Amazon: Wheels on ebay

[amaz'in]

Hi Classic,

Hmmm interesting...and I know you are very knowledgeable on these things,so I certainly welcome your opinion's.

But I also notice you sell Banded wheels...surely this can't be legal practice...or is it? please dont take my email to be doubting or negative in any way...it's outside my knowledge base so I'm merly trying to understand, and also look at this in a pragmatic way.

So are we saying...if we want 5.5" steel wheels on our Amazon's...we can't have them and are forced to go the mini-lite route...which some of us happen to think are 'not' the sexiest wheels on the planet...or we have to spend the rest of our life (and then some) to find an original pair, which could be rusted thinner than 'Chinese' wheels and will cost us the third world deficit to buy them :-(

J

[ClassicVolvoShop]

Originally Posted by amaz'in

..But I also notice you sell Banded wheels...

STOP! - Abolutely not! - You must mix me up with another out there..

I never sell/produce or the like, without doing my honest best to state true condition and/or quality. (And/or stay within the true Volvo quality-spirit for that period..)

I'm not holy - I want the most money in my pocket yes! No daubt - but never on false describtion/quality! NEVER!

[ClassicVolvoShop]

Originally Posted by amaz'in

So are we saying...if we ...... will cost us the third world deficit to buy them

Sort of, yes.. And just to clarify 100%: There is NO original 5.5" rim from Volvo (for the PV/1800/120 series).

KPZ (Kronprinz) Germany - are those considered "original".

[amaz'in]

So sorry...I wrongly assumed that classic Volvo.com was you...and I spotted the banded 5.5 wheels there...again my apologies on that confusion....

I still firmly believe...as I bet all of us do..that the Amazon is one of the best looking cars ever made, sure a different kind of look to the E type or Bugatti Atlantic etc, but a triumph of design...but those Skinny 'Kate moss' wheels do very little for a Masculine/muscular looking car...as does it's pea shooter exhaust.

So classic....what's our options then??? I believe banded wheels are, contrary to what I thought a few months ago,now 'not' illegal, is this our route..I recall banded wheels.com in the UK had a magazine feature a while back and their work is very impressive....but very expensive...easily mini-lite pricing...a pity.

J

[Alf ista]

Originally Posted by amaz'in

....what's our options then???

Vintage Ford Mustang wheels perhaps....? Am I right in thinking that they fit? I wouldnt go that route myself, but might suit some people.

[amaz'in]

I guess a good pointer to quality would be a weight comparison between an old original wheel and a New one?

I know 'some' Chinese product can be of very poor quality...but that's certainly true of 'all' countries, but I use a lot of steel channel called uni-strut, a friend told me a few years ago, the cheap chinese version of that kicked up such a storm, so they proposed the two be compared under proper test conditions.

I believe uni-strut 'may' have instigated the test...and were highly embaressed when the Chinese version outperformed thier own, i do not however have this in Black & White, just a story told by a well placed friend in the trade.

I also believe the chinese 'can' make anything as well as anyone else...given the ideal circumstances...maybe it's fat cat European bosses asking them to make something as cheap as possible so they can sell it for as much as possible?

Trouble is, many want something for nothing these day's..I guess we are all to blame for that...perhaps it's a fine line beteeen getting something for nothing and paying a little more to get good quality merchandise.

J

[amaz'in]

Hi Alf ista,

Yes I have head this mentioned before..along with Dodge wheels...anyone got any pics to show what they look like?

I would imagine a few of us could get together..if we had a person with good contacts stateside leading our bunch, to buy up a few sets eh? be cheap as chips out there, and i presume the quality will be fine...just depends on what they look like?

I don't want to go for the Carlos Fandango (if you remember the commercial?) look, just want to get rid of the 'girly' wheels.

J

[Burdekin]

Correct me if I'm wrong but these rims would only fail a MOT in the UK if they stick out further than the guards or are unsafe.

Also only parts made in the EU can have a E-mark and this doesn't guarantee quality, it's just illegal for any country in the EU to prevent something with a E-mark from being sold in their country.

[ClassicVolvoShop]

OK - I phoned a bit.. and I can confirm, that it is the person I suspected who's behind the production. (= bad)

Chinese quality? No problem!! But Chinese producers produces to the spec that things are ordered in - so in this perticular case = bad.

And this is now the absolute worst part:
I now know the gross price per one of these wheels.. And I can asure you, that if you knew that - you wouldn't touch them at all - 'course at that amount it's simply impossible to get anything near quality.

I better state, that I have absolutely nothing against any retailers etc. - but I dislike when BS-products are made just because there's big money in the hype..

[ClassicVolvoShop]

Originally Posted by mitch1971

... these rims would only fail a MOT in the UK if they stick out further than the guards or are unsafe..

Well, I don't know details on how MOT works in the UK - But I assume that no MOT/inspection can "overrule" a manufactorers statements? (My choice of words might not be spot on here - what I mean is, that according to Volvo, the offset these 5.5" wheels have, can NOT be approved by Volvo)

Originally Posted by mitch1971

... Also only parts made in the EU can have a E-mark and this doesn't guarantee quality, it's just illegal for any country in the EU to prevent something with a E-mark from being sold in their country.

Totally wrong! (no offense).

http://www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory/t...ards/auto.html

Originally Posted by From the link above

...
e-marking
A compliant product is required to be e-marked. Unlike CE marking, which can be self-certified, to obtain an e-mark a product must be witness-tested by a Technical Service appointed by the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency), which is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport. The VCA will issue the approval certificate and approval number, which must be marked on the product. As these requirements apply across Europe, manufacturers and importers can alternatively approach type approval bodies in other European Member States.

and...

Who is affected?
Manufacturers of electrical or electronic parts or aftermarket accessories intended for fitment to vehicles after first registration, installers of these items in vehicles, operators of vehicle fleets and purchasers of these items are all affected.

- Manufacturers of equipment should ensure all relevant equipment they produce complies.

- Installers of equipment should check whether the type of equipment they are installing needs to be e-marked.

- Purchasers of equipment should ensure any equipment they purchase is e-marked, if necessary.

And more:
.........
A vehicle user found operating with non-complaint equipment would technically be invalidating his insurance and could be prosecuted in the event of an accident.
.......