watanabes

[mossy]

What do you guys think of these, 15x7, offset 21 magnesium watanabes.

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[green_comet]

They look nice, would like to see them on a angle rather than front on..the size and offset sound great too, dont like the white though..

I have a set of 14\" on mine, with +14 offset..

[Babalouie]

Oooer that's nice

Thing with the Mg wheels are that they can be a bit porous, so ask the owner how much air they lose each week and use your judgement to see if he's lying Also have a good close look behind it to see if there is much corrosion and inspect carefully for cracks.

Here's mine which are 15x6.5 in a +14 offset so yours should have the same dish and distance to guard.

[Boost]

ohh those are nice.
They look great on NAs. Do you think they will look nice on the NBs?
I love these rims so much but dont think they suit the NBs very well.

[Babalouie]

ohh those are nice.
They look great on NAs. Do you think they will look nice on the NBs?
I love these rims so much but dont think they suit the NBs very well.

Plenty of NBs with those wheels here (scroll down halfway):
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage_new/mazda.htm

[mossy]

I don't like the white either Ryan, black is the plan, with a black hardtop like Justinfox's old car.

I bought them off yahoo japan Babs so I'll just have to wait and hope they're ok.

[Babalouie]

I don't like the white either Ryan, black is the plan, with a black hardtop like Justinfox's old car.

I bought them off yahoo japan Babs so I'll just have to wait and hope they're ok.

They're prolly fine....Watanabe products are high quality. Mine sat in the back of the shed for years because everyone told me that magnesium is dangerous for a road car, that they'd be corroded and cracked, won't hold air, etc and when I did get it all checked out by a wheel mfg it was fine!

MG is porous tho but mine only lose about 1psi per wk.

AFAIK when you get them refinished, you apparently *don't* want to sandblast them first, that supposedly removes the outer oxidised skin or something.

[rodent]

Plenty of NBs with those wheels here (scroll down halfway):
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage_new/mazda.htm

Completely off-topic, but...


...sweeeeeeeeeet!

jonno.

[green_comet]

Plenty of NBs with those wheels here (scroll down halfway):
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage_new/mazda.htm

That link is really good...

Dose anyone have any information on how to get them cleaned? I would love to get my really cleaned up, and get the outer lip polished..

[paulau]

Does anyone know a company that can import these wheels to AU? Wouldnt mind a 15\" set.

[Babalouie]

Plenty of NBs with those wheels here (scroll down halfway):
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage_new/mazda.htm

That link is really good...

Dose anyone have any information on how to get them cleaned? I would love to get my really cleaned up, and get the outer lip polished..

I had another set of ally Watanabes sandblasted and then powdercoated, with the lips polished, so the spokes end up with a satin-smooth finish.

It wasn't cheap tho, I think IIRC was about $85 per wheel.

[mossy]

Does anyone know a company that can import these wheels to AU? Wouldnt mind a 15" set.

I tried a lot of places but nothing, I don't think you'll have any luck. Your best bet is to do what I done, search yahoo auctions japan for a set and when you find something contact Aaron at http://www.rampant.net.au/ and he does the rest(you will need a 50%deposit before he bids). There are a few places that do this but I've used Rampant a couple of times now with no probs.

Hey Babs where can you get the wheels crack tested?

[Babalouie]

Hey Babs where can you get the wheels crack tested?

I dropped the wheels off at a wheel rebuilder place....not sure where they farmed it out to, but there are lots of places that do it.

[GP]

Off Topic I know but how come all the watanabe lookalikes have no centre caps?

[Babalouie]

Off Topic I know but how come all the watanabe lookalikes have no centre caps?

Because genuine Watanabe centrecaps can look a bit weeny, they stick out heaps almost like the centre caps from old aussie Aunger wheels from the 70's:


But mainly because most if not all Watanabes in the country are imported second hand and the Japs don't seem to bother with centre caps in the first place.