BBS RS-GT Wheels - Silver or Black on Arctic?

I am seriously tempted to put some BBS RS-GT wheels on my 04 Arctic Silver Targa (like tomorrow morning, maybe). Haven't seen them in person but wondering about polished silver versus Black Diamond - I like the Black Diamond a lot but not sure which would look better with Arctic Silver. (Tire Rack has an Arctic Silver demo coupe on which you can see both wheels, but its hard to get a good idea.) Any comments / pics would be appreciated.

I'd stay with the polished silver unless you like the dark wheel vs lighter car look.

Polished for sure! Black on silver makes the car look cheap in most cases. Some black wheels look nice but they better be on a bad *** car like a GT2 or 3... Look at the Champion RS97 monolite's. Expensive but sick looking on a 996 of any type.

Thanks for the comments so far. My impression is the Black Diamond is a fairly light coating that leaves the wheels still looking a dark silvery. Here's a few pics. Also see itzkirb's gorgeous work-in-process (or are you done now?!) with the Black Diamond BBS RS-GT's (itzkirb, you are a very bad influence on me!). itzkirb's wheels

Jim, Take a look at my auction for a set of NEW BBS RS-GT Diamond Black Wheels: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMESE%3AIT

Jim, Sorry, but I am going to give you something to think about. Try to get some clarification about offset in regards to the BBS. I mention this because a 986S buddy of mine has a set on his and it appears that the wheels are farther inset than the stock wheels. You may have to consider spacers to make it "look" right. The BBS RS-GT is a fine wheel as it is very light. For Arctic, I don't think you could go wrong with either choice, but Black Diamond will look darker in person than it looks on the WE website. Personally, I like the Champion wheels, but one of my alltime favorites is still the TechArt Formulas. I don't think you could go wrong here so best of luck.

Yes, the offsets are not the best on the RS-GT, but I used spacers to bring them out a bit more. I really like them a lot...they are light weight and pleasing to the eyes... Took it on the track yesterday...

Diamond Black looks awesome (hot ride, kirby!). My vote goes to the DB. Yeah, it's new skool, but looks race inspired. Silver wheels are conservative, but this is a Porsche!! Live a little!! On a Silver car, the darker wheels will set you apart. (in a good way) post pics when done. Mike

Elton - thanks for your comments. I checked the TechArt Formula wheel - nice but not what I have in mind - and the Champions are all 19" (at Wheel Enhancement) which I don't want. I am also starting to like the SSR GT3's but searching the forums I am a little nervous about their strength. I am going to Wheel Enhancement tomorrow to see everything in person. Kirby - thanks for your comments and especially for posting all those pics. The pics do make the wheels look a little darker and on that basis I think I would stick with the polished silver. On your car, you made a GREAT choice of wheels. I will definitely ask a lot of questions about the offsets. Thanks, guys!

Mike - saw your post after my last response. Thanks - interesting perspective. Don't want to be too conservative but don't want bling either. But do like to be different and maybe the Diamond Black will look great in person - hope to know tomorrow.

What's cool is that the BBS' look different in different lighting.

Kirby - very interesting. I had looked at your gallery and the above pictures show the lighter look of the wheels (your second post above made them look very dark). I think I like the Diamond Black (with the lighter look) a lot, but with the polished silver I'm not sure I like the wheel as much. This is starting to drive me nuts! You know, if I hadn't met you guys, I would probably be just as happy as a clam driving my car instead of rennlisting. But now its a vicious cycle of which mod next, PSS9/X74/Euro M030, short shifter?, which wheels, PSE/GHL, etc. (got PSE and love it), ad nauseum. But NO, I am NOT getting a supercharger!

Someone say Supercharger??? It worked like a charm at the track! Me likey!

Jim, you kind of sound like Kobe's girl when she was saying "no." Your saying no, but... And to Kirby, do you have a dyno yet? BTW, I love the mods you have done. Great look and GO.

NO, NO, NO!

DAMN Kirby, your ride just keeps getting better... Love those wheels on a Seal Grey car...wow!

Well, I did it, got the BBS RS-GT wheels in Diamond Black. I spent a good hour or more looking at both Diamond Black and polished silver (as well as other interesting wheels) before deciding. The Diamond Black is actually more of a dark silver and I decided it looks very classy, slightly meaner, and a little different from the norm. Wheel Enhancement did a great job and were a pleasure to work with. Thanks to all for your comments. Before and after pics below. Please, whatever you think, hope nobody tells me they liked the turbo looks better!

BTW, the offsets are 50 and 65, which are virtually stock offsets. I can see how spacers might improve the look a tad, but I didn't feel it was necessary. Two more views:

Damn those Turbo Wheels look Sweet! hahaha SWEEEEEEET! Those BBS Wheels look great! Good Choice! Time for the SC now

Did someone say supercharger?

Here is one set of mine being delivered to the "rim-god"..... They will return with a polished lip and a fresh coat of the powder coat.... I'll post some new photos then. -Eli

Here's what the final product looks like..... I just picked them up today, I had to get a new tire before I picked them up. Tell me what you think! -Eli

[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/bigok.gif

Nice!

Cool!

Eli, is that a black center on your sport designs? Nice... Post pics on the car!

I just ordered DB for my arctic silver '02 Targa. Every single car guy I know supported the DB choice (I am sure I would have been happy with either, so I sought opinions). I don't think that DB will make my ride look "cheap." In fact, it will be closer to classic porsche look. Just my .02 cents. But since I bought DB, perhaps you should by Brilliant Silver.

TD: You made the right choice. I love these wheels in Diamond Black - they change the whole look of the car and since putting them on I have had a lot more admirers than before. Rennlister Robin Samms from Seattle pulled into Wheel Enhancement while I had the two colors and one other wheel next to my car, paused, and pointed to the Diamond Black (thanks, Robin). This was definitely the right choice. If its not too late, make sure you get the silver BBS center caps (not gold), which would look better with Arctic Silver. Also, I started another thread - I'm trying to raise interest to get Ralph Booth to make Porsche crest center caps for the BBS wheels, since they are not available anywhere at this time.

Thanks Jim, Your pics look great, and now I can't wait to install mine. I just bought a new floor jack, jack stands and ramps in anticipation (the rims have not arrived yet). Let me know if I can help you convince Ralph Booth to make Porsche crest center caps for the BBS wheels -- I would be interested in a set and I can imagine that many Porsche owners would. Thanks.

SSR wheels are on par with BBS in terms of quality, strength and price. Many of us use them as track wheels. The GT3 is one of my favorites in terms of appearances, however, it is quite heavy compared to other choices so be aware of that if it matters to you. Their weight is the only reason I have not bought them. I've used GT1s on my M3 for track use and I'll probably use an SSR wheel on my Z06 for track use.

TD - thanks - I'm going to call Ralph Booth next week. pstoppani - well I already put the BBS's in Black Diamond on two weeks ago. However, crazy me just came back from the dealer and I have a big temptation to trade my 5 mo. old Targa with 2 week old wheels for a 997S. I have surely lost my mind!

Well, the GT3 wheels would look nice on a 997S too I replied to your post on the SSR GT3 wheels simply to clarify anyone's issues regarding their strength. The BBS wheels look great on your 996... Good choice. PS - Never go to a dealer unless you are ready to spend money; that is how I ended up with a 40th (I didn't even know they existed until I visited the dealer to see if they had a used C4S or Turbo!).

Just for the heck of it...

Jim, D'oh. If your timing had been a little different I would have bought your rims and tires from you. Oh well. Congrats on the new ride. I like my Targa top too much to part with it just yet. I will hold out until the new TT comes out, and then I will probably hold out a little longer until I find one on the used market, then I will considering getting rid of the Targa. It's funny because all of the discussions about the merits of the Targa top (most of which are by people who don't own one) miss the greatness of the Targa. It is best in weather that would not be good enough to put a convertible top down, because you still get the benefit of all the light and visibility (which you can't get in a convertible or coupe with sunroof closed). With respect to the little additional weight, I find that most people who complain about that fall into one of two camps (and occassionally both): 1) never use their cars for the track so they would never actually notice the weight difference let alone its location; or 2) guys or gals who carry their own spare tire around their waist. If you both track your car and you have first managed to delete your own spare tire, then I can understand why extra weight might matter. For the moment, I am not a good enough driver (I am working on it, though) that I can notice any extra weight due to the Targa. Enjoy, and I am a little jealous even though I am not making the same choice right now TD in DC

Pete, Where did you get your information about the SSR GT3s? I actually like the appearance of those wheels, so I did extensive research on their strength. Everyone to whom I spoke, including distributors of SSR GT3s, told me that they are not as strong as BBS wheels, and that they did not recommend them for use in areas with bad roads, like DC. In fact, some of the local guys tried to dissuade me from the SSR GT3s because too many of their customers had bent their rims on our roads. No such problems with the BBS wheels. I am not challenging the veracity of your belief, just curious about how you arrived at it. TD in DC

Not to take any sides, but I also heard the same things about the SSRGT3's. I to liked the way they looked and considered getting them in a Satin Finish, but heard stories about their durability.

To add some more detail about what I was told, the BBS RS-GTs are stronger in part because they have more evenly-spaced spokes in contact with the rim. The SSR GT3s have much more space between the spokes, which contributes to their vulnerability. I was also told that, due to the manufacturing technique, the materials used to make the SSR GT3 are softer than the materials used to make the BBS wheels. Just passing along what I heard. Hey Kirby, What about those red calipers? Are those from a Turbo or are they from a Boxster S? TD in DC

In the BMW circles, we use SSR wheels (especially the Comps) for racing. It is possible the the GT3 specifically is not as strong as the Comps. But, I've heard stories about Comps getting bent too. Of course, I've heard stories about every wheel made getting bent. Once you start going 18"+, there simply is not a lot to protect the wheel. Also, most bent wheels are damaged on the edges so the number of spokes shouldn't really have much of an effect on how easily they bend. I used SSR GT1 wheels on my M3, I even crashed into the wall with them last year and they took the hit into concrete quite well; yeah, they broke, but not very much. The wheels that survived the crash are nowon a friend's M3 for track days. This is the right front wheel, it hit a concrete wall at about 85MPH at a 45 degree angle. This picture was taken at the shop a week after the crash and the tire still had air in it! The wheel faired better than the car; the frame had to be straightend In the end, I would definitely not claim that all SSRs are as strong as all BBSs, but it seems that for their price range, they are close enough. I also need to qualify all this with the fact that Northwest roads are quite good so bent wheels are not a big problem around here. All I can claim is that they hold up quite well in the Northwest and at the tracks where the main stress is from the high speed forces rather than poor pavement. I too would generally pick a BBS wheel over an SSR wheel, but I wouldn't turn down the GT3 if I really wanted them Also, I currently use 3 piece forge wheels for my main track car and a BBS wheel on my 40th when it does track duty now and then; although I would have probably picked the SSR Comps if they had a size for the 996. PS - If you want some OT entertainment, here is the video of my crash in the M3: Windows Movie

Pete, Thanks for the added info. I bet we have different opinions on the rims due to the different types of problems on the two coasts. Around the DC area, the most common type of [serious] damage is actually a bent or flattened rim rather than damage to the lip or spokes. I am certain this is due to the outrageously bad condition of our roads and the potholes that litter our streets. For this type of damage, the number of points of contact between the spokes and the rims can make a difference: the fewer the spokes, the greater the distance the rim has to "span" and thus the greater tendency to bend or flatten between the spokes. I have learned the hard way that the best defense is to keep the tires properly inflated (if not a little overinflated). If you get lazy and drive around with an underinflated tire, your chances of rim damage increase exponentially. BTW, I am a BMW fan as well, and have driven my share of M3s (which happens to be the car of choice in my wife's family). I am the outlier as the Porsche driver. TD in DC.

Yes the centers of the Sport Designs are powder coated with the lips and each hex bolt polished..... I won't have them on the car for an other month or so.... Cars in the shop with Turbo twist for now. . . . -Eli