Wheel and tire suggestion

[ard]

Originally Posted by '10-X5-35d

And the company who makes BMW wheels is an aftermarket manufacturer.

.

Old thread.

Who IS the manufacturer for the various x5 wheels? Name would be fine. I've never been able to confirm this

The company that makes the BMW wheels is,in fact, the OEM. The wheels you are calling OEM you actually mean OE.

['10-X5-35d]

BBS was one of them (not sure if they still make wheels for BMW).
Ronal is the manufacturer who makes the popular style 214 20" for the X5.
There are others, but I don't have the names as I type this.

I've heard also of LA Wheels, but not sure they are actually a manufacturer.
I saw them listed as the maker of my style 210 18" wheels.

[ard]

So you do you think Rona is allowed to make copies of the BMW wheel, and sell them outside the BMW network?? Is yes, this is a true OEM product. I doubt it.

Heres the thing I cannot get past: Anyone that is actually MAKING wheels for BMW is likely precluded from copying the OE design by either contract or copyright restrictions. And therefore any non-OE wheel (ie la wheels, ebay, etc, etc) MUST be made by a company that is beyond BMWs reach- third world, small, mobile, little resources or capital at risk.

Unless you think BMW has said to their OEMs "Sure you can copy the wheels you make for us and sell them in direct competition to our dealer network", every copy of a BMW wheel has to be NON "oem"

A

PS I am using the historically correct nomenclature for OEM- oem means the manufacturer that made the OE wheel

['10-X5-35d]

Wow.

Either you type very fast, or you don't take the time to read yourself back, because I don't even have english as my native tongue, and I have a hard time keeping up with your writing.

As for the point:

Of course, Ronal doesn't have the right to sell copyrighted wheels made exclusively for BMW, but they do also sell other wheels not copyrigted by any other car manufacturer, thus rendering them as, also, an aftermarket wheel manufacturer.

As does BBS (who used to make wheels exclusively for BMW back in the days, as well as selling other model of wheels to distributors). They even made universal and double pattern wheels.

The fact of a copyright was never in dispute.
Just that to think that automatically a wheel made for BMW could be instantaneously better than an aftermarket is a misconception.
There are better wheels out there.
As most manufacturer of every horizon, a car manufacturer will build a product for as less as it could cost them, without being a piece of ?$/?".
And even that will depend on the manufacturer (remember Hyundai Stellar and Pony).

I hope I don't need to add to this point, which has been explaned in all sort and sizes.

If needs be, please PM me, as I won't add anymore information to this thread.

Thanks for reading !

PS: Here are old Ronal wheels... And new BMW Ronal.

[ard]

Originally Posted by '10-X5-35d

Wow.


.

We're probably not that far apart in beliefs...

But seriously, everyone throws around "oh, **I** bought the high quality replicas that are made by the same factory that makes BMW wheels'... so I wanted to find out who really DOES make the X5 wheels. Thats all.

And my thesis is that any replica MUST be done by a fly by night company that is 'un-sueable'...and hence more likely to be a risk. The big name vendors simply cannot risk copying BMW patterns.

I suppose there MAY be very high quality copies put there (and hence I agree that an aftermarket copy wheel is 'automatically' inferior)- but I cannot understand how one can actually identify them.

[Jeffkukuruda]

so speaking of low pressure cast wheels... do replica 215s exist in low pressure cast? I'm trying to find them and already had this debate about getting OE/M or replica. I want them in 20" so replica it is. I just need pointed to some good ones. I've done many searches and have yet to get difinitive answers on how much they weigh and who has a better quality product.

Thank you all in advance.

-Jeff

['10-X5-35d]

Yes, I know, I said that I wouldn't add anything ...

To know which ones to buy, I do rely on a reputable distributor.
My replicas were bought from ModBargains, and I might say that several potholes later, they're still straight and true.
If you can't reach the manufacturer, you surely can reach the distributor.

Don't buy from an unknown source, unless you're ready for the possible consequences.

[Price]

Originally Posted by '10-X5-35d

If you can't reach the manufacturer, you surely can reach the distributor.

Very good point. I'd say if a local place has the wheels you want, even if their prices are slightly higher it's better to deal with them.

[OneFastX5]

My 20" staggered forged wheels are much lighter that the original 18" OEMs with RFTs and drive is now soo smooth...
My mileage actually improved since I have the 20"s!

[skunkd]

Those deep dish 20's look terrible... The lip makes them look like 18's.... If you're going deep dish you need to go AT LEAST with 22"

X5's really only look right with factory wheels or replicas of factory wheels in larger sizes.