Rims - best place to buy them.

[PhotoWrangler]

I know there are a few car enthusiasts here, so I wanted to ask....

I just bought a 2011 Kia Soul - you know, the hamster car? I traded my F-250 Super Duty Diesel, because at $4 a gallon, I couldn't afford it anymore (I have a 100 mile commute for my 'joe' job).

Anyway, I bought the Soul +, and my sister in law bought the Soul Sport. I like the look of her 18" wheels, over my 16" wheels - so I'm looking for some after market rims to put on mine.

I can get a better deal if I buy after market rims, instead of the Kia rims from the dealership. So I'm going to order the rims now, and then pay them off, and then in a month or so, I'll buy the tires and have them put on.

I know I want 18" rims, that are 5 lug, and a 114 pattern, but I'm not sure what width to get. I also dont know what's the best place to get them. I want something affordable, but I don't want to buy crap either.

Any recommendations?

 

[molested_cow]

Get 4 hamster wheels, with real hamsters powering them for the REAL FOUR WHEEL DRIVE PWR!!!! Just feed them with peanuts and forget about going to the gas station altogether.

I don't know any place to recommend since I never had to shop for one, but you may want to look into buying as a package(with tires) to save money.
Go to a local chain tire shop and look at the catalogs. At this point, you are looking for the looks, not the performance, so you have a ton of choice.

 

[jake337]

Best place to check out is a locol kia forum or any kia forum. People who modify cars tend to swap there often. Also check your lug pattern and size and see if any any other kia's match. Or what other car manufacturers use the same lug pattern and size.

Lets say you find someone on a forum selling their stock 2011 kia optima wheels. They may be bigger, and have good tire on them, and cost you less than a set of 4 tires themselves, with an added bomus of looking better than your stock wheels now.

Now if other manufactures have the same lug pattern you may be in luck. Lets say mitsubishi or subaru share the same pattern and size. You can then search those forums because lancer evolution and STI owners first purchase is rims! Bammmm! some cheap, light-weight, wider(flush to wheel wells always improve looks) with tires for the dirt cheap!

 

[behanana]

tirerack.com is probably the best place for aftermarket wheels. watch buying used, there is a good chance they could be bent and will cause a vibration at highway speeds, and once bent it's almost impossible to get them straight again. also DON'T buy off e-bay, i have seen numerous wheels come off ebay that were a great deal, but are shaped like eggs.

 

[Trever1t]

I always scan the local Craigs;ist for good deals.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

tirerack.com is probably the best place for aftermarket wheels. watch buying used, there is a good chance they could be bent and will cause a vibration at highway speeds, and once bent it's almost impossible to get them straight again. also DON'T buy off e-bay, i have seen numerous wheels come off ebay that were a great deal, but are shaped like eggs.

I'm not buying anything used, you can bet on that! I found tirerack.com the other day and I like a few that are on there. Good prices too.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

Go pick up a magazine for tuner cars. There are loads of places to buy from in those mags with usually pretty killer deals.

 

[Derrel]

2011 Kia Soul - you know, the hamster car? I traded my F-250 Super Duty Diesel...

...FTW! Perhaps the most unlikely move in the history of American car ownership.