Dropped them off for powder coating. Take a look at this finish.

[four.8is]

Silver it is..can't wait to install them.
Now I need tires...Got a quote from Costco for a set of 4 Bridgestone dueler HP non RF - 1150$

Anyone have any experience with these tires?

[Joshdub]

Is that price mounted and balanced? That seems low. Costco gave me a quote for those at 9-something plus mount/balance and tax.

I'd recommend cross shopping tirerack and discount tire (as well as discount tire direct on ebay). If you buy from tirerack, you can have them shipped to a recommended installer. I suggest truline Tru-Line Frame and Wheel, Inc. - High Quality Auto Suspension, Alignment, and Brake Services in Seattle and Bellevue Areas.. If you buy through Discount Tire Direct, you can have them mounted and balanced at the store for 16 a wheel, and they come with the free rotations, puncture repair, ect. Also Discount Tire is having some big 4th of July deal going right now.

The best thing about Discount Tire Direct and Tirerack is no sales tax, and the tires show up within just a couple days. I have always gotten free shipping from Discount Tire Direct, but paid for at Tirerack.

[civdiv99]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

I'd say keep it Titan Silver with the grilles, etc

If you had window tint, black grilles, smoked LED tails, etc, I'd say the option 2 would be a good look, but as your X looks now I dont think it would flow if it was gunmetal.

[four.8is]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

Is that price mounted and balanced? That seems low. Costco gave me a quote for those at 9-something plus mount/balance and tax.

I'd recommend cross shopping tirerack and discount tire (as well as discount tire direct on ebay). If you buy from tirerack, you can have them shipped to a recommended installer. I suggest truline Tru-Line Frame and Wheel, Inc. - High Quality Auto Suspension, Alignment, and Brake Services in Seattle and Bellevue Areas.. If you buy through Discount Tire Direct, you can have them mounted and balanced at the store for 16 a wheel, and they come with the free rotations, puncture repair, ect. Also Discount Tire is having some big 4th of July deal going right now.

The best thing about Discount Tire Direct and Tirerack is no sales tax, and the tires show up within just a couple days. I have always gotten free shipping from Discount Tire Direct, but paid for at Tirerack.

Hey Josh , that's tires alone, and no tax, since my dad has an Oregon drivers license .

I was going to have Tru-Line Bellevue road force balance them...170$ balance and tire install.

Alignment - 160$

About 1500$ for everything

Tru line works with tire rack and they told me same thing you said.

I'll check discount tire as well

Yes 1150$ is cheap compared to the stupid 2000$ for the Michelin Diamaris that last 1 year tops

[four.8is]

Found these Pirelli's ...front ones are discounted and rears are back ordered ...I've got almost 2 weeks til I get my wheels so that shouldn't be a problem...I'm thinking to buy these for about the same price of the bridgestones...

[Joshdub]

That's an option too.

Truline is nice because they do road force balacing. But it is expensive. If road force balacing isn't something you particularly care about, there are a few other options. I usually get my regular wheels and tires mounted and balanced at Meisterwerks. It's under $100.

[four.8is]

Meisterwerks is doing the powdercoating for me.(at your recommendation )
They asked if I'm interested in mounting and balancing but Ill just take it to truline to road force balance them .

[Joshdub]

Oh awesome! These are going to look great. I look forward to pictures.

[andrewwynn]

So happy i bumped into this thread! My 14 year old wheels have peeling of the clear coat and I was just starting to work on how to fix that issue; i already replaced the hubs $22 incl. priority shipping for all 4 with the new chrome edge (sooooo much nicer than the yellow crappy plastic edge!)

Anyhow; my '01 X5 is black on black on black in black with some more black, So once i can find a good simulator I'm thinking of going one more level of black and get some black rim action going. Perhaps with silver just on the rim for an accent. My brother does powder coating, I could probably get the paint job done free :-D

So; input on Color options for an 'everything black' E53 for a re-work of the wheels? Hoping i can get 'same day service' on the painting so i can go visit the bro and come back with the wheels ready to have the tires remounted.

I would be ok with a splash of color like bright red/yellow maybe just the outer rim like color socks with a black suit. Anybody seen a treatment like that?

I found an example of the splash of color I'm talking about:



I couldn't find an X5 with similar wheels but the Lambo is 'ok' too I guess

With my X5 being all black everywhere including blackout glass behind the front seats i think it'd be fun. I did not like the all black rim; the wheels need some definition, similar to how i don't like most all black cars because the curves can't be seen in the shadows; somehow the x5 doesn't bug me that way.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[andrewwynn]

I grabbed a wheel of the style I have and did a quick photoshop mod to get a sense of the color options i'd go with. I made a yellow (hard to modify on-screen; the lambo is more accurate), red and indigo. I will likely make a hand-done test-case with spray paint before pulling the trigger on powder coating but the wheels are in motion now

There is a natural circle in the middle 'begging' to have the entire hub the color but though it may look cool on the freeway i think it'd be gaudy up-close and love the little thin line circle of color instead. Thoughts?

Oh, although it looks 'matte' in the simulation, my first thought was to make the center of the wheel gloss to match the car, but now that i'm looking at the photoshop simulation i'm loving the matte; i guess one side of the car will get matte, one side gloss for the prototype.

-awr