R82k extra for a set of Mercedes-Benz wheels? Haibo!

Being one of the most desirable brands in the motoring world, a Mercedes-Benz doesn’t come cheap. And if the top AMG offers from the three-pointed star isn’t enough already to make the average motorist gasp for air, the number of zeros on some of the optional extras will leave most in total disbelief.

One option popular among buyers is upgrading the car’s wheels. It doesn’t matter how big the rims are when the vehicle rolls off the assembly line, there is almost always a bigger option. At a premium of course.

Mercede-AMG recently rolled out the performance model of its big daddy SUV, the GLS 63, fitted with 21-inch alloys. Make no mistake, these rims are really stylish and bigger than the wheels of 99.9% of all cars on the road already. But just in case your neighbour on the opposite side of your lake-facing golf estate also opts for the GLS 63, there is a way to make sure you stand out. Retro-styled 23-inch monobloc rims.

At R72 000, you can have them in black, or at R82 000 extra, you can have them in a choice of chrome. No, it wasn’t a typo, both amounts feature three zeros. And in fact, that is what you pay in extra along with swapping out the factory wheels. If the standard 21-inch alloys are just worth R20 000, the chrome monoblocs cost at least R102 000 on their own.

Silver monoblocs can be swapped for black wheels on the GLS 63.

With the car’s price tag being R3 178 120, you could argue that R82k is only around 2.5% of the car’s value, but for the average motorist, that is a lot of money. In fact, a quick search in pre-owned online showrooms found a 2016 Hyundai i10 with less than 50 000km selling for R80 000.

This little hatchback is in fact a very decent buy, which makes the price tag on the Mercedes-AMG wheels if you think about it. But then again, what would have street credit in Snoop Dogg music video, an i10 or a GLS with monoblocs?

The monobloc option might be an extreme example of optional wheels, but the average optional wheel on offer on some new cars are usually a five-figure amount, if not a few dozen thousand.

We have looked new car brochures and online configurators to get some more examples of really pricey wheels. And looking at what percentage the cost of the wheels is, the Mercedes’s 2.5% is actually par for the course.

R84 600 (3.3% of car’s value)

Optional retro wheels available for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Should you really not like the 21-inch standard wheels of the R2 548 000 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, you are really spoilt for choice with no less than 13 other options. The most expensive option is the 22-inch Cayenne Sport Classic, which available in either high-gloss black or the vehicle’s exterior colour.

R39 900 (2.6% of car’s value)

Touareg’s optional Suzuka alloys

When buying the flagship R1 499 100 VW Touareg in Executive guise, 20-inch Braga rims are included in the deal. But if you plan to attract more attention, then the 21-inch Suzuka dark Graphite/diamond-turned, Volkswagen R will the trick.

R35 500 (4.2% of car’s value)

The 20-inch Audi Sport wheels of the A5

On the Audi A5 S line, you can choose to upgrade the standard 18-inch rim size to 19-inch or 20-inch. The 20-inch option is called Audi Sport Alloy wheels, which are five-double spoke polygon style, black, diamond turned. A very expensive option on car worth R826 000.

R32 700 (1.4% of car’s value)

Standard 21-inch but optional 22-inch wheels are the choices for the BMW X7 M

If you don’t like the double-spoke style 21-inch rims when you fork out just under R2.2-million for a BMW X7 M model, you are welcome to upgrade. The 22-inch Y-spoke style rims are the most expensive option on offer.

R30 500 (2.5% of car’s value)

Standard wheels are 20-inches but optional are 21 and 22-inches.

The Volvo XC90, which starts at R1 185 300, comes leaves the assembly line with 20-inch alloy wheels. There are a selection of 21-inch or 22-inch on offer as alternative, of which the 22-inch in black diamond cut seems a fitting choice.