18" M parallel or 18" Roja

[Ryan Stewart]

Roja's are NASTY looking.

WHen we say M parrallel are we talking like what came on the 740i sports?

[Jarvis]

Roja's are NASTY looking.

WHen we say M parrallel are we talking like what came on the 740i sports?

Yes, the E38 sport package wheels.
Didn't they come on some E31's, too?

[Rob]

I'd rather just have some real double spokes or something

[Ryan Stewart]

Definately the M parallels if you can fit ones with big ass dish. They look good on the E38 but if they dont have the dish then they look lame.

[DSchultz325e]

oh fo sho

[E30-323ti]

I only saw one to choose from, M Parallel!!!

[lukasbmw]

I do remember the photoshop with the M parallel's and it looked awesome!

I just thought $800 for some forged rims was a damn good deal.

I've actually got one genuine 18x8 M parallel (from a 7 series) at my house right now. I'm going there tomorrow and plan on test fitting it. I believe it will not work since it is a 7 series offset (15). Since BMW only made M parallel's for the 5/7/8, I cannot fit them on my 3. I can only fit aftermarket replicas with the 35mm offset.

I have actually seen the replicas in person and they look damn good...almost impossible to tell they are not factory.

I've also thought about buying four 740i sport front rims (rears will not work since they are 18x9...I can only run 18x8) and having a machine shop machine the offset from 15 down to 35, but this is risky and hella ghetto.

[Ryan Stewart]

Man up. Fender flares.

[Jordan]

Machining the hub face of a wheel isnt ghetto. So long as their is enough material and its done within limits.

[kylebes1]

oh fo sho

THESE!!!!!! I love these!

[DSchultz325e]

i fell in love with the parallels when i used to be a gas monkey. the father of one of my old friends had a 2000 740iL with these in 18". it gave me a good excuse to check his tire pressure. btw...if you're even considering replicas, it seems strange you would have a forged wheel as option 2. are the replicas going to be light or are you simply going for aesthetics? i'm just confused.

[lukasbmw]

Fender flares are out. If I ever do them I will want something like the E36/Sibal kit...half E30 M3 style flare/half like the E46 M3 style flare. E30 M3 flares on a non E30 M3 don't do it for me, and the curvy E46 style flares don't fit the E30 well.

Since a supercustom flare kit would cost an ass load, it is out of the question.

As for the rims, I'm doing 18's strictly for bling. Yet it would have been cool to have forged rims as a mod. I often try to have things both ways, but in this case it does not look like it will work...unless I can get the factory 5/7/8 rims to work by machining them.

Jordan: Do you know of anyone who sucessfully had rims machined down?

[Jordan]

Any decent machine shop with a big lathe can do it.

[nando]

the main thing you have to worry about is the thickness of material where the bolts seat in the wheel, you don't want to go too thin. otherwise machining the hub by a competent shop on CNC equipment is fine. you just don't want cracks around your bolt holes!

[bmwm3n528]

M parallel replicas, like everyone i've seen are really soft, and bend really easily...like a lot replicas. Great for potholes.

E34 M5 forged.