 2.0i. It's a beautiful car which in my opinion, passes the test of time so far as looks are concerned. An acquaintance of mine, who was drunk, once scoffed and said I have the "poverty-spec" car because it's only a 2 litre, and he knows there's a 3 litre version as well. I'm a 23 year old living in Belgium, so anything above 150hp is super expensive to insure, yet this explanation fell upon deaf ears. I know my car is nothing too special. it does 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds, yet is limited at 200 kph, so there's plenty out there that will eat me raw. My point is; Even if you buy an expensive top-tier brand product, people will still find ways to tear you down. It's infuriating.
Ohh, and my fake winter splits were 450 bucks and are tough as nails under any and all driving conditions, only real downfall I see with them are that they are pretty damn heavy
Another vote for Varrstoen video I had a set of the BBS LM copies and wow the lips are poor quality. Previous owner ran them for 8 months before selling me the car and the lips were already corroding. I am now on TE37 (third set). My current set were made in 1997. You get what you pay for. Run OEM wheels until you can afford a quality set. My two cents.
Also remember that there are only a limited number of 'original' designs out there, before eventually every wheel is going to look like another wheel. We need these 'rep' companies coming in preventing the monopoly of the large wheel manufacturers from driving the price of wheels through the roof. It's like the music industry and all there legal issues. There are only 12 notes in a scale (7 white, 5 black) and only a limited combination of those notes. So eventually stuff is going to sound similar. Same thing with wheels. All wheels must be round (unless your Chinese, Triangle tyres!), and only a certain number of things can be done within that circle to contact the rim to the hub. Certain niche companies have tried to think out side the box (or cylinder?), like Ronal, but they are not exactly 'popular'. Most people want a light 5,6 or 7 spoke wheel. Only so much originality before everything just starts looking the same.
My dream wheels are 3pc Leon Hardiritt Ordens with a step lip in polished chrome and center face in graphite grey with gold hardware. But they are sooooo rare in 5x108 and expensive...😅
Was wondering if you could give me a quick review of my wheels. Advan model T5 17". I just bought them used with bends and cracks had them fixed and powder coated near perfect. 2k invested. I know its high but Ive wanted them forever. I have loved these wheels since I was a kid but I dont know much about them. Even though there dated do you think they still look good? Quality? How much did I over pay? There on my is300. Would post a pic but wont let me
Your top exotic cars 1million plus retail cars have "fake" wheels for example they have wheels designed by fake wheel companies and paid them to keep it between them
the most hideous thing I've seen cheap wheel companies do is take design from a big company but make it in much smaller dimensions which ruins the whole cool factor of the wheel, for example borbet makes the T wheel in many sizes 16-17 inch and they all got great big lips, go up to 9J and all that cool stuff, and then some company called alutec or something makes a replica wheel which has the same face design but comes in like 14 by 6 sizing with like +60 offset and looks absolutely hideous
Meh people who bash on cheaper wheels really need to stop being angry at them self they can't afford real wheels but will go bananas when they see rep or just cheaper brand remember kids not ever wheels on your car come with forged wheels from the factory lol and they seem to be doing just fine for ya on everyday drive.....peace.....
with a little patience, you can find real wheels for cheap. If you want something bad enough you will acquire it. i think people are impatient and want to impress others at the first opportunity they get and buy knockoffs just to be cool.
Definitely agree with that. 95% of the time a cast wheel is more than good enough. For those of us who don’t drive super cars or take ours to the track any replica or cast wheel is more than sufficient. If you just want your car to look better than stock but don’t feel like,or can’t, spend more than 20% of its value on a new set of wheels then a company like xxr will be more than good enough
I don't make the most money, but I've been able to buy some SSR and rays, it's just a matter of looking at different markets, even if they're international
I disagree the price people pay for for some of these reps you could get a set of real wheels. I got a pair of 3 piece works LS 507 for $800 they just need to be refinished if they saved their money like most do when they want parts for the next year they could afford to get them relipped and rebarreled. Or can do it themselves to save money. I just got mines back with bigger polished lips and wider specs. So it’s totally possible. People just have to do the research and don’t listen when people say how expensive it’s going to cost. Do your research for like $1200 I found a few fresh pairs of work wheels in great condition going around for sale
Fitment Industries You don't believe me? You were the one who uploaded the video, you should know at what time the clip of him throwing the Christmas tree at his gf started.
Real wheels are great. But I do chuckle a little when a 99 Civic pulls into the meet with over $3000 in wheels. Kinda like your 99 year old grandmother getting a boob job. No disrespect tho. Lol
Marcos Rodriguez he's doing it right , The more embarrassing things is when someone's buys a 50k gtr and then puts rota grids or Japan racing wheels on it 😂even though they can afford te37s
except civics can be build up pretty damn hard. also, you're going to shit on the civic regardless. they could have nice wheels or replicas: you'd shit on it anyways because "HURR RICE DURR." you are the car community's cancer
This debate is entirely a double-edged sword. It'll pull the gambit of enthusiasts out there, from the never-ending attention whores with no budget trying to defend their $100 turds on all sorts of soapboxes... to the die-hard nazi-esque elitists who won't give anyone a second glance, unless all the name-brands they prefer are present. My thought is this: If you like what you have, that is great and keep it up. However, don't expect everyone to cheer for you. As with your money, what they do with their attention towards what you've created, is entirely up to them. Just don't be surprised if they walk by, and refrain from calling them a "hater" just because they don't like what you've done. That makes you look more like a drooling moron then they ever could.
SO the obvious question is: If you, as a retailer, know that there are wheels out there that are unsafe due to the way they are made (e.g. cast replicas of forged wheels), do you refuse to sell those wheels? In other words, can WE the consumers trust YOU to help us avoid crap wheels?
A lot of that is based off of how people drive with their wheels on! However we also would not sell wheels from a company who has a bad reputation either!
My car came from the factory with knock off wheels. The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP. It originally came with 2 piece Alcoa's from the factory but GM, for whatever reason, decided to go with 1 piece Chinese knockoffs. Google it. I'd assume this happens frequently.
Different folks different strokes,, if im broke iant gone get escort on twitter, ill just go to massage place with a happy ending still,, whatever fits ya budget
i say buy what you can afford and make it work and look good
Agreed.
True, but With some guide lines. Don't buy fake parts. If you like the BBS RS look, but can't afford it, buy somthing similar for a price you can afford. But never a fake. That's technically illigal, and portraits a bad image for you.
True, until it breaks and you crash and die. So yea
That Guy you missed the key words... make it WORK and look GOOD. he’s not saying form over function, he’s saying find a median between the two at your budget.
I agree, also like to add if it looks good to you as an individual person and you’re not trying to look good by doing things to style you’re whip just for acceptance of others that’s cool too I guess if it makes you happy, I for one could care less what others think, I got some great 1 piece converted 3 piece wheels but this upcoming summer I’m gonna rock staggered corvette C4 wheels which are possibly the most played out wheel in the last decade, but I really don’t care cuz I like the look of them, and at the end of the day that is all that matters to me.
It all boils down to "Cheap ain't good and good ain't cheap." People want the recognition without making the sacrifice, and they undercut the true proprietors and creators of the industry because "it's their money" and expect the same reaction and performance as the ORIGINAL high quality product. But to each his own, get it how you live.
A fake wheel is a rep wheel with stickers/decals trying to pass off as a real wheel.
My Work Meister S2R’s have lip vinyl stickers that came from factory. The stickers themselves have been long discontinued.
Could you please repeat this a little bit louder, to the Subaru community in the back, I'm not sure they heard. thanks.
You guys should now do a series reviewing wheels and label them Real, Rep or Fake. Love the channel. Keep up the awesomeness!
We can do that! We appreciate the support and ideas
Car guys are 2 sensitive now a days.
truuu
For reals bros! Hella always talking trash about another's car where the love you know??
Im offended by this comment.....🤣🤣🤣
@Charlie Vetsworth too*
You mean American.
If yall chargin that much for some damn rims you bet im gonna buy some replicas
TheKaziCo wheels *
Not even the rims bro. U just getting the "wheels"
Black Asians? WTF lol im dead 😂😂😂
@roshg1 Cause if you force the fake wheels too hard, they can break all kinds of ways
@@ThatAMGguy Yeah but 90% of people who put aftermarket wheels on their cars only drive to work and back lol
We have all been there before, putting out $1000 maybe $1500 per wheel, without tires, thinking, I could have got a set of knock-offs and two weeks in Bali living like a king for the price of this damn set of wheels...
i think reps are ok as long as they are trying to improve on the original design in some way, it could be cheaper, could come in more sizes and colours, could improve on the look, could just be an easier to obtain version of a rare wheel.
its ok to look at something and say "i could do it better"
speaking of which does anyone know of any TRD alumi-K reps or fakes?
Lmao, “rota in general.”
Completely absolutely true 😂😂
hey, if its good enough for Keiichi Tsuchiya its good enough for me
rota was there before all these other knockoffs came along..so?????
Well rota wheels made OEM wheels for major automotive companies,
Rota makes oem Toyota mag wheels...
@@driver_18 Im not sure know a days...in the 90's they are having tough competition to go to Toyota...either politics ...
Technically, all wheels are real. 😉
A stoner would say "whooooa dude" now hahah
guess you didnt watch the video
Thats funny. Yes They are all "REAL" not imaginary. Real fake but real. LOL
As one Vulcan scholar wryly quipped...
"Nothing unreal exists."
@@johngregory4801 True. A fake wheel is one that doesn’t perform or cannot hold air and is only up for display 😂
Thing is. It shouldn't matter if I'm rocking reps or "real" wheels. Don't like the Varrstoen, XXR, or ESR wheels I'm rolling on? Buy me the set of wheels you want. Then you can talk all the trash you want. Til then. My car. My money. My choice.
PS-Y all still havent made a video about Varrstoen....
I don't care about the style so much the quality control. Does giving you real wheels give you a good feel? Yeah I'll be honest I own SSR GTV02s so call me biased. I was looking into a lot of wheels before I even decided to make the purchase. I even looked into Rotas/XXRs/etc, but I wanted to be sure that I was safe. People say that real wheels bend and crack, but they have a higher tolerance. They've been tested thoroughly, it's something I drive everyday. People that say "Well stock wheels are low pressure cast". While that's true the car company designed it very specifically with one particular offset to the design. Meanwhile you can go buy any offset/design of reps and they probably didn't test it as well.
My personal opinion, but real wheels just look that much better. It just gives it that nice edge to the car. I'm sure someones cracked volks before but they still have a much higher tolerance. I've seen too many images of people crashing cause their rep wheel gave out. It's dangerous for everyone in the car and the people driving around you. If someone ever crashed into me because of a rep wheel I would be pissed.
if rotas are good enough for Keiichi Tsuchiya theyre good enough for me
Justin Nguyen I ran rep wheels all my life. Never had a crack or bend. Even with the horrible roads around my area. Ive seen real wheels break too. Any wheel will fail under the right circumstances.
Justin Nguyen I would love to have a set of Work VS-XX or Meisters. But I'm not spending $3-4k on a set of wheels.
I have a friend who totaled his car twice on ESRs. In both cases his car would've been a hell of lot better off had he not had reps. I got SSR 3-piece wheels for $650. 6 fucking 50. There is no excuse for buying reps
Honestly, I understand the appeal. The cost of real wheels is seriously high, one wheel is more than a full set of reps. That said, if you can afford it you should be running real wheels to help support the companies that do the R&D that move the industry forward. They're not just the "original design", they're also the people coming up with the technology for production and the techniques for testing, all of which are critical for safety and quality in the aftermarket wheel community. So many reps are just terrible low quality and people buy them because they're cheap. At the end of the day, buying real wheels is the right thing to do for the community and for yourself.
A good rule of thumb is to simply never buy any wheel that's not from a reputable brand and that isn't JWL tested, VIA certified, and TUV certified. This ensures that they're at the very least safe to use on the road. There's a LOT of wheels on the market that aren't road-worthy, in my opinion. Then again, there's a lot of cars which are so cambered out that they aren't road-worthy either. If you can't buy something real, at least buy something safe. Don't put yourself, your family, and other drivers at risk by putting shoddily manufactured wheels on your car.
Dont you think if everyone buys fake wheels then the company will have more money for better qc and take their place?
Nope. That's not how companies work. I should know, I'm a Product Manager in the tech industry, so these types of things are literally something I think about every day at work. Companies are incentivized by profits, and profits can be increased by either increasing revenue while maintaining the same cost or by reducing costs.
Since companies that don't make real wheels don't have to spend on R&D for creating new production and test technology, nor do they spend on R&D for their wheel designs, they really just have the cost of their bill of materials + equipment (amortized) + production labor + marketing.
This is a really viable business model in industries which don't have strong intellectual property protections, or if you can use crossing national borders to protect yourself from liability. After all, if you spend all the money you would have had to spend on R&D on marketing you can end up with massive revenues at minimal costs == big profits.
The problem is, there's no incentive to change. Businesses are driven by customer demand, so if companies making fake wheels and reps get lots of business because of good marketing and low cost, they'll just keep doing what works. There is no incentive for them to invest in R&D at high cost to move the entire industry forward when their pricing doesn't account for it and they know that real wheel companies will do it anyway. The reputational value of making real wheels is the only thing that these companies seek, and it's far more possible to wiggle into the cracks than it is to invest real dollars into R&D.
Can a company go from making reps to making real wheels? Sure. Has it ever happened? Not to my knowledge. In the video they make the defining difference between reps vs real wheels as being based on design. I say it's more than that, it's also the actual production and testing technology which companies like BBS and Rays actually developed in-house and then publicized to help increase the safety and strength of wheels in the entire market. I'm sorry, but XXR and Rota are not going to be creating an entirely new method of wheel production or an entirely new testing safety standard anytime soon, it's just not profitable for them, no matter how many of their wheels you buy.
I think it’s ok for people to buy what they want and put whatever they want on their car. My problem is when someone says it’s just as good but cheaper. Or the ones who expect to get props on a setup that isn’t real amongst enthusiasts who value authenticity.
It's okay to do whatever you want as long as you're not endangering other people. That's the problem I have with fake wheels (not necessarily reps) is that they're not safe. Many reps are just as bad. As long as what you buy is JWL tested and TUV/VIA certified, I don't care if it's a rep or real, I'm not judging. But I won't buy anything myself that isn't real.
Jesus well said that took a while to type lol
Ive had real wheels in the past as in CCW. VOLK. SSR. And have 2 sets of Enkei RPF1s. I feel like it depends on the vehicle on what you put on there. Don’t go throw XXR wheels on a nice car. Then again don’t put nice forged on a dumpster. That’s just me tho.
Lots of people get “real” wheels for bragging rights but it is kinda annoying hearing all the hate lol.
To each his own. Respect the choice of others.
Well said.
Pick the wheels that make yourself happy, regardless of what it is.
AMEN
THEN suddenly they break & you crash and die
lol
at least they die happy 😂
Do a video On vossen and your thoughts about their wheels
We can do that!
Brandell Warren I actually met some dudes that work for vossen. My unc has a rim shop in Tampa and they come in to check out the shop and sell rims to him for him to sell. They both pulled up in grayish brown Audi’s with vossen tags on😂
Great video! Im not a big fan of replicas to be honest. BUT i remember Ken Block and his team once said “we like to use replica wheels because if the wheel happen to hit something, it will just break apart and it wont damage any major components (eg suspension, axle, etc)”. I guess somehow theres room for those.
A real wheel is any wheel I like that fits my bolt pattern. I take the emblems off anyway. And put on my own custom one. But if it's not a full blow show car having real wheels. Has no benefits. You don't get more BJ's because your wheels are real.
D Carden unsprung weight, safety, confidence of driving, appearance. All reasons to have real wheels.
Austin Couto Nascar has fake wheels so I can have them to you not gone be driving as hard as them I promise you want
Nascar doesnt have "Fake wheels"you dumbass they have steel racing wheels. And unless youre car is running above 800hp I would stop with the Nascar comparisons.
because nobody tracks their car ever right
Man are you making custom centercaps?
I don't specifically dislike reps or fakes as long as they're jwl via tested. I just prefer real wheels because I like multi-piece wheels and the reason I that I like the idea that if I don't like the current specs, I'm a lip and a barrel away from new specs, or in my case-- I welded lip/barrel lol.
Wheels depend on the vehicle in my opinion. A daily shouldnt have 4000 dollar wheels. Atleast coming from someone who lives in the northeast. Pot holes and railroad tracks fucked up from snow plows and salt. Most people want to customize their car to be different. Doesn't mean you need expensive track wheels.
Yea but we go winter mode come fall, and shelve the nice wheels until spring.
So we can run a nice wheel around here , you just gotta keep an eye on the season.
Yes if you don’t have BC racing coilovers or SSR wheels you get bash about it.... that’s the car community in Florida but I’m sure is like that every were...
well bc isnt well respected anymore for some reason. But since Florida is BCs home turf ofcourse people are going to rep the brand hard lol
Fellow Floridian here, my subie was on BC BR and Cosmis wheels lel. to some degree though you're absolutely right. Why are people here so crazy about SSR..?
I used to have SSR wheels, I loved them to bits and I miss them, they were the SSR Konig monsters if you care
Maddyx Myelstrom they're well produced wheels like Rays, Volk, Works, Weds, etc.
Roger Toledo I know! I meant locally at least, what Richard said is true. At least around these parts, SSR seems to be the brand most pushed by the scene, where the rest fall to the back burner, no matter how well made. I genuinely don't remember the last time I saw a set of TE37s on anything here
I've had real and fake wheels and I can attest to the difference in quality and strength. Real wheels are worth what they cost for their build quality and safety.
I quit watching at the very beginning when the guy threw the tree at his gf you can't get any better than that sorry lol
Yo I swear to god, I saw those SAME EXACT WHEELS in the picture on a bagged 370z, same color and everything, the only different is the wheel on the z was flipped
A few years back before I had my construction company I didn’t have much and I had this Chrysler 300 and I bought replica srt rims and I was in a tight spot and was forced to use my car for work and I had to put heavy tools in the car like a small skaffold and other things I remember I flew one time with the tools on the back on some railroad tracks on a hill really hard and the rims held up really good no cracking or anything i staryed with them rims for years with no problems and they were some 20’s now I’m blessed to be able to get more but don’t forget where I came from cause them rims were good too me I still have the car but sold the rims to my boy and they are still good and running kept the car just finished fixing it to the way I wanted it back then and I just keep it in the garage run it from time to time cause that 300 has sentimental value to me :)
Too be honest, i just bought my first set of wheels for replica prices with superb quality and beautiful looks. These wheels are from am Aston Martin v8 vantage and they amazing!!!! I can't tell you how much I love them, not only for their looks but for the fact that I know I'm getting great quality at a rep price. I say all this to say stop following the "in-crowd" follow you're own path and you'll be surprised what you can come across. Oem wheels ftw
Wtf. Did not know Fitment Industries were an hour away from me until they made WI snow reference and I looked it up lol. Definitely stopping by this spring to decide on my new set up!
I still have my gen 5 2001 Prelude 5spd with 2inch lower in the front and 1.75 in in the back with 17 inch Racing Hart C5's . Anyone else love the H22 as much as I do?
Nerazzurri Arcuri I had a prelude. Hated it
The lude is a cool car
5:02 peek a boo all the way to the right 😂😂😂
Literally JUST purchased a set of Konig Control 17" Matte Black. I'm pretty excited.
HELL YEAH! Sounds sick lol, Don't forget to upload pictures to our gallery to be featured! www.fitmentindustries.com/add-wheel-offset
Instead of buying fake wheels, buy OEM wheels from a different model of the make of your car. Just an example if you have a MB look into used Mono block or multi piece Brabus wheels or amg. If you dig deep enough you can sometimes find good deals on said wheels and you won’t have to jeopardize quality as long as you find a good set that is. Just a thought 💭
I rock super cheap vision cross. Dont care if they're fake or rep or what (common mesh pattern). They fit, they're sturdy, they're lighter than stock and look amazing on my car. Anything more expensive to serve exactly the same purpose is for bragging rights only.
Nice vid Alex. Balanced info. This kind of content is why I'm a subscriber. Keep up the great work (feature some nice viewer builds!)
Appreciate the support
I have Rota Slipstreams on my Civic daily and I love them!!! I got them for a great price too.
you're not condescending or pretentious like some other channels ive seen. keep it up.
*Grabs popcorn before venturing into comments section*
Thanks for visually validating my set!
Can u make a list of heritage wheel brands?
Trion Juggernaut SSR, Volk racing, Rays engineering, works, weds
enkei also
Sure!
MHT is a USA company but have been in the game for a long time & make tons of wheels for other TOP brands, there’s also Lowenhart, Riken, ARE, HRE, OZ, Manaray, Maya/TrafficStar, Lorinser, Carlsson, Speedline, & plenty more that I’m forgetting
The first set of wheels i put on my subie were a secondhand set of Rota Grid R's. The original owner of the wheels politely failed to mention he'd cracked one of them, and in my excitement to have my first set of aftermarket wheels i totally missed the little hairline. The tire debeaded on me a few days later on the way to work. Needless to say, i was pretty unhappy. While i don't run around bashing Rota for this (i don't know what kind of driving the person before me did or what those wheels went through prior to my purchase.) It has made me wary of buying other Rota products simply for the sake of the fact that they *were* cracked. the idea moreso that it CAN happen, not that it WILL. I feel that if you buy them new, you're probably not likely to run into the same issue i did.
Big ass potholes or curbs etc. can damage even the "real"wheels so don't blame Rota if you don't know the whole story bro.
Replica wheels $400-$700 new. The Work Meister S2R’s I found on OfferUp that were powder coated purple and have the lip vinyl stickers from factory, $240 with burner tires. Best $240 I’ve spent this decade.
I'll just stick with my forged one piece bbs stock wheels...
I don't like fake wheels they destroy the company's reputation that made the original one but replicas with the branding of a new company is good until they start making unique designs of their own
Thank you Fitment Industries for the seal of approval of my comment and the likes :) :) :)
rep wheels are allowed for out of production wheels if made exactly the same way as the original akin to aftermarket oem
"Let us know what you think in the comments. It's probably already on fire down there." 😂😂😂😂 Yes sir, you have lit a fire with THIS one!! So many opinions, some valid and some not. Before I really got into the "behind the scenes" of wheels, I always thought they were like the automotive industry. They "borrow" ideas from each other. Whoever puts it out first, gets the credit.
Now I know there is MORE to it than that. But some wheels get bad reputations when it's the owners fault. For example, someone mentioned do a video on Vossen. I've heard nothing but bad things about them over the years. From being a cast wheel to bad customer service. But their marketing campaigns are FIYA!!!
Now the problem with their cast wheel or ANY other cast wheel is that when the owner run a stretched tire, or any tire below a 35 series tire, you run the risk of that wheel being damaged on messed up streets!! Not too many wheels will hold up at 40 plus miles per hour and hit a pothole with 25 series tires!! And you blame the wheel!! I think that's where some of Vossen's "bad rep" came from.
"Real" wheels are not that much better either. Because you pay TOP dollar for two or three piece wheels, and ride them everyday, you run the risk of the wheel or all four being or getting lose. I think a two or three piece wheel should be on a REAL show car. Not to be driven everyday. Especially a three piece wheel. Just my two cents, carry on.. 😄😄
A video on Buddy Club wheels would be cool to see. I bought my set Brand new Mag Blue 15x8 + 32 for around $600 shipped to my door and they are real wheels. It's a interesting company i don't see much info on. Typically I see most cars running the older P1 design, but not many with the newer p1 design like myself and there isn't much history on them for me to go off of. Their Mag Blue also does seem to be much brighter than other Mag Blue's I see such as the Volk Te37's.
You do you and what makes you happy don’t let others comments bring you down you build your car to YOUR liking.
it's strange you never mention OZ Racing, Speedline, Team Dynamics...
Well, you get what you pay for.
A company’s reputation is number one on my list.
For example Radi8 wheels are relatively new and look very proper, but I would be hesitant on purchasing a set because of that reason of reputation.
In the mustang community rep's would be considered a factory copy wheel. I'd say more mustang run reps then a real name branded wheel.
Cory kempland over here with the modern Mopar’s a lot of guys run those Viper reps, some companies offer lifetime warranty. Those would be the ones I’d run if I did. But I don’t like looking like everyone else lol
In the muscle car community you’re right. That’s what they consider rep Wheels. A replica of an OEM wheel that’s probably upsized.
Cory kempland same thing in the truck scene. Rep wheels would be factory oen wheels
What’s your guys opinion about Konig wheels ? Thinking if getting some for my bmw.
Jose Gonzalez I say go for it personally. Buddy of mine just put konigs on his e46 and they look great
well since konig is a supporter of the scene i say go for it. some of their designs are reps but they been in the game long enough and should be respected
Jose Gonzalez great wheels i just got a set for my brz they were really lightwheight (18×9.5) and so far still look great
Alex Tyrone which ones did you get ?
Check out our Wheel History on them! It's on our channel :D
Not only the car world, but litteraly EVERYTHING suffers under this preconception that only the most expensive brands are "nice" or "respectable"
Anything less, and people scoff at you and basically call you a pleb.
Vlamyncksken you pretty much just described almost every kid in my school
Better yet, let me give you another example.
I drive a 2006 BMW Z4 E85 2.0i. It's a beautiful car which in my opinion, passes the test of time so far as looks are concerned.
An acquaintance of mine, who was drunk, once scoffed and said I have the "poverty-spec" car because it's only a 2 litre, and he knows there's a 3 litre version as well.
I'm a 23 year old living in Belgium, so anything above 150hp is super expensive to insure, yet this explanation fell upon deaf ears.
I know my car is nothing too special. it does 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds, yet is limited at 200 kph, so there's plenty out there that will eat me raw.
My point is; Even if you buy an expensive top-tier brand product, people will still find ways to tear you down. It's infuriating.
Should make a video one custom one of a kind video or how to get your own design made
Ohh, and my fake winter splits were 450 bucks and are tough as nails under any and all driving conditions, only real downfall I see with them are that they are pretty damn heavy
im running Rota Recce and i love it!
Another vote for Varrstoen video I had a set of the BBS LM copies and wow the lips are poor quality. Previous owner ran them for 8 months before selling me the car and the lips were already corroding.
I am now on TE37 (third set). My current set were made in 1997. You get what you pay for. Run OEM wheels until you can afford a quality set. My two cents.
That's awesome man. We will get on that varrstoen video ASAP!
I look forward to this one!!
You know you’re a high school car guy when the only wheels you look at buying are XXRs and Avid.1s 😂🤣😂
5:50 can someone tell me what the black wheel is on the second row, second from the left? Cheers
To end all this, get “real” wheels for your weekend, expensive, and/or show car and fakes for the daily
Great call dude!
What I look for in wheels for my Miata are will they break if I go off track and are they lighter than stock as a result I run 949 racing 6uls
Hey, can you guys do a video reviewing Avid1? Im thinking of getting a set of av36 's but im having a little trouble finding good info on them.
Absolutely!
Avid1 is waaaaaay too close in name to AVD1. Waaaay to close. $1000 set of wheels vs $10,000 set. I’d like to see a video about that!
Lbintab youre right lol. I found the Avid1 av36 on fitment industries website so I eould hope theyre decent ya know? 😂
What wheels are those on the thumbnail picture
AG F551!
im looking for those types of wheels but less of the price lol just for a daily. any options?
It's pretty simple actually if it gets a vehicle feature on this page it's probably a rep wheel.
I think what makes a wheel “real” is based on its performance characteristics.
Also remember that there are only a limited number of 'original' designs out there, before eventually every wheel is going to look like another wheel. We need these 'rep' companies coming in preventing the monopoly of the large wheel manufacturers from driving the price of wheels through the roof. It's like the music industry and all there legal issues. There are only 12 notes in a scale (7 white, 5 black) and only a limited combination of those notes. So eventually stuff is going to sound similar. Same thing with wheels. All wheels must be round (unless your Chinese, Triangle tyres!), and only a certain number of things can be done within that circle to contact the rim to the hub. Certain niche companies have tried to think out side the box (or cylinder?), like Ronal, but they are not exactly 'popular'. Most people want a light 5,6 or 7 spoke wheel. Only so much originality before everything just starts looking the same.
My dream wheels are 3pc Leon Hardiritt Ordens with a step lip in polished chrome and center face in graphite grey with gold hardware. But they are sooooo rare in 5x108 and expensive...😅
Anyone knows whats the brand of the 3 piece gold and chrome wheel in the video? Thanks
got you fam 🤟 bit.ly/2PIgCKW
Was wondering if you could give me a quick review of my wheels. Advan model T5 17". I just bought them used with bends and cracks had them fixed and powder coated near perfect. 2k invested. I know its high but Ive wanted them forever. I have loved these wheels since I was a kid but I dont know much about them. Even though there dated do you think they still look good? Quality? How much did I over pay? There on my is300. Would post a pic but wont let me
Just upload that bad boy to our gallery so we can see more pics! bit.ly/2Ma4oca
I've noticed how much the stancebois with real wheels likes to talk trash to people who can't afford to buy real wheels lol
Where does Aodhan fall in this debate ? If I'm going my beat on my weekend car will they bend or crack?
Because I love them, but can't afford the real ones...I really wish someone would replicate the Ronal R10 turbo wheels.
Scrolling thru the gallery while playing this in the background yeahhhhhh
Your top exotic cars 1million plus retail cars have "fake" wheels for example they have wheels designed by fake wheel companies and paid them to keep it between them
shucho stupid ass up
Are you guess gonna do a video about 3DSM wheels, also was curious are they big in america??
We definitely are! Stay tuned!
Can you make a review about ferrada fr3?
Sure!
When?
ok can anyone tell me what the black wheels in the middle row are? the second one on the left... middle row. I might need to buy me a set of those.
I have been told by a local show to avoid Avanti rims.. how true is this?
the most hideous thing I've seen cheap wheel companies do is take design from a big company but make it in much smaller dimensions which ruins the whole cool factor of the wheel, for example borbet makes the T wheel in many sizes 16-17 inch and they all got great big lips, go up to 9J and all that cool stuff, and then some company called alutec or something makes a replica wheel which has the same face design but comes in like 14 by 6 sizing with like +60 offset and looks absolutely hideous
when will you do diamond racing wheels? steel dont break!!
We'll add it to the list!
Alexander Farina yeees! I wanna see those and cragar soft 8's on some trucks with big sidewall tires!
Do "Truth" for Sparco/OZ
We'll throw it on the docket!
Meh people who bash on cheaper wheels really need to stop being angry at them self they can't afford real wheels but will go bananas when they see rep or just cheaper brand remember kids not ever wheels on your car come with forged wheels from the factory lol and they seem to be doing just fine for ya on everyday drive.....peace.....
with a little patience, you can find real wheels for cheap. If you want something bad enough you will acquire it. i think people are impatient and want to impress others at the first opportunity they get and buy knockoffs just to be cool.
Definitely agree with that. 95% of the time a cast wheel is more than good enough. For those of us who don’t drive super cars or take ours to the track any replica or cast wheel is more than sufficient. If you just want your car to look better than stock but don’t feel like,or can’t, spend more than 20% of its value on a new set of wheels then a company like xxr will be more than good enough
I don't make the most money, but I've been able to buy some SSR and rays, it's just a matter of looking at different markets, even if they're international
I disagree the price people pay for for some of these reps you could get a set of real wheels. I got a pair of 3 piece works LS 507 for $800 they just need to be refinished if they saved their money like most do when they want parts for the next year they could afford to get them relipped and rebarreled. Or can do it themselves to save money. I just got mines back with bigger polished lips and wider specs. So it’s totally possible. People just have to do the research and don’t listen when people say how expensive it’s going to cost. Do your research for like $1200 I found a few fresh pairs of work wheels in great condition going around for sale
I dont make much money either but they are many deals to be had online if you are patient. I saw some SSRs sold on ebay for 300
That's fucked up, the angry guy threw the Christmas tree at his gf
righhhht
Fitment Industries You don't believe me? You were the one who uploaded the video, you should know at what time the clip of him throwing the Christmas tree at his gf started.
Stalkerx13 it was funny as shit
I really like this thank you.
Real wheels are great. But I do chuckle a little when a 99 Civic pulls into the meet with over $3000 in wheels. Kinda like your 99 year old grandmother getting a boob job. No disrespect tho. Lol
Marcos Rodriguez he's doing it right ,
The more embarrassing things is when someone's buys a 50k gtr and then puts rota grids or Japan racing wheels on it 😂even though they can afford te37s
Brandon l
lol That's also true !
except civics can be build up pretty damn hard. also, you're going to shit on the civic regardless. they could have nice wheels or replicas: you'd shit on it anyways because "HURR RICE DURR." you are the car community's cancer
Marcos Rodriguez stupid Spanish inbred
Berenger Christy
I don't think I'm the car community's cancer if I look at the Civic, and I move on. I keep the comments to myself. It's their build.
When are you guys going to review Miro wheels?
We have more wheel reviews on the way stay tuned! 🙏
Make a video on A-tech finalspeed wheels. I have a set and I can’t find much info about them
We can do that!
What's the 3rd to last wheel on the top? The 6 spoke
Do one on explaining stretch tires
We did! Check out our channel! It's on there :D
This debate is entirely a double-edged sword. It'll pull the gambit of enthusiasts out there, from the never-ending attention whores with no budget trying to defend their $100 turds on all sorts of soapboxes... to the die-hard nazi-esque elitists who won't give anyone a second glance, unless all the name-brands they prefer are present.
My thought is this: If you like what you have, that is great and keep it up. However, don't expect everyone to cheer for you. As with your money, what they do with their attention towards what you've created, is entirely up to them. Just don't be surprised if they walk by, and refrain from calling them a "hater" just because they don't like what you've done. That makes you look more like a drooling moron then they ever could.
I didn't go to many fraternity parties either my guy 🤷🏿♂️ lol
What's the deal with Avid 1?
SO the obvious question is: If you, as a retailer, know that there are wheels out there that are unsafe due to the way they are made (e.g. cast replicas of forged wheels), do you refuse to sell those wheels? In other words, can WE the consumers trust YOU to help us avoid crap wheels?
A lot of that is based off of how people drive with their wheels on! However we also would not sell wheels from a company who has a bad reputation either!
what's the name of the red wheel at the top left
That's the Rohana RF1. Check it out here: bit.ly/2CLXJ2Z
My car came from the factory with knock off wheels. The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP. It originally came with 2 piece Alcoa's from the factory but GM, for whatever reason, decided to go with 1 piece Chinese knockoffs. Google it. I'd assume this happens frequently.
The AVID1 AV6 is a personal favorite wheel of mine, anyone have input on that? It’s a te37 rep
Different folks different strokes,, if im broke iant gone get escort on twitter, ill just go to massage place with a happy ending still,, whatever fits ya budget
What about cosmis wheels... are they reps or fake?
What's the wheel middle row 3rd from the left?
We need a Cosmis S1 video
Lol no snow in Wisconsin and we love it
Its a weird feeling tho I must say. lol 😂
is JNC a rep or fake wheel comp?
They are reps and the most supreme quality ones out there
Hey guys what's going on it's Alex from Fitment Industries.