Snowflakes, whats the deal?

**Castiel** · 21st May 2021, 22:52

A decent and generous offer.

I have relatives in Letterkenny and Family in Antrim, just a matter of one of them nipping over for me. Don't want to ask the lads selling to go out of his way. Have asked them so waiting on answer. If i'm stuck i might take you up on it.

Appreciate it mate,.

**petrolcan** · 24th May 2021, 23:11

Originally Posted by Castiel

I have relatives in Letterkenny

Ah jaysus

**Castiel** · 24th May 2021, 23:26

Yeah, don't spread that around.

**petrolcan** · 26th May 2021, 23:52

Originally Posted by Castiel

Yeah, don't spread that around.

It was more the implication that we could be related

**Castiel** · 27th May 2021, 00:14

Jaysus, definitely don't spread that around.

Just kidding. Relatives are through marriage (not mine) so probably not. Now cross the border and those odds rise. All my family is from there.

Looking at the amount of wheels and other accessories for sale in the UK and its making me sick. Look for the same here and its either three times the price or just not available. Next time you're coming home let me know and i'll fill a van for you to bring back.

**petrolcan** · 31st May 2021, 00:12

Coming home? I am home, it's where I sleep

Haven't actually been back since Jan '20 so have no clue what the brexit sh!te has done to travelling as yet.

**Castiel** · 31st May 2021, 01:01

Originally Posted by petrolcan

...... have no clue what the brexit sh!te has done to travelling as yet.

Not sure about travel but its destroyed the car market in the UK, for import that is.

Anything Diesel is simply not worth it. Done a check on them recently. A 2012 Insignia 2.8 VXR has duty & carbon at about 1350. Nox is another 150.

An Insignia 2.0 diesel in 2012 is 1650 duty and carbon and then another 2300+ for Nox.

Was looking at a rear diffuser for my other car. They can be bought for about £150, to a max of £200. With duty, vat, shipping and tax on shipping that rises to about 360. Brand new here they're 400. IOW the excellent second hand market there is essentially shut to us here.

**Castiel** · 4th November 2021, 01:19

Revive this old thread rather than start new.

The wheels I had lined up above fell through after the seller stopped replying. Might have been a good thing because if I cannot contact him while trying to buy imagine the hassle if I had a question or worse.

Anywho, as luck would have it a chap local to me gave me a shout about another chap with a set that he hasn't advertised. Went over to him and there in the back of his yard, sitting out in the elements, is a set of them. All had kerb rash, but nothing excessive. Two are fine, one was welded (and well done as it seemed flawless), but the fourth is another story. It has a crack and some bad kerb rash bordering on a "chip" on the outside edge.

Was going to leave them, but they're next to impossible to find and then the guy gives me his price. A Hundred notes. Couldn't pass them up. So next step is to strip tyres and send them off for refurb and repair. There is a place local to me that does all this. Won't be cheap and when I factor in new tyres definitely won't be cheap, but it doesn't matter. Happy as a pig in muck.

Finally, to top it all off, find an advert for a set of 19" Ronals. No welds, buckles, cracks, slight kerb rash on two of the four (and its only seemingly paint damage, none are badly/deeply marked) and going for a nice price. Owner obviously had them refurbed and painted as they'll a nice shade of gunmetal grey/dark grey.

Wonder is it worth being greedy and going for them too or just focus on the ones I have. Ronals are nice, but I much prefer the snowflakes so my thinking is with the snowies, ronals and ones currently on her, I'll leave the ronals in the garage and rarely use them.

Thoughts?

**watchman** · 4th November 2021, 09:16

I've got both.
After having a bit of a nightmare with two previous sets of snowflakes - cracks, flat tyres - I got a lovely set of mint Ronals.
Had them on for a long time.
Then got another set of snowies and had them diamond cut - loving them right now.
At some point I might swap them back again though.

**Castiel** · 5th November 2021, 22:56

Have sourced a second set of snowies as spares and replacements for ones that are bad in the "original" batch. Both sets coming in very cheap so it offsets the cost of repairing/refrubing. I'll end up with 8 wheels, take the 4 good ones and the best of the other four as a spare then shelve the other three. That is my intent anyway.

I have always liked the snowflakes. Something about how they "fill" the arch however the Ronals are nice, no doubt, but what is that old saying about if you don't like them at first you'll never learn to like them. However at 300 quid for a set of Ronals with, claimed, no cracks/welds or buckles it might be hard to pass up. I've other plans for the car so not sure, even if they're coming at reasonable price, if it worth having a fourth set of wheels?