Anyone know where I can get a set of these NOT from a dealer? Dealer price is almost 400/wheel. I can't seem to find a set on craigslist, and ebay is blocked here at work. I tried google/froogle but to no avail. Theres a guy selling 2/4 of them..with some scuffs in this area for 50/each, but I'm almost wondering if I should just hold out for someone selling a whole set.

 

get a quote on refinishing, 50 each might no be too bad.

 

I was more thinking of just sanding them/painting them.

 

www.mazda-speed.com

check their for sale forum, lots of guys selling them usually for decent prices.

I had a set of the 04 wheels up until 2 months ago after bending one and deciding to sell them

 

do you have pics of the scuffs? You'd be suprised what you can smooth out with a buffer, and rattle can. These wheels suck anyway...******* heavy, no sidewall, and did I mention they are fuckign heavy?

 

but they aren't ******* heavy, especially compared to most 17" wheels out there. 17lbs and when I had them with tires it was only 34lbs, not bad really considering my stock 15's with 195/50 tires are 30lbs....

 

Just some insight I figured I'd share with everyone that my mechanical engineer friend was so kind to let me in on. Certainly somthing I will be taking in to deep concideration when I get a solid set of wheels.

1 lb of weight on a wheel is equivilent to 8lbs elsewhere on the car. So losing 4 lbs of weight with wheel tire combo. = losing 128 lbs off the car

which btw brings me to really wanting some magneseum and carbon fiber wheels...

 

True, unsprung weight is the devil but a lot of the time its effect on acceleration is way over exaggerated especially when you have a boosted car.

 

I suppose I might as well keep my RS6's .. they are 17 lbs each @ 17" ... pretty much the same thing.. oh well.

 

do whatever you want NGA

 

My sis went from those 17" msm wheels to rp01 (the six spoke wheel) and man the car woke up. I thought they were heavier than that. I hated the ride in the 17" wheels though.

Yeah dude, do whatever you want, but like I said...you'll be suprised what a buffing wheel can do.

 

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The problem with a heavier wheel isn't just in acceleraton, in fact I'd say that's the least of our worries considering the added power. The added weight and how it is distributed on the wheel will lengthen braking distances. The unsprung nature of the added weight will make the suspension feel slow and dead. The ride will be harsher, extra weight that the shock and spring have to deal with, and the short sidewalls.
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Not sure what Mazda was doing when they put the 17's on the MS. At least they aren't chrome or wire wheels. A set of Heliums are 4-5 lbs lighter and nearly 1/4 the price.