What Grinds My Gears.

[Jono.C]

"fake wheels"

 

Now, I'm not saying I don't like them, but I'm starting to see why people don't..

 

I mean sure, set of Rota grids for $750 is a good deal by any standard

 

But it's starting to annoy me some of the copies..

 

Sometimes things are cool because they're rare or uncommon, and if you make that readily available then it detracts from the original product I reckon..

 

Like I don't agree with fibreglass hotrods. They're either real steel or they're not the real thing in my opinion.

 

Because it was once cool to see a 32 ford coming down the road, it still is, but when it becomes more common from the copies running around it just takes away from the original real deal..

 

If anyone can understand what I'm on about haha

[coln72]

I understand and agree with you.

[Willis]

"fake wheels"

 

Now, I'm not saying I don't like them, but I'm starting to see why people don't..

 

I mean sure, set of Rota grids for $750 is a good deal by any standard

 

But it's starting to annoy me some of the copies..

 

Sometimes things are cool because they're rare or uncommon, and if you make that readily available then it detracts from the original product I reckon..

 

Like I don't agree with fibreglass hotrods. They're either real steel or they're not the real thing in my opinion.

 

Because it was once cool to see a 32 ford coming down the road, it still is, but when it becomes more common from the copies running around it just takes away from the original real deal..

 

If anyone can understand what I'm on about haha

 

I can understand that. But you're the only person on the internet that has delivered a good reason to not like them.

 

I still back the "fake" wheels. I'll never be able to afford a genuine set of Streets, TE37's or RS'. So they might be not such a special thing to look at for anyone else anymore, but for me, it'd be like looking at the real thing. But on my car, not in a photo of some richer guy's car.

[Jono.C]

I don't necessarily not like them.. I mean, a set of Rota grids for that price is a great deal.

 

The main side of it that pisses me off as well is, there was small car meet up down here and a guy had a relatively ordinary 1200 sedan with a set of 14" hayashi streets. This know it all mentions to the owner about his 'shakotans' and the guys like nah mate they're hayashi streets, nah nah they're shakotans man, these are genuine, they're 14 inch

 

The guy hadn't even seen real ones before and started arguing with the owner that he had rota's

[Hiro Protagonist]

Fibreglass 'Rods are a bit different, mainly because the copies are used to keep afloat an industry that would otherwise die out as all the old cars disappear. Remember that we're talking about 80-year old cars here, there were only so many made and a hell of a lot would not have survived the years, and things like original body panels would be next to impossible to find, even if you're loaded.

 

Fake wheels on the other hand aren't about availability, rather purely cost. Genuine BBS LMs are "rare" because they are expensive, not because there weren't many made. Rays/Volk are still making TE37s so finding a set isn't like unearthing a treasure-trove of lost parts. I can understand a circuit-racer spending their hard-earned on a genuine set of lightweight Japanese race-wheels (that is for a purpose), but when your $4000 Volks are going on a $500 Celica with stretched tyres that spends more time in a Maccas carpark than pit-lane, the argument of purpose is invalid and it generally just boils down to ego.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Hiro Protagonist

[Willis]

Fibreglass 'Rods are a bit different, mainly because the copies are used to keep afloat an industry that would otherwise die out as all the old cars disappear. Remember that we're talking about 80-year old cars here, there were only so many made and a hell of a lot would not have survived the years, and things like original body panels would be next to impossible to find, even if you're loaded.

 

Fake wheels on the other hand aren't about availability, rather purely cost. Genuine BBS LMs are "rare" because they are expensive, not because there weren't many made. Rays/Volk are still making TE37s so finding a set isn't like unearthing a treasure-trove of lost parts. I can understand a circuit-racer spending their hard-earned on a genuine set of lightweight Japanese race-wheels (that is for a purpose), but when your $4000 Volks are going on a $500 Celica with stretched tyres that spends more time in a Maccas carpark than pit-lane, the argument of purpose is invalid and it generally just boils down to ego.

 

Well said.

[Willis]

I don't necessarily not like them.. I mean, a set of Rota grids for that price is a great deal.

 

The main side of it that pisses me off as well is, there was small car meet up down here and a guy had a relatively ordinary 1200 sedan with a set of 14" hayashi streets. This know it all mentions to the owner about his 'shakotans' and the guys like nah mate they're hayashi streets, nah nah they're shakotans man, these are genuine, they're 14 inch

 

The guy hadn't even seen real ones before and started arguing with the owner that he had rota's

 

Yes well he was clearly retarded.

[It's_AUDM_Yo]

 

This know it all mentions to the owner about his 'shakotans' and the guys like nah mate they're hayashi streets, nah nah they're shakotans man, these are genuine, they're 14 inch

 

 

 

Yeah I'm a bit over insane amounts of copies, I'd rather 2nd hand genuine of new fakes.

[ke70dave]

Its interesting that fake wheels of a popular model always look fake, and i don't know what it is.

 

if cheaper wheel companies made their own wheels that looked good i woudlnt have a problem. obviosly they can't make them exactly the same (copyright etc), but they could make them at least look good.

 

though that "AXIS" brand wheels has some sweet looking rims for the price.

 

my mate just bought some brand new 'super light' wheels, which are pretty good copies of the wantanabe.

 

i think he is happy, but it will always be in the back of his mind, maybe he should have saved up for the magnesium wantanbes!

[Hiro Protagonist]

my mate just bought some brand new 'super light' wheels, which are pretty good copies of the wantanabe.

 

From memory both Superlites and Watanabes are based off the original Minilite mag-wheel from the '60s

[Willis]

From memory both Superlites and Watanabes are based off the original Minilite mag-wheel from the '60s

 

I do believe they are. And Superlites are great wheels. Would much rather them than Watanabes.

[kickn5k]

 

 

From memory both Superlites and Watanabes are based off the original Minilite mag-wheel from the '60s

 

Yeah but neither of these "copies" are made in china.

 

I don't like the JDM "copy" wheels for a few reasons.

1. They don't make them in a size that would ever fit or look good on "real" corollas.(15's look ghey on ke-1x/2x's)

 

2. Everyone puts stretched cheap crap rubber on them, probably get better handling with std wheels.

 

3. They are made in china!!!!!! nuf said.

 

 

[Willis]

Yeah but neither of these "copies" are made in china.

 

3. They are made in china!!!!!! nuf said.

 

They also make nuclear weapons. Which I'm betting money would work just fine.

[It's_AUDM_Yo]

You'd be right about that but the Chinese would being employing top engineers, chemists and etc from quite possibly all over to world do this. I wouldn't even be surprised if they had the best facilities in the world for doing that kind of stuff

 

Whereas most of these companies are 12yr+ old's in some metal work factory.

I also dislike how if a copyright claim is logged against a Chinese company that China essentially tells them to get ʞ©$ɟed.

Edited August 28, 2012 by It's_AUDM_Yo

[kickn5k]

They also make nuclear weapons. Which I'm betting money would work just fine.

 

Oh man the two points I didn't think I'd get a bite from!! No oh man what wrong with ke-3x or sevs etc??

Must be loosing my touch!!

 

Nah your right there are Chinese products and then there are "Chinese" products. Like Rota wheels and a few others, they are quite well made products. But like I said earlier none of them make a wheel I'd be happy with size wise putting on the 11. So it's either run steelies, buy new superlight's or pay $400-$1000 for S/H JDM wheels for me.