Rollin' like Nolin...
So this is the big one- the one we've all been waiting for- After years of anticipation and scouring the Internet in search of perfect wheels- the day has finally come and I must say they are GLORIOUS.
Lets begin:
After making it through this week (which seemed to drag on FOREVER) I woke up Saturday morning ready to wheel and deal (no pun intended...) in El Monte. I was a little disappointed to find that it was raining when I stepped outside (carting back my stock 16's was gonna be difficult enough but covered in wet road grime was gonna make it extra fun) hmmm better bring some extra large garbage bags.
Garbage bags in hand I set out to Korea Town to pick up my buddy Carl who agreed to accompany me to the mysterious land of El Monte. Carl and I soon decided that no good adventure could begin without a donut. So after a pit stop at Winchells- for a little glazed sustenance- we were on our way.
I have to say that one great thing about LA is that the only people you see out on the road early on a weekend morning are people coming home from the night before. Due to this interesting phenomenon, we made it to El Monte rather quickly- probably about 15 minutes or so.
WheelOptions was very easy to find- 2 quick turns off the freeway and we were standing in the parking lot. The place was bustling- every one of their 5 or so garage bays was in use and the parking lot was full. The first thing I noticed was the overflowing inventory they had- these guys were not messing around. No amount of space went unused- even in the garage. Floor to ceiling boxes reading "Volk", "Rays", "5Zigen" were stacked high and deep- not mention the hundreds of tires that filled in whatever space was left. Apparently we had come to the right place. Now to find the wizard... "Vick"
Carl and I walked into the show room. The entry way is flanked on either side by wheel racks that stretch to the ceiling. The contents of these racks immediately set this shop apart from any of the others I had visited before. Instead of the normal "American racing" and occasional "O.Z." wheel- these racks were 4 high and 2 deep with wheels from Volk, Rays, Work, and Hamman just to name a few. We took pause in this beautiful alloy laced hallway and were like kids in a candy store- pointing wide-eyed in every direction.
To be honest, it was a little overwhelming at first. I had come there with a pretty clear idea of what I was going to leave with. Either the GramLights 57S's or Velox PG7's. However- now that I was faced with all of these options I feared I might get sidetracked. I spotted the Velox's on the top of one of the racks about half way down the hall so I ran over to get a closer look.
Hmm...I think this wheel looked a little too busy for the MINI in person...oooh but what's this? A few steps away I spotted a new wheel by 5Zigen- It was very similar to the GramLight in style- but had 6 spokes instead of 7 and a polished lip. This wheel could be a contender...Time to find Vick.
Carl and I continued down the hall and around the corner where we found a counter top with 3 men on the other side frantically juggling the constantly ringing phones and slew of customers standing around the shop. From the snippets of conversations I was able to catch- these guys know this stuff inside and out- and so were able to answer most questions regarding offset, wheel weight, and vehicle compatibility right off the tops of their heads. The scene reminded me slightly of the NY Stock Exchange- people pointing and shouting in a seemingly chaotic but actually well orchestrated dance of informational exchange.
I scanned the room for "Vik" not having any idea what he looked like I decided to ask whoever looked like they were in charge. Ah- that guy looks calm- he must be the boss...
Me: Excuse me sir I'm looking for Vik?
Sir: I am Vik, can I help you?
Me: I'm Steve, I'm interested in putting a set of wheels on my MINI Cooper today....
Vik: Ah! Steve yes we spoke last week (shakes my hand) let me show you what we have; Oh can I see the car?
And all of a sudden it was like I was the only customer in the place. I had Vik's total attention- It was amazing.
We stepped outside and I showed Vik the car- turns out he is a pretty huge MINI fan and was anxious to get to work on the car. One thing I noticed throughout the day is that Vik takes a personal interest in what goes on each car and is not afraid to offer his opinion to the customer if he thinks they are going down the wrong path aesthetically.
The first thing he asked me was- what color I was looking for in a wheel- Did I want to try and match any of the paint on the car? Did I want an oddball color like blue or something? Chrome?
I told him nothing too crazy- I was really just looking for Silver, and nothing too dark- no black. I pointed out the 5Zigen rim that I had seen in the shop and told him I would like to see that wheel and the GramLight in 17" Silver.
We followed Vik back into the bowels of the shop to their inventory room. We walked way into the back of a room made narrow by excessive amounts of wheels- and Vik pulled down a box, ripped it open and pulled out the 5Zigen.
"This one is for an EVO" he said "So the offset isn't right- but the color is- would you like to see it next to your car?"
This is what I'm talking about- finally someone who get's it- I mean sure, this guy was interested in making the sale- but he was also interested in helping me get what I wanted and not ram-rodding me through the process.
We pulled my car around and Vik set up a mini wheel stand next to the car and placed the rim on it. We got down to eye level with the centerline of the wheel and it was pretty amazing to see how good an idea you could get of how the rim would look on the car.
Turns out that the 5Zigen looked pretty good but there was something about "The Window" (new wheel term I picked up this weekend) that wasn't quite right - and I wasn't sure about the flat finish of the titanium.
("The Window" is the shape created by the space between the spokes)
We tried the GramLight next. As soon as he put the wheel next to the car it just clicked. There was no getting around it- this was the perfect wheel.
We left it there for a while and really looked at it. I have to say that even at this point I began to get some comments from other customers- along the lines of "Wow that is hot"- they were right- the wheels looked incredible.
The only thing that I was a little skeptical about was the color. I had originally had my heart set on bright silver- these are closer to gunmetal. Technically they are called "GunSilver" - sort of in-between. The truth is that they have a heavy reaction depending on the lighting situation- in bright sunshine they look sliver gray- and at night they look dark and mean. At this point however there was no question- these wheels were going on the car- they simply looked too good.
Just for the heck of it- and since I had driven all that way- I asked Vik to see the Velox wheel also. He looked a bit surprised at first- and informed me that he didn't think it would work as well as the Gram- but he went and got it for me anyway.
He was totally right in his opinion- the color was bright silver and that was cool- but the wheel style was totally inappropriate for the MINI.
"Ok Vik- let's talk tires"
Vik informed me that since I was local- and he would not have to ship- that he could upgrade my tires and cover my sales tax (I didn't even have to ask). We decided to go with Yokohama AVS ES100's in 205/45/17" . We looked at 205/40's but I wanted to stick with the factory wheel diameter as not to affect my Speedo.
Aside from tire choice I also had to think about wheel locks and center caps. Like many competition focused wheels- the GramLights didn't come with center caps. I also know through my extensive research that center caps for Volks and Grams are tough to come by and turn a pretty penny on eBay. Vik had some in stock and gave me a reasonable deal on them. He also threw in the wheel locks at no charge.
So the decisions had been made- lets bolt these baby's on! Vik told me he would have to wait for a bay and that I should go have lunch and come back in about an hour. I handed him the keys and Carl and I walked out of the shop eager to explore El Monte. What we found out there was a little strange.
Here are the highlights: A Boutique Cereal Store (Life, Special K, Lucky Charms etc.), a baseball Card store that doesn't want customers, The most Free Clinics I have ever seen in such close proximity to one another, a Cigar and Pipe shop that was actually a "Checks Cashed Here" shop- and a Del Taco that was closed at lunch time on Saturday. Weird
An hour later we returned to see if the car was done. It wasn't- but no worries. Soon after we got back they had the MINI on the lift and I got to watch the entire process :)
If you've read this far- you deserve some eye candy so I will continue this entry with a photo-journalistic essay of the events that followed:
Video Clip of finished MINI pulling out of Garage
Video Clip of MINI returning from test run
After the car pulled in - quite a crowd gathered and many photos were taken (by me and everyone else)- Lots of "ooooing and ahhhhhing" - a little drool and Carl and I were off to break in the new Yoko's.
I have to hand it to Vik- he did a first rate job and their attention to detail was flawless. He replaced all of my hardware- and provided me with the correct centering rings. The balance on the wheels is perfect as is the fit. I did experience some very slight rubbing in the rear (that sounds gross but isn't ;) ) going over some large bumps on the freeway while carting back the old wheels in the boot. I think I'll look into adjusting my fender wells a little if this continues but it hasn't happened since and was most likely due to the extra weight in the car at the time.
After I dropped Carl off I drove the car down to the beach for some more pics where I was lucky enough to be present for a mini sandstorm :( - despite the conditions I took some pics anyway- here they are.
Here is a quick Before & After:
Before:
After:
So was "The BIG Day" everything I hoped it would be?
YES- it was great. I have to say that I think all my wheel research and patience has paid off and I am totally pleased with the results. I think the new wheels give the MINI a lot more attitude and the 7 spoke design offers a combo or retro-mini-lite appeal with a modern edge. I think the color is great- and adds to the aggressive stance of the lowered car. So far the tires seem sticky as hell - though i will report back on that after I have spent some more time with them.
The service and attention from Vik and his crew at WheelOptions was outstanding and I would offer them my highest recommendation to anyone looking for wheels. They are knowledgeable and helpful. Not to mention that El Monte is a little trippy and worth a visit ;)
So what's next for our caped crusader? Hmm... well according to the list the next mod should be Helix 13 cat-back exhaust. But judging from the coin I dropped this weekend I think I'm gonna have to wait a bit on that one. Never fear MINIblog will continue- perhaps it's time to re-enter the world of AutoCross...hmmm...then I would need a helmet....
Until next time- Thanks for reading.
Please send questions or comments to: Me
Lets begin:
After making it through this week (which seemed to drag on FOREVER) I woke up Saturday morning ready to wheel and deal (no pun intended...) in El Monte. I was a little disappointed to find that it was raining when I stepped outside (carting back my stock 16's was gonna be difficult enough but covered in wet road grime was gonna make it extra fun) hmmm better bring some extra large garbage bags.
Garbage bags in hand I set out to Korea Town to pick up my buddy Carl who agreed to accompany me to the mysterious land of El Monte. Carl and I soon decided that no good adventure could begin without a donut. So after a pit stop at Winchells- for a little glazed sustenance- we were on our way.
I have to say that one great thing about LA is that the only people you see out on the road early on a weekend morning are people coming home from the night before. Due to this interesting phenomenon, we made it to El Monte rather quickly- probably about 15 minutes or so.
WheelOptions was very easy to find- 2 quick turns off the freeway and we were standing in the parking lot. The place was bustling- every one of their 5 or so garage bays was in use and the parking lot was full. The first thing I noticed was the overflowing inventory they had- these guys were not messing around. No amount of space went unused- even in the garage. Floor to ceiling boxes reading "Volk", "Rays", "5Zigen" were stacked high and deep- not mention the hundreds of tires that filled in whatever space was left. Apparently we had come to the right place. Now to find the wizard... "Vick"
Carl and I walked into the show room. The entry way is flanked on either side by wheel racks that stretch to the ceiling. The contents of these racks immediately set this shop apart from any of the others I had visited before. Instead of the normal "American racing" and occasional "O.Z." wheel- these racks were 4 high and 2 deep with wheels from Volk, Rays, Work, and Hamman just to name a few. We took pause in this beautiful alloy laced hallway and were like kids in a candy store- pointing wide-eyed in every direction.
To be honest, it was a little overwhelming at first. I had come there with a pretty clear idea of what I was going to leave with. Either the GramLights 57S's or Velox PG7's. However- now that I was faced with all of these options I feared I might get sidetracked. I spotted the Velox's on the top of one of the racks about half way down the hall so I ran over to get a closer look.
Hmm...I think this wheel looked a little too busy for the MINI in person...oooh but what's this? A few steps away I spotted a new wheel by 5Zigen- It was very similar to the GramLight in style- but had 6 spokes instead of 7 and a polished lip. This wheel could be a contender...Time to find Vick.
Carl and I continued down the hall and around the corner where we found a counter top with 3 men on the other side frantically juggling the constantly ringing phones and slew of customers standing around the shop. From the snippets of conversations I was able to catch- these guys know this stuff inside and out- and so were able to answer most questions regarding offset, wheel weight, and vehicle compatibility right off the tops of their heads. The scene reminded me slightly of the NY Stock Exchange- people pointing and shouting in a seemingly chaotic but actually well orchestrated dance of informational exchange.
I scanned the room for "Vik" not having any idea what he looked like I decided to ask whoever looked like they were in charge. Ah- that guy looks calm- he must be the boss...
Me: Excuse me sir I'm looking for Vik?
Sir: I am Vik, can I help you?
Me: I'm Steve, I'm interested in putting a set of wheels on my MINI Cooper today....
Vik: Ah! Steve yes we spoke last week (shakes my hand) let me show you what we have; Oh can I see the car?
And all of a sudden it was like I was the only customer in the place. I had Vik's total attention- It was amazing.
We stepped outside and I showed Vik the car- turns out he is a pretty huge MINI fan and was anxious to get to work on the car. One thing I noticed throughout the day is that Vik takes a personal interest in what goes on each car and is not afraid to offer his opinion to the customer if he thinks they are going down the wrong path aesthetically.
The first thing he asked me was- what color I was looking for in a wheel- Did I want to try and match any of the paint on the car? Did I want an oddball color like blue or something? Chrome?
I told him nothing too crazy- I was really just looking for Silver, and nothing too dark- no black. I pointed out the 5Zigen rim that I had seen in the shop and told him I would like to see that wheel and the GramLight in 17" Silver.
We followed Vik back into the bowels of the shop to their inventory room. We walked way into the back of a room made narrow by excessive amounts of wheels- and Vik pulled down a box, ripped it open and pulled out the 5Zigen.
"This one is for an EVO" he said "So the offset isn't right- but the color is- would you like to see it next to your car?"
This is what I'm talking about- finally someone who get's it- I mean sure, this guy was interested in making the sale- but he was also interested in helping me get what I wanted and not ram-rodding me through the process.
We pulled my car around and Vik set up a mini wheel stand next to the car and placed the rim on it. We got down to eye level with the centerline of the wheel and it was pretty amazing to see how good an idea you could get of how the rim would look on the car.
Turns out that the 5Zigen looked pretty good but there was something about "The Window" (new wheel term I picked up this weekend) that wasn't quite right - and I wasn't sure about the flat finish of the titanium.
("The Window" is the shape created by the space between the spokes)
We tried the GramLight next. As soon as he put the wheel next to the car it just clicked. There was no getting around it- this was the perfect wheel.
We left it there for a while and really looked at it. I have to say that even at this point I began to get some comments from other customers- along the lines of "Wow that is hot"- they were right- the wheels looked incredible.
The only thing that I was a little skeptical about was the color. I had originally had my heart set on bright silver- these are closer to gunmetal. Technically they are called "GunSilver" - sort of in-between. The truth is that they have a heavy reaction depending on the lighting situation- in bright sunshine they look sliver gray- and at night they look dark and mean. At this point however there was no question- these wheels were going on the car- they simply looked too good.
Just for the heck of it- and since I had driven all that way- I asked Vik to see the Velox wheel also. He looked a bit surprised at first- and informed me that he didn't think it would work as well as the Gram- but he went and got it for me anyway.
He was totally right in his opinion- the color was bright silver and that was cool- but the wheel style was totally inappropriate for the MINI.
"Ok Vik- let's talk tires"
Vik informed me that since I was local- and he would not have to ship- that he could upgrade my tires and cover my sales tax (I didn't even have to ask). We decided to go with Yokohama AVS ES100's in 205/45/17" . We looked at 205/40's but I wanted to stick with the factory wheel diameter as not to affect my Speedo.
Aside from tire choice I also had to think about wheel locks and center caps. Like many competition focused wheels- the GramLights didn't come with center caps. I also know through my extensive research that center caps for Volks and Grams are tough to come by and turn a pretty penny on eBay. Vik had some in stock and gave me a reasonable deal on them. He also threw in the wheel locks at no charge.
So the decisions had been made- lets bolt these baby's on! Vik told me he would have to wait for a bay and that I should go have lunch and come back in about an hour. I handed him the keys and Carl and I walked out of the shop eager to explore El Monte. What we found out there was a little strange.
Here are the highlights: A Boutique Cereal Store (Life, Special K, Lucky Charms etc.), a baseball Card store that doesn't want customers, The most Free Clinics I have ever seen in such close proximity to one another, a Cigar and Pipe shop that was actually a "Checks Cashed Here" shop- and a Del Taco that was closed at lunch time on Saturday. Weird
An hour later we returned to see if the car was done. It wasn't- but no worries. Soon after we got back they had the MINI on the lift and I got to watch the entire process :)
If you've read this far- you deserve some eye candy so I will continue this entry with a photo-journalistic essay of the events that followed:
Video Clip of finished MINI pulling out of Garage
Video Clip of MINI returning from test run
After the car pulled in - quite a crowd gathered and many photos were taken (by me and everyone else)- Lots of "ooooing and ahhhhhing" - a little drool and Carl and I were off to break in the new Yoko's.
I have to hand it to Vik- he did a first rate job and their attention to detail was flawless. He replaced all of my hardware- and provided me with the correct centering rings. The balance on the wheels is perfect as is the fit. I did experience some very slight rubbing in the rear (that sounds gross but isn't ;) ) going over some large bumps on the freeway while carting back the old wheels in the boot. I think I'll look into adjusting my fender wells a little if this continues but it hasn't happened since and was most likely due to the extra weight in the car at the time.
After I dropped Carl off I drove the car down to the beach for some more pics where I was lucky enough to be present for a mini sandstorm :( - despite the conditions I took some pics anyway- here they are.
Here is a quick Before & After:
Before:
After:
So was "The BIG Day" everything I hoped it would be?
YES- it was great. I have to say that I think all my wheel research and patience has paid off and I am totally pleased with the results. I think the new wheels give the MINI a lot more attitude and the 7 spoke design offers a combo or retro-mini-lite appeal with a modern edge. I think the color is great- and adds to the aggressive stance of the lowered car. So far the tires seem sticky as hell - though i will report back on that after I have spent some more time with them.
The service and attention from Vik and his crew at WheelOptions was outstanding and I would offer them my highest recommendation to anyone looking for wheels. They are knowledgeable and helpful. Not to mention that El Monte is a little trippy and worth a visit ;)
So what's next for our caped crusader? Hmm... well according to the list the next mod should be Helix 13 cat-back exhaust. But judging from the coin I dropped this weekend I think I'm gonna have to wait a bit on that one. Never fear MINIblog will continue- perhaps it's time to re-enter the world of AutoCross...hmmm...then I would need a helmet....
Until next time- Thanks for reading.
Please send questions or comments to: Me
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