Imports

[eSZee]

If you can afford Rotas, you can afford Volks. People just want the look of the good stuff without the patients to buy a quality product. Doesn't matter who makes it, just as long as it's the cheapest.

Is that so?

So in your opinion, people only buy cheap wheels because they look like expensive wheels?

Most people who buy Rotas easily have the money for legit wheels. You must not have been to a meet recently.

wall of whiny text incoming

No, not recently and for a good reason.

I must've missed all the posts where keef isn't saying something along the lines of piss poor fitment, hellflush or die. I can't can't say I recall azuremen sayimg anything about wheels, good or bad.

The vibe I get off people who are into stance and whatnot, is that if the car isn't stanced or the the wheels aren't flush with the fender, then the owner is a wanker, spent too much money on wheels without getting proper offset blah blah. Just ridiculed left and right. And that's the bad thing about any style/movement/what not. It starts as a few normal people doing something different, for themselves, and it blows up into this huge fad that completely loses the focus of the originating idea.

I knew a few people that were into fitment ages ago, and they were indifferent about what you did or what you thought of what they did. They did it cause it was their think. Now you have
And why? The average person buys the wheel that appeal to them. They won't know jack about offset or stance or any of that.

I'm not going to argue about the average IA/nopi/hin/hooters on a thursday/DC flat billed hat enthusiricer, even though a good portion of the cars in this thread belong to one or the other. I've dealt with people like that since 2001 and anything good and new about the automotive world gets ruined by the majority who are basically clueless sheep .

I'm not sure what I was going on about.
Oh yeah, if people can afford volks/ssr/works/advan but decide to buy rota and well, I don't know what else there is, then yeah, that's farked up. I couldn't do that without feeling a ton of guilt. But if we're talking about a $3k set of TE37SLs and a $1k of, whatever rota calls the copy, then I can't say I would feel bad. It's either get a style of wheel I like, or settle for something I wouldn't be happy with.

I have no issues with the fitment/stance/hellflush/whatever. It's a preference. But when I comment and say yeah not my thing but do what you and I get cussed at by Ken Block Jr for being a hater, then the whole situation becomes something else.
What time is it, anyway?

cliffs
Buying rotas instead of similarly priced originals is evil.
Stance/hellflush/fitment doesn't suck. 90% of the people into that scene do suck.

To keep it on topic,

 

[motortrend]

I agree 👍

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Anyone willing to do a mega-post of Work Meister wheels? Damn I love them.

 

[happycorey]

 

[Cale]

Rx-7 photo is gone why didn't i save it gahhhhhhh

 

[eSZee]

Does any one have a tutorial on how to get the polaroid/burroughs/that s2k above, look?
It appeals to me but couldn't really think of what it's called. Is it mostly desaturationand noise or is there much more to it?

 

[McLaren]

If you can afford Rotas, you can afford Volks. People just want the look of the good stuff without the patients to buy a quality product. Doesn't matter who makes it, just as long as it's the cheapest.

I don't believe that. I am not supporting the manufacturing of knock offs, but when you have a company like Rota that you can sale the entire set of 1 wheel for the same price as 1 or 2 wheels made by Volk, there will be folks who buy them because they're cheap, not because they don't have any "patients".

 

[CodeRedR51]

I don't believe that. I am not supporting the manufacturing of knock offs, but when you have a company like Rota that you can sale the entire set of 1 wheel for the same price as 1 or 2 wheels made by Volk, there will be folks who buy them because they're cheap, not because they don't have any "patients".

Agreed. I've bought them because that's all I had the money for. I think the main reason why they are so popular over the real stuff lately goes all the way back to the economy problems we've had. (or are still having) People either don't have enough money to buy the real thing, or just don't want to spend that much for the same look. The average person honestly doesn't care about brand names anymore.

 

[speed junkie]

People just want the look. It all goes allot deeper than prices. The majority of them are in it for the trend. They weren't in it a few years ago and they won't be in it a few years from now. I'm ok with that, I don't really have much of an expectation left for anything outside of motorsports anyways.

 

[Eric.]

Knockoffs vs. Expensive wheels is the same situation as the people who pirate Adobe Creative Suite instead of buying it.


If they weren't able to pirate Adobe, 95% of them wouldn't be paying $1200+ for it anyway.

If there were no knockoff wheels, and the real ones still cost $1500+ per set, they'll find some other cheap wheel to buy.

Either way, the original maker doesn't get money from these people.

 

[Keef]

Knockoffs vs. Expensive wheels is the same situation as the people who pirate Adobe Creative Suite instead of buying it.

Pirating Adobe nets you a perfect digital duplicate of the thing you want. Buying knockoff wheels nets you an inferior physical imitation of the original. Two completely different things.

A better comparison to a person buying a knockoff wheel would be like getting GIMP because you can't afford Photoshop. And guess what...GIMP sucks.

 

[motortrend]

Midnight Purple goodness:

 

[eSZee]

Eeeesh.
Something about that car doesn't look right.

 

[PureAwesomeness]

Pirating Adobe nets you a perfect digital duplicate of the thing you want. Buying knockoff wheels nets you an inferior physical imitation of the original. Two completely different things.

A better comparison to a person buying a knockoff wheel would be like getting GIMP because you can't afford Photoshop. And guess what...GIMP sucks.

Gotta disagree. When you pay $1200 for software, you are not just paying for the physical goods but you are also paying for the service and support that comes with it. Anyone who downloads a pirate copy knows that they're on their own if anything goes wrong and that a patch/update may render their copy unusable.

For a lot of people, as long as they're round, look good and there's four of them a set of wheels is a set of wheels. Why pay more if you or 9 out of 10 people on the streets can't discern the difference?

 

[Keef]

For a lot of people, as long as they're round, look good and there's four of them a set of wheels is a set of wheels. Why pay more if you or 9 out of 10 people on the streets can't discern the difference?

Let's say we're putting wheels on our car to look good. Who are we looking good for? Are we trying to make ourselves feel good? Of course not. We're trying to make our car look cool to other people.

Car people are a shallow bunch. They buy cool looking parts to impress everybody else. Problem is, the people they're trying to impress, who have all the cool stuff, can tell the difference! Your argument makes even less sense than buying knockoffs for functional reasons because their construction quality and performance is "good enough".

A few days ago, myself and a friend left the movie theater and walked out to the nearly empty parking garage. I noticed a red Civic which I've seen before a few rows over. The car wears knockoff RPF1s with polished lips that you can see a mile away, and we joked about it a little. Josh and I pulled out his camera gear and started shooting some pics under the lights, and after a while the Civic kid and his bro came out and drove off. Security rolled up shortly after and asked us what we were doing. He said they don't typically allow photography for privacy reasons, but since these were our own cars it was fine. Then he asked us if we locked our doors - some time ago he saw two guys walk from that red Civic over to our cars, check them out, then walk away. I said, "Oh yeah, those guys just left. He was probably checking out my wheels because his are fake." The cop chuckled and wished us a good evening.

I mean bro, if you're gonna buy cheapass wheels at least put some good tires on them. I can see your ASTs from across the parking lot.

 

[motortrend]

Eeeesh.
Something about that car doesn't look right.

Its a tad high/wheels too big, the pictures aren't that good, and it has the trunk door thingy. Other than that, the color looks really good on the car IMO, with some extra mods it would look really nice, maybe an RB swap or a turbo on it and make something like a US spec GT-R

 

[CodeRedR51]

Eeeesh.
Something about that car doesn't look right.

Looks like it just came out of the paint shop, too high, and those wheels suck.

For a lot of people, as long as they're round, look good and there's four of them a set of wheels is a set of wheels. Why pay more if you or 9 out of 10 people on the streets can't discern the difference?

Agreed 100%.

Those that know the difference will usually purchase the higher end wheel.

Those that don't care about nothing else but looks, buy the cheap ones.

 

[speed junkie]

Keef: lol yeah except I don't modify to impress others although it's great knowing people that know where up and down is with cars. But yeah, you're right about everything else.

Also that infinity is hideous.

 

[misnblu]

Hmmm, guess my Rota Boost rims are complete junk then.
Interesting topic about something so trivial that it makes an entire page.
I would much rather spend the money on some high end suspension components on my cars than wheels that won't do anything with my lap times or track times so why bother with the most expensive brands.

Considering that I had to have my Rota's bored to 57.1mm to fit my hubs because that's what I wanted in rims doesn't mean that I couldn't afford to buy Works, Advans, or some of the other high end rims that cater to 'I have too much money to spend' or 'I have a credit card that needs maxing out'.
I've paid everything with cash. My Rota's were bought used because they had the right offset and fit my wheel pattern.

Whatever happened to the grass root tuner that works hard for their money, pays cash for everything, and still has a fully functioning tuned car? All parts were the best that could be afforded. So because I chose Rota's I'm now lessening the high ends wallet because that was my choosing and my wallet says what to purchase?

Be real people and get off your high horse here. Geez, you all remind me of the forums that I used to be on but everyone just knocks everything you do or makes fun of the car that you're working on because it's a car that isn't exactly what everyone says is cool.
I got tired of that and quit all forums because of the stupidity that goes on. This is the stupidity that I'm seeing on these forums and it's the same old thing again.

When will people embrace hard work and effort for doing work on their cars by themselves and not knock them for what their wheels are?
Maybe when I make 6 figures I can afford the best but at the moment I can't.
I always hear to save for the best. Well I do when I can save for it but there are priorities that warrant wheels to be something that won't make much of a difference for the purpose of the car being built. Make sense?
Why is there always this argument about coming up anyway?
This is an Import picture thread and having followed it since day one I've noticed more and more fussing about little things that really don't matter in the essence of life or the happiness of ones own car.

I don't post much but the constant nagging of all this got to me so pound away at my post as it probably will or just ignore it. Maybe someone will get the picture as it seems that hasn't been the case from what I've been reading so far.
G'night.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Well said. 👍

 

[PureAwesomeness]

A few days ago, myself and a friend left the movie theater and walked out to the nearly empty parking garage. I noticed a red Civic which I've seen before a few rows over. The car wears knockoff RPF1s with polished lips that you can see a mile away, and we joked about it a little. Josh and I pulled out his camera gear and started shooting some pics under the lights, and after a while the Civic kid and his bro came out and drove off. Security rolled up shortly after and asked us what we were doing. He said they don't typically allow photography for privacy reasons, but since these were our own cars it was fine. Then he asked us if we locked our doors - some time ago he saw two guys walk from that red Civic over to our cars, check them out, then walk away. I said, "Oh yeah, those guys just left. He was probably checking out my wheels because his are fake." The cop chuckled and wished us a good evening.

I mean bro, if you're gonna buy cheapass wheels at least put some good tires on them. I can see your ASTs from across the parking lot.

Uh yeah, the little anecdote you added really didn't make me any more sympathetic to your point of view. You come across as a car parts snob. The kid with the Civic probably can't afford the wheels you own. No need to rub his nose in it. I like cars and I like cars that look good. And I'm quite happy with the fact that I am not able to spot 'fake' rims from a distance or decent tires.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Uh yeah, the little anecdote you added really didn't make me any more sympathetic to your point of view. You come across as a car parts snob. The kid with the Civic probably can't afford the wheels you own. No need to rub his nose in it. I like cars and I like cars that look good. And I'm quite happy with the fact that I am not able to spot 'fake' rims from a distance or decent tires.

I missed his post, but I agree with you. I literally had to force myself to finish reading it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

The douchebaggery of this thread knows no bounds...

 

[SpartanG]

The douchebaggery of this thread knows no bounds...

*shrugs* I only come here for the pictures

 

[motortrend]

 

[speed junkie]

Oh quit crying guys, "truth hurts but the pain builds character."

 

[Azuremen]

Oh quit crying guys, "truth hurts but the pain builds character."

And to what truth are you referring to?

 

[Ibonibo]

Let's say we're putting wheels on our car to look good. Who are we looking good for? Are we trying to make ourselves feel good? Of course not. We're trying to make our car look cool to other people.

"Bashing out money that we don't have, for goods we don't need, to impress people we don't know : tuning"

I for my part tune my car for my taste, don't care what people think. Anyways you always will be polarizing, whether you go for the clean look, race look, show and shine look, bozo look, stance look,.....

I simply don't see the purpose of shoving of 5 grant for chrome wheels. Now I could pay more for magnesium wheels because the springless mass that is reduced, there is a purpose. But shoving out 5 grand just for looks is .........
The budget rims is a good alternative.
I always go for quality but there is a difference between quality and overpriced bing bling

 

[Carlos]

Those rims are doing everything but justice to that car.. =(

 

[eSZee]

Let's say we're putting wheels on our car to look good. Who are we looking good for? Are we trying to make ourselves feel good? Of course not. We're trying to make our car look cool to other people.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. If I cared what people thought of my car, I wouldn't be driving my 17 year old datsun nissan with its built in blue smoke machine, to school where all the hip and cool kiddies are. And I certainly wouldn't have bought an orange FIT if I wanted to impress my fellow "car peeps".
But maybe our definitions of "car folk" are different.