When I purhaced my M5 it had 17x8.5" Breyton Inspire wheels on the car which were a bit rough. For an extra $100, the PO threw in the original M-system wheels, which were pretty rough other than the ducts, which were flawless. A month or so ago I removed the ducts and took the wheels to Rim Doctor to be straightened and refinished. Got them back over the weekend. All 4 wheels had been straightened, had all curb rash removed, and refinished for $50 per wheel. They look new again. Today at work I swapped the tires onto the refreshed M-system wheels and installed them on the car. While the tires were off I weighed the wheels, and the ductless M systems came in a staggering 18lbs per wheel lighter than the Breytons
. I can't even begin to describe the dynamic difference this makes. The car rides more smoothly and the steering feels much lighter and more pointy. I'm sure there's a difference in the acceleration/braking as well, but I haven't had the chance to test it out, what with traffic and all. Considering how the M-system wheels look, and the dynamic improvement over aftermarket, I can't really understand why anyone would choose anything else.
Now I need to work on centercaps...the ones from the Breyton's are just a hair too small, and there's no lip to clip them into on the M systems. I'm thinking of using a couple of o rings per wheel to try to hold the caps in via friction. If anyone has a better solution, or one that they're currently using, please let me know.
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