My 2002 wants wheels. Good source for 15x7 alloys?

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I'm not looking to go wider. These wheels (which I'm pretty sure are 15x7) already rub a little, though offset may be a factor as well (not sure what the offset is, but I've always had to use a thin spacer). No camber plates installed.

For the record, these are the wheels I'm replacing - not a good photo to show them, but all I've got at the moment.

I like the wheels on the E21, but I'm not fond of the black centers. I can keep running spacers, but I'd rather get rid of them if I can.

One bonus to buying from Tire Rack is that they include the centering rings and lug nuts, so I don't have to chase those down separately.

Still looking at options, but I'm going to wait until Black Friday before pulling the trigger and hopefully save a few bucks.

There's a modern Enkei version of that wheel, but I don't know if it comes in your offset. 

Keith Tanner said:

There's a modern Enkei version of that wheel, but I don't know if it comes in your offset. 

The Enkei 92. In 15x7, 4x100 it's only available in 38mm offset. Like many other designs, a 25mm offset is available but it will be 15x8. However, TireRack does show some 15x7 wheels in 25mm. The Kosei K1 and Sparco Flow Form FF1

In reply to 02Pilot :

This actually might look really good on your car.  Fitment is going to be sporty, for sure, and spacers required.  If it came to it, don't know if IEs fixed camber plates would help, just over half a degree.

Seems like 15x7 has dried up almost completely. 

Circuit Performance and Kansei seem to make a few 15x7, but my google fu is weak this evening, and I didn't see much that looked classic, maybe 1 or 2 designs.

Try VW Vortex, that showed up in my searches, but I didn't check any of their classifieds.

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

Keith Tanner said:

There's a modern Enkei version of that wheel, but I don't know if it comes in your offset. 

The Enkei 92. In 15x7, 4x100 it's only available in 38mm offset. Like many other designs, a 25mm offset is available but it will be 15x8. However, TireRack does show some 15x7 wheels in 25mm. The Kosei K1 and Sparco Flow Form FF1

Well, a 38mm offset wheel with a 13mm (12") spacer is a 25mm wheel... :)

NM - Found some Panasports on Ebay, but after looking at the listing again, realized it was only for a pair. 

FYI...the OEM steel wheels for a 1602 were 13x5, 28mm offset. As Keith pointed out, many SpecMiata wheels are 30mm. I'd find a friend with a Miata an test fit his/her wheels on the 2002. Area of concern would be contact with things behind the wheel.

Edit: There are two 2002s for sale near me, so I messaged both and asked what width and offset they're running. 

15x7,25mm Jongbloed wheels...Jongbloed Racing 15x7 +25 Spec Miata Wheel - Anthracite for Miata , 15x7

15x7,25mm Team Dynamics LT 15x7 +25 Spec Miata Wheel - Gloss Silver for Miata , 15x7

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

I think those Team Dynamics would look pretty good on his car.

One seller got back to me and he's running these....

Tire rack has Kansei Tandem 15s 15x7 25mm offset, 14lbs, $450 for the set.

The 15" BBS basketweaves from e30s were pretty easily bent so shop used with caution.
IMO The Konig Rewinds(or similar Panasport, mini lite clones)  look good on pretty much anything but the 2002 in particular.

I've been doing a little more searching, and decided to expand to consider 15x6.5 as well - I'm putting 195/50s on, so slightly narrower shouldn't be an issue. What do we think about these: Konig Helium . They're ET40, so I would need a spacer; I'll have to check how thick the ones I currently have are. Probably need new lug nuts too, and centering rings, but that's all small stuff.

Too modern for a 2002 IMO. I've never liked the look of the Helium in general although they are very good on the price/weight ratio. But you know what they say about opinions. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I was sort of thinking the same thing, but at this point my perspective is all skewed from looking at too many wheels. It's also hard to picture them on the car as well, which doesn't help.

In reply to 02Pilot :

Some years ago I remember finding a website where you could take a picture of a car and overlay different types of wheels so you could see how they look on that car.  I don't know if that website is still around but it may be worth looking for.

In reply to stuart in mn :

The Tire Rack introduced their Wheel Machine in the mid-90s. I actually rewrote it using a couple of different web technologies as an exercise and it helped get me a job at Nortel Networks :) But that's basically what it was. Unfortunately, they don't have a 2002 in their library.

In general, I'd stay away from wheels that are too open. That's a newer look, probably coming from improved metallurgy and manufacturing techniques. The classic black center with polished lip also works well. It's hard to get away from the classic mesh look.

I have 15x7 Momo Quasars that need refinishing of the chrome or blasted and painted/powder coated. Were on my Scirocco, but had been on a Miata (not mine). I'm in Vermont. Where are you if you are interested in seeing them. I'd let them go cheap just so someone could use them as I'm trying to get rid of the Scirocco to focus on the Challenge C3. I also have Borbet Type Es. Also 15x7.

In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :

Wow, Quasars are classic. Popular with the VW crowd, too, back in the day. 

In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :

I had some chrome plated wheels stripped and straightened for my E30 that were a similar shape (but 5 spoke).  I think I was $500 all in.

I went gun metal gray with "machined" lip, they looked great on that white car, and a similar color palette on O2Ps yellow car would look great as well. 

I'd try to find a flat or low profile center cap and leave them with an open look just like that.

Comments from the peanut gallery, and all that....

Edit: Those look like et27, seems like those would fit just about right, too....

The Quasars are tempting, though I'm also not sure I have the bandwidth for the refinishing project right now. I'm getting tired just looking at stuff online at this point, which isn't a good sign.

That said, there are a couple of new possibilities. First is the Rota HB10, which may not even be an option because I'm seeing two different numbers for the center bore (56.1 and 67.1), the smaller of which won't fit. It appears to be a copy of an old Alpina wheel that was used on 2002s. A little more than I want to spend, but appealing.

Second is the Konig Rewind, which is a sort of Panasport look. I'm not crazy about these, but with a deep lip they're not bad for something of this sort. 40mm offset would require spacers.

The Enkei 92 is lurking in the background. It's a good look, but it's also the same look I've had for many, many years. And the basketweave is a pain to keep clean.

Too bad these don't come in your 4x100mm bolt pattern. +20 offset

ROTA Wheel RB (15x7, 4x100+35mm, 67.1mm Hub)|Rota Rims|Discount Rota Wheel On Sale.....my personal opinion is the Rota RB looks a little better than the Konig Rewind and the offset is a litttle better. If you like those Rota HB10s (I do!) you can open up the center bore pretty easily. This site says 67.1mm bore...ROTA Wheel HB10 (15x7, 4x100+35mm, 67.1mm Hub)|Rota Rims|Discount Rota Wheel On Sale

Keith Tanner said:

Oooo, Turbos on a 2002. A bit out of range, but...

https://paddockperformance.com/r10-turbo-4x100-15x7-0-28-b-fc/

Oooo, indeed. And a bit less out of range now, on sale at $157 each.

It's a stretch, but a minor and very justifiable one!

02Pilot said:

 

 

That's a great looking car!

I think I had those same wheels on one of my cars back in the 80s. They look like the front wheel drive American Racing wheels that you could get from Town Fair Tire at the time.