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[Victorofhavoc]

You wouldn't go 285/35 on 18s?

I am also eyeing Apex 10.5 et 47, but the HRC Titan 7 TS-5s at 18x10 et 55 look nice, too.

There are basically zero tire options in a 285/35, plus you'd be running a 2% taller gearing rather than a 3% shorter gearing. 285/30 is a competitive BMW e46 sizing, so it's very available and has many tire options.

I bet with a bit of work a 295/30 could be squeezed on, but that might be too much tire without getting significant aero (talking something like a splitter with wheel well dumping diffusers, a dam, fence, and sealing).

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[ABPDE5]

There are basically zero tire options in a 285/35, plus you'd be running a 2% taller gearing rather than a 3% shorter gearing. 285/30 is a competitive BMW e46 sizing, so it's very available and has many tire options.

I bet with a bit of work a 295/30 could be squeezed on, but that might be too much tire without getting significant aero (talking something like a splitter with wheel well dumping diffusers, a dam, fence, and sealing).

Gotcha -- thanks for the insight.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Thanks for posting pics. I was thinking 265/35 will give me the most track tire options. I do like a +45 offset though, just looks better on the car. Apex is having their memorial day sale and I can get four EC7's for less than the price of two VS5-RS. I like the VS5-RS, but having a slight bend in one has me questioning the $900 price of replacing one. I also wanted to have a spare so maybe I'll just bite the bullet for one more VS5-RS and stay with 19's for the track. Just not a lot of tire choices in 275/30. If I stay with 19's, I'll just go 275/35.

Gotta pay to play I guess.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Thanks for posting pics. I was thinking 265/35 will give me the most track tire options. I do like a +45 offset though, just looks better on the car. Apex is having their memorial day sale and I can get four EC7's for less than the price of two VS5-RS. I like the VS5-RS, but having a slight bend in one has me questioning the $900 price of replacing one. I also wanted to have a spare so maybe I'll just bite the bullet for one more VS5-RS and stay with 19's for the track. Just not a lot of tire choices in 275/30. If I stay with 19's, I'll just go 275/35.

Gotta pay to play I guess.

If you want options you have to go 18s. You can even get R7 and Michelin slicks in the 18 that fit. Once you go to the purple and blue crack, there's just no going back ?

 

[optronix]

Thanks for posting pics. I was thinking 265/35 will give me the most track tire options. I do like a +45 offset though, just looks better on the car. Apex is having their memorial day sale and I can get four EC7's for less than the price of two VS5-RS. I like the VS5-RS, but having a slight bend in one has me questioning the $900 price of replacing one. I also wanted to have a spare so maybe I'll just bite the bullet for one more VS5-RS and stay with 19's for the track. Just not a lot of tire choices in 275/30. If I stay with 19's, I'll just go 275/35.

Gotta pay to play I guess.

You do have to pay to play, but that sucks about the bent wheel. Out of curiosity do you know how it happened? I've banged my wheels up pretty bad myself at this point but so far only cosmetic damage. I just either have bad luck or can't figure out the dimensions of this car at all times and I've scraped wheels hitting curbs several times now. I also did this in the RS5 I had, but never in any of my Porsches... I guess I just struggle with longer wheelbases.

As for tires, I've landed on the Falken RT660+. I was going to do Nankang CRSv2, but decided since I go to literally about 6x more autocross events than HPDE events, going with the more auto-x focused tire made more sense. I do have to go up to 275/30 but that's fine. Really the Falkens, Nankang, and Cup2 are the only options for 200 TW tire in 19".

 

[StingertimeNC]

The only impact I've had with the wheels was on a two wheel off situation at VIR. It was a turn right after the crest of a hill, totally blind, and I just wasn't set up for it correctly. Found myself facing slightly the wrong way and went off on the right side by about a foot. Coming back onto the track there was a pretty heavy impact with a front wheel. Figured it would be an issue, but without removing the wheel everything seemed fine. couldn't see or feel anything.

Finished the next day at the track, rotated the wheels, went back for a couple more track days 4 months later, never felt a thing. Just spotted it during a routine inspection. You can see if you're under the car looking directly at the inside of the wheel, spinning it. just a little wiggle in it. If you are looking more parallel to the tire and rim, you can't see it. There are no signs if impact on the inner barrel whatsoever, and I can't feel anything during driving, regardless of that wheels position of the car.

I'm happy with the wheels, but the finish is taking a beating. It has to have something to do with the flatness of the spokes.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

The only impact I've had with the wheels was on a two wheel off situation at VIR. It was a turn right after the crest of a hill, totally blind, and I just wasn't set up for it correctly. Found myself facing slightly the wrong way and went off on the right side by about a foot. Coming back onto the track there was a pretty heavy impact with a front wheel. Figured it would be an issue, but without removing the wheel everything seemed fine. couldn't see or feel anything.

Finished the next day at the track, rotated the wheels, went back for a couple more track days 4 months later, never felt a thing. Just spotted it during a routine inspection. You can see if you're under the car looking directly at the inside of the wheel, spinning it. just a little wiggle in it. If you are looking more parallel to the tire and rim, you can't see it. There are no signs if impact on the inner barrel whatsoever, and I can't feel anything during driving, regardless of that wheels position of the car.

I'm happy with the wheels, but the finish is taking a beating. It has to have something to do with the flatness of the spokes.

As much as I love apex, they are a "budget track wheel". The finish on all of mine has been okay, but it's not quite up to OZ quality.

Still a great wheel, but similar paint durability to oem. The tire seat knurling is chef's kiss.

Most of my bends have occurred due to potholes or rough construction transitions. One was due to a track excursion in a one wheel off right before some curbing at Heartland park turn 6. It was the better line, but you had to have the spring and sidewall to take it... I just learned to wait longer to get onto it and take the time hit, but not before flattening 5" of one of my Oz ultraleggera.

 

[StingertimeNC]

Ouch.

Being relatively new to the track, I'm kind of surprised that Apex is a "budget" wheel. Damn things are expensive to me. I know they're heavier, but Vossen's Flow Formed wheels have really good finishes on them. Of course they are 26-27 lbs or so for 19 x 9.5's.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Ouch.

Being relatively new to the track, I'm kind of surprised that Apex is a "budget" wheel. Damn things are expensive to me. I know they're heavier, but Vossen's Flow Formed wheels have really good finishes on them. Of course they are 26-27 lbs or so for 19 x 9.5's.

It's nothing against apex at all. They make a quality product and I trust it in function, but they're still a fairly generic factory stamp out. They do spend more time looking at fitment, weight trimming, and other track focused details and that's where the money really stretches. I do love their products and engineering.

But you can go to other manufacturers and pay more to get more. You can even do a full custom carbon wheel for 5-10k.

Honestly, Oz, rays, and enkei offer some of the best bang per buck out there. Oz has history and each of my wheels from them came with a tag giving the exact weight. I have not found a major difference between a quality flow formed wheel and a forged wheel. They can both be very light and very strong.

 

[optronix]

The price makes sense. Maybe another way to look at it is not so much Apex is a "buget" wheel, but there are wheel brands that are premium.

For example, there's about a ~$300 delta between a VS-5RS and a Volk G025, even on sites like Black Hawk Japan (~double the price apples to apples but import fees should be taken into consideration). I imagine the finish to be infinitely better; you can even tell in pictures.

https://www.blackhawkjapan.com/products/rays-02269954421sz?_pos=3&_sid=d642a14d7&_ss=r

 

[StingertimeNC]

Now I want those wheels! Damnit! You think the $701 per wheel includes all fees? That's a nice sale.

I may have to go back to Enkei to afford a dedicated track set.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

The price makes sense. Maybe another way to look at it is not so much Apex is a "buget" wheel, but there are wheel brands that are premium.

For example, there's about a ~$300 delta between a VS-5RS and a Volk G025, even on sites like Black Hawk Japan (~double the price apples to apples but import fees should be taken into consideration). I imagine the finish to be infinitely better; you can even tell in pictures.

https://www.blackhawkjapan.com/products/rays-02269954421sz?_pos=3&_sid=d642a14d7&_ss=r

That's a good take. Agreed "budget" might not be the best term. Quality products, and a good step above most flow formed wheels. Barrel designs are generally strong too from the.

 

[optronix]

Now I want those wheels! Damnit! You think the $701 per wheel includes all fees? That's a nice sale.

I may have to go back to Enkei to afford a dedicated track set.

I honestly don't know. What I do know is that I was dead set on the G025 until I found out about availability. I couldn't get a set within 6 months.

Black Hawk is interesting, tons of great feedback from other forum members but without any personal experience I can't comment. Their prices do seem almost too good to be true, and who knows how the recent tariff conversation will impact things now or in the future. I am a big fan of my Apex's, but the Volks continue to call out to me! I will probably have them one day, but for now I have many other priorities and the Apex's work just fine.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I honestly don't know. What I do know is that I was dead set on the G025 until I found out about availability. I couldn't get a set within 6 months.

Black Hawk is interesting, tons of great feedback from other forum members but without any personal experience I can't comment. Their prices do seem almost too good to be true, and who knows how the recent tariff conversation will impact things now or in the future. I am a big fan of my Apex's, but the Volks continue to call out to me! I will probably have them one day, but for now I have many other priorities and the Apex's work just fine.

The style is similar enough too.

I'd love vs5rs in motorsports gold. That's a really good combo with red.

Did you ceramic coat yours BTW? I have done ceramic on my last 4 sets of wheels and it makes brake dust removal so much easier, especially on the I beam style spokes on apex wheels.

 

[optronix]

The style is similar enough too.

I'd love vs5rs in motorsports gold. That's a really good combo with red.

Did you ceramic coat yours BTW? I have done ceramic on my last 4 sets of wheels and it makes brake dust removal so much easier, especially on the I beam style spokes on apex wheels.

I did coat them… I intended to do it again while they were off the car but got lazy… it does help, they are easy to keep clean.

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