Dilemma - To ZCP or not ZCP?

[Night Hawk]

Get the ZCP!

[Technic]

Originally Posted by McLoven

Buts thats just a reasoned opinion and not at all conclusive. All that tells me is that the 220M is forged. Does it say the 359M is cast? And just because there is a price difference doesn't necessarily mean 359M is not forged. Aren't these wheels manufactured by different companies? There is more that goes into pricing than materials and method of construction, such as marketing, equipment, facilities, etc.

You forgot that the parts database states FORGED only in the 220M description, the same way that it says FORGED only in the E46 M3 67M. That's not my opinion.

Now, it is my opinion that the price difference says a lot when BMW has a quite big OEM wheel line business and prices its wheels accordingly (size, method of manufacturing). It would be quite revealing that they can sell the wider 359M wheel for at least $200 per wheel less than the 220M when both are supposedly forged.

If anything, BMW is using the "forged" line again in a wheel that is flow formed/spun cast, which has some of the forged characteristics (strong, relatively light wheel compared to cast) with the relatively low manufacturing cost of a cast wheel. In that sense, they could be excused for their advertisement hyperbole...

[M3 Esq.]

Originally Posted by Technic

You forgot that the parts database states FORGED only in the 220M description, the same way that it says FORGED only in the E46 M3 67M. That's not my opinion.

Now, it is my opinion that the price difference says a lot when BMW has a quite big OEM wheel line business and prices its wheels accordingly (size, method of manufacturing). It would be quite revealing that they can sell the wider 359M wheel for at least $200 per wheel less than the 220M when both are supposedly forged.

If anything, BMW is using the "forged" line again in a wheel that is flow formed/spun cast, which has some of the forged characteristics (strong, relatively light wheel compared to cast) with the relatively low manufacturing cost of a cast wheel. In that sense, they could be excused for their advertisement hyperbole...

My point is simply that I think it a stretch to say just because it doesn't say forged in the BMW catalogue and the 220M are more expensive than the 359M that the 359M isn't forged, even though BMW states in multiple publications that the 359M is forged. The catalogue is silent as to method of construction, but that doesn't mean 359M is not forged. As for the price difference, the BBS RGR are one piece forged and cost $1070 for the front and $1155 for the rear on the Tire Rack website. Are we to assume that because the RGR is so much more expensive than the 220M that perhaps the 220M isn't forged either?

We can also take the opposite approach - where does it say 359M is not forged? I guess I am looking for something that affirmatively states that 359M is cast. Until we see that, what reason is there not to take BMW at its word on this?

[Technic]

Believe whatever you want, I know for a fact that BMW is not fooling me...

[tripberger]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I went ahead and added to my build! I can't wait till Dec 6 @ the Welt!

[jmrinvt]

Great... now you've got me thinking about it too!

[RayC]

Originally Posted by tripberger

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I went ahead and added to my build! I can't wait till Dec 6 @ the Welt!

Congrats! I passed on ZCP and I regret it.