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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

OEM plus wheel customizing and upgrading


One trend that has gained significant popularity in the euro tuner scene over the years is the art of installing OEM wheels on to a vehicle that originated from a different automobile manufacturer. This trend is largely misunderstood by people outside of the euro scene which usually results in them scratching their heads or ridiculing those that do it. The idea here is to achieve exclusivity and get away from conformity, but above all, it is about looking good. This is achieved by installing wheels from a vehicle of a different brand which is usually more expensive or of a higher class than the one it is going on to.

Let us start with the easier and more socially acceptable swaps that are being done. Due to the fact that Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini all reside under the same VAG umbrella, the wheel bolt patterns are, for the most part, the same. Nobody is going to put Lamborghini wheels on a Bentley and vice versa but the same is not so for Volkswagen and Audi. Audi wheels have been installed on Volkswagens for years now and the frequency of these swaps have increased more recently as Volkswagen has changed their bolt patterns to a more traditional Audi bolt pattern. Swapping Bentley wheels on to Audis and Volkswagen is widely popular right now and is always a sure bet for nice fresh look. Swapping Lamborghini wheels on Audis and Volkswagens tends to be a little more difficult due to Lamborghini wheel availability and width sizes but the trend is definitely picking up steam. These four vehicle brand predominantly use the bolt pattern 5x112 (5 refers to the number of wheel bolts mounting the wheel to the hub and 112 refers to the spacing of the bolt holes in millimeters.). When the bolt patterns are the same on the vehicle as they are on the wheel, the swap is made that much easier because wheel adapters are not needed.

Porsche wheels have getting installed on to Volkswagens and Audis over the years with the help of hub adapters. These swaps generally look very nice and are widely accepted due to the history that Volkswagen and Audi share together.

Mercedes wheel swaps have gained popularity in recent years due largely to the bolt patterns being the same on most Volkswagens and Audis. This wheel swap is one that is usually frowned upon by people outside of the Euro scene. They usually can’t understand why these two brands would be associated and mismatched in this way but here are some reasons that will help identify why this is performed. For starters Mercedes wheels always have a very clean OEM look to them. They are also German which keeps them relevant in this context. No wheel adapters are needed as the bolt patterns are the same although hub centering rings are required in most cases. For the most part Mercedes wheels just look really good on Volkswagens and Audis. If the owner of the vehicle is bold enough to attempt it, they probably know what they are doing thus the final product usually looks outstanding.

When it comes to the Euro car scene, being the first to do something different is what tuners strive for. There are however other swaps out there that are far more extreme but then again that is usually what the owner trying to achieve. BMW, Land Rover, Jeep, Corvette and many other wheels that were never meant to be on certain vehicles do get called into action from time to time. (as can be seen in the attached gallery). As the years go by the euro tuner scene modifications and styles will keep progressing and changing. Only time will tell what new wheel trends await in the future.
More Pics to come, Stay tuned !

 






13 comments:

  1. I'm not liking that whole wheel swaping thing. To my it's like buying the Lambo t-shirt or key chain only cause I can't afford the rest of the car. To each their own though

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  2. Everyone has their different opinion. It is a bit more expensive than simply buying a key chain or T shirt that is for sure. There are a few positives to using OEM plus wheels and parts. First you know that the quality of the parts are very high and second that they will be available from dealers and other OEM part suppliers. Some aftermarket parts are of lower quality and if a company goes discontinues wheels you can not replace certain items. Years ago Audi, Volkswagon and Porsche shared alot of parts so it is interesting to see modern parts still being customized and shared through out those brands.

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  3. True about the build quality aspect. For the most part it seems like a lot of swapping between 5-bolt wheels. On the 4-bolt side I wonder if any other cars are sporting MINI wheels?

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  4. Unfortunately on Mini with the 4 x100 bolt pattern and the small bore size on the wheels theres pretty much nothing the Mini wheels can directly bolt on to. Also Mini only offers wheels up to 18 inches and only a few width sizes. On the other hand, Honda wheels and pretty much everything else in a 4 x100 bolt pattern will bolt onto a Mini. This is nice in terms of aftermarket wheels as anything that fits a Honda also fits a Mini with the proper size hub rings.

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  5. I'm also wondering if changing the wheel with another brand wheel of the same bolt pattern would affect offset. I know the bolt patterns are the same but won't some of them affect how the wheel will fit inside (or outside) the fender? Alternatively, you can just buy the center hub cover and stick the emblem on any wheel you want.

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  6. your post was quite informative.
    thanks for sharing.


    superdupertrucks

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  7. Im all for wheel swapping as a way to enhance a vehicles looks. I just draw the line at putting $2000 worth of qwheels on a $500 car.

    http://autoadvice-now.blogspot.com/

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  8. Hey Ken,
    changing the bolt pattern does not directly affect offset. Using hub adapters will obviously push the wheel out (or push the offset closer to 0 or negative). Usually hub adapters are 20-25mm if you are adapting to a different bolt pattern. Spacing the wheel 25mm is a large distance when it comes to fitting wheels. This is why a lot of guys use the same bolt pattern just from another make. Example: Lamborghini, Bentley, newers VW, Mercedes and Audi all use 5 x 112. Depending on application a lot of these wheels are interchangable or just need a hub ring to fit properly. Width height and width are also a concern when fitting different wheels. This is especially true on lowered cars as the gap between wheels and bodywork/suspension can be very close.

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  9. Very well written and very informative blog...though I loved the sight of the cars with OEM plus wheels and parts but did not know much about it. Thanks for sharing the details.

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  10. It's a good point Rixter said the whole wheel swapping thing is kinda ridiculous. However, there are times when we need to put on different wheels because those meant for our car are no longer in stock or simply have gone outrageously expensive. And this does not totally mean simply because we cannot afford to buy the rest of the car.

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  11. They look quite entycing for the auto enthusiast. The red ones look especially fitting, although for that much spent on wheels you could pick up something equally impressive in terms of a full vehicle.

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  12. Truly the best tuning and modifications I have ever seen. I want to do it just like these cars, too.

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  13. This blog is very informative. I love the cars and the information about it. Thanks for sharing the blog,anyway.

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