18x8 ATS cups pictures? I want them, but I need to see some real life photos.

[Uberchad]

These are just now available from Tuner Shop but I want to see a photo of them and an actual photo of a car with them on and not a render. These would be going on my Ford Transit Connect.





I'm thinking they will look like an enlarged and classy version of this wheel basically and should look at home on a cargo van:

[Uberchad]

Anybody?

[initiation]

They don't seem to even be on ATS' website, where are you going to buy them from? The design seems like it'd be right at home on a Transit, but it may be one of those designs that doesn't translate well from small diameters to larger ones. I could see them appearing very "RIMZ YO" in real life.

[RennbahnPolizei]

@initiation,

For real?

Look on the right...



Close one:



But no cigar!

17x7" Volskwagen Transporter/Carvalle/Multivan steel wheels. 5x120 (fits BMW and Touareg 2.5 TDI)

[stevegolf]

Those would look sweet on a transit

[Dr. Woo]

I don't have any photos but I think they'll look perfect on a TransCon.

[Uberchad]

Still trying to find photos. Here is what ATS had to say.

My request:

"Johann,

Thanks for the reply. I am ready to order these wheels from my local distributor (Tuner shop) but I would like some pictures of the wheels (not digital renders). Do you have any actual pictures of the wheels? Preferably mounted to a car. Even something from your cell phone.

Thanks"

Their reply:

"Hi,

that’s impossible.
A) Our warehouse is 15 km from here
B) I do not have a cell phone, believe it or not.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With best regards

Johann Schmidt
Verkauf Export
Export Sales"

Normally I wouldn't care that much about actual photos but this is a big chunk of cash and I will be redrilling with inserts for a 5x108 pattern and if they do look silly, I doubt anyone with a 5x108 would ever want them.

[nemo1ner]

Here are some Aluline cups. These are the ones with 3" lips; however,I believe ATS only makes them with 1.5" lips now.





My question is why not just go with a wheel with the bolt pattern you need? Or use adapters.

[oh noes! cars!]

"Thats Impossible" wow great customer service ATS....

[mike02467]

Oh man, 15km! so far! Better book a flight!

[NoDubJustYet]

"Thats Impossible" wow great customer service ATS....

Typical for Germany...

[Uberchad]

It continues...

My reply to the above comments:

"Really? A camera of any kind? You don't have a single picture of your new product in your entire company besides a digital render?

You're not willing to do anything for me? This is a very basic and simple customer request. I am making this request for myself along with other forum members. I guess I will relay the message.

Pretty tight marketing/customer service budget over there huh?"

ATS's reply:

"I am not going to
- Apply for a company car
- Ask my boss if I may leave my office for around ¾ hrs.
- Ask around in the company for a camera which I am not sure to find, because those who have a mobile phone with photo are our managers and will sure not give their cell phones away.
- Drive 30 km (20 miles)
- Make our warehouse guys run around to get one single wheel from 50.000 rims that we have in stock

….if you can google “ATS cup” and have more than 1 Million hits within milliseconds.

Our 18-incher looks exactly like the 15-incher. You would not be able to tell from a live picture if it is the 15 or the 18 version.

Best regards,
Johann, the unwilling sales man J

PS: To spread our personal mail conversation around is a matter of style. I personally would not do it, but it is your decision.

Have a nice day, though.
J. "

My reply:

"Johann,

Thanks for the snarky reply. You are making this way more difficult than it has to be. You have described one possible way to get a picture of your product but it is certainly not a very efficient one. You are not very resourceful. No one from your office ever goes to the factory for any other reason? You can't have one of your own products set aside for the next time someone goes to the factory by just making a simple phone call? You don't think some actual product photos would be useful in the future besides my request? (maybe something you should be doing anyways for marketing reasons?)

The problem with looking at photos of your old 15" wheels is that there are many different widths offered of the old style. It is tough to know if you went with the wide width style or the narrower style. It is also important to see how the design was stretched and how the classic design translates to a larger size wheel. The line between enlarged classic and gaudy "baller" wheels is very thin.

I really apologize for taking up your time and wanting to give you $1524 of my money for your new product."

[Uberchad]

My question is why not just go with a wheel with the bolt pattern you need? Or use adapters.

I don't like adaptors for a daily driver because they are more sensitive to torque variability (don't want to get into that), are expensive, and they also change the offset by way too much.

Going with a wheel with the proper bolt pattern drastically reduces the available options.

[NoDubJustYet]

Sounds about right...

Customer service in Germany sucks at best.

[nemo1ner]

You are wasting your time making a big deal out of nothing. They have wheel specs. Compare those to what is currently on your car and you can figure out if they will fit or not. It is not difficult.



BTW, Tunershop states that when you place your order, they will confirm that the offset will fit your vehicle. If not, they will contact you and advise you of the issue.

[Numbersix]

Ah, Germany.

You are an arrogant American, making such grandiose demands as a picture. How dare you, sir. How dare you.

[Uberchad]

You are wasting your time making a big deal out of nothing. They have wheel specs. Compare those to what is currently on your car and you can figure out if they will fit or not. It is not difficult.

I never asked about wheel specs. I know they will fit. I just want some pictures of the wheels that aren't a digital render.

[deucestudios]

You are wasting your time making a big deal out of nothing. They have wheel specs. Compare those to what is currently on your car and you can figure out if they will fit or not. It is not difficult.

Is he really out of line asking for a picture, before purchasing a $1500 product? Really?

[cryption]

He's not out of line for asking, but it's unrealistic thinking you can get that type of customer service overseas, especially Germany. It's just how it is.

Are there no American based distributors? I bet they would take care of you in a heartbeat.

[Son]

Wow, Johann so knows nothing about wheels if he thinks the 18" version looks just like the 15" version. I guess they're also not exactly authorized to take photos of their products and send to customers, as a digital photo is easily spread and if it's not a good one, they're showing the product in bad light. Anyway, sounds like he was either having a bad day and just continued fighting with you or then he's really not the right person to be in the customer service dept. He could've tried more, but many companies incl. e.g. OZ just don't have real photos of their products on cars. They rely on photoshops, which actually in OZ's case seem to be pretty good.

[Son]

BTW, wanna try guessing these people's email addresses to be able to "speak to your manager"?

Geschäftsführer / Managing Directors:
Simone Maier-Paselk, Ralf Schmid, Michael Schmid

[nemo1ner]

He is going through Tunershop, not through ATS. Therefore, Tunershop should be doing the research to ensure that the offset and width of the wheel will fit his vehicle. It is not the manufacturer's issue. It's the distributor.

[IronJoe]

Jesus. This has got to be the most absurd thing I've read in a while. And for those of you who think this is acceptable because "that's just the way it is", you're just enabling more of this sort of behavior. OP, if I were you I wouldn't give this company a dime no matter what they were selling.

"I am not going to
- Apply for a company car
- Ask my boss if I may leave my office for around ¾ hrs.
- Ask around in the company for a camera which I am not sure to find, because those who have a mobile phone with photo are our managers and will sure not give their cell phones away.
- Drive 30 km (20 miles)
- Make our warehouse guys run around to get one single wheel from 50.000 rims that we have in stock

….if you can google “ATS cup” and have more than 1 Million hits within milliseconds.

Our 18-incher looks exactly like the 15-incher. You would not be able to tell from a live picture if it is the 15 or the 18 version.

Best regards,
Johann, the unwilling sales man J

PS: To spread our personal mail conversation around is a matter of style. I personally would not do it, but it is your decision.

Have a nice day, though.
J. "

[nemo1ner]

Someone please call BBS and ask them to take a photo of one of their wheels in the warehouse.

I will wait.

[Uberchad]

He is going through Tunershop, not through ATS. Therefore, Tunershop should be doing the research to ensure that the offset and width of the wheel will fit his vehicle. It is not the manufacturer's issue. It's the distributor.

Dude, please read. I am not asking about fitment. I am looking for a picture.

I have tried Tuner shop via email last week and have received no reply to my request.

[deucestudios]

Someone please call BBS and ask them to take a photo of one of their wheels in the warehouse.

I will wait.

Do they release new wheels without having a real (not CGI) photo of them?

[nemo1ner]

Dude, please read. I am not asking about fitment. I am looking for a picture.

I have tried Tuner shop via email last week and have received no reply to my request.

You are asking a manufacturer to take a photo of the wheel on a car (or the wheel itself). These are a classic wheel, just rereleased in a popular size. Don't expect a manufacturer to have photos of every wheel in every size mounted on a vehicle.

With wheel specs, photos of that wheel in a smaller size mounted on vehicles should be enough to assist you in your purchase.

[nemo1ner]

Do they release new wheels without having a real (not CGI) photo of them?

No. Most if not all of their photos are digital renders with the exception of some motorsport vehicles.

[corrado-correr]

Our 18-incher looks exactly like the 15-incher. You would not be able to tell from a live picture if it is the 15 or the 18 version.

It's probably true.

[David@vwvortex]

Not really b/c as someone else mentioned there are different lips sizes here.

Granted I don't think they make the 3" lips on these anymore and I would be interested to see what an 18" version of the Cups would look like.

These are the 15" w/the lips on them.. and they are the original ones made way back when(i.e. kinda rare). The 18's don't even come close to having that type of lip on them.. at least can't tell from the pics. The 15's on my car I think with tire weigh 19lbs if that.

[nemo1ner]

They stopped making the 3" lip versions long ago. They only make 1.5" versions now.

[NoDubJustYet]

It might be outlandish to make such a request...

However, that shouldn't mean the customer service rep should be an ******* in his emails. That's the issue for me.

[David@vwvortex]

They stopped making the 3" lip versions long ago. They only make 1.5" versions now.

Correct... actually.. REALLY long ago I thought. That's why I'm holding onto mine.

That's pretty stunning customer "service" from ATS. At first I thought it was something lost in translation, but clearly... it's not. I'd send that onto someone else if possible within ATS, if they even care.

[Oh_My_VR6]

It might be outlandish to make such a request...

However, that shouldn't mean the customer service rep should be an ******* in his emails. That's the issue for me.

The solution is a rather simple one. Spend your money elsewhere and we'll have to wait and see how that customer service gets tuned up.

[Uberchad]

Hi Chad,
…..without further comments J
Note: These are “private” pictures and NOT for official use, so please do not spread them around!
Cheers,

Wow, I fell out of my chair and spit my chai on my god damned keyboard. They sent 2 photos of the 18" wheels in the box. I am amazed. I intend to respect their request of not making these photos public. If anyone needs to see them, PM me.