re: WANTED-M3 17x8.5" Forged wheels

[Jon Tara <jtara@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Rob" <motor@domain.elided> wrote:

>     I'm trying to find some track wheels for my buddies '96 M3.  He
wants
> either a set of 17x8.5" Forgeline,Kenesis or Fikse's or two of the O.E.
rear
> 17x8.5" Forged 5 spokes.
> He'll be running 235/40/17's because he doesn't want to do any fender
> rolling or modifications to make them fit.

A couple of comment on the Kenesis wheels. 

I work less than a mile from their headquarters in Carlsbad, CA. so I 
dropped by one day to take a look. It's a small sales office, with a 
warehouse and  assembly area in the back. The forging is done by an 
aerospace firm in the L.A. area.

These wheels look even more beautiful in person than they do in the ads.
If appearance matters, the Fiske and Forgelines look crude by comparison.
HRE comes close, but I think the Kenesis wheels look even better. If you
want to split hairs, HRE has a nicer looking emblem, though. :) (And,
darn, I think I just missed a field trip of the local BMWCCA to HRE, which
is also located nearby, in Vista.) 

If you want something unique, they can anodize or paint them just about 
any way  you want. (For a price, of course! :) ) The most popular, "stock"
finish is shot-peened, and then hard-anodized (centers) and polished (not
chromed) for the rims sections.

Most of the designs are elegant take-offs on the basic "mesh" design which
I have not seen elsewhere.

Most of the wheel styles use a smaller center than normal, which give them
a unique look, with a lot of rim showing. They do have a newer style that
they refer-to as having a "true 18" center" (or 17", or whatever) that
they recommend if you are going to use larger brakes.

I don't know nuthin' about how well they hold up - would love to hear any
feedback.

- -----
Jon Tara
95 325is sharked, bilsteined, eibached, needs to be shod

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