Makaveli Wheels?
01-13-04, 05:48 PM
#31
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My Visit w/ the Makaveli Sales Manager
Well-
Had the chance to visit this Makaveli facility today and meet for a few minutes with the Sales Manager Mark. I will try my best to reiterate our conversation, as I asked questions that I thought might be most useful to the CL group. I will again restate that I am not a wheel expert, nor do I endorse their specific products, as I was on more of a general fact finding mission.
Firstly, the Commerce, California facilty is more of a warehouse and shipping point for their wheels and aftermarket accesories rather than an actual showroom. Makaveli exotic wheels (formed 5 months ago)is a spinoff company from their Matrix GR Motorsports, Inc.(in business 7 years), which offers a variety of products (exhaust kits, intakes, accessories...etc.) to the import car enthusiasts thru distibutors nationally. The Makaveli showroom is in the planning stages and should be open in the next 30-45 days in the greater Los Angeles area. Stay tuned as a follow up will be in order.
The wheels offered by this group are built to order similar to other manufacturers of three piece wheels. With the wide variety of styles, sizes and offsets this seems to be par for the course. But, the suprising news on that front was that all of the components (inner & outer rings-lips and centers) and built locally in the LA area. The net result being shorter lead times. How short you ask? According to Mark in as little as 7-10 days, after receipt of order and 50% deposit. Typical sales terms were 50% down with your order and the balance due COD. I know that sounds short, but I asked the same question twice and got the same answer.
Mark stated that the material used for the lips was 6061 Aluminum Heat treated to a T6 hardness, which is also stated in their literature. He expressed that other high end wheel manufaturers use that same material. I forgot to inquire about warranty issues, but I can inquire further if and when the need arises. (PM me for member questions and I'll do my best to get them answered)
All in all, the visit was plesant, and I stated my intentions as soon as Mark introduced himself. He was forthright with his answers, and I tried to remember to ask the most pressing questions that I thought may benefit CL the most. Regarding pictures of sample wheels there were none on site except for component parts of wheels that looked to be prototypes. I didn't think that they would be representative of their actual wheels. I also saw those basketball type wheels and was told they were for the upcoming NBA All Star game to be held at The Saples Center. That's all I know for now.
Doug
Had the chance to visit this Makaveli facility today and meet for a few minutes with the Sales Manager Mark. I will try my best to reiterate our conversation, as I asked questions that I thought might be most useful to the CL group. I will again restate that I am not a wheel expert, nor do I endorse their specific products, as I was on more of a general fact finding mission.
Firstly, the Commerce, California facilty is more of a warehouse and shipping point for their wheels and aftermarket accesories rather than an actual showroom. Makaveli exotic wheels (formed 5 months ago)is a spinoff company from their Matrix GR Motorsports, Inc.(in business 7 years), which offers a variety of products (exhaust kits, intakes, accessories...etc.) to the import car enthusiasts thru distibutors nationally. The Makaveli showroom is in the planning stages and should be open in the next 30-45 days in the greater Los Angeles area. Stay tuned as a follow up will be in order.
The wheels offered by this group are built to order similar to other manufacturers of three piece wheels. With the wide variety of styles, sizes and offsets this seems to be par for the course. But, the suprising news on that front was that all of the components (inner & outer rings-lips and centers) and built locally in the LA area. The net result being shorter lead times. How short you ask? According to Mark in as little as 7-10 days, after receipt of order and 50% deposit. Typical sales terms were 50% down with your order and the balance due COD. I know that sounds short, but I asked the same question twice and got the same answer.
Mark stated that the material used for the lips was 6061 Aluminum Heat treated to a T6 hardness, which is also stated in their literature. He expressed that other high end wheel manufaturers use that same material. I forgot to inquire about warranty issues, but I can inquire further if and when the need arises. (PM me for member questions and I'll do my best to get them answered)
All in all, the visit was plesant, and I stated my intentions as soon as Mark introduced himself. He was forthright with his answers, and I tried to remember to ask the most pressing questions that I thought may benefit CL the most. Regarding pictures of sample wheels there were none on site except for component parts of wheels that looked to be prototypes. I didn't think that they would be representative of their actual wheels. I also saw those basketball type wheels and was told they were for the upcoming NBA All Star game to be held at The Saples Center. That's all I know for now.
Doug
01-13-04, 05:53 PM
#32
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Great Post man, thanks for sharing. We may have a new wheel to consider with those types of turnaround times, also, if they have any....ahem.....'shady' practices like 'other' upstarte forged wheel companies, then we have a strong arm man in the area
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