BDoggPrelude

I'm usually pretty good about picking out wheels for my cars but I'm kind of having problems visualizing what any of these wheels are going to look like on my car. First off, I'm almost dead set on chrome. I would really like something in black chrome but I can't find anything I like. Gloss black would also be okay but, again, I can't find anything I like in a gloss black. Everything is matte black.

I looked at tons of wheels. I like the Vossen CV1's but they only come in matte black/machined or silver. I also looked at plenty of Volks, Weds, RonJons, etc. I can't get anything much below MSRP on those types of wheels and anything from TSW, Enkei, 5Zigen, Axis and various other manufacturers I can get for manufacture direct cost and special employee incentive pricing. I just refuse to pay full boat on a set of wheels to be honest with you.

I'm pretty much decided on 20's. I've already picked out the tires, 255/35R20 Continental Extreme Contact DW. Again, I get insane pricing on these tires. Usually I'd go for something like Michelins or Bridgestones but my personal cost on the Continentals is less than half what Michelin Pilot Super Sports or Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Positions cost.

First, here's a picture of the car. 2006 RL Tech Package with the A-Spec lip kit. It will be getting lowered on A-Spec shocks and H&R Sport Springs later on.



Here are some wheels I've been eyeing. Yes, a bunch are TSW's because they have one of the best chrome finishes out there.

TSW Cadwell:



TSW Londrina:



TSW Valencia:



TSW Nardo:



Enkei LF10:



Lorenzo WL32:



And just to throw an odd one in there, the Enkei LSF. This one is kind of weird. I think it could look great and I think it could look terrible.



I'm open to options. I'm not dead set on chrome. I'm not dead set on 20's. I am 100% dead set on something that I can order through my company that will get me a great price. That's one of the perks of being in the business.

Also, if anybody had mad Photoshopping skills please feel free to have at it. I suck at Photoshop and have been bugging my brother in law to do it for me for quite some time.

DiabloSVRacer

ehhhh. don't like any of them. wheels with no lip on the rl looks better

M T L T L

Londrina and Norda will look nice imo. Don't mean to hijack ur thread, I'm looking for wheel color suggestions too for my desert mist metalic a-spec.

proimport

i would go with valencia or nardo

oo7spy

I'll tell you what I tell everyone; NURBURGRINGS!!!

I am with SV on this one. I don't like wheels with lips. From your posted options, I would choose the Lorenzos.

Megatron

What's wrong with the current a-spec wheels you have? Aren't those the black chrome ones? Or are you looking to go bigger than 18s?

Let me know if you want to sell them! I'm looking for a set of black chrome a-spec wheels!!

BDoggPrelude

I love the Nurburgrings. I've sold many sets of them actually. I wish my wife liked them because I think they'd look great on her TL. I just don't really like them for the RL. They don't come in chrome or gloss black. Gunmetal, bronze and gunmetal/machined are a little too racy for the RL IMO.
I want to go bigger than 18's. I'm actually looking to sell my A-Specs. I was talking with another member here about them but I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to ship them to Canada.

The tires are nearly brand new. The wheels roll smooth and have little to no curb rash but the finish is a little eaten up. They come with sensors too.

Megatron

How much you want for those a-spec wheels with tires and sensors? I'm in Seattle so it's quite a bit easier and cheaper than shipping to Canada! Are those the black chrome ones?? I don't want the pure chrome ones. Also, got any close up pics of the finish problems?

oo7spy

Wait, the Nurburg's don't come in mirror finish any more?

ojmcduffie

You sir will find out in a few hrs what Nurburgring wheels look like on an RL. A guy here in my town has some on his e90 M3. They look great. Very racy wheel. As for for your comment on RL's with lips...

BDoggPrelude

The mirror finish is the same thing as machined.

oo7spy

My only beef with wheel lips is the illusion that the wheels are smaller than they really are. Your wheels DO look good IMHO, and I'm not blowing smoke up your ass. However, the reason I think that is because they are 20"s. To me (in pictures) they have the appearance of 18-19"s; let's say 18.5". Now, the picture part may be my whole problem. I have not seen any wheels on an RL in person besides stock. I have seen wheels with lips on plenty of Chargers and Magnums, and they don't look small. Maybe it is just an illusion from the camera.

If you are going to do a lip, you need to go AT LEAST 20".

There is an RL that lives within 10 miles of me, but I have never seen it stopped. I only see it when I drive home from work, and that is on a two lane road . Celestial Silver/Platinum frost with at least 20"s, but I don't know if it has a lip or not. I also don't know where it lives; I just know it's close.

ojmcduffie

Ha its all good oo7, i know exactly what you mean. Thats because the lip edge is about an inch, which means the inner spokes are 19's.

The Bully Tunnel

TSW Nardo:

The Bully Tunnel

trust me TSW Nardo: and lower the car right on top of it ..and you good!

Jefftech

Lorenzos by far.....classy look.
Can u imagine cleaning the Nardos???

ichi d

Enkei LF10 gets my vote

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

No poll? Meh...

gbriank

I'd get the Nardo's. The Valencia design is one on numerous OE designed vehicles (Mazda, in particular). I think the LSF's look way to busy. The Cadwell's look just like the A-Spec rims.

Make sure you get insurance on the rims and tires, especially on tires below 45 profile.

BDoggPrelude

The biggest worry I have about the Lorenzos is the chrome finish. Lorenzo is owned by Wheel Pros, (they own KMC, XD, Motegi, American Racing and a few other wheel brands). I've seen some of their chrome finishes start flaking after a year.

I agree about cleaning the Nardos too. Probably very time consuming.
You're the first person to vote for the LF-10 I think. If you want to see something funny, check out the LF-10 with the optional black inserts.

I don't know why I didn't think of that when I made the post. Is it too late to add it now? Could a moderator add a poll to the thread?
I always do. I see enough damaged tires on a daily basis at my job to risk not having the extra protection.

oo7spy

They COULD... if they ever show up. It's kinda like the wild west out here...

BDoggPrelude

Well I made my decision. Thanks for all the input btw. I had a buddy photoshop all of them for me and the Londrinas looks best I thought. I ordered them this morning. They'll be sitting around the shop for a couple months until the snow season is over. I'll do a test fit later this week. Who knows, maybe they won't even fit. The wheels are 20x8.5 +35 offset. Ordered some 255/35R20 Continental DW's to wrap them with. Anybody run a similar setup as far as wheel/tire specs?

DiabloSVRacer

I retract my previous statement. (ONly referring to 2nd Gen RLs for everything about to be said) I did not mean to interpret that wheels with lips look bad, I was just saying wheels with no lip look BETTER than most wheels with lips. THere are some wheels with lips that look good, I'm not saying to buy 21 or 22in wheels, but those size wheels with lips look awesome. and there are some wheels that have a lip but the face is concave or somewhat so that the face comes pass or goes up to the lip which looks nice too. vip modular and rennen wheels look awesome even if you get them in 20in and with lip. (but who really wants to spend that kind of money?)
Reason why most wheels with lip don't look that good on the 2nd RL is because we have to clear the bbk so usually the face is pushed out more, usually 8 to 9 in wide wheels.
but on wheels with 10in wide wheels, you can see more lip so it looks better.

BDoggPrelude

Wheels and tires came in today so I did a test fit. Just mounted up one of them for now. Like I said before, they're not going on for at least a month. We've had some of our heaviest snow falls in Denver of the last decade in March. They clear the brakes by a lot. Flush to the fenders. I might have to roll the fenders a bit once I drop it.

BDoggPrelude

And yes, my car is filthy. I wasn't about to wash it though. In the first picture you can actually see the weather moving in over Denver.

ichi d

What offset did you get? Great choice btw.

BDoggPrelude

Thanks. They are +35. They only make it in that and +20 which definitely wouldn't fit.

They honestly weren't my first choice. I mulled over a lot of different wheels but in the end they were the right choice for me. My wife is pregnant with our first child, due in May, and I just can't justify spending $4k on wheels alone.

Jdm.CL7

iTrader: (1)

what's the mesh style wheel you have on the rear on the 1st photo?

BDoggPrelude

Those ate just my winter wheels. Drag DR34's. I'll gladly trade you for OEM 17's.

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

Wheels are cool. Really wish i would've seen this thread before though would've pointed you in the direction of Saviniforged.com to see their Black Di Forza BM line. They have a couple of nice styles and they cut the wheels to factory specs.

Nice pick up enjoy.

oo7spy

Congrats on the kid, man! I am in the exact same boat as my little boy is due May 1st. Between him and buying a house last May, I can't even justify less than $100 for some projectors for my fogs. Maybe for my birthday in April.

Nice choice by the way. It's hard to get a good feel with the dirty car and tire gunk, but even with all that, that look good. I'm sure once is all waxed and shiny, it will be .

BDoggPrelude

To reiterate:
The entire setup, (wheels, tires and new sensors), cost me less than $2k after taxes. I'm just not in a position to buy expensive custom forged wheels. Maybe on my next set...
Congrats on yours too! We are so excited. We finally decided yesterday on a name, Abigail.

oo7spy

Come may, I will be able to say without dishonesty, "No Luke, I am your father."





Cute name though. I assume yours is a chica?

BDoggPrelude

Lol. My wife had Leah on her short list of baby names. I told her I was okay with Leah if her middle name was going to be Skywalker. We met in the middle with Abigail.

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

That's a nice price for total package. But what I showed you are inexpensive. Don't let the FORGED fool you. The specific BM series wheel from savini on certain websites are Under 1300 for a set in 20inch with out stainless steel lip. And they still cut them for the car once ordered. Alot of Rim companies don't do that for their one peice wheels so we wil see how long they keep it up.

I'm not paying anywhere near 1k for rims , at this point in my life anyway.

Ballinger

The wheels look great, especially with the lipped-style of rim. So many "lipless" wheels look just exactly like every other and they make the sidewalls of the tire look tiny and exposed. Those lipped rims will look great once that car is...clean. Ha ha!

23109VC

I think they look good, but I liked your OEM aspecs too!

did you sell the aspecs? if not, can I have first dibs??

BDoggPrelude

My brother in-law did a quick photoshop of what it will look like once it's dropped. Much better.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

fender

BDoggPrelude

I don't think so. There are others around here that are running similar wheel/tire specs that are lowered without issues. We'll see.