Right, split away all the crap. This thread is welcome to go back on topic if it feels the need  

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Cool, nice one.

Yep, well in terms of my new wheels I guess I wont find out if they're any cop until I hit something solid? Must say that the ride seems NOTICEABLY better - which is not the usual comments, most people finding the ride 'crashier' on the 20's? Could be tyres though..

Must say I didnt check load rating. I will need to inspect the stamps over the weekend. The seller did say they were TUV approved though, for what thats worth.

I'll get some pics on of my sport now its nobbed up a bit - looks pretty cool.

Personally I wouldn't use replicas. Yes I know originals cost more but I just feel more assured using them. 2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
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I was going to buy a set of AMG replicas for our sclass, then the tyre guys kind of talked me out of it.. wouldn't want one of our chauffeurs blasting down the M1 in a 2 tonne s class, and one of the wheels gives way.. hmm law suit anyone?

Good case in point... it all comes down to risk at the end of the day, doesn't it? If you do 5k a year trundling around town then maybe it's worth it. Other side of the coin is probably that there are loads of happy replica owners that haven't had a single problem 

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was actually thinking about it still in Germany, when we were actively making use of the nice: unrestricted stretches.. and doing 150mph thinking.. hmm wouldn't it hurt if the wheel gave way now, or if the tyre blew..

I’d never use a replica wheel, I don’t care how cheap or attractive they are. Only OEM for me & if I think they are too expensive for my pocket, well then I’ll do without.

The Stormers on my Sport are genuine LR wheels, along with the exact tyre LR fit….. Conti 275/40 20’s

A darned expensive setup I can tell you, especially at Irish Prices, but if that’s the way Land Rover send them out of Solihull, well that’s the way I’ll have mine

Replicas of anything, are just that, replicas. My motto would be… if you can’t afford the real thing, well then don’t bother.

Wheels on your car, are not something to be trifled with.

Exactly..

They are the bits keeping your car and subsequently your ass off the road..
Not sure how insurance would stand also.. don't they have to be certain standards stamped etc.. if they investigated a claim and found non OEM wheels added to a car.. im sure they would try it on to get the insurance voided.. any excuse..

Yeah as far as I know there’s insurance implications to this too.

If you have a non standard set up, it will certainly give the insurance company wiggle room at the very least & perhaps land yourself in a whole pile of trouble to boot.

As you say Kam “any excuse”.

But that aside, your safety, your passengers safety & other road users safety would rank way ahead of any potential insurance troubles. If you’re involved with the insurance company over your wheel / tyre combo it's probably already too late.

All these thoughts and arguments went round in my head.. and i ended up keeping my boring looking 18" wheels on the Merc.

Was never bothered by them, but we have 20" wheels on the 7 and the A8 and they just look plain dull when the cars are sitting together.. but i'll live with it im sure..
Will wait for a real set of AMG's to come available at a good price..

Well there we go again.
And this is how it starts.
A comment insinuating that if you buy replicas you 'cant afford the real thing'…

I actually can afford the real thing, but choose not to on the grounds that I believe that (in my experience) a lot of 'official' kit which is EASILY copied (i.e wheels), and where it is NOT in the interests of the manufacturers (both in terms of ease of production and on profiteering grounds) to make the product to anything but a similarly high standard to the 'OE'; is not worth the many fold premium.

I mean, I wear a very expensive watch. How many people buy fakes? LOADS. But at least I'm getting what I pay for in terms of the quality of the movement (ie mine has a very complex mechanism, whereas most fake watches are battery powered). OK, its a watch thing, and if you dont appreciate the engineering aspect then its a waste of £ either way.

My point is a wheel is a lump of cast metal.

And anyway, has anyone REALLY heard of a wheel spontaneously exploding whilst simply driving along??

Im not saying it hasn't happened, just that Ive never come across it??

Mate if you crashed your car (God Forbid) - No fault of the wheel etc, and the car was inspected..
They spend a good while looking for reasons not to payout.

So i would tell them that you have non OEM wheels on the car, just in case.
I wouldn't take the risk with any of my cars, but its your own personal choice i suppose.

As long as they look the part thats the main thing..

EX-X5! wrote:

......I mean, I wear a very expensive watch. How many people buy fakes? LOADS. But at least I'm getting what I pay for in terms of the quality of the movement (ie mine has a very complex mechanism, whereas most fake watches are battery powered).

(my bolding)

Exactly

Now apply that to something as safety critical as the wheels on your car.

You say that “a wheel is a lump of cast metal.”

Well as you are sitting in your Range Rover sport, weighing several tons, hurtling down the motorway at 70 MPH, the only connection you have to the road under you is through those “lumps of cast metal”


BTW I wasn’t insinuating anything about you EX-X5!

I was merely stating my thoughts, feelings & motto as applied to my policy on replicas.

BTW I wasn’t insinuating anything about you EX-X5!

I was merely stating my thoughts, feelings & motto as applied to my policy on replicas.[/quote]

I didn't think so either.. i think EX-X5 is a little 'sensitive..'

Could somebody have removed a couple of my posts on here from earlier today??? Weird