Source for 18" M-Parallels ? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

CSGardner · 2nd September 2002, 14:46

One of my (front) wheels has developed 2 cracks on the inside rim ... hence I need to get replacements. (Fortunately, my car has a full size spare, so at least I'm still running for the moment).

The wheels are standard for the 3.8 6-speed:
Fronts: 18" M- Parallel - 8" rim
Rears: 18" M- Parallel - 9" rim

SO .. who here has bought some recently ? I shudder to think what they cost. If you've bought any recently - please advise how much and where. I wonder if BMW in Germany would be cheaper than the UK ?

I'd be interested in any good condition 2nd hand as well as new. (What's the going rate for a set ?)

Thanks for any input,
Chas

(p.s. I don't think the cracks are very rare - as I remember last year chatting with another M5 owner at Michel Dever Tyres - who had the same failure .. and that was the 3rd he'd had).

Steve Mac · 2nd September 2002, 23:30

Hi Chas how goes it?

I thinks

the fronts retail at £400.00 each

and the rears at ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,£450.00 each

If you have anybody you know with a garage you can get up to 15% discount depending on your dealer

You could try the technicians in the workshop and offer a drink as they get 25% off

Or pop to Munich Legends(no doubt you know they are local`ish
to you)they are probably the best tech`s in the country.

Or there is the copy route

They look the same from a distance but are not as strong as ours are forged but are a third of the price

Food for thought but IMHO i`d go original so when the "ring" calls
you need not worry

God Luck

Steve Mac

CSGardner · 3rd September 2002, 08:58

Thanks for the numbers Steve.
I did have a chat with Munich Legends last night - Barney confirmed a similar figure (I think he said £320+VAT ish for fronts), and also that 2nd hand ones are rare as rocking-horse sh*t now. Apparantly, the failure is quite common (typically due to potholes) - but at least he said the wheels are easy to get - typically next day.
I will try to get a price from a German Dealer - just to see if its worth picking a wheel up when I go next go to the Ring (which is in a fortnight as it happens

).

Now - as for these copies .. - I wonder if thats not a bad idea for fitting a set of track rubber to ? Sounds like a better bet than the £2000 for a set of originial wheels + tyres ? Who does those copies you mention ?

Thanks again for any info,
Chas

p.s. Im off to Ring for 20-22 Sept .. can't wait !

CSGardner · 3rd September 2002, 15:40

UK Dealer List price:
Fronts (18"x8") - £365 inc VAT
Rears (18"x9") - £413 inc VAT

Germany Dealer List price:
Fronts - €484 inc VAT ~ £308 (at todays exchange rates)
Rears - €504 inc VAT ~ £321

I've ordered a front from the dealer nearest to the Nurburgring, for collection soon. The saving in the fronts is pretty good - but the REARs are a huge saving (makes me wonder if the quote was correct ?).

Chas

samson · 3rd September 2002, 16:33

In Canada and the US, my search for authentic BMW M parallels for the E34M5 -- 8X18 for front (20mm offset) and 9X19 for rear (22mm offset)-- has come up with $2,150 as the best price for 4 in the US (from Pacific BMW), and a whopping $4,600 in Canada ($4,600/1.55 = $2,970US).

Yes, there are replicas but so far I have only found them made in 8X18, NO 9X18 for the E34M5 (with correct offset). Replica M parallels are available in 9X18 but are intended for the 7 series and have different offset. 4 8X18 replicas cost about US$900.

If you find any replicats in 9X18 with 22mm offset, please let me know. Thanks

Bryn · 3rd September 2002, 19:25

Chas - probably a stoopid question, but how did you get the German prices?

I need to do the same for my E500 bits

Cheers,
Bryn.

Steve Mac · 4th September 2002, 00:42

H Chas

Here are a few details of replica sellers;
Northway Tyres, London,NW9....020 8205 0027
Premier Wheels, Lancs 01282 447 893
Elite Essex 01708 525 577

I saw the northway wheels and they only had 8x18 and were charging £115 each which wasn`t bad as i ha just paid £684 for two rears (friend of friend worked for local dealer)

and i was lucky.

The other two ads i saw in this months BMW CAR and here they are...

FYI my exhaust is promised for next fri and an Inspection 1 to folllow on tue 17th along with a Tracker Monitor so pocket to take a bashing

Life is good again

Good Luck

Steve Mac

jimmy01 · 5th September 2002, 01:03

How good do the reps look? I am looking to change and do like the look of the parallels, and what are the differances/problems with using 7 series ones?

samson · 5th September 2002, 18:37

The replicas look pretty good. Check out this website where 8X18 wheels cost $225 each. Found another source, which I can't remember now, where they cost $199 each.

http://customwheelsmarket.com/bmw-oe...ca-wheels.html

Again, only the 8X18" wheels have the correct offset. The 9X18" M parallels were intended for the 7 series with a different offset.

With 8X18 all around, the recommended tires are 245X40X18 all round. With the 8X18 on front and 9X18 on rear, the recommended combination, as already pointed out in a prior post is 235X40X18 on front, 265X35X19 on rear.

Mmm-Five · 5th September 2002, 23:51

Mine came with 8x18 on the front and 9x18 on the rear all with 245/40 z18 and understeers enough already!

How much worse would it get with 235/40 z18 on the front and the extra grip from the 265/35 z18 on the rear?