Wheel Cap Vinyl Stickers: Which Are the Best?

Printable View

02-21-2016, 11:19 AM
BMWCurves

Wheel Cap Vinyl Stickers: Which Are the Best?

I wasn't really sure where to put this, so if mods prefer it somewhere else feel free to move it.

I recently purchased and am eagerly anticipating the arrival of a set of APEX ARC-8 wheels. They come with their own APEX branded wheel cap but I like the stock look of BMW roundels. I may go the route of buying actual BMW roundel caps for the wheels, but thought I would try my luck with vinyl stickers first since it's a cheaper and just as good looking option(I imagine). I've looked at a bunch of different stickers from Bimmian to Turner to eBay, but can't really decide one a good set. So my question to you is:

For those of you who have used vinyl BMW roundel stickers on their wheel caps, which brands did you buy and how did you like them?

I don't plan to transfer over the wheel caps from my 135s even though they'll fit because they're a little faded and worn.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

UPDATE:
I ended up purchasing some BMW wheel caps from Amazon for ~$11. You can find them here. The fit and finish is pretty darn good for the price. I wouldn't recognize them as non-BMW if I didn't know. Pics and info can be found later in the thread here.
02-21-2016, 02:45 PM
Aeternalis

1 Attachment(s)

I've always been under the impression based on their website language that Apex wheels accept the roundels out of your stock wheels with no issues.

Attachment 24486
02-21-2016, 03:09 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeternalis

I've always been under the impression based on their website language that Apex wheels accept the roundels out of your stock wheels with no issues.

Attachment 24486

They're supposed to. But I don't want to transfer over the wheel caps from my stock 135s because they're a little worn and faded. I'm being a cheap-o and opting to buy roundel stickers to put on the caps provided by APEX instead of buying a whole new set of BMW wheel caps.
02-22-2016, 04:19 PM
ZacharyMikel

Wheel Cap Vinyl Stickers: Which Are the Best?

I believe someone on E46F (maybe here?) said that there's a really awesome deal on 68mm center caps on Amazon right now.. Like $15 for all four? And they're not bad quality at all.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EQ2...83L&ref=plSrch

I would much rather do that then try to line up vinyl stickers smack dead center and worry about them coming off.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
02-22-2016, 07:58 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZacharyMikel

I believe someone on E46F (maybe here?) said that there's a really awesome deal on 68mm center caps on Amazon right now.. Like $15 for all four? And they're not bad quality at all.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EQ2...83L&ref=plSrch

I would much rather do that then try to line up vinyl stickers smack dead center and worry about them coming off.

Huh, didn't even think to look on Amazon.

These look to be alright, maybe I'll go that route instead. Thanks for the heads up.
02-22-2016, 10:23 PM
ZacharyMikel

Glad to help. I just paid like $40 for a set from ECS tuning and I was pretty sad when I saw that!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
02-22-2016, 11:32 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZacharyMikel

Glad to help. I just paid like $40 for a set from ECS tuning and I was pretty sad when I saw that!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But yours will be OEM, right? Even $40 isn't terrible from what I've seen. Shopping the part number (36136783536 ) doesn't seem to yield anything under $10 a piece.
02-22-2016, 11:37 PM
ZacharyMikel

Wheel Cap Vinyl Stickers: Which Are the Best?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

But yours will be OEM, right? Even $40 isn't terrible from what I've seen. Shopping the part number (36136783536) doesn't seem to yield anything under $10 a piece.

Yes, I believe they're OEM. Not too terrible expensive but $16 for a whole set is way better.

The joys of going with legit BMW parts, eh?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
03-07-2016, 10:18 AM
Dual

I ordered some amazon stickers and they had significant flaws in how they were molded and filled (with color). Plus they're rounded on the back and did not mate well with the flat aftermarket (Sport Design) caps I bought them for.

So then I tried to use JBWeld to fill the gap and trashed everything in the process, LOL...
03-07-2016, 10:23 AM
BMWCurves

Rough. Which stickers did you use? Might as well post them for posterity so people don't make the same unfortunate mistake.
03-07-2016, 10:33 AM
Dual

They were 65mm and a bit small, too, on the aftermarket caps.
Amazon # B00EQ26FPW
03-07-2016, 10:37 AM
Dual

PS: Almost all the Amazon aftermarket vendors are getting away with calling themselves "BMW" and often claim to sell OEM parts. Buy with caution: I'd buy originals.
03-07-2016, 10:54 AM
rguti153

Why not get the caps from amazon ? Why get the stickers ?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
03-07-2016, 11:58 AM
Dual

Mebbe so, but after my experience the QC was just too low to deal with.
03-07-2016, 01:28 PM
BMWCurves

I ordered some caps off of Amazon, should arrive in a week or two. I'll let you know their quality. They're not BMW though.
03-07-2016, 05:02 PM
rguti153

Let's us know , I'm curious , I wanted to buy the ones that were posted in amazon link

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
03-07-2016, 05:04 PM
BMWCurves

I got these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

Reviews are decent. All of them acknowledge they're not OEM, but are very close. They're domed instead of flat, but I don't really mind that. A smaller number said the build quality is shit, so I think it'll be a toss up of whether or not I get a good set. We'll see, I'll be sure to post here once I receive them.
03-17-2016, 04:11 PM
BMWCurves

I received my knock-off caps from Amazon yesterday from someone in Guongdong, China. They came in a padded envelope and were individually wrapped in plastic and then each had a thin plastic covering that you had to remove. There were some very minor superficial scratches on each one, but nothing you would notice unless you're under direct, bright light and about 5-6 inches away. The caps are plastic with a round metal sheet (the BMW logo) bent over the plastic circle. There is an ever so slight spherical/dome shape to the metal. It has "Italy" and the BMW logo stamped into the plastic portion on the back. While it the caps don't have a metal spring/ring to push out the plastic tabs that hold the cap into place in the wheel, they all fit securely into my APEX wheels and would not rotate.

Overall, the fit and finish is pretty darn good for ~$11. I'm impressed. They look and feel great.

A side note: if you have APEX wheels like me, you may struggle to get the APEX hub caps out without removing the wheels. I tried thin trim removal tools, screw drivers, you name it, but I didn't want to scratch the finish on the wheels so I ended up removing each wheel, popping out the hub caps, and putting in the new ones. A lot of work, but I think the new hub caps look great.

Link to the hub caps I bought: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00

Pics:

http://i.imgur.com/vefsELq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2ZHInKC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3iuhRQv.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fs4RQOB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/781XN6v.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/JtvYFxi.jpg
03-17-2016, 04:49 PM
fw_fw

Looks great.....makes all the difference!
03-17-2016, 04:54 PM
Dual

They look great!
03-17-2016, 04:56 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Looks great.....makes all the difference!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dual

They look great!

Agreed! Not bad for $11.
03-17-2016, 05:14 PM
rguti153

Damn they look , even if they last a year u can buy another set next year for 11 bucks

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
03-17-2016, 05:21 PM
Sockethead

I had to do the same thing, remove all 4 wheels when I swapped my caps. Those look damn good for 11 bucks... at least they're made in Italy and not china
03-18-2016, 08:59 AM
Cadeez

Looks awesome man, nice touch, I love the roundels regardless of wheel brand/type. I'm thinking I'll put some on my LM reps, just haven't gotten around to it yet
03-18-2016, 10:17 AM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by rguti153

Damn they look , even if they last a year u can buy another set next year for 11 bucks

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Precisely, I think they'll do well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sockethead

I had to do the same thing, remove all 4 wheels when I swapped my caps. Those look damn good for 11 bucks... at least they're made in Italy and not china

Made in Italy, mailed to me by someone in China. Who knows how that works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadeez

Looks awesome man, nice touch, I love the roundels regardless of wheel brand/type. I'm thinking I'll put some on my LM reps, just haven't gotten around to it yet

Thanks!
03-18-2016, 02:34 PM
fw_fw

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

UPDATE:
I ended up purchasing some BMW wheel caps from Amazon for ~$11. You can find them here. The fit and finish is pretty darn good for the price. I wouldn't recognize them as non-BMW if I didn't know. Pics and info can be found later in the thread here.

William: which seller on Amazon did you use?? There are about 28 different ones shown, I'd like to get them from the same one as you got yours....
03-18-2016, 07:32 PM
BMWCurves

These ones, they're linked in the edit of the original post: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00
03-18-2016, 08:01 PM
fw_fw

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

These ones, they're linked in the edit of the original post: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00

So "woedcar" was the seller?? Amazon will change out the 3rd party seller often and leave the link the same.... If you could doublecheck your invoice/order....
03-18-2016, 08:02 PM
Sockethead

Fighting the urge to buy these just to have them in stock in my garage... all for the price of a cheap lunch
03-18-2016, 09:14 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by fw_fw

So "woedcar" was the seller?? Amazon will change out the 3rd party seller often and leave the link the same.... If you could doublecheck your invoice/order....

Ah I see what you're getting at. My invoice says it was sold by "jajade"
03-18-2016, 09:16 PM
Sockethead

sneaky bastards....
03-18-2016, 09:22 PM
fw_fw

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

Ah I see what you're getting at. My invoice says it was sold by "jajade"

Bingo....just as I figured! They do reorder them!

Just checked: jajade is no longer listed....well fart!
03-18-2016, 09:33 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by fw_fw

Bingo....just as I figured! They do reorder them!

Just checked: jajade is no longer listed....well fart!

Sorry, bud. Explains why the reviews are littered with positive reviews and then shit reviews and then positive reviews.
03-25-2016, 01:40 PM
ecrabb

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

Overall, the fit and finish is pretty darn good for ~$11. I'm impressed. They look and feel great.

Wow, those do look great! What a bargain, too! Great buy!

I got frustrated looking at all the different options on Amazon and eBay and not knowing what I was going to get, so I just gave up and spent nearly $60 to buy them from AutoHausAZ to the tune of almost $60. Ouch. I also bought new lug bolts and new ///M stickers. Probably a bit of a waste of $150 or so, but I'm spending well over a grand on new tires and refurbished wheels, what's another $150 to have it all be brand new?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWCurves

A side note: if you have APEX wheels like me, you may struggle to get the APEX hub caps out without removing the wheels. I tried thin trim removal tools, screw drivers, you name it, but I didn't want to scratch the finish on the wheels so I ended up removing each wheel, popping out the hub caps, and putting in the new ones. A lot of work, but I think the new hub caps look great.

I was thinking about this. I haven't tested it, but my plan was a good suction cup. I think if it got stuck on off-center so you were pulling on one side of the cap, it should pop out. I don't know if it'll work, but that's what I was going to try. ;)

SC
03-25-2016, 02:38 PM
BMWCurves

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecrabb

I was thinking about this. I haven't tested it, but my plan was a good suction cup. I think if it got stuck on off-center so you were pulling on one side of the cap, it should pop out. I don't know if it'll work, but that's what I was going to try. ;)

SC

You know, I was thinking about this a few days before I changed the caps out and it just completely slipped my mind until I was on on my hands and knees wrestling the last wheel back on :facepalm.

Let us know if that works.

Also, while it's $150, you know it's all OEM! Better than my Italian BMW parts haha
03-26-2016, 08:36 AM
Dual

Bet you could sacrifice the caps, drill a pilot hole, put a sheet metal screw in there, pliers.

Tapatalk / iPhone