Re: Help me pick some wheels
RoadWarrior/RW - Sometimes, sadly, there's just no way to "touch up" aftermarket rims, and your only option is to get it refinished, after it's taken enough of a beating. My Prodrive PFF7s finish, in their proprietary British Flitter, is just such an example.
And while voyager7's option can return with proper paint match, there may still exist problems with additional finishing steps which the rims have undergone, to make actgually matching, perfectly, the undamaged rim(s) or sections near-impossible. My specific example, unfortunately, demonstrates this very concern....although a complete refinish can get the rims very close to that of what Prodrive offers, it's a case of needing to do all four, to get a proper match.
-----
mrcllusb -
Hopefully, you live in a part of GA that has nice roads - if it's anything like what I remember of the northern suburbs of Atlanta, the road are nice and smooth, without the serious potholes and disrepair that plague those of us who live in areas where winter chemical road-treatments and plowing take a toll.
If that's the case, then you really will have a great selection to choose from, as, typically, a big part of the expense aspect of the equation (typically, aftermarket rims are a compromise of expense, weight, and strength)- as well as weight - can be attributed to the strength of the rims
Speaking of weight, Obsidian, in approaching things purely from a performance angle, brings up an excellent point. Although the Milan is a well-balanced family sedan with a good fun quotient, it doesn't really have "power to spare." With heavier rims (and you should pay attention to the tires, too - more on this, later) , you're increasing unsprung weight as well as rotational mass, and both will cause your car to not only subjectively "feel" slower and less lively, but will actually cause a measureable, noticeable, decrease, objectively, too.
With your interest in 18-inch rolling stock, this factor becomes even more critical as that additional weight will be displaced further towards the circumference - if you're interested in keeping the lively character of the Milan, check the weight of not only the rims, but also the tire carcass. My buddy's daily-driver, an I4 manual '08 Ford Fusion, has the factory "Sport Package," which comes with 18-inch rolling stock. I would encourage you to seek out the specifics of this combination, to be sure that you don't exceed it, in order to insure retention of the "fun to drive" factor of your vehicle.
If all you're concerned about is aesthetics, then this factor won't weigh - no pun intended :p - nearly as much, but like nautica2o3 pointed out, be sure you choose a combination that's of acceptable offset and tire size, not only so that you won't rub or have caliper and suspension clearance problems, but also so that even if you did need to utilize spacers (to achieve the looks that you're after), that there will not be excessive strain placed on your chassis components.
And in terms of aesthetics, partsfreak makes a very detailed observation - that a lot of void space beyond the rims does make for a rather "uncool" look. Going with 18s, from your factory 17s, especially if your personal style is more inclined towards less "open" designs (either with more spokes or just less void), this shouldn't be too bad, but if you went with even larger rolling stock, or just one that's more "airy" in nature, this might be an aesthetic faux-pas. :o
[ Personal note: this is the very reason why I pursued a "big brake kit" for my car - I wanted it to balance out the more "open" design of my summer rims. I was never under the delusion that I'd ever track or AutoX the car, and I definitely don't drive nearly hard enough on the streets to merit an upgraded brake system...I did it totally because I wanted to be pimp.
But a word of caution - not all "big brake kits" will improve your REAL-WORLD, EVERYDAY, braking performance. Some may even cause your vehicle to have *less* braking power, in terms of actual road/street performance, than the factory system. Additionally, many parts which are designed for use on vehicles that see motorsports use only may not be suited for street-use (i.e. may require routine rebuilds). Be careful to choose one that truly satisfies your needs. ]
Finally, because you're talking about rims, you should also think about tires.
Tires are among one of the BEST and most cost-effective ways of enhancing either the comfort or the performance (including safety envelope) of any roadgoing vehicle. You should not forget this, in your quest for new rims, and you should also budget-in a healthy portion of your planned spendings for rubber.
As I've said previously, weight is an issue, and the tire's carcass weight is no exception, particularly, again, since this tremendously impacts rotational mass. Wider may be better, in terms of helping you put down more rubber to the ground, but with vehicles that do not have raw, excess, power to spare, you should balance width with not only what will fit, properly, on the rim, but also with how much extra weight you want to carry. Most tire manufacturer's websites will have detailed information on not only the tire's safety and sizing specifics, but also will list carcass weight and other specific performance considerations (section width, tread width [to be compared, as with treadwear ratings, only within that specific manufacturer's offerings, and not with another manufacturer's, due to lack of standardization], etc.).
But don't let this be your only concern.
Overall performance should also be assessed - and here, don't let the price of an item fool you. Do some in-depth research, and you'll find out that not only are most OEM tires overpriced (as well as are compromises of comfort/performance), but you'll find that even "benchmark" tires are not necessarily always the most cost-effective (look at the latest findings by Car & Driver - in terms of the "budget" high-performance summer tires).
Figure out what it is that you want - cost, longevity, wet performance, dry performance, NVH, even light-snow capability - and then seek to find what's the best compromise for you.
Oh, and don't worry about getting a tire that somehow supposedly maximizes your fuel-efficiency. The thing that impacts fuel-efficiency most is just your right-foot habits - and also, to an extent, making sure that your tires are properly inflated (something that you'll need to check each week).
:)
Re: Help me pick some wheels
For Voyager7:
Do you know what HQ stands for: HeadQuarters of an International Company, a building like Chrysler or Ford, they don't build cars at their HQ, do they?, when you call Dupont at the either toll-free number or local one if you live in that area (my case) the receptionist redirects you to the sales dept where you talk to the person in charge with their products, who tells you to go to some selective NAPA stores (call in advance to find out if they do paint job in the store, not all of them have the on-site equipment) where they will take a look at your wheel and then go inside the store (so NAPA), in their lab room, and try their best to come up with the best paint sample for your product (wheel in this case), they will show you how the wheel is gonna look after that and advice you if it's a good idea to buy the touch-up paint made by them or just forget it, no good at all, that was my case, the NAPA technician showed me in some kind of microscope the closest paint he was able to come up, not at all the same as the original, he said that hyperblack is very hard to match, end of story.
DuPont.com: Company at a Glance
How do I buy DuPont products?
If you're a DuPont business customer, you may be able to purchase online using DuPont Direct. DuPont doesn't sell directly to the consumer market, but consumers can explore Consumer Offerings to find out more about which applications use our solutions and products.
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
voyager7
Look on google earth MORON!!!
Here is the address 400 N Groesbeck Hwy Mt Clemens, MI 48043-1553
Here is the latitude 42°36'45.95"N
longitude 82°53'8.27"W
Make sure you use street view. You can see the name out front.
What do you think that BIG FACTORY IS??
That machine takes up 5,000 sq ft. It took over 9 months to do the install.
I was there. I helped wire it. Have you ever been in that plant?
So how would you know!
Again know your details before you speak.
No personal attacks, ok?
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RoadWarrior/RW
No personal attacks, ok?
Done.
I do know paint shops that have went there direct (to the plant) for paint . The shop that painted one of my cars 7 years ago did. That's why I posted what I did, from personal experience. Maybe they changed their policy over the years and don't do it anymore. I just don't like being called a lier when I have seen the equipment (and helped on the install).
Sorry for the moron part but I was mad.
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
voyager7
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RoadWarrior/RW
No personal attacks, ok?
Done.
I do know paint shops that have went there direct (to the plant) for paint . The shop that painted one of my cars 7 years ago did. That's why I posted what I did, from personal experience. Maybe they changed their policy over the years and don't do it anymore. I just don't like being called a lier when I have seen the equipment (and helped on the install).
Sorry for the moron part but I was mad.
No big deal :) but you know, it's just a forum, people exchange free information and their own experience, not that the government is gonna take over this forum or your own mind:);)
I needed some touch up paint for my wheels, during the last winter (when I'm always driving on the stock wheels) I brought one wheel to the NAPA store equipped with all necessary to prepare any paint you like, left the wheel with them for the day and next day I went back to get it back when the technician told me that he cannot match the paint and finishing of my wheel, too complicated, they can do it but will look bad, end of story!
My wheels in hyperblack:
ENKEI PERFORMANCE EVO 6
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RoadWarrior/RW
I needed some touch up paint for my wheels, during the last winter (when I'm always driving on the stock wheels) I brought one wheel to the NAPA store equipped with all necessary to prepare any paint you like, left the wheel with them for the day and next day I went back to get it back when the technician told me that he cannot match the paint and finishing of my wheel, too complicated, they can do it but will look bad, end of story!
My understanding is that the "hyperblack" (and/or "black chrome") is not a paint - it's like regular chrome in that it is deposited onto the wheels via electroplating or somesuch process. This would explain why the doofus at NAPA couldn't mix you up some touch-up paint. :D
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
roadwarrior/rw
...not that the government is gonna take over this forum or your own mind:);)
Bite your tongue!
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by
FoolishOne
Quote:
Originally Posted by
roadwarrior/rw
...not that the government is gonna take over this forum or your own mind:);)
Bite your tongue!
Fearing this?
[ame=http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-5464625623984168940]nineteen eighty-four 1984[/ame]
POWER OF THE PEOPLE, that's what they fear the most! ;)
Re: Help me pick some wheels
Re: Help me pick some wheels
I think anything with a lip would look funny as hell on a Milan.
I'd vote polish the stock ones, although it'd be a pain in the ass with all the spokes you have.
