Identifying Genuine and Replica BBS Wheels

[CaptMadDog]

Hi fellas, this was brought up on a different website and never really got any resolution so I thought I would try here.

I was sold my wheels with the car as GENUINE BBS and in my innocence to "Genuine/Rep" thing never even noticed.

I have subsequently spent a bit of time looking into the issue and its been quite interesting to see the actual differences.

I hope not to offend anyone here as Im a shiny new member and it is all my humble research. 

Mine are CH Reps so I have found out. 

Pictures are of Genuine and Replica BBS CH alloys both the black and standard silver

First couple are GENUINE

In this one please notice the extra holes between the wheel bolt holes - to save weight!

And the most critical thing - where the MOTORSPORT writing is.
It should be stamped into the actual curve of the alloy.




These are genuine Silver CH's
Note - there are no extra holes but the writing is stamped correctly



Finally - Genuine Silver CH's with the correct stamp and extra holes



Now for the replicas.

Note the lack of extra holes and the postion of the MOTORSPORT stamp - not in the curve but on it!
Also the Reps have all the small BBS stamps and identifying marks between the spokes



One of my actual wheels -

Again the BBS Centre Caps are genuine but thats all!



Finally some silver ones



I personally have NOTHING against reps and am saving for a genuine set myself just felt a bit gutted I was misinformed.

Hopefully with this extra information you may save a few hundred quid when purchasing your next set or car
Genuine or Replicas.

Sorry for the length of the post   

[JPC]

i would have thought the width of the wheel has a bearing on the position of the text, genuine or not

[gazbutS3]

the width and the offset, the mk5 fitment at ET50 has a very shallow dish therefore the writing is towards the face

[The wheel man]

Also, i have seen in my travels a direct mould copy of the CH.  This is 100% identical to the pucca BBS but some company in China make it!!!!!!!

Seroiusly, it has EVERY SINGLE mark shape and even copy serial numbers, playing with the weight, unless you had both you probably woulddnt notice........ 

[BeezerDiesel]

Interesting stuff.
I'm surprised that so many retailers can go on ebay and sell such blatant BBS copies even mentioning the BBS name in the advert. If you or I tried passing off a replica of whatever on there they'd be throwing around the banning stick immediately.

[The wheel man]

^^

It is surprising but the whole wheel market is full of copies, replica's and blatant rip-offs.  The replica wheel market just over a year of so ago was HUGE and i feel that the next fad is expensive wheels copied and made cheep in China.  BBs et al will have thier hands full in the next 12 months trying to find those that make the wheels.........

[joesgti]

interesting thred,

note on ebay most fakes are written as BBS 'Style'   

[Gene Hunt]

Orginal is always best but when you bring in the cost the replica ones look a good buy.I know you get what you pay for etc & with replica's you have more chance of damage due to pot holes etc but you pay you'r money & takes you'r choice.
I was going to get a set of ch replica's but was offered a set of Edition 30 alloys so i've gone for them.

[Tfsi_Mike]

Mine are genuine BBS CH Black edition bought from a bbs dealer in germany. Came in bbs boxes with bbs bolts but dont have the extra holes in.

[Mark_GTIV]

I think this is quite scarey... kind of like forged aircraft parts. We're talking about a major safety item here in our wheels.

I doubt the repo manufacturers have spent the R&D in testing what they produce. At least you know if you buy from the likes of BBS, you're buying a stress tested, properly manufactured, properly specified item, which has been independently type approved (TuV for example) for your car. You know the bolts are quality. You know it will fit properly with a correct spigot ring insert etc... You know you wont have balancing or vibration issues. Basically you know they are safe.

These are fast cars, driven enthusastically. Wouldn't you want to make sure that the equipment you're sat in at 70+MPH is safe and properly made? Isn't the lives of you, your family and potentially other road users worth the extra for a real set of wheels over a replica set?

At least thats how I feel.

[The wheel man]

On the defence of some replica wheels, they are made in very high quality factories and do pass all the tests needed for type approval in Europe (JWL, TWA etc) and some are even tested to pass TUV.  The reason many wheels do not go for the certificate is the MASSIVE cost involved in getting TUV approval.  Eash size, PCD and Offset will need a seperate test costing tens of thousands of pounds. 

TUV is a very clever benchmark devised by the Germans.  No wheel can be sold in thier country without it, wheels made there are tested and a tiny cost, wheels made outside of Germany are charged a huge cost.  This helps to keep either the manufacturing or a good income into the country.  Without this BBS, Ronal etc would have all gone bust from the flood of wheels from the far east at equal quality and a fraction of the cost.

I think my advise on Replica wheels is to do your home work.  If you can trust the supplier as to the quality of the wheels then in all fairness, they will probably be just a good as any other wheel on the market.  (to be honest i have replica Monza II's as i needed the funds so sold my originals) The cust of the wheel does not allways reflect the quality and many replica wheels are made in the same factory as other aftermarket alloy wheels.

...........Runs and hides for defending replica's...............

[Mark_GTIV]

If you can trust the supplier as to the quality of the wheels then in all fairness, they will probably be just a good as any other wheel on the market.  The cust of the wheel does not allways reflect the quality and many replica wheels are made in the same factory as other aftermarket alloy wheels.

...........Runs and hides for defending replica's...............

Fair point, but how can a consumer know or tell which is a good quality repo and what isn't from, for example, an on-line store..?

[keith]

I am with the wheel man here the ones i have seen on ebay are imo making you aware they are not originals.
To highlight a BBS quality issue you only need to look at the 25th Anni GTI  worming issues then VW brought out poorer versions to replace the worming ones.

[The wheel man]

If you can trust the supplier as to the quality of the wheels then in all fairness, they will probably be just a good as any other wheel on the market.  The cust of the wheel does not allways reflect the quality and many replica wheels are made in the same factory as other aftermarket alloy wheels.

...........Runs and hides for defending replica's...............

Fair point, but how can a consumer know or tell which is a good quality repo and what isn't from, for example, an on-line store..?

It is difficult when buying on line (as everything is) I do know in particular a few shops that import wheels from a certain factory are very good quality, dont want to push them particulary but i can pass details if needed.

Like any purchase, do you home work

[NeilM]

Mine are genuine BBS CH Black edition bought from a bbs dealer in germany. Came in bbs boxes with bbs bolts but dont have the extra holes in.

Likewise, from PW Motorsport



I think the position of text would be relevant to the offset.