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Three years ago I decided to dress up my 244 with a set of 15" alloy wheels. I shopped Tire Rack, eBay, and other Internet merchants and found that new wheels would be $100-180 each. A nice set of Borbet Type E (5-spoke) rims with Bridgestone tires mounted would have been $700 plus shipping--yikes!
Intimidated by that price quote, I kept looking and found four 740 Turbo (Draco style) wheels in a local classified listing for $100. Score!--I thought. So I drove across town to pick them up. They were obviously used, and one appeared to have been repainted by an amateur. I saw some curb rash but no bends. The center caps were in good shape in a complete set. Paid, loaded, and drove away thinking I got a bargain. The old tires were still mounted, and one of them was irregularly worn (red flag!) I stored the alloy wheels until my 14" tires were worn down and ready a +1 replacement.
Fast forward to this week. Firestone is having a local sale on tires, my current set is worn down almost to wear bars, and I'm eager to upgrade. I pulled the wheels out of the garage and beheld that one is bent at the inner rim. So I have three usable rims, not enough to drive on without looking seriously ghetto. The local dismantler claimed to have one matching wheel for $75 so I drove out a half hour to look at it, hoping to bargain the price down. The wheel is Volvo, but a different style. Grrr!
Looked on eBay but no one is currently selling it.
Here's the rundown:
CHEAP: Used 740 Turbo Wheels, 4 ($100)+Remove and trash old tires ($40)+Replace one wheel ($50, I hope)+Mount and balance 4 new tires ($260)=$450 plus taxes, time and gas for driving to sellers, etc.
EXPENSIVE: New Borbet Wheels, 4 ($440)+Mount and balance 4 new tires ($260)+Shipping to my door ($100)=$800
CHEAP isn't such a bargain after considering the time and energy and additional money I have to put in to upgrade with USED wheels.
Oh yeah, and a guy in Washington who responded to my want-ad for a $50 camshaft hasn't mailed it, even almost two weeks after I sent him the check!
All this frustration makes IPD prices start to sound not so exorbitant.
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