Wheel / tyre choice

[monkeyhanger]

..............and they spent a good half hour taking pictures before starting.

So that's why the wait is always so long 

Yeah I must admit Ive used Costco the last 2 times and been impressed although they haven't taken pictures before.

My only gripe was when my wife's car got a puncture repair from them they left the plug sticking out about 5mm from the tyre. I noticed when putting it in the car so took it back and they said it was the normal practice and would wear down which it did 6 months later!!

I would've trimmed that plug with careful use of a Stanley blade or hack saw to get it to within 1mm of flush.

[Benji33]

Absolutely appreciate your opinion too and it makes sense what you say. It's a nice problem to have in terms of making such decisions and if I only keep the car until next summer and get the diamond cut ones and ensure they are well sealed etc, I might take a chance purely for aesthetics but definitely good points to consider.

I tend to keep my cars 4-5 years, so the likelihood of being able to keep a set of diamond cut wheels looking factory fresh for that period of time is nigh on impossible, taking into account tyre changes and winter road conditions. My previous car had diamond cut alloys and in spite of them being cleaned every 7-10 days and regularly sealed and waxed, and any stone chips attended to pretty much as soon as they happened, two of the wheels succumbed to white worm corrosion around the centre caps at two and a half years old. I put the onset of white worm down to poor / insufficient lacquer coverage around the edge of the wheel’s centre bore which would’ve been hidden by the edge of the centre cap. If I’d levered out the centre caps from the front of the wheel (which I wouldn’t do) and damaged the lacquer coating in the process I could understand it, but I’d never removed the centre caps from the wheels, nor had they been removed by tyre fitters as the car still had the original tyres on.

My current car had diamond cut wheels when I took delivery and those wheels were changed after about 3 months of ownership for a more durable set of anthracite powder coated / painted wheels. Four years later, they still look pretty much like new - something I doubt I could claim if I’d left the diamond cut wheels on.

I agree that diamond cut wheels do have great ‘bling’ appeal, so from an aesthetic point of view will appeal to many. Also the durability of a set of new diamond cut wheels ought to be OK until next summer, although if you need new tyres or puncture repairs during that time, I’d recommend you choose your tyre fitters wisely!

Yeah that is the worry- no matter how much care is taken it'll still happen inevitably. That's why I am thinking gunmetal grey Prets to be safe but like I say, still unsure just now. Thankfully I'm mates with the boss of my local tyre fitter so I'm well looked after.

[Ceefeesh]

Just make sure with reps...the OEM centre caps potentially not fitting.

Centre caps are 56mm and I have ordered stickers to cover the blank caps on the wheels. I’ll decide whether to use them after I see them. Are there other solutions? Polo centre caps? The wheels also needed spigot rings which CM kindly provided. 

[Guzzle]

Polo centre caps might fit, but genuine ones are not cheap.

eBay specials are cheaper but be wary about quality. I bought some for my Octavia wheels. Even though at 56mm they should have been a good fit, the cheap brittle plastic meant the lugs didn't bend properly and the first two broke trying to get them in the centre hole. Threw the remaining two away.

TBH, i'd go with the stickers if they're reasonable quality and look ok. Just give the caps a good clean before you put the stickers on.

[Ceefeesh]

How much does the rep Reifnitz weigh?

Hi I looked at the box of the wheel which gives some info about them but not the weight.  Currently I have them in a lock up but will go and weigh one in the next few days. They don’t seem too heavy to me from my memory of the weight of the Santiagos and Miltons but it will be interesting.

[mcmaddy]

How much does the rep Reifnitz weigh?

.
Hi I looked at the box of the wheel which gives some info about them but not the weight (see below).  Currently I have them in a lock up but will go and weigh one in the next few days. They don’t seem too heavy to me from my memory of the weight of the Santiagos and Miltons but it will be interesting.

I take it they've given you spigot rings? Centre bore is 57.1 and yours say 66.56.

[Ceefeesh]

Yes, CM raised it and they literally threw them in (to the box). 

[mcmaddy]

Yes, CM raised it and they literally threw them in (to the box). 

👍👍

[Ceefeesh]

In prep for fitting, any experience or preference for plastic or aluminium alloy spigot rings? Has anyone had a good or bad experience? I was given plastic and wonder if alloy might be better. I have done some reading and it seems both are widely used and are available in the size I need, 66.6 to 57.1.

[SRGTD]

In prep for fitting, any experience or preference for plastic or aluminium alloy spigot rings? Has anyone had a good or bad experience? I was given plastic and wonder if alloy might be better. I have done some reading and it seems both are widely used and are available in the size I need, 66.6 to 57.1.

I’d use the plastic ones that’ve been supplied. I’ve read that the alloy ones can corrode onto the hubs  whereas this won’t happen with the plastic ones.