Deal on Speedline RS Wheels...
01-31-2015, 03:13 PM
#121
Rennlist Member
That's a great idea and with the strength of the dollar, the price should be favorable. Macca I recommend starting a new thread and also reaching out to the OP of this thread for suggestions/connections. I would also reach out to Gert at Carnewal. He is always helpful in this area. Count me in.
01-31-2015, 04:45 PM
#125
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
02-02-2015, 08:07 PM
#131
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Racking up air miles....
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 0
Received 552 Likes
on
243 Posts
Unfortunately I just don't see this type of opportunity happening again; I hate to be a naysayer, though the circumstances that allowed me to import 14 sets of these wheels a few years ago no longer exist. Firstly, note that this was never a traditional group buy - I personally 'financed' all of the sets that came over & had to sit on a few sets that were 'spoken for' until real buyers (from all over the world) actually sent funds.
The only reason that I was able to facilitate the production of these sets was due to a very good friend of mine who was the US 'liason' between a few significant Italian companies and Detroit based manufacturers. He in turn had a very good friend who was an exec at Speedline - they had done alot of business together & was very pleased to help.
At the time, there was no relationship between Speedline and Porsche; most of Porsche's business was directed towars BBS, so there was little to no fear of pissing a client off. Speedline now have a renewed relationship with Porsche due to the 'Porsche Classic' brand and the renewed availability of these wheels, with a hefty price tag (plus shipping).
Another factor to our ability to have these sets made was that the economy was in such a poor state that our 'guy' at Speedline was able to find a few 'luls' in production to enable the RS molds to be brought out and placed in line. This would not be the case today - not only because of increased production, though also because our 'guy' is no longer with Speedline... No other relationships exist... TRUST me when I say that to make this happen - you most definitely need a very good friend on the inside! Even with our exec's help, coordination and communication was a real PITA. Only on the last batch of 4 sets did everything go smoothly.
Low volume shipping from the factory to the US is another killer. We managed to swerve around high shipping costs and import duties as the sets were shipped along with large quanities of OE wheels for a variety of manufacturers. This would not be possible without the network structure that my good friend had in place at that time. BTW - he is very intelligent & dumped the auto industry in favor of the health/rehab industry just before the **** hit the fan here in Detroit.
This has been a long story though these are my thoughts.... I just don't see this being possible again without someone having a very good friend at both Speedline AND Porsche. Those who jumped in a few years ago really did get a bargain & I'm thrilled to have a couple of sets myself for the collection; one standard set and the set that were widened from a set that received minor damage during shipping for my turbo.
Neither set are for sale!
I'd like to be able to aid anyone's efforts, though I just don't believe that the circumstances will ever be the same again.
The only reason that I was able to facilitate the production of these sets was due to a very good friend of mine who was the US 'liason' between a few significant Italian companies and Detroit based manufacturers. He in turn had a very good friend who was an exec at Speedline - they had done alot of business together & was very pleased to help.
At the time, there was no relationship between Speedline and Porsche; most of Porsche's business was directed towars BBS, so there was little to no fear of pissing a client off. Speedline now have a renewed relationship with Porsche due to the 'Porsche Classic' brand and the renewed availability of these wheels, with a hefty price tag (plus shipping).
Another factor to our ability to have these sets made was that the economy was in such a poor state that our 'guy' at Speedline was able to find a few 'luls' in production to enable the RS molds to be brought out and placed in line. This would not be the case today - not only because of increased production, though also because our 'guy' is no longer with Speedline... No other relationships exist... TRUST me when I say that to make this happen - you most definitely need a very good friend on the inside! Even with our exec's help, coordination and communication was a real PITA. Only on the last batch of 4 sets did everything go smoothly.
Low volume shipping from the factory to the US is another killer. We managed to swerve around high shipping costs and import duties as the sets were shipped along with large quanities of OE wheels for a variety of manufacturers. This would not be possible without the network structure that my good friend had in place at that time. BTW - he is very intelligent & dumped the auto industry in favor of the health/rehab industry just before the **** hit the fan here in Detroit.
This has been a long story though these are my thoughts.... I just don't see this being possible again without someone having a very good friend at both Speedline AND Porsche. Those who jumped in a few years ago really did get a bargain & I'm thrilled to have a couple of sets myself for the collection; one standard set and the set that were widened from a set that received minor damage during shipping for my turbo.
Neither set are for sale!
I'd like to be able to aid anyone's efforts, though I just don't believe that the circumstances will ever be the same again.
Last edited by Nurburger; 02-02-2015 at 09:56 PM.
02-03-2015, 04:42 PM
#132
02-03-2015, 04:46 PM
#133
Nordschleife Master
I just picked up a set of OEM speedlines from Porsche for my 91 Turbo
