Anyone thinking about the Mazdaspeed aluminum wheels?

[ch77]

They look pretty nice in the brochure. However, I'm sure they are pretty expensive, and I don't even know if aluminum is a good choice for a daily driver.

Am I wrong about either of these points?

 

[thewheelman]

They are good looking wheels, but yes, they are fairly expensive - $370/each retail, or close to that. I've been considering them as a replacement for the not so good looking wheels on my MS6.

As far as the durability of aluminum for a Daily driver, what do you think your current wheels are made of? As long as you aren't pounding your wheels into potholes or curbing them every time your park, they'll last indefinitely.

 

[ch77]

Ah, I thought the stock wheels were some sort of alloy - I know very little about wheels, so keep that in mind please as I ask for info.

I never park near a curb (or ANY other cars if I can help it) and I try to stay away from the potholes.. For the most part I keep my car tucked away in our little garage.

Thanks! And yes, that does seem fairly expensive but still worth considering. I wonder how they weigh against other lightweight wheels..

 

[thewheelman]

Well, all aluminum wheels are some sort of alloy - I didn't know that was what you were asking. Most manufacturers won't bother to specify because it should go without saying. If the wheels were pure aluminum - durability would be a big issue.

 

[bombermanx]

The mazdaspeed wheels is forged aluminum, which should be stronger then stock cast aluminum wheels, and the weight is similar to aftermarket forged light weight wheels in 18".

 

[Chibana]

Yes, I love them, but I'm having a hard time getting past the price, which is actually pretty good for an 18" forged wheel. If you think those are expensive, check out the price for the forged magnesium wheels for the RX-8! I don't remember the exact price, but it was over $1000 each!

 

[whitemp5seattle]

I might end up selling the set of ms3 rims that are sitting on my living room floor

 

[SwampAss]

I think the Mazda wheels look nice but IMO there are sooo many wheels out there with similar (maybe even better!) quality for less money. Part of getting aftermarket wheels is individualizing your car.

 

[dcomiskey]

Even my sales guy said they were way overpriced.

 

[Chibana]

If you can find forged 18" wheels for much less than $400, I'd love to know! Actually, I just bought a set of Enkei RPF1 wheels to be my new Summer wheels (and my 5Zigens will be my new Winter wheels), but still, based on my research, the Mazdaspeed forged wheels are reasonably priced. Knowing that they're sold by Mazdaspeed, I would trust their quality more than many aftermarket companies. I also suspect they're rarer than many of the common aftermarket wheels.