Purchasing Cheap Rims

The old adage which states ‘you get what you pay for” is true in almost every walk of life.  In the case of buying cheap rims for your car or truck, however, it does not always hold true.  There are so many options for buying rims; we have authentic top name brand rims, knock off rims, seasonal sales, end of production line sales, used rims, trades, steelies with fancy hubcaps… did I miss anything?  Let’s take a closer look at these options.

Every performance car enthusiast would love to have the authentic, premier name brand super light racing rims with low profile tires.  Brand names such as Volk Racing, Enkei and BBS can stir up a passion that fuels the sport, and opens wallets.  Perhaps you’re looking for some large wheels with big balloon knobby tires for your off-road truck or jeep, without having the break the bank.  Maybe your slammed show truck is due for a plus sized chrome wheel upgrade.  Ultimately, rolling with the top brand names will give you bragging rights and little else.  There are so many affordable wheel Brands with enough styles and sizes to suit any vehicle owner’s needs.

They’re like the “Gucci purses” of the automotive world.  You can buy an authentic Gucci purse for hundreds of dollars, or you could spend under $50 and get a knock of that looks exactly the same.  Any casual observer would not know the difference; all you really have is the peace of mind knowing you have the “real thing,” …and perhaps an empty wallet inside.  Not so different with wheels.  You can buy some premier Volk Racing rims at a premium price point, or you could look up Konig and purchase some knock offs for far less.  Sure, one may argue that the premier brand uses higher quality metals for a more durable and lighter product.  That may be true, but for the average Joe, who has to worry about his wallet, this is really “splitting hairs.”  Even the “cheaper” brands, or should I say “inexpensive” brands use the appropriate alloy combinations in their cast and have to pass governmental safety measures before putting their product into the market.  In the end, the difference, between an expensive premier brand and a knockoff may be the little name or logo emblazoned on the center cap.

Rim sales, per se, can be hard to find when you are looking for a specific brand or style.  Often though, a manufacture may be discontinuing a line and will offer discounts to move current inventory.  It may be harder to spot as they won’t actually say they are discontinuing the line, and this is only really an issue if you bang up a rim and want to replace it with a new one.  Spring sales can happen, although there isn’t really a natural incentive to discount popular rims in the spring as this is the prime sales season.  End of season sales can happen often enough, if perhaps, an outlet wants to clear out some inventory for space.  You can also find bargains on rims at a local shop simply because  they have rims sitting on their showroom floor that haven’t sold for years, and they want to clear them out.  Also, with items like rims and tires, prices aren’t necessarily written in stone, asking or bargaining for a lower price is always an option.

Online retailers usually have a leg up over your local shops and dealers.  They don’t have the overhead that a permanent shop location has, so they can offer better pricing.  Shipping costs, however, can bridge the gap as 4 wheels are quite large for shipping and can be heavy, especially if tires are included.  Deals can also be had if you purchase wheel and tire packages, so shop around; cheap rims don’t have to be junk rims.

There is a whole world full of used rims out there.  So many individuals are selling off perfectly good rims, with or without tires.  If you keep looking, you’re bound to find amazing deals.  Check your local “for sale” boards, automotive sites, ebay, craigslist, kijiji, classifieds.  Local is always preferred over long distance mail order for obvious reasons.  You will certainly want to inspect used rims or tires before you commit the cash. 

Its unreal, however, how so many youngsters buy nice wheels and tires for their cars and trucks, seemingly on a whim in the spring, only to find that they desperately need the cash for school in the fall, or a year later, etc.  Often you will find that the tires included are worn and need replacing, as it’s cheaper for them to just put their old wheels back on their car rather than buy new expensive performance tires for their performance rims.

Another common option is trading wheels with someone else.  If you have a similar car that can handle the same wheels and tire sizes as someone else’s in your area, trading wheels can offer a very affordable change.  For many, their car is an extension of their own personality.  While some of us change out hairstyles or shoes or jackets, for a fresh different look, many car enthusiasts like to change their vehicles “look.”  While a paint job is the best way to do this, it’s hardly the most cost effective.  Trading wheels can be a very affordable and effective way to freshen up the look of a vehicle.

Now, while you may have to have some decent rims to trade with, the owner may be just looking to put their vehicle back to “stock” to save cash or perhaps sell it.  Usually some money will have to change hands in these deals, as rarely will you find equal trade conditions.

The cheapest cheap rims you can buy are steelies.  These are the basic black painted (rust prone) wheels that basic model vehicles often came with from the dealer.  Often they will have hubcaps added to dress them up, and if not, they can be cheaply purchased from the aftermarket.  Steelies are also the best cheap rims for wrapping your snow tires around, if you live in a winter climates.  Steelies can be bought for your vehicle usually straight from the dealer; cheaper options are usually available at generic auto parts stores, however.  On the used market, steelies can be a dime a dozen, depending one your vehicle.  So shop around, and good luck with your search!!