Replica Fuchs, advantages & disadvantages? Options

[2mAn]

Coming from the BMW world (and 4x100 ) where there are a ton of made in china replica wheels of the original quality, I always stay away from anything thats not authentic. I feel the same is the thought with these, but I was hoping to hear some actual experience with these... you never know?

Im mostly concerned with 2 things.
#1 Quality? The BBS reps were crap and could be easily spotted
#2 Weight? They are notoriously heavy wheels and besides the look of the Fuchs wheels they are also pretty light from what Ive seen.

Thanks

-Simon

[Unobtanium-inc]

Don't do it, not if you drive hard.

[Justinp71]

Don't do it, not if you drive hard.

Wow! I have heard of that happening. Would the euromeister wheels be OK for a street set of wheels? I haven't heard anything bad on those.

The Rota Fox's also seem like a good choice if you like 17's.

[mepstein]

Don't do it, not if you drive hard.

Wow! I have heard of that happening. Would the euromeister wheels be OK for a street set of wheels? I haven't heard anything bad on those.

The Rota Fox's also seem like a good choice if you like 17's.

Anything can happen to old parts but if we are going to give up on older Fuchs, we migh as well give up on old engines, transmissions, ect. Forget about 356's. Just drive priuses.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Don't do it, not if you drive hard.

Wow! I have heard of that happening. Would the euromeister wheels be OK for a street set of wheels? I haven't heard anything bad on those.

The Rota Fox's also seem like a good choice if you like 17's.

Anything can happen to old parts but if we are going to give up on older Fuchs, we migh as well give up on old engines, transmissions, ect. Forget about 356's. Just drive priuses.

The picture I used was the failure of a fake FUCH, not a real one. I've never seen a real one fail like that. As far as driving a 356, I drove mine all day Saturday.

[Dave_Darling]

The picture I used was the failure of a fake FUCH, not a real one. I've never seen a real one fail like that. As far as driving a 356, I drove mine all day Saturday.

First, it's FUCHS. The "S" is part of the name, not a way to make it plural. (It's German for "Fox", hence the fox-head logo. You wouldn't say a single fox was a fok, would you?)

Second, I've seen the real ones fail like that. One of them happened to a friend of mine, though the wheel in question had been (professionally) converted to a three-piece wheel. Cracked right between the lug holes, came apart, and damaged the car. He was thankful that it happened on the way to a DE and not at the DE.

I know of several more instances where real ones have failed in similar fashions, even without having been turned into three-piece wheels.

They're old, and it is very difficult to tell how hard they were used before you got them. You can Zyglow them for cracks, you can X-ray them, you can just decide the odds against it are really steep, or you can buy brand-new wheels.

For my car, at least so far, I'm choosing to ignore the problem and use my old wheels.

--DD

[Unobtanium-inc]

The picture I used was the failure of a fake FUCH, not a real one. I've never seen a real one fail like that. As far as driving a 356, I drove mine all day Saturday.

First, it's FUCHS. The "S" is part of the name, not a way to make it plural. (It's German for "Fox", hence the fox-head logo. You wouldn't say a single fox was a fok, would you?)

Second, I've seen the real ones fail like that. One of them happened to a friend of mine, though the wheel in question had been (professionally) converted to a three-piece wheel. Cracked right between the lug holes, came apart, and damaged the car. He was thankful that it happened on the way to a DE and not at the DE.

I know of several more instances where real ones have failed in similar fashions, even without having been turned into three-piece wheels.

They're old, and it is very difficult to tell how hard they were used before you got them. You can Zyglow them for cracks, you can X-ray them, you can just decide the odds against it are really steep, or you can buy brand-new wheels.

For my car, at least so far, I'm choosing to ignore the problem and use my old wheels.

--DD

I'm sure some real FUCHS have cracked like that, but the repro I showed was fairly new if my info was correct, so it should not have cracked like a decades old wheel, it's like the new flywheels from China that hand grenade quickly. Repro stuff is fine for cosmetic stuff, but I never trust it with hard components, not if the real stuff is available.

[Dave_Darling]

... the repro I showed was fairly new if my info was correct, so it should not have cracked like a decades old wheel ...

Good point!

Quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. If someone were to start looking for replica wheels, it would be a really good idea to research the makers before plunking down any cash.

But also recognize that the old OEM wheels, while good quality, have probably seen a whole lot of use.

--DD

[2mAn]

Quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. If someone were to start looking for replica wheels, it would be a really good idea to research the makers before plunking down any cash.

--DD

and we've come full circle!... this was kinda the whole point of this thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Mueller]

Quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. If someone were to start looking for replica wheels, it would be a really good idea to research the makers before plunking down any cash.

--DD

and we've come full circle!... this was kinda the whole point of this thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Yes and no....you asked about replica wheels as a whole, when in fact they need to be compared one on one, brand by brand.

One could assume based on price that the more expensive the better which so far in the case does seem true to a point (A $159 2.0 Fuchs isn't going to be better than a $99 2.0 Fuchs I'd say, just different profit margin, good chance same exact manufacture)

When you find the wheel you want, you ask for that brand if known (like Braid or Group 4 or Empi)