Grassroots Motorsports

Register Log in to GRM
- Community

Birthdays
Recently on the Classic Motorsports forums

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » How do you find cheap wheels??

March 10, 2010 8:05 p.m. GPDren New Reader

I working on my 325i for the Challenge and while the 14" bottle caps look nice I can't find decently priced rubber for them. So I decided to run 15", 16" or 17" wheels instead and have been on the lookout for cheap wheels and tires for about a month now. So far I've found (and purchased) great deals on a set of 15" tires and just picked up some used 17" tires off a Corvette tonight ($40!!).

So at this point I have an impressive stack of tires (in an already overcrowded 12' x 20' shop) in two diameters and a set of 5 wheels in a different diameter with bad tires. Nothing I can find at the right price is matching up. So is it just me or are cheap wheels much harder to come by than tires? At the rate I'm going I'll have a well stocked used tire store by October with just the OE bottle cap wheels and no appropriately sized tires for them.

/rant
March 10, 2010 9:05 p.m. 924guy Dork

Im in the same boat... i have "want ads on many boards, including this one. i have already found some incomplete sets, but im still short one 15" and one 16" wheel to make two matching sets. my back up plan will be to FMV a set of four i already have from other car, but those go for a bit more than what i want to budget.

I dont want to show up with less than two sets of wheels/tires. I already know Murphy hates me, if i have an extra set the mounted set will be fine and never a problem, if i dont have a back up set, all four tires will blow out the minute i start the engine and ill sit there all day..
March 10, 2010 9:09 p.m. aussiesmg UltraDork

If you hang out at the Challenge Autocross wheels just come rolling by every now and then.
March 10, 2010 9:29 p.m. SVreX PowerDork

I find cheap wheels attached to overpriced hunks of junk that I somehow think I can make cool race cars out of. Duh.
March 10, 2010 9:34 p.m. M030 HalfDork

In reply to 924guy:

Are the wheels you need for a Porsche? If they are, I have a bunch of 924 & 944 parts cars and I can probably help you out on the cheap.

Brian
March 10, 2010 9:40 p.m. nedc New Reader

i've got some cheap 15" BMW wheels i'm trying to get rid of: http://charleston.craigslist.org/pts/1636473368.html

If they don't sell soon they're going to the metal recycler.
March 10, 2010 10:06 p.m. Wonkothesane New Reader

Depending on your definition of "cheap," I've had success on going to forums for cars that use that size by default and buying stock rims. For example, when I needed a set of snow tire rims for my Rx8, I found the smallest rim I could mount was a 17", so I started trolling around on Mazda 3 forums and bought a set of cast off OEM rims for $200.

If you can find out that X uses that size stock, then there's always people upgrading to bigger/flashier rims and are willing to let the stockers go cheap.
March 10, 2010 10:25 p.m. VanillaSky Reader

I found that my truck takes stock Jeep TJ pulloffs. That's what I shopped for, and I found a nice set of tires for $100 on CL. With that said, I say find the most common wheel/ tire size that will fit your car and shop those. Also beware the terms "tyre," "rim," "weel" and so forth in your searches.
March 11, 2010 7:24 a.m. Ian F Dork

Beats me... When I needed wheels & tires for my '95 Cummins, I figured (in my best Clarkson imitation): "How hard could it be?"

Turns out - very hard. And expensive... and I was happy (after months of searching eBay, CL and Dodge forums) to finally find a set of 17" OE steel wheels with incorrect tires locally for $500 on Ebay... Keep in mind, each one of these SOB's weighs about 70 lbs, so "local" was somewhat important (shipping estimates for some auctions were murder).
March 11, 2010 7:36 a.m. 93celicaGT2 UltraDork

I buy Rotas with curb rash from ricers who have determined that curb rash isn't TYTE YO.

I sand down the damage and repaint them. Install on car. ????? Profit.
March 11, 2010 7:53 a.m. mw Reader

I buy wheels with bolt patterns that don't fit much and redrill them to fit what I need. I just recently bought a set of 3 pc 13x8's for really cheap because they were 4x 4 1/4". A few hours later they were 4x100 and on my miata.
March 11, 2010 9:27 a.m. poopshovel UltraDork

Go racing. Talk to everyone. Make lots of friends. Good deals are way more often found talking to people than on CL/Ebay.
March 11, 2010 12:58 p.m. dj06482 Reader

I've found pretty cheap wheels in the Bimmerforums classifieds and on Craig's List. Where is the OP located?
March 11, 2010 1:13 p.m. EricM Dork

That's what I do anyway. shrugs
March 11, 2010 1:45 p.m. mrhappy New Reader

vwvortex cheap wheels can be found but you might have to dig and deal with some asshats.
March 11, 2010 2:21 p.m. Matt B Reader

mrhappy wrote:

vwvortex cheap wheels can be found but you might have to dig and deal with some asshats.

Agreed. There might also be a local "enthusiast" site in your area. I've had good luck finding a deal or two with importatlanta.com, but you certainly have to deal with the aforementioned derriere-headgear individuals.

Still, I am surprised and somewhat amused at what most people try to get for their used wheels. Even when they're all too common, damaged, or just hideously painted post-production.
March 11, 2010 3:45 p.m. VWguyBruce HalfDork

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2006/02/Steelies/index.php

If you need a 4X100 the Scion and some Pontiac models have factory steelies in a 4X100. Scion wheels go for around $100 on Craigslist.
March 11, 2010 8:11 p.m. GPDren New Reader

Thanks for the sugestions. I'm glad to see it's not just me also (misery loves company I guess??).

Nedc, why do they always have to 5 lug!?!?!?! I would jump on those in a second if they were 4 lug. I've had to pass up so many BMW wheels because they're 5 lug. I wonder if I could squeeze a 5 lug swap into the budget.....

I also have want ads in several forums and I'm regulary checking for OE wheels from cars with the same bolt pattern. I just haven't had any luck.

On the upside my Craigslist want ad for wheels has produced a bunch of leads on very nice people that want to help me become more financially stable.
March 12, 2010 8:13 a.m. patgizz SuperDork

have a pull a part nearby?

i brought home 16" wheels for my truck in the proper bolt pattern with excellent tires for $68 out the door.
March 12, 2010 7:18 p.m. GPDren New Reader

patgizz wrote:

have a pull a part nearby?

i brought home 16" wheels for my truck in the proper bolt pattern with excellent tires for $68 out the door.

There are a couple in Atlanta, north of me. I've been wanting to head up and check them out but things keep getting in the way. I just need to jump in the truck and go.

You'll need to log in to post.