APEX AERO-7 GroupBuy 18x8" and 18x9" light-weight wheels

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Thread Updated as of February 1st 2011

*** This Group Buy is now CLOSED! ***

AERO-7 Pre-Order Group Buy: 1 series specific, flow-formed wheels


The AERO-7 wheel is a true 1 series specific, direct fitment wheel.
They are currently in production, and will officially be available to the public on approx Feb 22nd 2011.
This is an early bird discount/pre-order Group Buy to get the lowest pricing possible on these wheels.

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Group Buy Price:

There is no minimum member requirement to receive the 1st tier discount! But as additional members sign up, the discount increases.

1 - 9 Buyers = $100 OFF & FREE Shipping*
10-14 Buyers = $150 OFF & FREE Shipping*
15-19 Buyers = $175 OFF & FREE Shipping*
20 + Buyers = $200 OFF & FREE Shipping*

See Group Buy details below...

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Official PAID Group Buy member list:
1. Richard L.

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Specifications:

18x8" (et45) 19lbs~ Front - use with 225/40/18 - $299
18x9" (et50) 20lbs~ Rear - use with 255/35/18 - $309
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Wheel Details:

Manufacturing process:
All APEX wheels are flow-formed resulting in a light weight, track and street worthy wheel.
Flow-forming significantly reduces weight in the barrel by rolling the barrel out into it's final shape using large wheels/disks applying high pressure.
This step is the same step that monoblock forged wheels go through to shape their barrels.
By doing this, the flow-formed wheel's barrel has the same density and strength as a traditional forged wheel.
This significantly reduces rotational mass at the furthest point from the center, which is the most important weight savings area on a wheel.

Fitment:
These wheels were designed to be a direct, bolt on, rub-free wheel for both stock and modified vehicles.
No spacers, or fender rolling is required if standard 225/40/18's are mounted up front, and a 255/35/18's are mounted in the rear.
Cars with suspensions set extremely low, those running r-compounds, or wider then recommended tire sizes can/may have front or rear rubbing issues.
Please ask us for fitment advice if you are concerned about your specific application. For wide tire setups we recommend the APEX ARC-8 wheel.

Strength:
These wheels are fully VIA and JWL certified with a load rating of 1580lbs. VIA certificate numbers are listed in post #58.
Don't be fooled by competitors that claim to be certified, but cannot provide registration numbers. There are vendors on this forum selling wheels that are not certified, yet they claim they are. Watch out for dangerous false advertising claims.

Finish:
The wheels will be available 4 finishes
Hyper Silver
Hyperblack
Anthracite
Gloss Black.

Misc.
Comes with carbon-look APEX center caps
Accept OEM Roundel center caps
Install using your factory lugs
TPMS compatible


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Group Buy Details:

Free Shipping*
Free Shipping is available to members in the 48 mainland states.
Alaska, Hawaii, and International members will receive a $75 credit off the actual cost of shipping.
non-mainland members: please contact us prior to ordering for a shipping quote.

Payment and Sign Up:
To join please go to www.GroupBuyParts.com and add your wheel selection to the cart and complete your check out.
Your name will be added to the list on the site, and the official list on this site.
You are not officially part of the Group Buy until you've completed your check-out, and made your payment.
Payment is made in full at the time of check-out.
The sign up period will be open for a few weeks. After the closed date, NO new members may join. The discount will no longer be available.
Wheels will arrive approx 45 days after the Group Buy close date. ETA updates will be provided.
The price you pay at sign up is based on how many members are currently participating.
At the close of the Group Buy, everyone's order/payment will be adjusted accordingly if a higher discount tier is reached.
There are no refunds on Group Buy orders. Only replacement of defective, or mis-shipped products are available.

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What can I do now?

To officially join you must check out through GroupBuyParts.com by clicking HERE
Below is an unofficial Group Buy Member list. Official paid members will be added to a new listed, and listed on the official AERO-7 product page

[ajvee]

Congratulations on a finished product. I must say it is a great looking wheel. Any pictures of wheels installed on a car. I absolutely love the design.

Thanks

[BBK]

Nice... can you PM me a price shipped to Australia post code 4300?

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Thanks for the emails and PM's. Lets get a GroupBuy going so that these are available at a discount instead of full price!

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

ready to get this project started!

[EMP07]

I'm in the bay area as well. Please provide a quote for 19" if you'll get these.

would love to see images of the different finishes before selection.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

PM's replied.

We hope to have our AERO-7 test wheel mounted on the BR Racing 135i soon!

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

We'll have more news on this wheel shortly. Including whether or not the 19" option will come out at the same time as the 18's.

[TomZ]

Hi,

I am interested in this APEX rims - anthracite finish. But i need 4 times the front wheels: 18x8" et45 Fronts.

Is it possible to deliver to Austria, Europe? If the price is affordable I am going to order.

Kind regards

Tom

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

UPDATE:

This project was pushed to the side for well over half a year. But it's still happening. It is actually going into final production soon, as time/space on the production line has been reserved. Expect the wheels to arrive in August most likely. I wanted them to be here months ago, but the 18" ARC-8 wheels have been under such high demand that keeping them in stock has been difficult.

The groupbuy will open up for these some time in June or July.

Final colors have not been decided yet. Hyper Silver and Hyper black will be produced for sure. We're still up in the air if we should do a gloss black, or even a 4th color. But most likely just 3 now.

[Feyd]

I think a matte bronze would be a good option.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Tom,

We can ship to Austria. It will be right around $300~ (just an estimate as I don't have boxed wheels to measure for actual weight/dimensions)

Originally Posted by TomZ

Hi,

I am interested in this APEX rims - anthracite finish. But i need 4 times the front wheels: 18x8" et45 Fronts.

Is it possible to deliver to Austria, Europe? If the price is affordable I am going to order.

Kind regards

Tom

[BrokenVert]

Posted this in the other thread

Why no options for 18x8.5 front 18x9.5 rear? Also, I would be very interested in a fitment for 235/265. Any chance of that happening without rubbing issues without fender rolling?

[REVNU]

Any chance these would be offered in Competition Gold? I think they would look great on AW.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Posted this in the other thread

Why no options for 18x8.5 front 18x9.5 rear? Also, I would be very interested in a fitment for 235/265. Any chance of that happening without rubbing issues without fender rolling?

The ARC-8 already allows for that fitment, so there is no intention off overlapping them because anyone that has the right setup to make that fit, usually has other performance modifications, and so they'd rather have a track oriented wheel.

But mostly because an 8.5" wheel cannot be made with any offset that will fit up front with a 235/40 extreme summer tire like the dunlop z1 without major fender rubbing issues on a 100% stock car. It just can't be done without adding negative camber. And honestly, there's no point in running a 235 that's actually as wide as a 225. If it's narrow then it isn't visually better looking, and it won't perform better. You might as well just buy a 225 since the tire will be closer to the right overall tire diameter the 135 needs, and will function the same, and can be purchased with a better tire compound without rubbing issues, instead of being forced to run tires that perform on the low end of the scale.

[BrokenVert]

^ So you are designing these wheels with a 235/40 265/35 setup in mind?

edit: nvm I just read the above post

[ulrichd]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Posted this in the other thread

Why no options for 18x8.5 front 18x9.5 rear? Also, I would be very interested in a fitment for 235/265. Any chance of that happening without rubbing issues without fender rolling?

I think there are many, myself included, who think that this gives the car an overstuffed look. Many CSL reps are this size and they rub when paired with a lowered suspension. Alufelgen and Forgestar went with the 8/9 option and their wheels fit beautifully. You can always use spacers if you want a more aggressive look.

[larryn]

Eddy, just so you know, the stock front wheels do allow for 235 star specs to fit without rubbing.. I know of a couple people who do that. Granted, that's a 7.5" wide wheel, but the cross section wouldn't be that different.

It would be on a tire by tire basis, but it is likely doable.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Originally Posted by larryn

Eddy, just so you know, the stock front wheels do allow for 235 star specs to fit without rubbing.. I know of a couple people who do that. Granted, that's a 7.5" wide wheel, but the cross section wouldn't be that different.

It would be on a tire by tire basis, but it is likely doable.

Yes, I am aware of them being sqeezed onto the 7.5" wheel. What I was getting at is that there is no 8.5" wheel that allows for the star spec to fit without some rubbing up front unless the car has been modified.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

The prototype wheel for this project will be at BimmerFest on May 22nd

[driver91]

wish they were ready now

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Originally Posted by driver91

wish they were ready now

As do I. I wanted them done by Feb, but the production schedule filled up and customers demanded more ARC-8's.

They'll be here in July/August as there is no mimimum number of people needed to make this happen.

EDIT: updated shipping schedule. Wheels will be here 2/22/11