Are "Real" wheels really worth it?

[AlphaDigital]

That's all well and good, but the wheel the OP is interested in (Work CR Kai) isn't forged to start with. They are low pressure cast. They are quality no doubt, but I'm with the train of thought that quality tires are just as, if not more (?) important.

Unless Work is lying about them, theyre low pressure cast and "flow formed"

"Unlike our competitors' flow forming wheels, WORK flow forming wheels start with low-pressure cast construction, whereas some of our competitors use lower quality gravity casting. Low-pressure cast construction has a denser material property over gravity cast wheels, thus allowing a greater strength advantage over gravity cast with flow-forming barrel."

http://www.work-wheels.co.nz/Products/31/60/Emotion-CR-Kiwami


And tires are important as well, I dont know about more important but they are an important factor in the equation. And tires are just as susceptible to damage as wheels are.

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[Phy]

For everyday use, I think you're fine with cheaper name brands from reputable dealers. Don't buy from wish or Ali, or wheels without a name attached to them.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

If you have the money to do so, always go with the best. That's obvious.

Most of us at CivicX are on a budget... I mean we drive econoboxes. But like most of you, I've always heavily modded my cars both for performance and personalization.

When it came time to buy new wheels and tires my budget was small. I replaced my stock 17" / crap Firestone combo (that weigh nearly 49 lbs) with an 18" wheel / DWS06 combo that only weigh 42.8 pounds total. That's a nice upgrade if you ask me and was all I could afford.

Plus they will transform the look of my car (waiting til winter is over to install them).

$160 wheels/$140 tires x 4 = $1200 (price includes mounting, road force balance, lug nuts, hubcentric rings)

Sure, they may not hold up as well as something that costs 3 times as much but it will give me better performance and better looks. Keep in mind I just commute with the car to work mostly. And I'm saving my OEM wheels as backup (or for winter driving).

And finally, I wholeheartedly apologize to the guy who said I shouldn't be modding my car because I cant afford "real wheels". Sorry I broke his sacred rules.

Hey I just bought the exact same wheels ?

 

[gtman]

Whiskey...

I love those wheels, but yeah, mine are knock offs. At least I bought real tires!

 

[WhiskeyTango]

Whiskey...

I love those wheels, but yeah, mine are knock offs. At least I bought real tires!

Wasn't trying to give you a hard time with my used wheels. Just a very similar look

 

[James3spearchucker]

So I'm set on which set of wheels I'll be picking up after winter and it's a set of white Work Emotion Kiwami's/Kai's

The thing is.. there are exact copy replicas out there that you honestly wouldn't tell the difference and it would also save me around $1000. If I were to get replicas, I'd likely get ESR SR08

Literally cannot tell the difference aside from the obvious Work markings. Although I'm sure real wheels will always be better in terms of quality etc., is it that much better to justify spending another $1000? I'm in NJ/NYC area and I have garbage roads all around me, I dodge 99% of them but there's always that one hidden pothole that I unfortunately hit. If I unluckily hit a massive pothole, I don't think it matters real/fake wheels, most will be bound to have some sort of crack or damage. I also don't want to run the risk of my car getting left on blocks and wheels stolen... sad but it happens sometimes around my area and some parts of Jersey, would be a lot less mad having an $800 set stolen rather than $1800.

Is the extra $1000 worth it? ESR wheels have without a doubt built up their reputation over the years and I haven't seen any bad cases with their wheels like XXR's (lol), will quality matter that much even when I hit a massive hole? This is my daily driver and I don't baby the car, it's driven hard through all seasons but if I did get works I'd likely just put stocks back on for winter. Thanks!

I am a big proponent of quality wheels. Quality wheels will last forever and remember that aluminum is often a very soft material and there are many alloy formulas out there. Not only is the alu mixture different but after casting, some wheels are heated under pressure and reformed, like forging, it improves the grain structure and makes it stronger and lighter. Cheaper made in China wheels always weigh more. If you lived in a place with no potholes, get the cheap wheels, but if you live anyplace with potholes and are using 18" or larger wheels, the cushion of the tire is less, so it is even more important to have a sturdy rim. My advice is to choose a quality, light wheel and buy two at a time so that you it is not seem like a high mountain to cross. You may also be able to get credit for purchase.

 

[Fred_Farkle]

cast wheels flex, crack and break much more easily compared to their forged counterparts.

There is a "middle ground" and that is "Flow Formed" wheels which can be much less expensive, yet are lighter and stronger than Low-Pressure or Gravity cast wheels. The Work Emotion Kiwami wheels mentioned by the OP are are made using the "Work FlowForming Technology" or WFT.

A set of 18" Konig Hypergram Flow Formed Wheels will run you just under $1,000 and will fit the Si. I am running 17" wheels on mine and a set of 4 at that size can be had for just over $800.

Here is a good resource for the differences in wheel manufacturing and even show Rays Wheel Forging process on page 2.

http://speed.academy/why-wheel-manufacturing-method-load-rating-matter/

 

[arpypat]

There is a "middle ground" and that is "Flow Formed" wheels which can be much less expensive, yet are lighter and stronger than Low-Pressure or Gravity cast wheels.

A set of 18" Konig Hypergram Flow Formed Wheels will run you just under $1,000 and will fit the Si. I am running 17" wheels on mine and a set of 4 can be had for just over $800.

"Flow Formed" wheels still start off as a gravity cast or low-pressure cast. But, yes, they still bridge the gap between 100% cast and 100% forged.

 

[longthaitran91]

The middle ground with the flow formed is definitely best bang for buck. It’s what I went with buying lightest weight flow formed enkei’s I was able to find. TS-10s. 18lbs with oem size. The price starts skyrocketing less than 18lbs Would flow formed be considered real or poor mans street/track wheels?

 

[yansag1982]

We have good quality wheels produced locally from Dai wheels, Fast co and RTX wheels, i dont know if they are considered good or bad i don't care really for the price they have nice models, mostly originals but also replicas from famous brands. I like them a lot, price is usually around 200 to 250$ per wheel new, I usually pay way less than that...for example I paid 650$ for the 18inch set on my car, they are worth 1100$ for the 4 of them regular price.

 

[Jwolf]

We have good quality wheels produced locally from Dai wheels, Fast co and RTX wheels, i dont know if they are considered good or bad i don't care really for the price they have nice models, mostly originals but also replicas from famous brands. I like them a lot, price is usually around 200 to 250$ per wheel new, I usually pay way less than that...for example I paid 650$ for the 18inch set on my car, they are worth 1100$ for the 4 of them regular price.

They are decent enough brands, just a little on the heavier side.

 

[yansag1982]

They are decent enough brands, just a little on the heavier side.

The ones I got are a lot lighter than the oem 18inch sport wheels that came on the car thats for sure...might depend on what model you get I guess.

 

[RS27]

Having been a “wheel guy” for going on 20 years now, here’s my opinion. There is a huge difference in quality from a typical gravity cast made in China wheel vs a BBS Japan Forged or a Rays Forged. The money difference is massive though. I tend to find that middle ground and get the $250-$350 each offerings such as; BBS RK (back in the day), OZ Superleggera (also back in the day), OZ Ultraleggera, Enkei Racing RPF-1, Enkei Racing PF-01.

guys will buy the shittiest wheels from XXR, Rota, etc. save a whopping few hundred bucks and then have heavy, gravity cast junk that doesn’t hold up over time.

if you are ever curious what the very best quality and finish looks like? Go check a BBS Japan forged offering like a LM. They are stunning in person. The quality is *very* apparent.


For $1200 a wheel. Haha.

edit: where I’m not at is the boutique forged wheels: Vossen, iForged, HRE, Fikse, CCW, Forgeline, etc. I would NEVER EVER pay that price for wheels inferior to Volk and BBS Japan. All forged offerings are not at their level.

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