What happened to all the BMW replica wheel suppliers?

[kevshepherd]

Hi all,
Just found the site looking for x5drivers that I used every day for years. Hopefully all of the members are here now

I'm trying to source a set of staggered (9.5/10.5) 20" Style 168 replicas (preferably not Chinese), and all the usual suppliers have stopped stocking them (elitedirect, rochford, alloywheelspin etc. etc.)

Can anyone suggest a supplier in the UK that sells these wheels on their own? There's one seller on ebay that doesnt reply to mails when asked if he'll sell the wheels without tyres, and one place 4x4tyres.co.uk that also sells the tyres bundled but I can't reach them on the phone to see if they'll split them (but then it is a bank holiday in the UK today aparently).

Has anyone recently bought these rims in the UK and can give me some pointers.

Cheers. K

[X5Sport]

I can only think that with the recession that suppliers aren't seeing enough people looking to buy OEM Style replica wheels and have either ceased treading or ceased stocking. Has there been a change in the regulations or something, or have BMW started 'leaning' on suppliers so importation is an issue?

[B1G JV]

Doesn't the counterfit/replica law allow anything to resemple something as long as it's not branded or marketed as that item? providing the design is something like 10% different?

i.e. they make the size of the spokes or rim or centre, or thickness or anything slightly different and they're not classed as counterfit and are allowed to make and sell them.

[CondorX5]

I seem to remember a change in EU regulations concerning aftermarket alloys......maybe this is why there is a problem sourcing some. Will try to find the article.

[X5Sport]

Having had a quick squint round the Web it certainly seems that it is now illegal to sell, import or export alloy wheels and tyres which to not meet the European published standards. Presumably this applies just as much to aftermarket copies as it does to OEM designs.

There seem to have been a number of incidents where alloy rims have cracked when they really should not have done and the result it tougher regulation and higher standards being brought in. I know when I was looking for a BMW set for winter use I had a choice of BMW or Alloy Wheels Direct, who only supply OEM. I seem to remember BMW themselves being looked at a couple of years back because of rim cracking, especially on their 19" sizes. They blamed it on potholes I think? Sounds a little dubious to me though. I hit potholes all the time around here and mine are fine.

[Raj]

Try Mark at http://www.bmautosport.co.uk/ Does alot of reps and is a great person to deal with.

[baldguy]

What about these???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

[B1G JV]

I think that's the guy he mentioned who doesn't reply to emails. I think for £900 new either the tyres must be questionable, or wheels, or both....... I could be wrong, I would use some big chunky reps, but I wouldn't go with dodgy tyres, not after my Fullrun 'death' tyres.............

[Sanj]

If I can offer any advise, the reps are good, staggered and the right size but the tyres as B1G JV says could be a death trap! Not what you should go for.

Jeegnesh got the same deal with Toyo's 2 years back almost with another supplier (no longer available). Think the reps are getting harder to find and may increase prices but hopefully not above the 1k mark.

[B1G JV]

That same guy is now listing style 168's on their own, both in 20" and 22" and the price is, well cheap!!!

20" http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-x-BMW-Style-All ... 2a111cf3ec

22" http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... ink:top:en