Mercedes owners obsession with OEM+ Wheels?

[david_h]

I'm sorry to be so harsh but I don't understand the obsession with Mercedes owners and OEM+ alloys in the UK. I may be biased as I sell aftermarket rims, but I also come from tuning cars for 10-12 years now, and in other brands outside of BMW & Merc, OEM+ obsession does not exist.

For Merc owners it appears that anyone who can't afford the real deal AMG, Carlsson, Brabus, buys copies. Does no one have any individuality these days? Also fitment wise the wheels are way too narrow, and the offsets are unduely high, far too high to merely justify caliper clearance.

Sorry to be so harsh, but newer Mercs are some of the prettiest cars out there and have soo much more potential than going down the Brabus/AMG/Carlsson replica route with the wheels. Look at Akash's CLK when it had the MAE's on, nice and fresh, and different.

Here's a couple of examples of some alternative wheels on Mercs, all from Europe, just for a bit of diversity.

BBS LM polished

Weds Kranze on old e-class

LM's on W211

S-class on Budnik Trilogy

SL on Budnik Fontana

W203 on Work Rezax 2

CL on Work Rezax 2

CL on Work LS105 Chrome

CLK on Work VS-KF

W210 on Rezax II

SLK on Rezax II

Not criticising, just observing, don't slate me.

 

[GrahamC230K]

W203 on Work Rezax 2

W202 with W203 front end conversion on Work Rezax 2.

I love BBS LMs but dont think they loook right on big Mercs. They look sporty in a way a big Merc can't to me.

The rest of the wheels you show just olok out of place.

I agree the right non MB wheel can look great though. I think your examples let your case down though - but I can't do any better!

 

[stats007]

All of those wheels are hideous IMO. Some people just prefer to be subtle I suppose.

 

[esox]

All of those wheels are hideous IMO. Some people just prefer to be subtle I suppose.

Subtle,or maybe tasteful,stylish,elegant or refined.None of which applies to the examples in the pics.

Its a UK thing i guess.........

Just leave `em standard,its nearly always best.

See!

 

[jaymanek]

they all look silly to me!

 

[Will]

I've got to say, OEM/AMG is nearly always best, or a well known respected tuner a close second - eg, Brabus, Carlsson, BBS etc (at a push..)

Most of those wheels aren't to my taste for a MB or otherwise

Will

 

[DieselE]

Those wheels bring to mind the old phrase "one man's meat is another man's poison". I think the standard E Class Avantgarde wheels are the dog's whatsits whereas others want to pay extra for optional wheels.

 

[fuzzer]

your post has reminded me why i prefer OEM wheels to aftermarket ones

to answer your question ...

OEM wheels just work well with the lines of the car ...

 

[Satch]

All of those wheels are hideous IMO. Some people just prefer to be subtle I suppose.

Got to say that some of those offerings would go down well on BarryBoys.

All a question of personal taste but IMHO there is a world of difference between well chosen wheels providing individuality and ending up with something best suited to a chav plonker or a drug dealer.

Sadly it is, as very clearly shown, very easy to cross that line. Some of those wheels are just tragic.

 

[glojo]

I'm a great believer in what has already been said about one man's food is another man's poison. Your statement though goes beyond that.

When a platoon of soldiers are marching and one individual is out of step..... Trust me when I say that the one person is wrong. He may think he is right, he may shout that he is right, but if your in the business of selling wheels then perhaps those styles are not for the majority of modern Mercedes-Benz?

Regards,
John the Conservative

 

[KLP 92]

your post has reminded me why i prefer OEM wheels to aftermarket ones

to answer your question ...

OEM wheels just work well with the lines of the car ...

Couldn't agree more. I wouldn't want a set of wheels that drew the attention away from the car. The wheels are meane to compliment the overall look of the the car.

AMG/Brabus/Carlsson/Lorinser spend alot of time/money in designing a wheel that suites the car. A prime example is the AMG Penta wheels. They were designed to complimenet the W107 and the W126 pre 1986 models and the wheells flowed with the riges in the lower cladding of the cars. When in 1986 the later styling cladding was introduced AMG replaced these wheels with the AERO 1 design and then witht he 3 piece split version.

I love modifying my cars, but i will go within a limit. I feel if i put any of those wheels on my SEC it will look wrong. The only non MB wheel i would buy is the O.Z opera wheel which i feel compliments the MBs.


Here are some pics of my cars with MB recognised wheels:

AMG PENTA

Lorinser

Brabus:

AMG:

Carlsson:

 

[Satch]

Couldn't agree more. I wouldn't want a set of wheels that drew the attention away from the car. The wheels are meant to compliment the overall look of the the car.

Ah yes. Here is how not to do it:

http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/v...mercedes&sid=8f29c7ebbf7571a75ec00f55e2cd180b

 

[david_h]

Each to their own, but the OEM/AMG/Brabus wheels are usually 1piece cast (poor construction) or inordinately expensive if they are 2/3 piece, and are produced by a company whose primary purpose is NOT wheel manufacture.

Majority of Merc owners are older than the VW/Audi crowd who style their cars in the manner I most prefer, it's personal taste, I'm a bit younger than most on the board.

If everyone liked the same thing it would be very dull. What is exceedingly dull though is the sheep effect.

P.S. KLP your 560SEC has OZ wheels on it already, those supposed AMG wheels were actually made by OZ

Here are some of my favourites atm. Click links for High-res photos.

 

[GrahamC230K]

I'm a bit younger than most on the board.

I very much doubt it.

Of course we don't much care about age, and all are welcomed at our GTGs, but to be honest the majority of regular GTG goeres and the bulk of the majority posters are younger than you might think including those you refer to in this thread!

 

[glojo]

Majority of Merc owners are older than the VW/Audi crowd who style their cars in the manner I most prefer, it's personal taste, I'm a bit younger than most on the board.

Hi David,
I don't think age has anything to do with what looks right. Your wheels might look right on a VW or Audi, I have no opinion either way. My own opinoin is that most of your wheels are not suited to our own choice of vehicle.

There is certainly a place for wide wheels\tyres and each to their own.

John

 

[KLP 92]

I know the AMG 3 piece wheels were designed by AMG but made by O.Z on their behalf.

The Carlsson split rims are also manufactured by O.Z. The 2 piece AMG rims are manufactured by BBS.


There are a alot of young members on this forum as Graham states. I'm 23 at the moment and i know plenty of others of similar age on this forum.

I don't think the wheels are age related, i think its your perception of what the car is meant to be. Its a prestige car, it needs wheels to compliment it. The OEM + reputable brands add a soprting edge. Non OEM wheels just try to make it into a sporting car which its really not. Also the non OEM wheels don't flow with the lines of the car, there's always an angle they don't look right at.

 

[Alps]

David, the pics youve shown are mercs with the westside theme, which is not to everyones taste, alot of mercs are boughtfor class and subtlety, the pics you have shown are for VW westside type owners who have enough money to buy a merc and do the same mods to!

I actually like some of the mercs you have shown with the LM`s, but some of the blingy OTT wheels just dont suit anything apart from something japanese on "the fast and the furious".

my 2p worth

 

[stats007]

My OEM two-piece rims are also made by BBS.

 

[Dryce]

Sorry to be so harsh, but newer Mercs are some of the prettiest cars out there and have soo much more potential than going down the Brabus/AMG/Carlsson replica route with the wheels. Look at Akash's CLK when it had the MAE's on, nice and fresh, and different.

It's a matter of taste.

Sorry to be so harsh but the samples you show don't really work for me
and actually spoil rather than enhance the appearance car.

There is also the issue of going a bit far in terms of profile (comfort,
noise, kerb vulnerability). What might look fun on a Friday night doesn't
feel so much fun on a long journey.

 

[Spinal]

Speaking of age... I'm 20....

The further I strayed were some replice S-class alloys which now sit in the shed... I feel that it is VERY hard to find ANY car that will fit a chrome alloy...

No offence intended, but most of the original pics you've posted (the aftermarket rims on mercs) look very "vorrei ma non posso" (translation: i wish I could...) They are (imho) tasteless, and just reek of "I wish I could afford something more expensive". Sure, they may end up being more expensive than other rims, but quite frankly, I dont care!

A cars rims are supposed to go with the car. When a car drives by you, you need to think "wow, what an amazing car!" not "omg! look at those rims!" (which is just what I thought when I saw a Ka with something like 18" or 19" chrome spinners...)

Anyhow, to each his own right? I just wanted to say, don't deem all members here old gits, (no offence to the old gits here ). Imo, when I can afford it, I will get a bigger/newer/nicer merc, and guess what; I'm gonna go for the 2/3part split rims, OEM of course!

Michele