Purchasing Wheels and Tires
 

Have anyone bought rims from Eurotech is the price worth taking the chance and if it is where is the best place to buy tires for some 20" rims 20 x 9.5 and 20 x 10.5. Its a little more difficult buy staggered tires for rims.

many of members had bought wheels from eurotech and seem to be very happy with them.
for the tires it is not difficult to buy at all, check out www.tirerack.com they carry all brands and sides.

:iagree: with MRBMWX5....................I am one of the many that just bought wheels from Eurotech.....................I have not heard of any major conerns or bad experiences...in fact I have heard all positive feedback for eurotech....I just bought the 215 reps in 20".....................i'm sure the others will see this post, therefore I will let them speak for their experiences!!

http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...ht=mod+bug+bit

Good luck with your possible purchase.

RR:thumbup:

RR,
What is the URl for Euro Tech Please.
Thanks

http://www.eurotechwheels.com/

which will bring you directly to the ebay site!

RR:thumbup:

I also purchased a set of 215 reps from Eurotech - the paint finish on the wheels is about an 8 out of 10, but it wasn't bad enough to go thru the hassle of returning them. You can only see the imperfections up close. And especially for $495/ set (I paid $695 a few months ago), it is hard to be too picky.

Hey if you happen to talk to them over the phone, ask them why they are selling them so cheap. I am interested to know if they are going to quit making these wheels.

Hey guys, are my pics showing up in my signature line?? I cannot see them here at work for some reason.

YES.

If you prefer OEM wheels I recommend "detroit wheel and tire". I have recently ordered a set for winter purpopse. Price was what I considered resonable for a restored wheel(s).

Yes! they are showing!

RR:thumbup:

I'm looking for a set of 20" 87's. The dealer price is as follows:

9.5x20 Star spoke 87 = $1,087.50 Canadian per front wheel
10.5x20 Star spoke 87 = $1,152.50 Canadian per rear wheel

That's $4480 before taxes. or $5062.40 after tax (13%)


The prices on the EuroTech site are unbelieveable!!! US$595 for a set of 4, US$780 shipped for the CHROME ones. I hope these are not "too good to be true". At 1/5th the price of OEMs I think I can live with a little imperfections.

Who here has chrome rims? How do they hold up against brake dust? I'm worried they will tarnish.

Thanks guys!!

I just picked up a set of 168's from them two weeks ago. And by "pick up" I mean I drove to their warehouse, met up with one of the owners, and gave him $500 and drove away with the goodies. They each weigh 4lbs heavier than my chromed 19" 132's. Considering they are 20's with brand new tires, I'd say this is fair. They come in at a whopping 74 lbs each with Toyo tires. They are boxed quite nicely with a plastic lip guard, and some average padding. I would not trust UPS to deliver them scratch free so I drove from LA to San Diego and made a stop at Coronado island with my GF on the way back. Shipping would have been $90. I spent $65 in gas and put a couple hundred mi on the odo instead. No complaints about fit and finish. I would not say that they are "perfect". There were some tiny (like the head of a pin) raised dots on two of the wheels. You'd need a pair of reading glasses or a magnifying glass to see them, or run your hand across it to feel the little bump. For $500, it's a steal. They did not come with BMW centercaps. They got sued by BMW and as part of the settlement, they are not selling the BMW caps with the wheels. The owner confirmed this with me. But the good news is that you can use your stock BMW centercaps with them. Their warehouse is alarmingly large. I mean boxes and boxes of replica wheels stacked floor to ceiling, 20' ft high as far as the eye can see. A myriad of styles can be chosen from various makes and models. Get em while you can. For $500, you can't lose. If they get sued by MBZ, Porsche, and whoever else they are knocking off, they could conceivably disappear. Then again, they could come back under a different name. Who knows. Get em.

:thumbup:
CC- Thanks for all of that information. That is definitely a good inside scoop on the whole Eurotech Mystery! I unfortunately did not have the luxury to drive to San Diego....They will arrive at my office via UPS tomorrow! 2 per box they tell me! Quite a few of us here have bought these and had them delivered UPS.....so I hope I luck out and they are not shot to shit! LOL! MAn..this deal is so good...I kid you not I was very close to picking up 2 sets of the 215's....Well..again Thank you for all the info and post some pics of the new 168's!!

RR:thumbup:

you can try costco too in your area for your tires, they're a lot cheaper than tirerack because you dont have to pay for the shipping, free installation etc. i've purchased my michelin 20"s from them. :thumbup:

RR, FYI I had a few scuffs on the wheel lips, but nothing major. The wheels were packed as described by CC.

you can try costco too in your area for your tires, they're a lot cheaper than tirerack because you dont have to pay for shipping & handling, free mounting & balancing, free Nitrogen Inflation, free rubber valve stem. Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty is included in their price. i've purchased my michelin 20"s from them.

francx5,

what a great idea and I have a Costco two minutes from me....I will check it out!! Great idea!

RR:thumbup:

For a quick and easy price quote on tires, check td4l.com and http://www.tires-easy.com. Be aware that there are advantages to buying from a local tire shop, even if it's slightly more expensive. If they ship you a tire that has a defect, or perhaps a leak that can not be detected until it is mounted on the wheel, then you have to deal with shipping hassles, and you are eating the mounting/balancing cost. If it's a tire shop, they just slap a new tire on on the spot. So there is some inherent risk with purchasing online. It happened to me once.

Another vote for Costso! Purchased 3 sets of tires (all Michelin) from them for 3 different vehicles.

Tip #1: Go Early! They can special order almost any Michelin tire - you are not limited to what they have in the store. You have to pre-pay though... I had to wait a week for the Pilot Sports (summer tire) for the mustang. They also have those wheel weights that stick to the inside of the rim - rather than clip to the lip.

Tip #2: DID I mention Go Early!? Once you ge the call your tires have arrived its nice to be the first in line - at our local store I line up 1 hr before opening - you don't want to wait behind 3 minvans getting oil changes and tire rotations.

Tip #3: You can't beat LIFETIME FREE balancing, rotation, repair but you need to remember to GO EARLY!

:iagree: just dont forget to post your pics rich!!!

LOL!!! I always do! ;)

RR:thumbup:

so RR, how much did you shell out for the rims in total?

Hey jayjay.....I shelled 495 for the 20" 215 reps and 89 for shipping. I already had the hub centric rings that are needed. As for lugs I have those also....I mention this because they ask if you want the package for lugs and rings..but they charge $60.00 or so for that! My total - 584.00

it looks like I am going to go with the Vredestein tires. My only worry is the tri state winters...we do get snow...not as much as when I was a kid, but we do get it...I mean is the Michelin DMRS that much better in the snow then the Vredestein?? i'm not sure I need more in put..

RR

Hey RR,

You're not planning to put all-season tires on staggerd 20" rims are you? What are DMRS tires?

thanks Rich...

i'll probably need the hub centric rings, if i will get those 87s....

Sorry bout that! Iwas in a rush....Michelin Diamaris...

Definitely not putting all seasons on the staggered 20's......but I am trying to figure out which tire would support me the best getting through a winter up here in the tri state...:) I am between the Michelin and the Vredestein..

I made it through last winter with Hankook Ventus ST RH06 265/35 R22's.

[quote=richirich]Sorry bout that! Iwas in a rush....Michelin Diamaris...

Definitely not putting all seasons on the staggered 20's......but I am trying to figure out which tire would support me the best getting through a winter up here in the tri state...:) I am between the Michelin and the Vredestein..



none of the above.

[quote=mrbmwx5]Tom,

What say you?? which do I go with???

Rich

mine 20's will be seating in the garage and mine 18's with all season tires works wonder in winter.

ahhhh ha! I see!

you did go with Toyo Proxes for your 20's ...correct??!

Rich

correct. and i very very hated those tires. the toyo s/t they get very loud. i mean very loud its sound like i am have worn out wheel bearing. LOL

I too made the trek from Los Angeles to San Diego for my rims purchased at Eurotech. I got it this past January and the owner is pretty cool. Hardworking guy and at that time he wasn't being sued yet so my 168 rims came with caps.

Everything CC said is true. I even had to help him load my rims to my X5 when I went there since he met me at his shop on a rainy saturday when he's supposed to be closed.

The price are definitely a steal. I am not after performance, I am after the look and tiny imperfections don't bother me. What bothers me is someone spending $4000 for OEM rims that get scuffed and bent just like the $500 rims. To each his own and I am happy with mine.

I did the trek after having the worst experience buying from another seller on ebay from Florida (OE Rims or something like that) When I got my rims for my '03 X5 one of them was bent and they gave me the run around and didn't want to send me a new rim. So I bit the bullet and had to fix it myself. That X5 is long gone and lesson learned so this time around, I made sure I bought locally that I can pick up and inspect before paying.

I'm considering making the trek to SD myself...even tho I originally wanted to upgrade to a different style in 20's, for the price... ;) ~ Question for you guys that already bought from them/him:
~ If you DID use your OEM bolts (they DO recommend you use theirs instead), did/are you having any problems, or would I be cool in just using mine, along with their Hub Centrics? ~ If I pull the trigger, I'll be puttin' Vredesteins on 'em :wow: ;)

wheels
 

I recently bought my new wheels from 1010 tires. I bought new tires a month ago and decided to upgrade my wheels. I bought TSW, Estoril hyper black, 19'' staggered. I know, where are the pics? Coming soon, once I figure out how to upload!

Post pics for sure I was thinking of getting that exact setup.

Hey guys,

I'm interested in checking out Eurotech in SD, but when I pulled up the website it would would not load. Do you have a contact name and phone number??

Thanks

bf

Here ya go, bf... :thumbup:

EuroTech Luxury Wheels
Phone: 858-245-1802
6350 Nancy Ridge #104
San Diego, CA 92121

Hey MauiKat,

yes, when i bought the rims from the guy he suggested to buy some longer bolts that he was selling but you can use your oem ones if you want. i just thought he was trying to make extra money.

Thanx, EKS... kinda thought that way too, but didn't want to tryin' save a few buxs, and find out later inna BAD way, that I shoulda had longer bolts !!
So even with using the Hub Centric rings, your OEM bolts worked out fine ? :popcorn:

I've gone back and forth on this question as my wheels just arrived Friday.....I have newer lugs....and they tried to sell me new lugs also....I already bought hub centric rings for 14 bucks and new wheel center caps for 23 bucks..both off of ebay....so..the lugs question was my last. I know a few individuals that did buy the package that was offered and I know a couple that did not, me being one that did not...I would also like confirmation that I could utilize my current lugs...i was told that when you buy new wheels you should always buy new lugs....I have never heard that before....as I know many many individuals that have bought new wheels and utilized their current lugs they already had.....

also here is a link for some vredesteins at really good price...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=250288675539

RR:thumbup:

Yeah, Richie - they/he has a FAQ response on his site stressing that it's "highly recommended" whenever buying new wheels to buy new lugs that are made for the wheels, but at the same time, when I spoke to them, they said you CAN use your OEM lugs, they'd just recommend the new matching ones... :dunno: ... my instinct is to be "better safe than sorry", but maybe that's just what they're countin' on for an extra bump in the sales, to make up for their discount pricing... :stickpoke
~ I saw that Bones site for th' Vreds... thanx... that IS the way I'm gonna go, if I can't do close locally...'prob with the shippin' purchase of specialty tires, like the Sessantas, is if there's somethion' wrong with 'em, or you need quick replacement, ya can't go back to the shop where ya got 'em...:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

He offered to sell me the lug kit for $59 as well. He did not push them on me, rather said "It is recommended that you change the lugs with every wheel change, but it's up to you." I opted to buy them since I already drove all the way to SD, and did not want to take a chance. But then when I went to install the new wheels, I compared them to the OEM bolts, and realized that the quality was not nearly the same. The kit has a cheap "Made in China" feel to it and comes with equally cheap looking chrome-plated valve stems. The OEM black BMW bolts appear to be made of a very hard, heavy steel. The bolts in the kit did not. The bolts in the kit look like they might start to round the corners after repeated use. Which made me doubt that the threads would stand up to repeated torque as well. I did not break out a hardness meter and do a scientific measurement, but upon observation, the light colored metal looks to be softer than the black OEM bolts. Think about the difference between the black impact wrench sockets vs. standard Craftsman chrome sockets. If you handle them, you can tell that the black ones are heavier duty, more durable. Such is the case between the OEM bolts vs. Eurotech's. Also, the OEM bolts come with a free-spinning conical washer that makes contact with the wheel. When you torque the bolts down, the washer allows the bolt to do the least damage to the wheel because it spins freely and reduces the friction between the bolt and the wheel. The reduced friction also allows you to get a better torque reading on your torque wrench. There's a reason BMW included the washer on the lug bolt. Lastly, I have a set of black OEM lug locks. It would look silly to have 4 chrome Eurotech bolts and one black OEM lug lock. As for the chrome valve stems, they are purely aesthetic. I opted for the free rubber ones that my tire shop gave me when they mounted the tires. I will be shipping the lug kit back to Eurotech for a refund. Unless anyone here wants a brand new in box Eurotech lug kit!!

CC - I'm in the tire hunt mode right now....just out of curiosoty ....what kind of tires did you go with and how much did they cost you?? .if you don't mind me asking of course.

THX

Rich

Don't mind at all.. I went with Toyo S/T. $806 shipped for a staggered set of 275/40/20 and 315/35/20. Problem is, Toyo replaced the S/T line with STII. But they do not have the STII's in a 315 yet. So the only ones left were what were on peoples' shelves.

Wow! That is a good deal....any idea if the people you bought them from still have any??? or were yours the last of them??

Rich

I bought from www.td4l.com. Last I checked, they still had the 275's but are all out of the 315's. On the other hand, www.tires-easy.com had them in stock, but are a little more expensive. Go to their site and get a quick online quote. It's too bad you live in Conn, b/c my local tire shop said, "You should have checked with us, we could have matched that price." Perhaps you could get a quote online and ask some local tire shops to match it. Either way, they will have a hard time getting Toyo's as the size has been discontinued. Maybe that's why they were so cheap! But consider alternative brands, as a replacement tire will be difficult if not impossible to get if you need one.

hey maui kat, i didn't use hub centric rings. i just bolted the rims straight on the X5 so i didn't need the longer lugs. now, if you do use the hub centric rings then you definitely might need the longer lugs.

don't quote me on that, you might want to check with someone here who has the hub centric rings on.

Hub-centric ring required?!
 

Can someone clarify whether or not this hub-centric ring is required with these replicas? What's the purpose of the ring? Thanks.

hub centric rings are exactly that. they are a ring that center your rim on the hub rather than centering off of your lug nuts. Your hub is 72.56 on an e53 and say for instance your rim inside diameter is 74(i don't know what the i.d. of the rep rim is) than you would need a hubcentric rim with a 72.56 i.d. and 74 o.d.
If you tighten it down with no ring installed it may not be perfectly centered on the hub and give you a nasty little vibration mutch like a tire being unbalanced or out of round.
no you don't need longer lugs with the rings, they don't mount between the wheel face and hub so the lugs length is just fine.

Thanks inky for the clear explanation. :thumbup:

A hub centric ring was NOT required with my style 168 replicas. When I asked him the question, he looked in book and confirmed that they were not needed. So some wheels require it, but the 168 replicas do not. Eurotech will be able to confirm whether they are needed for any other styles that you may want.

I also recently bought aftermarket wheels. The hub centric ring was not required,in fact it was removed for a better fit.

do you guys know where can i get used or replicas 20s for my x5?

Any pics yet?

is everyone still happy with their replica 168's?

Im considering a set if I purchase the 4.4i.