Originally Posted by FrankW

ROFL...what you said are all speculation of what "might" happen to the replica rims based on your biased assumption. Regarding the picture of the 545 rims you didn't think I know anything can and will break depending on the condition? Obviously you didn't think that way, so thanks for stating the obvious. That car only went through a pot-hole which usually people would only get a bent rim.

btw, I went through the same pot-hole that my friend went through around where he lives at same spd limit, guess what happened to his "authentic" ACS type III when nothing happened to mine.

FYI, my friend's factory in Taiwan used to supply Moven with their replica wheels before they get cheap and went to China. Do you think that Moven would risk selling non-rated/certified rims in the States? I also would like to know your opinion on the ASA wheels licensed by BBS which makes tons of replica AMG wheels and BBS wheels. However I do agree that not all replica wheels have great quality. Velocity wheels for example have some of the worst quality for replica wheels from their paint quality to getting the detail right.

Originally Posted by allenjdmb

1. No one is taking into account one of the main reasons that the OE or original wheel is more expensive. It's because the manufacturer of the real one has the development cost in terms of what works, what doesn't, what fits well, what doesn't, packaging, marketing, warrantee-ing and insuring, EVERYTHING that it takes to bring a new wheel to market. Obviously, there is not $1700 worth of materials or marketing costs in a Brabus wheel, nor $1500 of materials in a 19" AMG three piece. Have you given any thought to how much of that money is held back for waranty cost or more importantly, for liability insurance? If that customer with the 545 had run that thing into a tree, I would have been among the first to file suit against BMW NA, knowing that they were a reputable orgainization with insurance/resources to back up that product. The replica manufacturers haven't given this a thought, and many never will. If you can get them from a reputalbe seller who will back them up, cool. But if I was going to buy some, I think I'd buy 5 or 6, not 4. Bottom line is that there are some quality replicas out there, and some lousy ones. Some quality OE wheels too, and some lousy ones. Just depends on what's important to you.
2. Also find it amusing that someone would bring up a blurb from the RH website touting thier quality. Most hi-po guys from Germany wouldn't consider putting a Richard Hoffken wheel on their quaity car. Yet they have TUV. Just goes to show....