I have had nothing but good experiences with Tire Rack until now.

I had been running a set of their ASA 8 Hole Replicas 15 x 7.
Damaged two on the highway. So I ordered two more from their
website. They are now made in South Korea. The paint is more of
a metalflake look. I can live with that. However, the lug bolts are pure
stupidity. They are not flush with the wheel face, or even close. They
are shiny, and have a circular dimple in the top. They look cheap and, frankly, ridiculous. You don't find this out until you receive the wheels.
If you have the tires mounted before you unwrap the lug bolt package, you
are screwed.

Here is Tire Rack's response over the phone. The former manufacturer
doesn't make that wheel anymore. You are trying to match a wheel to
a 14 year old car, and that's the best we can do. That's what the new
manufacturer offers. It's not within our control.

BS. They chose to advertise this wheel as a Replica. The former manufacturer managed to supply lug bolts that looked just fine. Someone in purchasing at Tire Rack assessed the specs, and decided to sell this wheel and bolt combo as a Replica.

I then made an attempt to get an explanation of why they would represent
the wheel as a replica and not disclose the bolt issue on the website or over the phone. I was treated courteously, but no solution was offered. I don't think there is a solution.

These will drive me absolutely nuts. As soon as time permits I will find suitable, maybe genuine MB articles, and toss these in the dumpster. Won't be the last $250 bucks I ever lose.

So the point is not to trash Tire Rack, they just screwed up, but rather to send up a red flag to anyone who is considering purchasing these wheels. If you are trying to replicate the look of the factory 8 holes you will be very unhappy.

Steve

What no more AT? Mine are AT and are of fine quality. Made in Italy I think.

I just looked and Tirerack doesn't list them anymore? Wonder why?

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Earlier this year, I bought three 15x6.5 OEM 8-hole alloys for my wife's 1995 E420 from my local MB dealer for C$280 each. Needless to say, they fit perfectly and matched the the original never-used spare tire from the trunk. The original wheels were made by a company that I'd never heard of, and the new ones were made by Ronal, but the match was flawless.

Cheers
JJ

Anyone notice that there are pretty much NO aftermarket wheels for any car W123 or older that aren't $500 apiece BBS wheels?

__________________
1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Yep, thats why I bought mine. You have a choice between AMG Penta's or BBS thats about it.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Follow up to my original post. I had suspicions that the comment on the original packing slip actually meant that the correct lugbolts were on backorder, and the shipped bolts were ok mechanically but not cosmetically.

The customer service rep. at Tire Rack who told me that was the best they could do, was simply un-informed.

Sure enough, two days ago I get an e-mailed shipping confirmation for lugbolts. I am out of town, but they arrived today. I feel certain these will be the proper design cosmetically.

Steve

I am on MONOBLOCK type wheels - made in Austria - 7.5x17 @ 25mm ET
Jake

80's Vintage 14" BBS wheels FS
Look here

__________________
Democracy dies in darkness, you have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight

just curious, what's the bolt pattern for said cars? 5x112 I think? What's the center bore?

__________________
Greg
'81 Volvo 242
'98 Volvo V70T5M
'99 Volvo V70R AWD gone
'05 Sub Legacy Gt LTD wagon
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...g/autoxsig.jpg

I have 3 x E320 Alloy Wheels ('94 8 holes) with Snow Tires mounted on them for sale. One have good Kumho KW11 1'Zen snow tires used two seasons and two have Hankook W404's used just this past mild winter. Yours for $225, you pick up in Greenwich, CT or you pay for shipping if you need them.

__________________
85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

Anyone notice how the TireRack pricing is different for the ASA 8 hole wheels? There are three prices for the same 16x7.5" item?

Are they differing grades of quality?

__________________
1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k