Alloy Wheels, Original or Replica?

[vinceremedy]

Hi i have an Audi A4 1.8t ltd edition 190bhp model and my front tyres will need replacing soon.

I am wondering whether to replace all tyres (or just 2?) or go for a new set of rims with tyres with them fitted.

I have seen these which look a real good price but they are replicas.
18" A5 ALLOY WHEELS WITH TYRES AUDI,VW, SEAT,SKODA,FORD on eBay (end time 22-Nov-10 22:53:29 GMT)

I currently have the 17 inch 5 spoke star shape original Audi alloys set.

So are replicas ok to use? Any comments on these wheels?

Cheers

 

[quattrojames]

There's nothing wrong with replica's necessarily, but at £360 with tyres I'd be very cautious! You get what you pay for as in everything, the best you can hope for is crap tyres, and the worst rims that after one winter will all be bucked.

Decent tyres alone are £130 + each so its hard to see how they can sell them at that price, sorry to be negative but I'd walk away from those personally.

 

[CHRIS555]

I agree witht he above - reps come across as a good deal but in respect of the tyres make sure you get a good brand, they will lasy longer, perform better and will be safer.

Also, and worth noting, replica alloys tend to be much heavier so you may lose a little performance.

 

[Turkster]

id rather get 2nd hand gen wheels and have them re ferbed to new standards than have copies as the copies are normally made of softer alloy which means buckles are easier to collect! iv learnt that the hard way.

 

[vinceremedy]

cheers

They do seem to good to be true, will just get new tyres only the fronts need doing according to MOT advisory so can spread the cost!

 

[paul20v]

Genuine
have seen and had reps and you get what you pay for generally heavy lumps of soft alloy that can corrode very quickly .

 

[drmole]

yeah i agree aswell buy a set of used oem ones and get them refurbed!

thas the one thing i dont like getting on a budget is tyres four bits of cheep rubber bing the only thing keeping you on the straight n narrow is not good

 

[Turkster]

we cant all be telling lies here mate,

 

[CMD]

Rep's with good tyre's. I change my mind alot when it come's to wheel's so buying rep's save's me a shed load over OEM wheel's. As long as you buy from a good company which have a good rep. I'm selling my 18's which i only bought in Aug for AITP Check them out in the classified's.

 

[snowball1969]

got to go for a decent set of tyre good brand really budget are ok but just dont last as long

 

[jdp1962]

I bought a set of what seem like perfectly good quality 17" RS6 reps for my B6 about six months ago. With mid-range Falken tyres on, they cost £540 delivered. The wheels were made in China.

I took them off about a month ago, as I was selling the car. The replacement, a B7 3.0TDi Quattro on a 57 plate has OEM 16-spoke 17" wheels with virtually new Continentals. I've toyed with the idea of swapping them, simply because the RS6 reps are easier to clean. I haven't got round to changing them yet, but I did notice that the OEMs on the B7 are also made in China.

So what are the chances that they are all made in the same factory, OEMs and reps alike, and Audi simply charge an outrageous fortune for exactly the same wheel?

 

[iyrix]

Your probably right! I've got 19" reps and they seem ok. Im sure they might buckle easier.. but im just going to try and be careful with that!

 

[quattrojames]

My oem RS6's are Ronal as are a lot (if not all?) of Audi wheels, and they're made in Poland.

 

[Digger1]

I bought a set of what seem like perfectly good quality 17" RS6 reps for my B6 about six months ago. With mid-range Falken tyres on, they cost £540 delivered. The wheels were made in China.

I took them off about a month ago, as I was selling the car. The replacement, a B7 3.0TDi Quattro on a 57 plate has OEM 16-spoke 17" wheels with virtually new Continentals. I've toyed with the idea of swapping them, simply because the RS6 reps are easier to clean. I haven't got round to changing them yet, but I did notice that the OEMs on the B7 are also made in China.

So what are the chances that they are all made in the same factory, OEMs and reps alike, and Audi simply charge an outrageous fortune for exactly the same wheel?

OEM rims,,, Made in China.... Really !

 

[jdp1962]

OEM rims,,, Made in China.... Really !

Yes, really. And before you suggest they are not OEMs, the spare is unused and unmarked in the spare wheel well, wearing a brand-new untouched Bridgestone Potenza tyre, and "CHINA" stamped on the inside of one of the spokes.

 

[quattrojames]

Are they deffo oem with the four rings stamped Jeff?

 

[jdp1962]

Just about everything in the world is manufactured and/or assembled in China now, even if it is designed and engineered elsewhere. I have high-end Marantz separates hi-fi kit that is made in China. The Goodyear GSDs that I had a while ago were made in China.

 

[paul20v]

Im going too look at my s4 wheels now
im sure i saw germany cast on them .

 

[Turkster]

in Turkey the make OEM alloys for BMW and Mercedes now, Iv been in the factory and seen how its all done, The Alloy mix is specified by the OEM hence the structure is more stronger,

 

[paul20v]

My oem RS6's are Ronal as are a lot (if not all?)

Ronal , Borbet and Speedline at least .