not every wheel is easily copied. some are harder than others to the point that some just don't get copied. one piece wheels are easier to fake than multi piece and some multi-piece are too hard to pull off and not look totally fake.
the exposed polished flange between the barrel and face on my wheels is not easily copied especially if the face is not chrome (because the face would b a different color than the flange); it is even more obvious on the gold version. this was one of the reasons i got these particular wheels and in special order gunmetal. the only way to convincingly copy this look is to make the wheels multi-piece (or possibly riveting a polished flange behind the spokes of a 1 piece wheel)... making them multi-piece would make them cost prohibitive and simply casting them in one piece and polishing the flange sections while painting the face parts would not be easily made to look convincing.
since the flange is polished it shines as much as the lips and is actually very noticable even from a distance:
additionally, the way the face disc exposes the barrel flange from the front by the thin spokes of the wheel, you can see the pierce bolts go all the way through w/ fasteners on the rear of the flange... nobody that knocks off wheels bothers to fake the rear fasteners because most wheels designs don't easily show those when the wheels are mounted:
lastly that all metal valve stem visibly goes through the flange and face and "floats" in a hole not touching the face or flange then bends 90 degrees to go into the barrel at a point behind the flange... another detail not worth knocking off as it is also cost prohibitive:
This is such a hot G. That looks dam good.
-Greg
"I smashed up the grey one, bought me a red;
Every time we hit the parking lot we turn heads!"
-Pimp C, "International Players Anthem"
I have to say , you guys had made a point about the replica wheels, but, not everybody have the money to buy Volks, Rays or BBS; and its clear the quality of the wheels its very important, but even a quality brand can get broken in a given moment. I'm not saying it something of less importance, just, that we can discuss fo a year how good a high quality, expensive brand is; and is like discuss how wet is the water. I wolud love to have a set of Volk TE37, but I dont have the money, so, a good afordable set have to do for the time being.
De que estamos hablando?
Reelax you alcoholic.... posting up next to BevMo. LoL.
personally I feel if you can afford to rock nice wheels then do so. if you can't, then save and wait for a bargain. I see people rush to get wheels because they can't wait to save. in California, if you rock replicas. you get laughed at no matter what. yeah cali people are brand whores lol. me personally have not spent anything more than 1000 bucks on my wheels with the exception of the volks when I had my g35 and I have works, ssr, 5zigen and bbs in my garage. I've seen 18 inch te37's. go as low as 1500
with tires and that's a real bargain. you just gotta be patient. screw all the lil gadgets people put into their cars. think of the money you would have saved if u didn't buy that crap and saved for strictly wheels. wheels make the car. everything else is an accessory.
02 Galant ES I4 ~ DD. JDM Kit/BBS LM Gold/D2/EvoRecaro/EGR/JL Audio/Eclipse Audio/Greddy/Injen/Project Kics/Brembos
2010 Lexus IS350c Tungsten Pearl Mica/Volk GTM/H&R Springs/F sport intake/Project Kics/Lems Shift knob
2010 Lexus IS-F Ultrasonic Blue/Volk TE37/HKS Hipermax IV GT/Ventross Kit/Lexon/JoezPerformance/Tom's/Project Kics/RR-racing tune
2009 Acura TL w/Tech package A-spec Kit/ BBS LM/Tein
1. they wouldn't know the difference but alot of us would spot it immediately.
2. you're kidding right? if there was a cheap version of the VOLK SF-WINNING it would be a very popular knockoff, but since it is not that easy to copy, the knockoff doesn't exist. not every wheel is easy to copy.
as a wheel collector, comparing te, ce, se. with the sf line is completely off. you're comparing a track wheel to a show wheel. in no way sf winnings a track wheel. btw sf winning are classy. when I had mine, people would always offer trades or make cash offers. I've been in the wheel game since 93, and trust me I've seen trends come and go. sf winnings may not be the most sought out wheel at the moment but give it a couple years and they will be sought after again when people don't see it around as much. look at vs-xx, those are getting played out like gold wheel color. even 3 piece rs-betas were hot then got played out and now they're hot again. reelax has been in the game probably longer than me and he got a wheel that made his car classy. it'll still be classy after all these trends pass.
02 Galant ES I4 ~ DD. JDM Kit/BBS LM Gold/D2/EvoRecaro/EGR/JL Audio/Eclipse Audio/Greddy/Injen/Project Kics/Brembos
2010 Lexus IS350c Tungsten Pearl Mica/Volk GTM/H&R Springs/F sport intake/Project Kics/Lems Shift knob
2010 Lexus IS-F Ultrasonic Blue/Volk TE37/HKS Hipermax IV GT/Ventross Kit/Lexon/JoezPerformance/Tom's/Project Kics/RR-racing tune
2009 Acura TL w/Tech package A-spec Kit/ BBS LM/Tein
Being classy and sought after doesn't mean everybody needs to like them or want them. And i understand they're different types of wheel, I'm correct in saying they aren't as well known though
if you were in the game 4-5 years ago, that rim was a very sought after wheel. probably top 3 wheels to get back then. I'm sorry but there's people who know wheels and then there's people who actually have rocked them and traded wheels like baseball cards. this is the one pet peeve I have with people who claim they are wheel buffs. unless you've owned these wheels or rocked a multitude of wheels over seeing them in magazines and cutting them out unto your own car, or seeing it in blogs that make them popular,then you are not a true wheel guy.
02 Galant ES I4 ~ DD. JDM Kit/BBS LM Gold/D2/EvoRecaro/EGR/JL Audio/Eclipse Audio/Greddy/Injen/Project Kics/Brembos
2010 Lexus IS350c Tungsten Pearl Mica/Volk GTM/H&R Springs/F sport intake/Project Kics/Lems Shift knob
2010 Lexus IS-F Ultrasonic Blue/Volk TE37/HKS Hipermax IV GT/Ventross Kit/Lexon/JoezPerformance/Tom's/Project Kics/RR-racing tune
2009 Acura TL w/Tech package A-spec Kit/ BBS LM/Tein
TSW has several wheels that copy the Volk SF Winnings. They certainly have had copies made over the years. Mesh wheels are incredibly popular, and likely always will be as such they will all have copies. So, really you all three of you are right. There are a LOT of knock off wheels that copied Auto Couture, but I'd guess most have never heard of them. I've been selling wheels for about 10 years now, and I can support that high end wheels can't get copied 100% by cheap companies just by the engineering stand point. But I think that Blue8g means that the style is copied, not necessarily the entire wheel. It might be a 90% copy of the SF Winnings (TSW Donnington).
still one of my favorite designs:
Volk SF Challenge
From Boost Addicts to Carbon Fanatics™ www.socalautowerks.com
Censee: Im trying to pimp some hoes for money for the lsd. 3/28/2011
Cali: Sig 3/28/2011
challenges are very classy and aggressive. always a great wheel!!
02 Galant ES I4 ~ DD. JDM Kit/BBS LM Gold/D2/EvoRecaro/EGR/JL Audio/Eclipse Audio/Greddy/Injen/Project Kics/Brembos
2010 Lexus IS350c Tungsten Pearl Mica/Volk GTM/H&R Springs/F sport intake/Project Kics/Lems Shift knob
2010 Lexus IS-F Ultrasonic Blue/Volk TE37/HKS Hipermax IV GT/Ventross Kit/Lexon/JoezPerformance/Tom's/Project Kics/RR-racing tune
2009 Acura TL w/Tech package A-spec Kit/ BBS LM/Tein
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