tire rack closeout rims

I am looking at new rims for my vw passat (03) I don't want to spend a fortune so I am considering some close out rims. but the past I had bought tsw rims for my honda accord one had 2 get messed up in an accident. there were no replacements so my insurance company bought me 4 different new ones one of those got bent (at the HUB??) and i was unable to find a replacement for those as well.
so they were these rims poor quality (tsw good bad??) but were not available. was the availability an issue because it was a 4x113 on the accord

so if I buy closeouts should I buy 5 to hedge my bets. 5 rims at 100 instead of 4 at 125 did iI pick a crappy brand should I buy expensive rims to reduce the likelyhood of damage (i mean $150 per wheel not 120)

should I just buy the closeouts and put the extra 100 in the bank should I just buy newerer nice stock vw wheels that may show up in junk yards or take offs when I need a new rim in 4 years do some brands have better 'support' as in in 3 years i will be abel to find a replacement this might be the support question

I have had good luck with buying used factory wheels on craigslist. I have found most cheaper aftermarket wheels while more attractive are not that well made. YMMV.

Chris

EDIT: Brain fart... All B5.5 Passat''s have a 5x112 bolt pattern, which it shares with many other VW's and Audis.

Why are you looking to replace? snow tires? upgrade? larger? etc.

I routinely race on TSW wheels. However, I use their "Nurburgring" line, which are rotary forged. Their "bling" wheels might not be made as well.

I also have a friend with a Merkur who races on TSWs.

never used TSW.. but I can tell you that the Enkei's I have used in the past were tough. I nailed a kerb in the rain with one.. the kind of kerb that sent my car spinning across the intersection (kerb stuck out some ten feet from the light) and all it did was bend the lip a little.. never even lost air

xflowgolf wrote: an '03 Passat is 5x100 and you should have no problem finding replacement wheels used or otherwise. Why are you looking to replace? snow tires? upgrade? larger? etc.

its not replacements for my rims am wondering about replacements for the replacements if they get damaged. looking for nicer looking an lighter. (they are steel now) go to 16 maybe 17.

Sky_Render wrote: I routinely race on TSW wheels. However, I use their "Nurburgring" line, which are rotary forged. Their "bling" wheels might not be made as well. I also have a friend with a Merkur who races on TSWs.

not looking to race but there was no problem with the tsw rim itself. (the accident was real) but trouble finding replacements because tsw stopped making them (in my size) and it happened twice.

edited above post.. brain slow today. your car is 5x112. For quality I'd look for a set of used VW/Audi alloy 17's before going cheap aftermarket.

I always thought the factory Passat 17" alloys were sharp... called the "Phoenix" (aka bistar) wheels:

...as well as a number of Audi wheels that look good on there.

http://www.4130-products.com/wheels/

Find a wheel style you like, go onto the poortex... er... I mean VWvortex.com... find said set of wheels for sale and make a lo-ball cash offer.

It seems that wheel is called the "Bistar": http://www.4130-products.com/wheels/Bistar.html

Tsw wheels are really soft. When I worked at a place that took rims on trade, almost every set of tsw's we're bent. Buy 5 close out rims. If you have that spare one, you'll never need it.

Best VW rims EVAR

Matt B wrote: Best VW rims EVAR

That is awesome.