Replica wheels opinions

[Blockrock]

First off i'd like to say hello to everyone, since it's my first post here.

I am currently looking to swap out my 19" style 225's because the ride is just awful, even when tracking the car you can feel that there is just not enough tire there to handle well.
I have been in love with the CSL style wheels for a long time, so i've decided to get a pair of good quality replicas. I would go with OEM but as i've mentioned before, 19" is just too big for a non-m E46 IMO.
Recently i've found a company in the UK called CM Wheels and i've been wondering if they are reputable. 400£ for a set of rims does not really inspire confidence, however i do not want to spend $1000 so import from the US wouldn't really work.
I know that there is VMR that makes such replicas but again, they are just too expensive here in Europe.

Tl;dr

Did anyone buy from CMW?
Can you recommend a set of CSL or 1M 18" replicas?

[DennisCooper]

Hi,

CM Wheels in the UK are a great retailer of wheels in terms of service and setup. They do sell branded wheels as part of their product lineup and offer a proper after sales care/warranty channel for those which is what you'd expect from a genuine and proper company.

When it comes to ' unbranded replica' wheels, there's less protection. This is due to the wheels themselves are made 'somewhere' .. usually the far east in a sweatshop/unregulated factory. These factories use the cheapest, lowest grade raw materials for manufacturing and finishing and thus these type of wheels are the lowest quality you can buy. Due to no identifying markings as to which factory made them, you can get a better quality unbranded replica wheel through to ones where they bend if you sneeze near them. You won't know or be able to tell by looking at them.

CM wheels do mention that their 'unbranded' replica's are better quality ones and from the number of buyers of the CSL replica's they do, then there is indeed a respectable number of purchasers mentioning they're happy. If CM wheels does have contacts in the Far East where they're made and do know they're a better quality item, then all good - but given that replica is just another name for counterfeit, fake, knock off, imitation, it always will remain a question mark as to how good they 'could' be in terms of that level of wheel quality. The markings for JWL or VIA which are on a non genuine wheel which 'looks like' the original, are likely to be fake as well - no factory making counterfeit products will have official accreditation from those quality checking bodies - they'd be shut down immediately and owners taken to court!

Sitting above the 'unbranded replica' quality level for wheels (the lowest) is the 'entry level'. This will have recognisable brands such as TSW, Dotz, VMR, AEZ, Wolfrace etc etc etc. All of these brands will use higher quality factories in turn which use higher and better quality raw materials and will be accredited by JWL, VIA and perhaps also ISO quality control bodies which means the products will be of decent/excellent quality and tested and certified for use on public roads.

Personally, the entry branded level is the lowest I'd ever consider on a car as I regard wheels as safety related component and wouldn't want to risk safety for the sake of looking like genuine wheels. Plenty of drivers don't care and just want the looks at the expense of safety and many of those seem to do ok with unbranded replica's whilst other's find their wheels egg shaped after a short while or cracked/bent/split and also deteriorated surfaces within a relatively short space of time.

My recommendation would be to continue saving up for a set of wheels that are branded and come with a warranty from the brand/manufacturers.

Cheers, Dennis!

[Eero]

Check BM autosport uk, decent replicas in decent price.