Is everyone following my saga?

[Kevin]

talked to a few custom wheel makers and the price always kept me from doing anything. hoping to luck into a set of 18" wheels

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Hey Jeff,
Sorry to hear your HRE woes. I can't imagine spending that kind of money on wheels so I understand your frustration. I only had one set of HREs back in 87 when they weren't so high end and expensive. I still love my CCWs since 03 and they still look pretty new. Best wishes in resolution or your next set of wheels. They still look bitchin on your car.


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[5ABI VT]

Saw your threads but wasn't sure I had anything to add really except I applaud you for going after them. Considering the cost I do agree fully they should stand behind their product. Given their target audience a refinish should hardly have been an issue even if it was a stone chip.

My perspective may be a little different. After learning over the years where they buy their blanks for the centers and where they get the lips and barrels and how these companies work (many pay the same cad designers, and have the wheels cut overseas from the same milling plant and refinished locally - although im aware HRE does everything in house ), I just view them for their designs. I have always held HRE in high regard for their designs. Lately however their latest series are really high end focused (carbon) and really bling looking (seems they want in on the even bigger suv/luxury car market).

If it makes you feel better, I have been dealing with Rennen for almost 2 years now. The first vendor apparently is a playboy driving a huracan who was a corvetteforum supporting vendor so I trusted him on his threads there. Took my deposit for a year before finally Visa issued a chargeback (he got banned from CF) . I finally ordered from a different dealer whom I trust and have dealt with before... and the wheels were cut wrong. and I specifically asked for a certain configuration and that was the main reason I went for that exact wheel and they screwed up. So Im trying to salvage the situation. Just thought I'd share lol.. these companies can really suck but again Im disappointed HRE wont step up for you.

[Z51JEFF]

Originally Posted by 5ABI VT

Saw your threads but wasn't sure I had anything to add really except I applaud you for going after them. Considering the cost I do agree fully they should stand behind their product. Given their target audience a refinish should hardly have been an issue even if it was a stone chip.

My perspective may be a little different. After learning over the years where they buy their blanks for the centers and where they get the lips and barrels and how these companies work (many pay the same cad designers, and have the wheels cut overseas from the same milling plant and refinished locally - although im aware HRE does everything in house ), I just view them for their designs. I have always held HRE in high regard for their designs. Lately however their latest series are really high end focused (carbon) and really bling looking (seems they want in on the even bigger suv/luxury car market).

If it makes you feel better, I have been dealing with Rennen for almost 2 years now. The first vendor apparently is a playboy driving a huracan who was a corvetteforum supporting vendor so I trusted him on his threads there. Took my deposit for a year before finally Visa issued a chargeback (he got banned from CF) . I finally ordered from a different dealer whom I trust and have dealt with before... and the wheels were cut wrong. and I specifically asked for a certain configuration and that was the main reason I went for that exact wheel and they screwed up. So Im trying to salvage the situation. Just thought I'd share lol.. these companies can really suck but again Im disappointed HRE wont step up for you.

What's up Mike? I guess HREs focus now is mainly on the very highend customer that is willing to pay $12,000+ for a set of wheels,customers like myself that didn't pay nearly that much I guess aren't really the target audience anymore. One thing that boggles the mind,where is the cost in a $2800 wheel,and who is buying them? Evidently from what I've been hearing wheel companies seem to be nothing but scammers. Overall I am happy with the wheels, the custom detail they built into the rear wheels is unique and the distributer I went through to get the wheels has been so much more helping than HRE ever has.

[Z51JEFF]

Originally Posted by HAWAIIZR-1

Hey Jeff,
Sorry to hear your HRE woes. I can't imagine spending that kind of money on wheels so I understand your frustration. I only had one set of HREs back in 87 when they weren't so high end and expensive. I still love my CCWs since 03 and they still look pretty new. Best wishes in resolution or your next set of wheels. They still look bitchin on your car.


Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry

Hello Craig son,did I get that right?

[5ABI VT]

Originally Posted by Z51JEFF

What's up Mike? I guess HREs focus now is mainly on the very highend customer that is willing to pay $12,000+ for a set of wheels,customers like myself that didn't pay nearly that much I guess aren't really the target audience anymore. One thing that boggles the mind,where is the cost in a $2800 wheel,and who is buying them? Evidently from what I've been hearing wheel companies seem to be nothing but scammers. Overall I am happy with the wheels, the custom detail they built into the rear wheels is unique and the distributer I went through to get the wheels has been so much more helping than HRE ever has.

I think that has always been their focus. Their wheel materials are all cut from the same Blank 6061 discs that almost every other forged wheel company cut theirs from. The design however costs money in engineers and programming and stress analysis when cutting light weight designs etc and its something they have done very well in my opinion. Style wise, I always held them in the highest regard just for that reason alone. I don't think any other company contested theirs up until the wheel explosion the last few years. There are so many brands nowadays with some beautiful designs and finishes and possibly the competition has forced them to start pinching pennies?


With regards to finish.. Im never a fan of Clear Pc on lips and barrels but I did do the same on my Rennens I ordered. Reason being as the mustang is a daily, I didn't want to chrome because of the rolled edge (chrome cant get done inside the rolled edges and peeling is only a matter of time not if). I didn't want polished aluminum as that would mean a ton of polishing all the time as I drive the car daily rain or no rain. So I went with the clear as well but am expecting tons of nicks and chips relatively frequently. I had Clear PC on the HRE 541s on my SS and honestly the chips appeared almost every other day from impacts. The clear can never be perfect or remain perfect. It wont be cleared under the rolled edges so the aluminum will be raw there and oxidation etc will begin instantly. Also the backpads are bare since tightening the backpad to the rotor hub will destroy the clear in no time. so some oxidation under the clear is pretty common from there as well.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by Z51JEFF

Hello Craig son,did I get that right?

Hey Jeff,

I guess you meant over here I'm called "Craig-san". Sayonara or Aloha!


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[Hog]

I had a set of 17x 9.5 and 17x 11's made up by Halibrand. They were great. I don't think they do custom orders anymore though.

[Z51JEFF]

Originally Posted by HAWAIIZR-1

Hey Jeff,

I guess you meant over here I'm called "Craig-san". Sayonara or Aloha!


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Yup,Craig-san.