Besides how the rims look on your car (and of course, proper fitment), what else do you look at when considering buying new rims?

I've been looking through a bunch of pics in the tires/wheels forum and it seems like everyone is buying Volks or RH's left and right. Now I think they all look great, but I've seen (and owned) some really nice looking rims before that cost half the amount.

Besides the fact that they look great, is there any other reason for going with such expensive rims? Weight? Durability? Or is it just the brand name?

Not looking for flames, just honest opinions.

Thanks

- Matt

 

Everyone's wants and needs are different but here is what I look for in order of importance.

1. Looks
2. Weight
3. Price
4. Strength/Durability

I wanted to get a relatively inexpensive wheel that would acommodate wider tires. I also decided to stick with 17's since they are generally lighter than 18's in the price range I was looking at. Also 17" tires are also cheaper. The wheel I chose has a nice open spoke design to allow maximum amount of heat and air to esacape from the brake rotors. Obviously you can see this is more of a performance oriented choice than one of bling. Here's the wheels I just ordered.

 

Really also depends on your personal preference. some like rims for looks, others for performance. and some like them for both looks and performance. personally to me the important thing is being different from all the other G coupes which is why im getting aftermarket rims. I also love rims w/ a deep dish and a gunmetal color. so i narrow my choices to those specifics. than i determine what price i can afford and go from there...

 

Living in the burbs of Philly i look for these features....

(no specific order)

1. Strength, quality, durability (PA has the worst roads ever)
2. Looks (my style, rare, eye-catching, etc)
3. Weight
4. Brand name (i aint gonna lie)
5. Price Price Price


Bottom line - Volks/Racing Harts are popular FOR A REASON & like everything else, u usually GET WHAT U PAY FOR...

 

For this car I looked for looks and originality. I like the subtle approach.

For my other car I looked for weight and some looks.

Too bad SSR's went out of business. would've liked to have another set
from them in the future.

 

I totally agree with this statement in that you get what you pay for but I guess what my real question is, what am I paying for?

I apologize for not researching these brands too much, but are they generally lighter and more durable than the cheaper brands? Are they less prone to denting if I hit a pot-hole? Is the finish more durable against rocks and other road debris?

I'm probably going to be looking at purchasing some new wheels in the spring/summer and I'm just trying to get a feel for what's out there and what considerations to take. The last thing I want to do is "cheapen" my G but I'm not sure if I can justify (to myself) spending over $2k on wheels alone (not including tires).

Thanks for the responses!

 

Cheaper wheels are usually cast, which means molten alum. poured into a preformed cast/mold. More expensive wheels i.e. Volk, BBS & Work are forged which means the wheel is machined out of a solid block of alum. Forged wheels are significantly stronger & lighter than cast...so yes you def. get what you pay for. That's the reason why you bought a G35 in the 1st place...right?

You can make any cast wheel look like a forged one so looks & size are pretty much a matter of taste & opinion. Road conditions where you live or travel should def. be a factor in purchasing wheels because forged wheels will hold up to potholes & hazards on the road better than cast. Take into consideration size as well...w/ a smaller wheel you have more tire (cushion) inbetween the road & the wheel.

 

What Cruz said is true. Also consider the finish of the wheels. If you like the aluminum wheels, forged with a brushed look, you might want to consider the clear coat option to keep you from having to polish the rims every few months (or more frequently) .

I chose a wheel for the following characteristics...
1. Looks
2. Had to have a clear coated and polished lip
3. Had to have a big lip
4. Had to have a front rim width LARGER than 8.5", (I recommend seeing several wheels on various G35's before you decide on a specific width and offset). IMO an 8.5" wheel, regardless of the offset, is too small for the G. Most people here would disagree however...
5. Budget (get a wheel that you'll be happy owning, even if it means paying a little more for it.) If you own the car for 5+ years, get the wheels early on and you'll get more out of them for your money. The nicer the wheels are, the more you'll be able to sell them for when you sell the G.
6. Weight, durability, performance. There are plenty of go-fast mods to make up for unsprung weight.

Many guys like to tout the lighter wheels for performance, however I now get faster 1/4 mile times with my heavier 19's because I can drop the clutch at 2500 rpm's and not spin like crazy. Could not do that with my lighter 8.0" wide stock rims/tires. I'm not an auto cross guy, if I were I probably would not have purchased 19's anyway, right?

 

well there are some nice looking cast wheels made in China and Taiwan, guess what, they are about $100-$250 each from 18"-20", they better fit on Civic those cars... Quality If you rate them from scale 1-10, you are looking about 1 to 2 maximum

TO ME, G35 is a luxury car being throned "INFINITI" in the US, so personally, I will NOT throw $100 wheels on the car and rather keep it STOCK!

- Save more for the high end wheels and don't even waste the $400 on a cheap set - just be patient. If you pay by credit card for 24 months, well, only $100 per month = a Panasonic Plasma TV - ( Business Economics + Accounting Majors in College )

 

Look, nice looking lip, Good color match with ur car, Quality, and one that will make u happy everytime you see em..

 

1) Widest possible without rubbing after drop
2) 19" - forged - silver w/ polished lip - fat lips front and back
3) Mesh-style
4) Price

I came down to IForged Swifts (brushed w/ polished lip - all clearcoated) or Volk SF-winnings (Mercury silver) - I decided on the Volks because of the sizes that were available (9.5f/10.5r vs 8f/10r - IForged 2pc), tire sizes for those specific widths, and price ($500-600 cheaper for Volks)

and as you can see, I went with the Volks and the only regret I have is that I've been waiting for 3+ months... if they get pushed back again, however, I might not be as convinced

 

I recommand sf-challenge or maya rt-5 because they have good quality, nice looking, good looking lips...

 

^ agreed, but keep in mind that the Maya's are cast. not too much of a biggie, but a tip. and yes, as raysur???? (can't remember sn) mentioned, they're made by trafficstar.

 

Oh I also like RH J8 man those look sweeeeeeeeet and a half..