Rota RB Wheels

Greetings All!

Does anyone have experience or recommendations with Rota RB wheels?  Possibly 16"x7"?

What are your thoughts on quality?

Stephen



Edited by Soggy-1 - May/06/10 at 4:25pm

Kulmini!

Thank you for the input!  I sure like the looks of a more traditional wheel.

Stephen

Kulmini:

Thanks for the heads-up on the CA. place of business.  I do not need more hassles in my life!

Stephen

John:

Thanks for the reassurance!

 Looks like it is time to sell the Bridgespokes and the Goodyear RFT that came on the Mini.  With 350 miles on the RFT they should sell fairly easily, hopefully.

Stephen

That look nice,

I also have this set.  Sport Edition A-7, 16x7-1/2.



The silver look but I must admit that these are a lot easier to clean.

S.

J:

They were supposed to be the lighter of the two, but I believe they are gunmetal but at this point not sure.




Edited by Soggy-1 - February/26/10 at 11:57am

John:

Here is the best price on Rota RB's that I have seen.  http://lsdmotorsports.com/prod/RBE-1670404100-BKRL.html

Stephen

Now both of you just stop it!  I'm getting a set of the 17" Rota RBs in gloss black (hyper-black?) with machined rims.  I have a pepper white w/ black roof MCS, so if you get the Rotas too, how will I feel I've personalized my car any more? .................. ;-)  Craig

Fear not Craig!

I am working on getting a set of PIAA Euro Tech 17x7's.  The question I have is who has the least expensive TPMS, that works with the OE in the Mini, for that wheel?

Stephen

Update!  The Rota Gunmetal wheels were a little bit to dark for my taste so I took the leap and painted them.  Many thanks to ItalianJob (Stefano) for the confidence boost in seeing what he did with his wheels.

I used DupliColor Dark Bronze & Clear Coats.





Original color, Gunmetal, is a wee bit darker, in person, than the new Dark Bronze.  The Gunmetal was more black w/metalflake where as the Dark Bronze has brown  w/metalflake in it.




Finished.

Finished product.


Finished Clear Coat.





Sanding with scuffy pad.


Clear Coating.








Edited by SMOG-1 - November/15/10 at 7:59pm

Thanks Kurt!  It is a big decision whether to put the Brembo BBK on my new Mini, that is on the ship, and be forced to use 17" wheels or keep the "S" brakes and use these 16" wheels.  These wheel/tire combos weigh about 32 pounds, my 17" PIAA Eurotech w/Bridgestone RE760's weigh 38 pounds.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

S.

Good point Jack!  I don't track the car but twisties through the mountains on fairly deserted roads is waaaay fun!  Driving down the coast to Santa Barbara or some of those great little highways in the Sierras(out of tourist season) makes a person appreciate good brakes.

I will take your suggestion.

S.

Both SMOG-1 and SMOG-2 are automatics which means more brake usage.  The slushbox tranny is not very inspiring when trying to decelerate.  That is the reason that I have been thinking about the JCW (factory warranty) BBK.  The fade that all have been referring to is something I have only experienced with older vehicles, although my GMC 1994 Suburban had the worst brakes I have ever used; very unpredictably bad.  Cruising through red lights, stop signs, plowing into 2 cars(separate occasions) all because of crappy ABS system! 

On a track if you blow a corner the paramedics are there immediately.  Going over a cliff or stacking into the side of a mountain it could take hours or days before someone encounters the wreckage.  I have been in the hours to encounter situation before and it is a weird feeling sitting there is a pile of wreckage in the middle of the road and no cars passing for hours.

So, I have an unusual fondness for good brakes. 

S.

On Linda's car (Cooper S Automatic) I always select "sport mode by moving the shift lever to the right one notch when descending hills - that locks out overdrive and lets me choose which gear to be in with the lever or with the paddles.  (One of the first things I learned about driving when I was about 12 from my dad is that the correct gear to use when going down a hill is the same gear you would use to go up the same hill.  I agree with John that a good set of street pads and correctly maintained tire pressures should be enough to get you stopped safely in any enthusiastic street / mountain road driving.

While we are here - does anyone else use pre-warming as a breaking technique in situations where you anticipate you might be using brakes aggressively?