Appreciate that, it's not everyone who even makes the effort, we actually have a shop 928 here at the shop, we understand that it's difficult to manufacture a wheel that will work perfectly for you guys that we can also use for other Porsche cars yet have a design that doesn't look too retro.

The cost to drop a new mold is around 10K each = 20K (one front and one rear) before we even make one wheel, the minimums right now is around 360-wheels on a container to keep within our current contracts to make this happen and we don't have to get into the cost associated with shipping, taxes, import, broker etc. but in the end the final cost can be 90-120K even before they wheels are loaded on the container.

We would love to build a wheel for you guys that you would be happy to own but understanding that we have seen a few negative comments on the style and some on the off-set, size etc. For these reasons it may not be worth materialize unless everyone could agree on a particular style, off-set size, color etc.

We would be willing to design, mold, test and put into production a wheel to fit your needs if we have at least 50% of the minimums pre-sold. This way we are not bringing in 100K in wheels to sit on the shelf so we can sell 4-sets a month.

If we can do this for you please let us know, we would be happy to help, but it needs to make sense from a business stand-point as well.

Have a blessed day,

Wheel Dynamics Team,

 

Personally I'm fine with the general design direction shown in images, but as others have said, offset is key.

 

Out of interest - I see that you have a bunch of wheels for 997/987. Is there any particular reason you make wheels for those cars with an ET45 offset? (I'm guessing it reduces manufacturing/machining costs?). The factory wheel offsets for 986/987/997 are in the ET57/58 range for the fronts, which actually works with 928 suspension. Even the early 996 originally came with ET55 front wheels (the 17" twist).

If you made your 18" 808-series wheels with something like ET55 then they'd fit pretty much every Porsche model your customers own, including boxster/cayman (986/987), 996, 997, 928, late-944, 968, Panamera, and even Cayenne (assuming the wheels are rated for the weight of a cayenne).

I'm not suggesting you change your current range, as you've already sunk your costs and have inventory - but it might be something to weigh up when working out the project costs/revenues/margins for a future design.

 

The problem with cast wheels is that to get the necessary strength to support the weight of the vehicle a correctly designed wheel needs more metal the greater the offset [greater lever arm]. I have personally campaigned so many times about the need for offset on wheels to maintain the suspension design intent needed to retain the inherent performance of the system and then there is the requisite mechanical strength needed to support this.

The Boxster has about 300kg on each wheel, the 911 has a different weight distribution but probably about the same weight as the Boxster on its front wheels. The 928 has 400kg on its front wheels so it would seem logical that optimally designed front wheels for the Boxster or 911 or not going to be optimal for a 928. Stock 928 wheels are quite chuncky and there is a reason for that. My front 3 piece wheels with 9.5 inch rims, ET68 and 265 rubber on them weigh about the same as a stock OEM 928 wheel with 225 rubber on it.

If the OP can come up with wheels that are appropriate - great- we always welcome such effort but I can well understand there is just not the market volume to warrant the tooling required. Unless wheels are now collapsing wholesale due to potholes I doubt the global 928 market sector for non OEM wheel sets of this kind will be much more than about 10 sets a year now considering stock/OEM sets, breaker yard supply and custom 3 piece options and this is the 928 wheel dilemma.


Regards

Fred

 

No need to reinvent the wheel, the Madturk posted his car with this wheels twin on his 928 just yesterday.

 

i have those on my Evo, and while i was never a fan of BBS wheels, they fit the car. Would need to see a pic on a 928.


they are a *nightmare* to clean.

 

Just make every wheel an ET70 and sell everyone else spacers..........

 

Or, look to a design that has been in production and the fixed costs pretty well bought down/amortized, and use a smaller barrel by 1/1.5 inch off the rear starting with say a 9" ET55, to be our new front. Actually given the methodology barrel probably isn't the right term- so a casting with a narrower widgth-- Point being, seems like the costs are really only for one fitment, the front, if a set with rear wheels in range is already designed for other applications.
Thanks for hanging in with discussion and providing the production/costing details!

 

Understood... thanks for your feedback.

-Wheel Dynamics

The design of the wheel pretty much eats up potential space some and regarding the et. 45 it is a pretty standard et. to use on 8.5" wide on 996-991 applications, we reduced the width back to 8" wide on this particular build to better accommodate the off-set on these cars. This was based on lots of feedback during sales calls and orders plus fitment. This is our first 8" and 10" mold, we are hoping to bring in an 11" mold later this year depending on a few things however honestly the number of estimated sales for 928 are low and so we must build something in order to accommodate the greater of the x-applications. These wheels are mainly targeted for the 993/964/965/944/951/996 & Boxster applications. The 928 is not so difficult in the rear but by the cigar design of the front fenders really limits the push we can have, we understand the challenges, we really do unfortunately at the end of the day it's what makes financial sense from a business stand-point. I hope this helps explain things a little, either way we will fit them on the 928 when they arrive so we can at least give you an idea, who knows, maybe there will be enough interest were we may consider building a matching front to this collection...

-Wheel Dynamics



Fred, I think you have a lot of good information here and understand the market a little bit more than most, thank you for your feedback. BTW, maybe you should send us your resume...

-Wheel Dynamics

This is a new mold for us and hence a new build, so we obviously need to see if the design is acceptable for continued sales, if it proves to be a popular choice then we can certainly entertain the idea of working on a mold with a higher off-set in the front maybe using the rear mold dropping to a 9" rear, so the idea is not dead.

THIS IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND ARE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON WHEEL DESIGN, SIZES, OFF-SETS ETC.

WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A PERFECT FIT, HOWEVER IF WE FEEL THERE IS A LARGE ENOUGH INTEREST WE WILL CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF THE BUILD.

IN ADDITION TO OFFERING OTHER SUPPLIER'S WHEELS WE DO BRING IN OUR OWN WHEEL LINES AND SO DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE ONLY BUYING SOMEONE ELSES WHEELS FROM WHAT THEY OFFER, WE ARE HAVING THEM BUILT TO OUR SPECIFIC NEEDS.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING A POSITIVE TURN ON THIS THREAD, IT REALLY HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND YOUR TRUE NEEDS. FEEDBACK SUCH AS THEY ARE HARD TO CLEAN IS SORT OF USELESS, WE ALL KNOW MORE SPOKES MEAN MORE CLEANING, NOT EVERYONE WANTS MORE THAN 5-SPOKES BUT LOTS OF USERS WILL.

-Wheel Dynamics

 

Why are you yelling at us?

 

That's it, I'm calling you "Brick" from now on.

 

Not trying to yell.... just consider it bold..

 

Yep. Mine are similar (made by BBS) and also a nightmare. Love the look tho. Usually I just take them off to clean 'em. I don't know if it's easier, but it's certainly less frustrating.

Had the same pattern BBS as your Evo on an A6 I used to own. Same story there.