Saaboteur

So ever since I started thinking seriously about buying the C43, which I did in November, I've also been thinking about wheels. Just can't stop. Kinda of like my fiancee and handbags. Just one of those things that I do to waste time. What I want is a good, purposeful look, stay staggered with at least an 18x 8 or 8.5 at front and an 18x9 or 9.5 at the rear. Weight savings are a plus, but I don't particularly care about that as long as the wheel doesn't weigh like 30lbs each. For the hardcore performance, I have my S2000. My 17" Enkei RPF1s weigh about 15-16 lbs each only. The C43 is a cruising car. I just don't like chrome or really blingy looking wheels.

The 18" AMG Monoblocks from the W210 E55 are very appealing, but hard to find. I did call wheelsandcaps.com, and they said they had the replicas available, so that's an option. A local-ish guy wanted $2k for a genuine set, with rubber, but that still seems a bit rich.

Powerwheels Pro seems like a good bet for other AMG replicas, I like the Brabus looking ones, but I'm starting to lean towards some of the C63 or E63 replicas too. But I fear that the design of the wheel will look too modern for the older 202 body....whereas the 18" AMG Monoblocks are period perfect.

But then so are Carlsson 1/6s, they look cool and bring to mind a funky version of the AMG Monoblock. There are a couple sets for sale on the classifieds here and on benzworld. Bit more rare, wouldn't mind having these either.

Further off the 'usual' take on wheels for cars of this vintage I keep wanting to get BBS LMs. Then my friend told me he spent nearly C$8k on his (albeit) 19" set, with Goodyear rubber, for his E46 M3 and I couldn't bring myself to do that. Not that I have the wherewithal too. And if I baulk at what my fiancee wants to spend on an Hermes handbag, she would have the same feeling on the LMs...

So...how about replicas? But it seems most of the available replicas are made for VW/Audi patterns, especially with their available offsets and centrebores. Miro Wheels is one that comes to mind, their M02 is available from Wagen Wheels. Price is substantially more realistic. I'd love the LM look on the car, but spacers most likely required, and then longer wheel bolts too. Still not certain I could bring myself to run replica LMs...something feels wrong about it. Mind you, I guess it's no different to replica AMGs or Brabus or whatever.

Looking further into the 'replica wheels for German cars' cottage industry comes up with companies like VMR and Hartmann. VMR had a lovely E46 M3 CSL replica wheel which I'm sure the BMW crowd is all over, but again, not in the 5x112 pattern. They have a design that would be right with specs and looks (VMR 710), but I talked with them directly and they said they had issues with fitting their wheels on Benzes because of the axle nut protruding too far out beyond the face of the wheel, the cap won't get on there. And Hartmann's replicas for Benz fitments are only the older and boring designs (in my opinion anyway).

I see that RBWheels will redrill, or send out for redrilling, almost any of their wheels, but I'm a bit wary of that. They have lots of genuine LMs for sale at around the $1,200-say $1,800 range, but will it be okay and work for years to come? And technically too...as 5x112 is a smaller bolt circle than 5x114.3, would one just need to add sleeves to the existing holes?

I've surfed to 1010tires (a Canadian online retailer which I've used in the past) and they offer Mandrus and TSWs for sale...anyone with experience with these? I see that Mandrus is supposedly all Benz only, but their wheels seem a bit blingy for my taste. Same with TSW, and I've always thought of TSW as a bit cheap too.

Even further afield, I keep surfing on the 5x112 wheel classifieds forum on VWVortex. Lots of guys flog AMG wheels there, but obviously you end up seeing other wheel makes too. OE BBS RCs or CHs for an Audi or VW would be most excellent, I love the look of that wheel...BUT, they are typically square setups. But that's the least of the worries too....centre bore is smaller on VW/Audis at 57.1 mm, and we all need 66.6mm? Boring out the centre bore is a possibility, but I'd want to have a good look at the meat of the wheel in that area before committing to that.

Anyway...just meanderings. A couple clear questions though:
It looks like the wheel bolts are 12mm diameter on the 202, but some of these wheels may have 14mm diameter holes? Or is it the other way around?

If one is trying to fit older AMG wheels from, say a '90s SL, would they fit? These seem to have a higher offset than optimal for the C43, but what about bolt holes and centre bores? I'm presuming Benz kept using the same size bolt holes and centre bores throughout, but I'm confused at the different offsets. Basically, setting aside the issue of offsets to clear calipers or whatever, will Benz wheels basically bolt onto to all other Benzes? It'd be fantastic to have Hammer type wheels on the C43.

503C43 ////AMG

I attacked this subject as well and did MAJOR research. I wound up ordering 19" mandrus milleniums (gloss black face w/ mirror cut lip) with the staggered setup (19X8.5 + 19X9.5). These wheels are MADE for mercedes and are hub centric + have the same offset as stock, basically they will ride like stock rims. They weight about 27 Lbs. so they are on the heavier side but I as well believe the C43 to be a cruiser so weight wasn't really an issue. You can find them online for like $1200 but good luck if you want the 19X9.5 as they are HARD to come by. I just ordered mine yesterday after going through this whole ordeal of dealers telling me they wont be available until august. I found a local dealer (good 'ol LES SCHWAB) who called the manufacturer with me right there and they told him there were 24 rims and 18 were spoken for, I obviously SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOPED on 2 of the remaining 6. Not only did they get the rims ordered for me but I paid $996 for rims + install and balancing, THANKS LES I will post more + pics as I am waiting on the rims to arrive, should be about 2 weeks till I'm dazzeling people with my new rims.