SpectraGS3

Ok, I'm looking at some Lowenhart LD1's 19 or 20 right. To me the prices are extremly over the top. I understand they are good quality and all that. I also understand that waht you are mostly paying for is the brand and look.

I'm not one to buy "knockoff" stuff but if I can get the same pair of jeans from Old Navy for 23 bucks that some other store wants 120 for because they say Iceberg in small print on the back pocket it just seems off to me.

Now here's my question for you guys out there. Would it be possible to purchase "real" center pieces for rims such as the LD1's and put them into the cheaper look alikes?

What I've found in poking around on the web are some LD1 look alikes which seem to be of decent quality and a set of 4 19's runs about 300-400 more than 1 real LD1. At those prices you can afford to loose a whole set or two to lesser quality build and still come out on top.

But like many of you I just cringe at the look of some "no name" off brand since it does scream "knockoff" but then again, spening 6+ k on real ones has to make you consider other options.

What do you guys think?

Richie

Don't let Manaray read this :eek: !!!!!

SpectraGS3

LOL I know what you mean, I never considered this before but it hurts to hand over 6k and get back some wheels and tires. Nice ones but still, I don't see what (besides the brand name) justifies the prices.

I can get a decent plasma tv for that, you can't tell me more time, design and technology goes into a set of wheels than a plasma tv!

Oh well, I can complain but I still want the real Lowenharts. Might have to start selling crack or get a paper route.

Johnny Mo

Don't do it man you'll be kicking yourself later. You'll always have a feeling of oh I wasted my money on these knock-offs. I understand the need for "instant gratification", and the I want them now concept, but at the end of the day it'd be more embarrassing for someone to call your bluff in front of you and your "boyz", or worse yet some honeys and you look like a fool. Just my 2 cents. I waited until the right deal came along...I don't have HRE or Lowenharts, but O.Z.'s are well respected from a manufacturer standpoint.

J.P.

Why not take your Gs400 badge off and toss on a Gs430 one? Hit up a Audiovox head unit and toss a Denon sticker on it. Better yet, gold is soooo overrated, go down to the swap meet and buy some gold on the roll, it is like .49 cents a foot then you can pimp out some phat 3 link chains. I mean I understand you don’t have to drop $6000, but you can buy quality wheels for much less! You can get a good set of 19’s for around $3000 if you shop around. It’s bad enough you want knockoffs but to toss the real deal caps on is SICK. You drive a Lexus, have a little integrity. Shop around you will find some good quality wheels!!

zushwa

Bro, NO KNOCK-OFFS!!!

You are abso-fu$king-lutely right 6K is a lot of money. First, you arent' looking at a local shop are you??? I've been there, done that. These places around here (Va Beach) tax you so start looking online. There are plenty of places w/ better prices for Lowenharts. THere are tons of quality wheels for sale second hand if you want to go that route. If you have any other wheels in mind just look around or ask me. I've been looking for wheels for over a year so I can probably point you in the right direction for whatever kind of wheel you're looking for but for god's sake NO knock-offs. Email me at zushwa@aol.com or PM me and I'll see what I can do for you.

Josh

GS4Will

Spec,

i know what you mean on the pricing issue:eek: But, you do not need to spend $6k for a set of good "shoes"....not sure what size, 19 or 20s that caught your eye, but as jpa said, at ~$3k, you can certainly get excellent wheels.

one thing on the "bargain rims"(relatively speaking) is that many do not have safety approval rating/stamping on these wheels. prices aside, it is a pure safety matter.

let me put it this way, i can have "Diablo Ldx" for FREE, in all the chromes that i want, but i still politely declined the offer...

SpectraGS3

GS4Will,

You've got a point on the saftey issue. My thing is that I can't understand why some company can't make these things with decent quality, saftey and with a nice look without charging such a high premium.

But I guess in a market filled with cheap *** rims any company willing to make quality wheels feels they deserve to charge that extra 500 bucks each.

I'll keep my eye out for some slightly used (real) ones, prolly my best bet.

Thanks for everyones feedback

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

keep in mind that the knock-off rims are not the same as comparing Old Navy and Banana Republic jeans. Both ON and BR have similar designs, AND similar quality. It's just the brand image. However when you compare LD1s with other LOOKALIKEs, their quality just doesn't compare to the real deal.

Jeans, yes go with cheaper ones that have the same quality. Rims, don't go cheap on it. If you don't feel like getting 19 or 20's LD1s, go with 18s or even some other wheels (LowenHarts are not the best japanese rims, especially not LD1s. Other Hart wheels are nice too.)

I think 18 inch LD1s look better than 20inch LD1 lookalikes. Your call. Just don't kick yourself in the future.

J.P.

SpectraGS3- I'am not sure on the quality, but your looking at LD1's so I am thinking your looking for bling bling but maybe something like an Arelli wheel would work? They may be junk but there has to be something in your range you look that is decent and new. Again I am not sure on the quality but I think they are not a knockoff wheel and even carry some real 3pc wheels. Hopefully some people can post some lower end wheels that are original and lower priced and note if Arelli is decent for the low end..

1niceride

Plz do not buy knock offs and try to pass them off *** the real deal . I will have to punish you by , making you drive a Kia for a month if you do so .

Just save up to buy the real things , or just buy the knock offs . Just don't try to pass off a knock off for the real thing .

Best thing to do is save up for a couple of months to get what you really want .

Manaray

...that is DESPERATION talking...

Don't be so pathetically desperate to get wheels...have some pride.

biggie27

on paper LD1's and dianlo's might look the same, and the diablo's might even llok better, but you have to remmeber that in person you can tell which on is the Knock off and which one is quality, even the shine on the chrome is diffrent, and knockoff wheels will chip and rust after a month of use especially the diablo's, I have seen a few where the chrome has chipped of the wheels, and you have to remmember your not only paying for the brand name, yout also paying for the quality and the customer service that you will recieve with these wheels