peet

I am in the market to buy 4 AMG split spoke 17" wheels. The part# is 170-401-20-02. Simple right? This is where it all goes to hell in a handbasket!

I checked tirerack web site. $299 for the wheel. Ok so far so good. Then I called a west coast dealer and the same wheel was $264. Even better.

Then I started thinking (my mistake as usual ) ... if my local dealer can sell it for closer to $300 and I have no shipping - great. So I called them. But they tell me that wholesale on the wheel is $565! WHAT? How can this be?

Anyone care to comment? Keep in mind that the west coast dealer went from an MB part number. TireRack didn't specify replica wheel - so it should be the same wheel - Shoudln't it?

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Harris

This is more than normal! I guess you know what is meant by "mark up", do you? TireRack can afford to buy a container of wheels from Germany, of course, they can sell it at a very reasonable price. Do you know how many "levels" of cost are there at your local dealership? The have dealer's cost, wholesale cost, and retail cost. Everyone has to make some money somewhere. As long as you're getting genuine AMG/MB parts from a reputable shop, I think you should be fine!!

irvinec32

if you are refering to the stock c32 wheels....

i bet the 264 tag is for 7.5 (fronts) wheel only and the 8.5 (rears) will probably be closer to 300.

peet

That's correct. About the staggered sizes. It is for the 7.5's .. I will be going 7.5 all around.

And before anyone asks...

1) tire rotation
2) I don't have an oversteer problem to correct for (which the bigger tires would do)
3) I don't want to buy more expensive wheels or tires

So. Last chance before I order. Someone talk the 4 x 7.5 sizes out of me?

:P

irvinec32

i always think people should do what they like to their own car.

heck, i got lm5 replicas on my c32.

this is dumb, but just in case you haven't thought of it- you might consider non-directional tires. that way you could rotate any tire anywhere.

but i don't think z-rated comes in non-directionals(?).

good luck

peet

Nope. Replicas need not apply. The point of this exercise is to increase dish for large brake kit. This is a great price point for a nice wheel.

Plus I already have 4 Mich Pilot SPorts with only 800 miles on them. All are 7.5 so it just makes sense. Otherwise, I'd have to tack on another $500 for rear rubber right of the get go.

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Luke@tirerack

We offer only original AMG wheels and do not carry replicas. I believe you have thought out your selection very well and it will work fine with the 7.5's on all four corners

give me a call to place your order

E55 KEV

Lesson learned - never buy anything from a Mercedes Dealer especially an alloy wheel with many cheaper sources now available. Dealers are not discounters. Internet and mail order sources are discounters. AMG and OEM wheels and parts have high retail prices. The dealer is not selling volumes of AMG wheels so no discount. Some OEM parts you have to buy at the dealer because no other source has it, but AMG wheels are low priced many places. Never pay retail! Good Luck!

shtatc

I agree....when I first got my AMG Split Spoke wheels....I went to the dealer and inquired there...nearly $500 per wheel - I did get the staggered set up. Then I went to another major chain and they got them for $300 fronts/$350 rears. This was about a year ago - I think prices have come down a bit since then. There are alot of places that carry original AMG wheels for alot less than the stealer..oh sorry...dealer......however.....one thing that I had to get from the dealer was wheel locks if you are thinking of getting them...could not go directly through McGard....Gorilla locks did not make them in that size at that time....I dont know if they make them now.

thuged_out

i wont even buy a key chain from the dealer. when i wanted to buy chrome 19" CL wheels for my car, a dealer in So Cal quoted $1000 for the fronts and $1200 for the rears!!!!!!!Without tires!! Im talking about one piece AMG wheels. I told the dealer to **** off and got the wheels and tires, plus H&R spacers and longer bolts from Peter@wheelexperts for 40%less than the dealers price. Dont be surprised at dealer prices

PhucNguyen57

I am friends with a parts manager at a Mercedes Dealership, and he said that he can teven touch one of those wheels for the TIRE RACK price from MBUSA. He also reminded me that Tire Rack has had a long standing "back door" (direct from germany or some other country) deal with AMG, and in that deal is no MBUSA mark up. This is why he buys many of the wheels in his inventory from Tire Rack, despite it being frowned uppon by MBUSA, the official importer of AMG.

peet

Ok, so I get that the general consesus is that the dealers gouge. BUT... this is the big BUT too...

the $264 price for the 7.5x17 wheel IS from a dealer. That's $25 less than Tirerack per wheel! That's why I have this crazy world feeling.

I would really rather buy from TireRack because, quite frankly, I like them. They've taken care of me in the past. But $25 a wheel that covers the install costs for me. HMMM...

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E55 KEV

I assume that the dealer would also charge you sales tax. Take the sales tax and the shipping into consideration to make your purchase. I dealer selling an AMG wheel for $264 is a good deal - maybe your dealer know he has to compete with Tire Rack. Good Luck!

peet

Nah, no such luck. This dealer is in CA... so for me no sales tax but shipping. It ended ok. Discount Tire got me the wheel for $281 and I don't have to deal with shipping hassles. A little more than that dealer but a little less then Tire Rack and A TON LESS than my dealer @$650/ea!

Cheers.

steve s

there r some z-rated tires that aren't directional...probably not that many...grand touring michelin pilot hx mxm are, so are "slicks with grooves" michelin pilot sx mxx3...pzero assymetricos are too....

peet

I hat MXX3's on my M3 and nope - they were directional. Those were from 98 so unless Michelin recently changed design...

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peet

I hat MXX3's on my M3 and nope - they were directional. Those were from 98 so unless Michelin recently changed design...

P

steve s

really? looked awfully like my old pilot hx mxm...oh well...guess looks can be deceiving...

peet

The absolute worst thing in fact was that not only were they directional, but staggered. So there was absolutely nothing you could do with them!

Tire wear? too bad. Pitch one. Oh, but you can't pitch just one... gotta be in pairs - at least. Then you get into that "while I'm at it" mode and you walk out of the tire store $1200 poorer!

This time around I learned my lesson. 17x7.5 all around! This way I can at least rotate front to back.

Cheers.
P

zhaoyi

how come nobody mention the 18" amg split spoke??????

peet

In my case I didn't get the 18" because I have brand new 17" tires ... if I wanted 18's it would cost me an additional $1100 in rubber - this on top of the more expensive wheel.

Don't get me worng, I'd rather have them. But the $1100 saved on tires will get me new big brakes and I'll still have $450 for whatever.

Also from everything I've seen in researching the AMG wheels, I don't think the 18's are selling yet.

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AMGLAB

In researching non-dealer sources for AMG wheels everything looks the same except the center caps are plain, instead of having a Mercedes Star emblem. Can the center caps be replaced? Where can you get a Mercedes Star emblem for a replacement?

peet

Update...

Went in with pricing from Rack and Dealer to Discount Tire. They split the difference between the dealer and the rack for a total cost of $280 per wheel.

The wheels that came, came in MB boxes, AMG logos on product ID stickers etc. Inside the package was the rim, a valve stem (go figure) and the nice center cap - the blue and silver one that I got on my C7 wheels.

So no swapping of caps is necessary! From reading other sites and catalogs.. it seems that the star is the issue. So if it is not included - worry - because that likely means clone. Seems that this is the design item that most counterfitters won't touch. Probably because MB has a team of bulldogs to go after them!

I'll post pix soon. But the wheels look awesome and I can't wait to cram the insides full of big brakes!!

P

E55 KEV

There is no such thing as a counterfeit AMG wheel. Those wheels not from Mercedes AMG are called 'replicas' not counterfiet. We are not talking about fake Rolex watches. Original AMG wheels have the initials AMG stamped on them - Replica wheels do not have that. Replicas and Fakes at two different things. A fake Rolex would be made from cheaper inferior parts and there is nothing fake about AMG replicas because they are made from Alloy in the same casting process and also have the same quality as AMG wheels with German TUV certification.

Some AMG replicas are made by www.-intra-wheel.de

peet

Yea but the point remains:


R E P L I C A S


No thanks. I'll take the real deal. Weight, warranty, safety, quality of execution.

P