Snowflakes, whats the deal?

**northpole** · 6th November 2021, 10:58

If you like snowies you'll love the BMW tiger claws too... it'll need a PCD adaptor but once you've got those i doubt you'll ever want snowies again... as the tiger claws don't crack... worst i have seen on them is some curb rash (they should be tough as they were designed as an oem wheel for the BMW X5 V8 models) I've been wanting a set ever since i saw them but haven't taken the plunge for them yet... As i noticed that the Audi RS5 rotor wheels have almost the same impact , are equally as tough and are easier to fit as it means just a spigot ring to the 57.1mm on the wheel and wobble bolts... (since the PCD is only a meager 5x112) but i haven't ran into a set yet that i thought was the right price... and i am still looking for either of those 2.

**Castiel** · 6th November 2021, 14:42

Seen a set of those Tiger Claws, but at the time didn't know that was what they were, and dismissed them because they were BMW. They kept coming up when I was searching for the Snowflakes and there are currently two sets for sale (in Ireland) not too far from me. Average price seems to be €650 (£550) with "good tyres".

They look very similar but I still prefer the original Vectra ones.

**northpole** · 7th November 2021, 10:04

Originally Posted by Castiel

They look very similar but I still prefer the original Vectra ones.

the only reason why I prefer them over the snowies is you can get them staggered, and they don't crack... but that is it... i don't like the prices they sell them because for that money you can buy a complete spare or repairs mk1 BMW X5 that is on those wheels... and the reason why i haven't gotten them yet.. also you can easily get Vauxhall/Opel logo's for the wheels if you so desire

only people in the know will spot that they aren't the OEM snowies if you do that... but as i said I don't see a reason why i would pay that much for a set of wheels when at that money i can get a whole car ( in state of needing serious repairs) with those wheels... same goes for the audi rs5 rotor wheels... Plus i really don't want to pay 19 inch tire prices to be honest so i am sticking with the oem face lift 17 inch SRI wheels, that is, until i run into a set that is priced that well I will just get them for the hell of it.

**Castiel** · 7th November 2021, 20:55

Originally Posted by northpole

......... that is, until i run into a set that is priced that well I will just get them for the hell of it.

This is my line of thinking, now.

Everything I looked at needed refurbishings. I was hoping for a good set, and they're are available over your side of the water which is an impossibility for me at the moment, so I settled for decent to "ok" sets. So now I've two sets (8) of wheels, which I can take my pick of the best four and get them refurbed, and I spent 150 less than a "better" set of four that still needed refurbing.

**Castiel** · 19th November 2021, 02:22

Quick one. How would you tell genuine Irmscher from fakes?

Seen a set for relatively, actually very, cheap money. No cracks, welds, four legal tyres, with two wheels that need aesthetic cleaning/refurb. Paint peel only. Going by Google search they are a quarter the price for the same wheels anywhere else, condition factored in.

**northpole** · 19th November 2021, 08:24

you look on the inside irmsher logo and wheel model and dimensions are moulded into spokes.

**Castiel** · 21st November 2021, 16:37

They're genuine so going to go for them. Thanks for the input/help.

**Castiel** · 21st June 2022, 19:11

Opinons please.

With all the mesing around trying to get the set I have refurbished and sorting out another set, in the end the second set never materialised and the first set are still sitting, undone, in my garage. They really are a bit of a mess and for some months I'd simply forgotten about them.

Found an advert, only an hour old, the other night of a set of Snowies which were guaranteed as no cracks, welds or buckles. With tyres, but they're barely legal was the advert. Messaged the seller, met the next day and sure as chips they were in greta condition. No welds, nor cracks and all tyres (while barley legal) holding air. Bought them up and now have a set which need little to no work.

So happy days.

When I say little to no work they are mostly in good condition with some paint chips and a cosmetic refurb might be in order. This is my question. They are gun metal grey. Was this an original colour as I thought thet were all the silver colour my other set are.

If so should I refurb them in the grey or change to the "silver"? Which would be best suited to the black?

Thanks in advance.

Snowflake.jpg

**northpole** · 21st June 2022, 20:10

diamond cut face, car colour black insides= done best match ever.

**northpole** · 22nd June 2022, 12:40

go through the RAL colour chart they got a alloywheel silver colour that is very close to the oem vauxhall metallic satin silver II with the code z157 but it is a just a smidge more silvery and that is the right colour that is on the wheels( and most oem manufacturer alloy wheels. If you can't find it you can always go for the Z157 code since your car is black... that is if you want to go for the oem silver look....

but my previous suggestion of having the face diamond cut, the insides the exact same black paint as your car, covered nicely in a good old layer of clear lacquer will be the most eye catching on your car... and you'll be running around on some pretty rare snowies as not many people go for that. But if you are going to diy it, paint the inside in the car colour and than add the alloywheel silver (or z157) to the face of the wheels almost the same look but done with paint ... ps don't forget to lacquer them properly to keep them looking smart for longer.