I've been getting many requests to talk about my 19's. It's a sad story actually.

I don't normally bash companies on forums, but this one just has to be told..... forgive me if it's unethical.

It all started 3 days after I got my 5sp Auto Daytona Blue Touring.

I wanted a set of 19's instead of the stock 17's. I did some looking around locally andonline. My first mistake was to shop price instead of service/quality.

I found a place in Miami, FL named Wheelmax. They have a site, www.wheelmax.com. They appeared to have a great deal on a set of 19" ADR GT Sports for $2000 with Toyo tires. I promptly made a call. I told the salesman, Tony, that I had a brande new 350Z and did he have a set of ADR's in 19" to fit that car.

He said he did in fact. I asked him if the wheels were 19x8.5 because on his site it said he had them in 19x7.5. I told him that 7.5 was too narrow. I also told him I needed the wheels to have about a 30mm offset. He said no problem I have the exact dimensions you need.... 19x8.5 in 30mm offset. I again asked him ... youre sure these will work on this car?? Again he said.. no worries.

I was also told by him I would get 245/40/19 Toyo's in the front and 255/40/19's in the rear. Good I'm thinking... just what I am wanting.

I give him my CC number and hang up. 6 days later a set of wheels shows up.... I race to the UPS man like a kid in a mall with a Santa. Rip out the first wheel only to notice it looks a bit narrow....

tire says... 235/35/19 WHAT?!

then I look at the wheel... on the inside it says 19x7.5 42mm offset. WHAT!!!!???

All 4 wheels are the same way.... They sent me freakin wheels for an Integra or some other rice ****. way too narrow for my tatses.

I call them back.... basically am told by the manager at Wheelmax...

"We have sold 30 sets of wheels to 350Z owners. All of them said the 7.5" wide wheels with 235 tires were fine... whats your problem?"

I told him how my salesman told me they were 19x8.5's with 30mm offset.... he lied to me to make the sale.

He says

" Sorry, bro... all sales final... sorry you don't like what you have but we will NOT take them back."

I say "even though your salesman lied to me??

he says "our salesman are very professional.... been in the business for many years. they would never lie to you."

I hung up.... called my credit card company and am working to get the charge reversed..... In the meantime I have a set of wheels that are too narrow for my tastes with tires that are too small for the Z.

ohhh by the way... the guy said he sold over 30 sets of 7.5" wide wheels and 235 tires to 350Z owners..... BULL F'ing ****! I was probably the first to buy a set of wheels for a Z from them and they had no clue what the Z requires...

Lessoned learned.... do more research and buy from a reputable company...

AND...... Wheelmax has a negative rating with the Better Business Beareau for " Un resolved Customer Complaints"

My stand on this... DON' BUY FROM WWW.WHEELMAX.COM!!!!

Looking to roll on these 19's for now until I get a new set in the right size sometime in the next couple of months.

They still look ok... but not exactly what I wanted.

 

Sorry about your rims. I would argue that there site says they accept returns.

 

well I did argue that point.... read the policy closer... notice it says

"customer responsible for shipping costs and $100 re-stock fee"

they were gonna charge me back the shipping to get the wheels to me and a $100 fee and I would have to pay to get the wheels to them... all in all about a $600 hit!

For something THEY lied to me about....

some seriously bad customer service..... youre on your own when you buy from them

 

how narrow is the gap between the brake caliper and the rim? i would assume 42mm makes it quite narrow...

i dont think 42mm would clear the brembos on the track model.

 

just measured it with my calipers.

1.15" from brake calipers to backside of wheel spoke.

It's not so much the clearance as it is the look....

Ever seen the rear wheels on a late model Mustang? Thats what my Z looks like. .... the rears are tucked in about 1.2" too much.... looks wierd.

The guy that does CNC work on my plane is machining a pair of 1.25" billet spacers for the rear and .3" spacers for the front.

In the end it will look fine, but I'm still gettin rid of them sometime after the new year.

 

So you've put these on your Z and still trying to get a credit? If these items were not what you wanted, why did you give in and use them?

Lesson, "GET IT IN WRITTING" before you commit On line , over the phone, in person.

 

They did not go on my Z for several days... while I was fighting Wheelmax I left them in the garage... once I realized it was a lost cause and was stuck with them... I gave in and put them on.

I shoulda had them put it in writing... hindsight is always 20/20

My CC company has been informed of the details... they even had a 3 way conference call with wheelmax and I. Got to see first hand how Wheelmax operates....

CC company said keep the wheels.... let us take care of it. :-)

If all goes well.. Wheelmax will end up eating a set of $2,000 19's/tires.

I'll end up selling them to someone with an Eclipse or Integra, etc for half that.... but all the hassle makes it not worth it.

 

that their site doesn't show that they carry Racing Hart anymore...maybe all this bad business practice have caused them to lose their rights to sell Racing Hart...maybe they'll eventually run into the ground

 

I agree, you should not have them on the car. It is not a lost cause! paying by credit card gives you a great deal of power. Believe me when you dispute the charge, and the dealer does not get his money, they will be happy to deal with you. You can refuse to give them anything since you were not sold what you ordered. I say take them off the car now, and make sure your credit card company is going to deny them payment.

 

Yup, AMEX. They are the best IMO when it comes to this kind of stuff.

 

Hey, please be careful when going the spacer route. You need a half-inch minimum of bolt left to be safe after putting the spacers on, otherwise you'll need longer bolts on the hub. You probably already know this, but just in case...

 

no worry....... the spacers will have their own studs.

 

If you used your American Express, then you're in good hands. AMEX will chew their *** out.

 

Well I'm not doing business with WHEELMAX, and I'm advising everyone I know the same. And I'd recommend you post your situation to the USENET, because a lot of people do research using Google Groups these days who'd appreciate knowing such things.

You should have no problem selling the wheels on eBay at least, aside from the hassle.

 

I am confused as to why you would continue to mount these obvious wrong size wheels & tires up? It is great that you used your credit card (doesn't matter which one, all banks have an obligation to protect the buyer) so that is in your favor, although it can take up to a couple of weeks or months depending on your bank. You risk sending back a new product that you have indeed used. I would suggest stacking em' in your garage to be sent back as soon as you get word from your bank, to prevent uneccessary wear & tear. Don't get me wrong, cause' what happened to you is totally f'd up. I'd just hate to see you having more problems in the end...........

 

Victor,
Do you have a Tahoe we don't know about???

What are the 22s for? Certainly not the Z or Max!

 

I thought I made it clear...... once it was determined I was stuck with these.... remember Wheelmax WILL NOT take them back... I figured I may as well make the best of it and get the spacers made and put them on... until I get a new set sometime in January.

No ned for me to keep them in new condition. CC company says keep the wheels.... do what you want with them. They are working to remove the charge.

Since I get to keep them I may as well use them for a while

 

Everyone is just trying to help you through this. You heard verbally (right?) from your CC that you can keep them. That isn't the final word. It is just what the CC company is trying to do. In the end, wheelmax may tell the CC company "fine, I will return them, as long as they are still in brand new condition."

If that happens and you have worn them down, you will be out of luck, due to your own negligence.

We are just trying to help you,
Todd

 

Thank you Todd.
Yes N74DV, there is CERTAINLY no need to come across or reply to me the way you did! Believe me when I say to you, "I have much experience in this very subject." (having my bank battle for me on several occassions and winning!)
Just trying to help bro'.