To Bottlecap, or not to Bottlecap, that is the question....

[mvliotta]

2 hours ago, NYNick said:

I'm not a wheel guy, never have been. I don't see what all the fuss is all about.

I want a wheel that performs.

I want a wheel that doesn't break the bank.

I want a wheel that I can buy tires for.

I want a wheel that doesn't detract from the car itself.

 

Not a shoe guy either.

 

Another very ‘NYNick’ post. Love it!

[Gordon]

I ran stock 2002 13" steel wheels for a few years and in 1984, I switched to E30 bottlecaps. I ran them on my 02 for over 20 years. In 2005, I switched to E30 basketweaves. The problem with E30 Style 5 basketweaves is the center cap. Some low life would steal them and they cost over $ 60 new. I turned into a wheel whore in an effort to find Style 5 basketweave center caps.  I threw in the towel when I had 13 basketweaves total (on my car and in my parts stash).. In 2009, I went with 15X6 Alpina replica wheels but the wheels had an offset for an E21 (ET 12) so they didn't last long on my tii.  In 2010. I went with 15X7 ET25 Rota RB wheels. They stayed on my tii for a few years but I fell out of love with them. I now have a set of 15X7 ET25 Centra Type 11 wheels. I like these wheels, very rare and they have a huge lip on them. I also have a set of 15X7 ET26 MSW basketweaves in my parts stash.  You have to think of wheels as a fashion accessory for your car, the right wheels will make your car stand out. Bottlecaps are not a fashion accessory. I admit it, I have a set of bottlecaps. They have snow tires mounted on them and they are currently on my E30.  +1 on comments that bottlecaps make great roller wheels.  Looking through this wheel database will give you some ideas.on how to spend your money. https://www.bmw2002faq.com/wheels/bmw2002/

[golf73]

1 hour ago, Gordon said:

I ran stock 2002 13" steel wheels for a few years and in 1984, I switched to E30 bottlecaps. I ran them on my 02 for over 20 years. In 2005, I switched to E30 basketweaves. The problem with E30 Style 5 basketweaves is the center cap. Some low life would steal them and they cost over $ 60 new. I turned into a wheel whore in an effort to find Style 5 basketweave center caps.  I threw in the towel when I had 13 basketweaves total (on my car and in my parts stash).. In 2009, I went with 15X6 Alpina replica wheels but the wheels had an offset for an E21 (ET 12) so they didn't last long on my tii.  In 2010. I went with 15X7 ET25 Rota RB wheels. They stayed on my tii for a few years but I fell out of love with them. I now have a set of 15X7 ET25 Centra Type 11 wheels. I like these wheels, very rare and they have a huge lip on them. I also have a set of 15X7 ET26 MSW basketweaves in my parts stash.  You have to think of wheels as a fashion accessory for your car, the right wheels will make your car stand out. Bottlecaps are not a fashion accessory. I admit it, I have a set of bottlecaps. They have snow tires mounted on them and they are currently on my E30.  +1 on comments that bottlecaps make great roller wheels.  Looking through this wheel database will give you some ideas.on how to spend your money. https://www.bmw2002faq.com/wheels/bmw2002/

 

So you had the centers of your 15X7 ET25 Centra Type 11 wheels painted black? Looks Clean N' Fresh, especially with the added Roundels on the center caps! Have you thought about going full Euro Style and deleting the rear bumper over riders, and replacing the center bumper bar with one that has the chrome bumper seam covers and the integrated license plate lamps to complete The Look?

 

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by golf73

[golf73]

21 hours ago, theNomad said:

Shaking my head... all the haters. This is all you have to do: 3 piece.

 

 

Are these for a flared-out Civic? ? Where are the Roundels?

 

 

[tech71]

99.999% of all people who see our cars will probably be thinking "what a cool little car"  Not "Phfft! bottle caps? how tacky"

I can live with that?

Edited January 24, 2020 by tech71

[Gordon]

1 hour ago, golf73 said:

 

So you had the centers of your 15X7 ET25 Centra Type 11 wheels painted black? Looks Clean N' Fresh, especially with the added Roundels on the center caps! Have you thought about going full Euro Style and deleting the rear bumper over riders, and replacing the center bumper bar with one that has the chrome bumper seam covers and the integrated license plate lamps to complete The Look?

 

 

Funny you should mention that. I just received a package from Walloth and Nesch last week. I received the center section of a Euro 02 bumper that has the cut outs for the license plate lights.  I already have the seam covers, license plate lights and new bumper rear strip. Now I have a winter project. 

[golf73]

35 minutes ago, Gordon said:

Funny you should mention that. I just received a package from Walloth and Nesch last week. I received the center section of a Euro 02 bumper that has the cut outs for the license plate lights.  I already have the seam covers, license plate lights and new bumper rear strip. Now I have a winter project. 

 

Congrats - soon you will be completely converted - was W&N cheaper than 02bumpers? I learned 10 years ago that BMW factory chrome will only hold up for a few years. May want to have it chromed again, before you install, not kidding

[TobyB]

SpongeBob SquarePantasports!

 

t

 

[theNomad]

 
Are these for a flared-out Civic? [emoji6] Where are the Roundels?
 
 

Probably is, I read a post on someone making these a long time ago. "Bottlecaps" are kind of a thing in some circles. The irony of having them...

Sent from my SM-J327VPP using Tapatalk

[golf73]

1 hour ago, tech71 said:

99.999% of all people who see our cars will probably be thinking "what a cool little car"  Not "Phfft! bottle caps? how tacky"

I can live with that?

 

You're right on the f-ing money there. My car had bottelschnitzels on it when i bought it, I never really liked them too much and pined to replace them with something else, meanwhile a good friend of mine thought that they looked cool. At the time i didn't have the money or means to replace them with something i had always envisioned, it was my daily driver, expensive shit always seemed to be breaking...and to me it was just a luxury to replace the wheels and tires if the tires weren't worn down to the treads. But I have not had one person criticize nor praise the wheels I eventually replaced them with (which was a big project including sourcing, blasting, priming/masking/painting and modifying the center caps to accept a Roundel, they still just think "oh what a cute car!". But I still like 'em...even though i'm on track to try something new for a while.

 

[tdskip]

So it looks like the universal consensus here is;

 

Heck no!

 

Heck yes!

 

Got it.

 

?

[Conserv]

49 minutes ago, tdskip said:

So it looks like the universal consensus here is;

 

Heck no!

 

Heck yes!

 

Got it.

 

?

Yep: whichever way you go, you’re going to have critics and fans... ?

 

(Even if you don’t want to get into “wheel replacement” at this time, you’d be doing yourself a favor to start the process of identifying and obtaining center caps that work with those period alloys. This could take some time and even if you’re just selling the alloys, having a set of center caps for them will both add value and hasten a sale.)

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[tdskip]

Good tip Steve, thanks.

[mmichalik]

Never been a fan of the bottlecap wheels.  I had them on a 5 series and they just rubbed me the wrong way.  (I know this is all opinion but, just say'en)

I put a set of the stock e21 basket weave wheels on my 02.  I don't have a picture of the car with them on right now because we're in the process of tearing it down for the restoration but, here's what they look like on the 3 series.

 

[tdskip]

41 minutes ago, mmichalik said:

Never been a fan of the bottlecap wheels.  I had them on a 5 series and they just rubbed me the wrong way.  (I know this is all opinion but, just say'en)

I put a set of the stock e21 basket weave wheels on my 02.  I don't have a picture of the car with them on right now because we're in the process of tearing it down for the restoration but, here's what they look like on the 3 series.

 

Good morning - don’t you have a 914 to be putting back together? 
 

Hope you are doing well!