Poll: XXR 962, or Enkei EV5

[tutsuo]

My personal favorite * Bronze EV5 *

[drew12000]

Enkei. Simply because they are a quality wheel company that's been in the game for years.

[steelbluesleepR]

I personally have had a great experience with Enkei. They sponsored the hydrogen fuel cell car team I worked on in college, providing us with a set of RPF-01's at cost.

Enkei are also a legitimate wheel company, designing, testing, and racing their own wheels. many F1, GT, and rally cars run Enkei's. XXR on the other hand steals designs, manufactures them with sub-par materials and sub-par manufacturing techniques, then sells them cheap to people that dont care about any of that.

[deevergote]

I personally have had a great experience with Enkei. They sponsored the hydrogen fuel cell car team I worked on in college, providing us with a set of RPF-01's at cost.

Enkei are also a legitimate wheel company, designing, testing, and racing their own wheels. many F1, GT, and rally cars run Enkei's. XXR on the other hand steals designs, manufactures them with sub-par materials and sub-par manufacturing techniques, then sells them cheap to people that dont care about any of that.

I have to agree with that.

Though I'd prefer to have Enkei's higher-end stuff over their cheapie wheels. Cheap cast Enkeis are still original (though often original interpretations of very common designs), and they're still pretty well made for what they are... but a wheel that sells for $90-$150 is going to be just that... a cheap cast wheel.

Taken from an answer on Answers.com, which sums up most of what I've read elsewhere from more reliable sources:

most Enkei Wheels are made in Japan where the company originated in 1965. Enkei also has several manufacturing factories in the US, China, india, Vietnam, the Philippines and in other countries.
Every wheel in Enkei's "Racing Series" is made in Japan. Enkei's National Brand which include Performance, Classic, Luxury Sport and Truck Series are split with Japan and China factories.

[cincy90h22]

Im sure this thread is going to turn into "a thread against xxr's cheaply made cheapo wheels".

To a point I agree, they are cheap wheels to purchase, and I can only assume that they are cheaper to manufacture.. otherwise there would be no money to be made. BUT I have had nothing but good experience with them. It is true that they cater to the "stanced" scene, but as a business thats a smart move as that is what is "in" right now. Im sure soon that will change and if they are business minded they will as well. If the next trend is 20in high offset vip wheels in civics then thats what they will produce to compete on a lower priced level.

I would love to rock a set of forged 3peice wheels, fact of the matter is I dont have deep enough pockets. I like my xxrs, all of them ive owned, never a problem with fit or finish. Enkies on the other hand, I wouldnt buy another.

OP: The gold would look great on your green car.

[deevergote]

Honestly, I think the scene surrounding the XXR brand is what makes me hate the wheels. Once a week, we get a thread on here with some noob asking if some 0 offset XXRs will fit on his car. I agree it's smart business, but it's annoying!

I suppose I can't hate on XXRs that actually fit correctly. They're a better product than many of the cheaply made wheels out there, especially now that they've gotten popular. They'd be shooting themselves in the foot if they were churning out total crap, when there's such a demand for them. Someone else would step up and steal their market in a heartbeat!


I hate to admit it... but I'm changing my vote to XXR. They look better, IMO.

[604CB7]

Being an owner of a set of bronze Evo5s from Enkei, I can tell you that they are much better then the XXR ones. I've owned nearly 20 sets of wheels over the years and one thing I have learned is that you get what you pay for. My vote, go with the Enkei.

[Night Wolf]

the XXRs there look cheap & simple. Id get the enkies. higher quality, better styling.

[toycar]

Anyone talented with photoshop that could give a visual with the pics provided?

[reklipz]

I'll give it a whirl, but I can't promise anything amazing.

[toycar]

Right on, interested in seeing the results.

[H311RA151N]

Could care less about ricers.


Lol. No ricers in my scene.







As far as the spoke sticking out, I kind of agree. Not sure its the traditional sticking out that I have grown to know as an enkei product. Like an ITR rim for example. These don't stick out like those do. The XXR's actually aren't much different in price. I can get the Enkei's delivered to my door for $1100 mounted and balanced with 205/45/R17 Kumho ecsta tires.

The wheel/tire combo will be for daily use, April-September. No need for serious tread in my opinion.


I think the Enkeis were $158/rim and the xxr were around $135. No biggy in price difference.

Thats a $92 difference.

Thats enough of a difference to get you a decent set of tires. Those Kumho Ecsta tires are pure junk. Ive owned three different sets on three different cars. They are $55 a piece for 205/50R16 where I buy tires. They wear and perform like shit wet or dry.

This are my thoughts as well, actually. I prefer the way the XXR meets with the outer rim, how it's flat compared to the "protruded" look of the Enkeis. I don't care for the chamfering on the lug-nuts on the XXR though.

That said, from the comments it sounds like the Enkeis are the better wheels. That would be my determining factor.

Depending on the paint job, the bronze could look fantastic. I plan on detailing my engine bay with bronze on black and brushed metal accents; inspired by one of my water bottles of all things.

I like the bronze color myself.

I don’t understand how the Enkeis are a "better" wheel. What makes it better? What makes a good wheel a good wheel and a bad wheel a bad wheel?

I don’t see or hear of any hard evidence that XXRs are a cheap POS wheel or even how Enkies are a good wheel. Price don’t account for anything.

Ive had a few sets of enkies..including the ev5 in gold on my cb. I liked them untill the clear coat started peeling, or the stainless corroded.

The set my GF had on her SS Cobalt looked like shit after a year also. We ended up just taking them to the polisher. But once again, in a another year that too looked like shit.

[toycar]

Thats a $92 difference.

Thats enough of a difference to get you a decent set of tires. Those Kumho Ecsta tires are pure junk. Ive owned three different sets on three different cars. They are $55 a piece for 205/50R16 where I buy tires. They wear and perform like shit wet or dry.

I'm not saying they are great tires, but we are talking about a car that sees less than 3k miles/year. I have a set one of my DSMs that after 30k miles have 6/32nds left. Not too worried about it. I know the tires get a bad wrap, but I really don't understand why. I guess if you track the car or take corners at 30mph regularly it would matter. This car doesn't even see 5k rpm's, and is driven like a granny. I've always taken meticulous care of the car. It was my first brand new car.

Im not going to go out and drop serious coin on some rubber that serves nothing other than visual purposes. The car is not a go fast car, it is not modified. Actually, the rims purchase will be the only modification thus far, and I am the original owner.


For the sake of conversation, can you suggest a better tire for similar money? I'd go as high as $120/tire. The tires I am suggesting get a great review, and are about $89/tire.


Tire I was/am considering

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....toModel=Accord EX Sedan&autoModClar=




Decent tread pattern, 10/32nd's deep. Not a bad looking tire.

Whats the beef?

[H311RA151N]

I'm not saying they are great tires, but we are talking about a car that sees less than 3k miles/year. I have a set one of my DSMs that after 30k miles have 6/32nds left. Not too worried about it. I know the tires get a bad wrap, but I really don't understand why. I guess if you track the car or take corners at 30mph regularly it would matter. This car doesn't even see 5k rpm's, and is driven like a granny. I've always taken meticulous care of the car. It was my first brand new car.

Im not going to go out and drop serious coin on some rubber that serves nothing other than visual purposes. The car is not a go fast car, it is not modified. Actually, the rims purchase will be the only modification thus far, and I am the original owner.


For the sake of conversation, can you suggest a better tire for similar money? I'd go as high as $120/tire. The tires I am suggesting get a great review, and are about $89/tire.


Tire I was/am considering

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....toModel=Accord EX Sedan&autoModClar=




Decent tread pattern, 10/32nd's deep. Not a bad looking tire.

Whats the beef?

If you ever drive in the rain I would consider a different tire. I have them on the back of my teg and sometimes it can be pretty scary. I have nitto neo gens on the front and they are a bit better. They cost me $72 each.


Tire Rack has P Zero Neros for $80 each right now. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

Cant go wrong with those.

[cincy90h22]

Ive had good luck with tread wear on hancook ventus, fairly cheap in price. Running nexen n3000 on the cb now, so far I like them, only have about 400 miles on them. They were 100 a peice I think. Im not a fan of kumho, had a few sets, had a side wall blow on two of them.