you must not see a lot of black wheels. the black jcw challenge wheels look like hey have missing hubcaps to you?

 

Well most black wheels are pretty indistinguishable from steelies when the car is rolling, so yes

 

you think so? i can tell. but maybe its because i'm always noticing detail. to me they're very distinguishable. in any case. if you're on steelies there are no brakes to see anyway.

 

Well obviously to people like you or I who take notice of things like offset, diameter, and width on cars we see the difference is apparent. The point whaap was trying to make is that to the layperson it can look like the car just has its winter wheels on.

Also, the comparison you made is inaccurate because nobody puts steelies on a porsche and the wheels are a different size and offset. Take an average car (that crx for instance), put on black alloy wheels, then swap to steelies of the same size, and assuming the car is moving, most people would not be able to tell.

 

ok well didnt exactly have specific photos for Specific sizing available to reduce as manu variables as possible between photos to isolate the specific difference between a rolling steelie and alloy, and on a mini. i just did a google search. most people i know can tell the difference between rolling steelies and rolling alloys that show off brakes---which is the point here. and that is an opinion i share. also, steelies are small in size, because the are steelies. part of telling whether a wheel is a steelie or not, is noticing how small the wheel is, which is part of why its so obvious that a wheel is a black alloy and not a black steelie. if you say you are a layperson when it comes to vehicle characterisrics, and you made that observation, then surely other laypeople will too.

again i did a quick, simple google search. did not try to deceive in any way. it is not that serious.

 

i referred to you as a lay person because you at first said that "most black alloys are indistinguishable when the car is rolling", and then that "the point whaap was trying to make is that to the layperson it can look like the car just has its winter wheels on", so i wrongly assumed you thought of yourself as a layperson.


also, i doubt i would call anyone on this forum a layperson when it comes to noticing things on a mini. especially not the person who is considering black wheels and how they look on a mini forum full of enthusiasts. so, to the person considering black wheels--is not a layperson, and likely IS noticing. And surely what they think of their car matters more than what a layperson may or may not mistakingly assume of their black alloy.

that is all.

 

I had to take this full option car or wait.I didn't like the black rims, now I would choose them

 

looks awesome. theres a countryman on facebook thats putting down 300whp O_O! i've wanted to drive one for a while, especially to feel the four-wheel-drive.

 

I never stated I couldn't tell the difference between black wheels and steelies. I said what the first thing was that crossed my mind when I saw black wheels. It's just like cars that are clad with gold colored trim items, the first thing I think of is pimp-mobile even though I know it probably isn't!!

 

No way are they a fad! Black wheels FOREVERRRRRRRR!

 

When I say layperson, I'm not referring to people on this forum, rather, the other 98% of the population that view cars purely as an A-B appliance. To them it is more or less indistinguishable. So no, I don't think anybody on here is any less knowledgeable or car savvy than myself. Quite the opposite to be honest which is why I come here.

 

not everyone has a trained eye for the distinction… that said, it also comes in different frequencies - very subjective if you ask me. so technically it should be all good!

 

the simple answer to the question is YES... it's just a fad

But having said that, it does not mean black wheels aren't attractive.
Some cars can truly benefit from it. But generally speaking I strongly feel the popularity of black wheels is a bit of a fad and often placed on cars that don't particularely benefit from them.

Now, we are all lucky at MINI. The fact that most modern MINIs are two or more tones and often present black trims all around make them a natural fit for Black wheels

 

Black wheels are fad? I don't think so........check the age of this thread.....lol. I have both silver & black on my cars. I like the blacks best. Silvers are ok tho.

 

good point!!! lol - It's a fad that stuck

9 yrs went in a flash.


Personally I like the gloss black but it's all good for me as long as it works well with the car

 

In the same boat you are! Love my black wheels on my JCW. it just ties in all the black accents. Chrome/silver wheels would look so out of place on mine. I've always been a huge fan of black wheels.

 

Found something, gloss black wheels rolling. Steelies rolling.

 

had 'em for more than 10 years . . .

 

An electric blue Mini with black roof and wheels is like beer and pretzels! It'll never be out of fashion. So pour yourself a nice Lagunitas Wild Sumpin, dish out the hot pretzels and horse radish mustard and enjoy the knowledge that your car will look slicker than black ice!

 

Believe it or not, those are actually diamond racing wheels. Very popular in the honda/vw/hellaflush communities.

 

I like them because I can't see the brake dust

 

yeah it was the closest i could find though. on instagram @snozburry rocks some nice white ones.

 

I would say that silver/aluminum/metal color wheels are a fad, and by now a hopelessly outdated one, hehe. Ok, seriously now, personally, I find silver wheels incredibly boring, and get excited about anything that's not! My 03 MCS was an EB/W with white rims, loved it! Then my 05 Prius had silver rims, as much a yawn as the whole car, so maybe appropriate - LMAO. Now my 13 MCS is LiB/B with black rims and black stripes, love that too! I think with the black wheel arches on MINIs, black rims look particularly cool. I also love the JCW black rims with red ring, especially on R/B cars. Sometimes even chrome rims can look way cool! On the whole, what matters is how the color scheme of a car as a whole comes together. Then of course, de gustibus non est disputandum!

 

I'm right there with you. I want black wheels because my red/black JCW '13 might be overbyrdened with a third color added to the palette scheme... HOWEVER, I came accross this red/black custom painted R50, and damn. It looks pretty ****ing fantastic!

I'd still go black though. That MINI owner's Instagram is @lpweis by the way.

 

I found black rims often lacking depth and why I tend to prefer silver rims . . . but it also depend greatly on the type of silver imo.

If it wasn't for the amount of maintenance it requires, raw metal polished wheels can be amazing and far from boring.

ex: