Nefarious Racing

Rota Wheels Review: Are They Good, Bad Or Just Cheap Reps?

Rota Wheels Review Thumbnail

There are probably few wheel brands out there that have cause more controversy over the years than Rota.

No matter where you go, if you mention the name Rota you will immediately get lectured on just how bad they are, and how you will crash into a school bus and hurt a bunch of kids when they inevitably break and fall off. Despite this, they are still extremely popular.

How is this possible? Are they really that bad? How could a wheel company survive so long if they made such bad products and with such a reputation?

In this post, I’m going to cover Rota in detail to answer the question of just how good (or bad) their wheels actually are.

A Bit Of History On Rota Wheels

Rota was founded in 1976 as a joint venture between an Italian wheel company called FPS and Romero Rojas, a Filipino entrepreneur called who was already selling automotive parts and wheels in the Philippines.

A year later they had their first client who was actually DSM (the Chrysler-Mitsubishi partnership) who made the popular Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Mitsubishi chose one of the original Rota wheel designs to be the official wheel of the Celeste Sports Coupe.

Volkswagen, Opel, Isuzu, Mercedes-Benz, Datsun and Ford all had Selected Rota Italia (as it was called then) as their official wheel supplier.

A few years later, FPS pulled out of the partnership which left Romero in full charge of the company, and he renamed it to Philippine Alloy Wheels Inc (PAWI), and the brand was changed from Rota Italia to Rota.

Around this time, the Philippines was having a big growth in its car market, which was perfect timing for brands selling accessories like wheels which were growing more and more popular. Rota quickly grew and became one of the most popular wheel brands on the planet.

Along with aftermarket wheels, PAWI make wheels for the majority of the Philipine auto industry and for brands including Mistubishi, Nissan, Toyota, Ford and Mazda.

Rota wheels are now distributed to 17 countries and they make 1000-2000 wheels per day. Over the years they have also had partnerships with a number of other wheels companies including Enkei.

How Rota Wheels Are Made

Rota wheels are currently made using two different methods, gravity casting and flow forming, depending on the wheel model.

Low Pressure Gravity Cast

Low pressure gravity casting is a process that involves pouring molten alloy into a mold in the shape of the wheel. Once the alloy is cooled, the mold is removed and the wheel is then cleaned up, trimmed and finished including PCD drilling and powder coating.

Low pressure gravity casting is a very common method for wheel manufacturing because it is quick, cheap and easy.

Many OEM and aftermarket manufacturers use this method for these reasons, and it allows them to sell wheels relatively cheaply.

The downsides of cast wheels is that they are heavier and weaker than wheels made using other methods.

Flow Formed

A few years ago Rota released a line of wheels made using flow forming. The initial flow formed models were a version of the famous Rota Grid, and another split 7 spoke design that Rota says is “European style inspired”.

Flow forming is a technique where the center of the wheel is cast, with excess material for the barrel. Once the casting is done, the wheel is put on a machine and spun at high speeds which heat is applied, and rollers apply pressure to the excess material to form the barrel.

This process results in a much more consistent grain structure in the metal, and the wheel is both lighter and stronger than a regular cast wheel. Many companies use this method to produce high quality wheels including Enkei, Konig and Kansei.

Are Rota Wheels Reps?

This is the issue that many people take up with Rota and the reason why so many people dislike them.

Rota wheels are well known for producing wheels that look practically identical to many other popular wheel brands such as Volk, Work, Enkei and 5Zigen, putting them square in the middle of the “rep wheel brand” category.

However, Rota don’t see it this way.

Addressing this issue, Micheal Rojas, the president of Rota wheels, released a statement to Top Gear Philippines claiming that they use a “20% rule” and that they don’t “carbon copy” any wheel. Apparently, the 20% rule is the rule of thumb for many industries and that their products must be at least 20% different to other products, and that if they can’t find a way to make it better, they won’t make it.

He claims:

“It has to be different by around 20%. But looking back, everybody really just copied everyone. Like the mesh design… everybody has a mesh. Who is to say who copied what? Same goes for the spoke, the star, the dish.”

While there is some truth to his point, clearly many people do not agree, and anyone with eyes can clearly see that their wheels are definitely “based on” other wheel brands. Here are a couple of examples:

Rota Attack VS Gram Lights 57cz

Rota Attack VS Gram Lights 57CZ

Rota WTC VS 5Zigen ZR+520

Rota WTC VS 5Zigen ZR+520

Rota Grid VS Volk TE37

Rota Grid VS Volk TE37

Rota Fighter VS Volk CE28N

Rota Fighter VS Volk CE28N

Rota GKR VS Enkei NT03+M

Rota GKR VS Enkei NT03+M

What’s also interesting to consider is that Rota’s wheels are cast, but the designs they copy are usually forged.

Because forging allows you to make unique designs that cast wheels cannot be made into safely, the cast version will have to have added material to the design to make it strong enough. Perhaps this is where that 20% Michael Rojas claims comes into play, as technically, they have to make these “improvements” in order for the wheels to not break when using those designs. That doesn’t mean they don’t look exactly alike, though.

What’s also funny, and rather ironic, is that other even cheaper rep wheel brands started copying Rotas, which prompted Rota to made a public announcement a few years ago warning people not to buy the fake Rotas. I guess that’s when you know you’ve made it as a wheel company.

Are Rota Wheels Safe?

All this begs the question, are Rota wheels actually safe?

The answer might surprise you.

Yes, Rota wheels are safe.

Despite the copied wheel designs, Rota wheels are actually quite good quality, and they are JWL and VIA certified, as well as being able to pass TUV certification in Germany.

What this means is that their wheels have to go through a series of safety tests to prove the wheels are actually strong enough and meet a certain standard.

Along with this, their wheels have been used for many forms of motorsport from drifting to amateur rally, hillclimbs, drag racing and more.

Keiichi Tsuchiya, a famous Japanese race car driver known as “The Drift King” personally endorses Rota and has used their wheels on a number of his cars.

Rotas are also used as the control wheel for a number of racing series including the Lotus Elise Trophy Championship, Ma5da MX5 Championship and more.

Rota also still makes OEM wheels for a number of brands including Nissan, Mitsubishi Ford, Mazda and Toyota. These companies would not put poor quality wheels on their cars which were likely to break, as that could lead to lawsuits and serious problems for their brand image.

Here’s a good video that shows Rota’s wheel testing at their facility:

So Why Do People Hate on Rotas So Much?

It’s because of the copied wheel designs.

“Fake wheels” have long been ridiculed and ostracised in the car community for a number of reasons.

The biggest reason is because many of the companies that make rep wheels make them using cheap materials and methods, which often results in poor quality wheels that break. Not only that, but they often make them using casting while ripping off forged wheel designs, which cannot be safely done (as I mentioned earlier).

Then you have the moral issue of copying the designs that another company spend a lot of time and money to R&D and engineer. Many people don’t want to support these practices, and in many ways I agree with this.

Then you also have the “wheel snobs” who don’t want to hear about anything other than the top brands and quickly rubbish anything new or cheap, especially if they copy wheel designs.

Unfortunately the way that Rota went about making their wheels ticked many of these boxes and they ended up on the wrong site of a lot of people, which resulted in their poor reputation and bad comments everywhere you turned.

The reality is that the quality of their wheels is not in question, and even many people who don’t like them will admit this, it’s just that they are blatantly copying other people’s designs.

Popular Rota Wheels

Grid (TE37 Replica)

Rota Grid Wheel

Slipstream

Rota Slipstream Wheel

GTR

Rota GTR Wheel

Fighter (CE28 Replica)

Rota Fighter Wheel

Rota HM3

Rota HM3 Wheel

Rota Shakotan

Rota Shakotan Wheel

4×100 Rota Wheels

Rota make a large selection of wheels in 4×100 PCD including:

  • Slipstream
  • Force
  • K7
  • Speciale
  • D154
  • Torque
  • GTR
  • Grid
  • Grid-V
  • Titan
  • And more

5×114.3 Rota Wheels

Rota make a wide range of wheels with 5×114.3 PCD including:

  • Slipstream
  • Force
  • Torque
  • GTR
  • Grid
  • Grid-V
  • Grid Max
  • Titan
  • GKR
  • Strike
  • SS10
  • And more

5×100 Rota Wheels

Rota made a wide selection of wheels with a PCD of 5×100 including:

  • Slipstream
  • Force
  • GKR
  • D154
  • Torque
  • GTR
  • Grid
  • Titan
  • Fighter
  • GRA
  • MXR
  • Reeve
  • Recce
  • PWR
  • And more

18″ Rota Wheels

The majority of Rota wheels are available in 18” diameters including:

  • Slipstream
  • Force
  • GKR
  • Force
  • D154
  • SS10
  • GTR
  • Grid
  • Titan
  • Fighter
  • GRA
  • ProR
  • And more

Conclusion – Should You Buy Rota Wheels?

If you are after affordable wheels that are good quality and proven to be durable, and you don’t mind the fact that they are mostly rip off designs, there is nothing wrong with Rota wheels.

Rota make good quality cast and flow formed wheels which are JWL and VIA certified and will pass TUV (important for those of you in Germany and other European countries), making them one of the better low priced wheel options.

Many people worldwide use them for both street and track use and they have proven to be tough and hold up to the stress and abuse, which is actually pretty impressive for cast wheels.

The only reason they got a lot of hate (which has mostly died down now anyway) is because they were blatantly copying popular wheel designs.

If that doesn’t bother you, and you are just after affordable wheels which look decent and are good quality, Rota is actually one of your better options.

FAQ About Rota Wheels

Are Rota Wheels Bad?

No, Rota wheels are not bad. In fact, in terms of quality, Rota wheels are actually quite good, and are definitely one of the better low priced wheel options on the market.

Are Rota Wheels Reps/Fake/Knock Offs?

Yes, Rota wheels are rep wheels. The vast majority of Rota wheels are clearly copies of designs from other wheel brands such as BBS, Volk, Enkei, Work, 5Zigen and more. However, Rota do not claim to be the other brands, they always brand their wheels as Rota, they just use the same looking design.

Are Rota Wheels Good Quality?

Yes, Rota wheels are actually good quality and are JWL and VIA certified. They are one of the better lower priced wheel brands that make good quality wheels that are commonly used on both street and track.

Does Rota Make Original Wheels?

Yes, Rota do make some original wheels, but the vast majority of the wheel designs are copies of other brands such as Volk, Work, Enkei, BBS and more.

How to Spot Fake Rota Wheels?

Fake Rota wheels have the rota logo embossed on the spokes (real Rotas don’t) and they usually come in plain brown boxes whereas real Rotas come in branded boxes. Also, fake Rotas tend to come from China and get distributed through Malaysia.

Where Are Rota Wheels Made?

Rota wheels are all made in the Philippines at the Rota manufacturing facility.

Are Rota Wheels Cast Or Forged?

Rota wheels are either cast or Flow Formed, with most of their wheels being cast. Rota do not many any truly forged wheels.

Are Rota Wheels Heavy?

Most Rota wheels are cast so they are going to be more heavy than flow formed or forged wheels, however they are no heavier than other cast wheels and often comparable in weight to the same sized OEM wheel. The exact weight is going to depend on the wheel model and size.

Can You Paint Rota Wheels?

Yes, you can paint Rota wheels. Depending on the factory finish, you may need to strip it down in order for the new paint to stick correctly.

Do Rota Wheels Come With Center Caps?

Yes, Rota wheels come with center caps, usually the raised Moda caps.

How Are Rota Wheels Made?

Most Rota wheels are made using low pressure gravity casting. Rota do also have a wheel line that is made using flow forming.

How Much Do Rota Wheels Weigh?

The weight of a Rota wheel is going to depend on the exact model and size, but Rota wheels typically weight similar to that of a cast OEM wheel of the same size. The flow formed Rota wheels will weigh less than the regular Rota wheels.

Is Rota Wheels China?

No, Rota is not from China. Rota is from the Philippines and all their wheels are made in the Philippines.

Why Are Rota Wheels Expensive?

Rota wheels are not expensive. Rota wheels are actually a low priced affordable wheel option, especially when compared to many other wheel brands.

Why Are Rota Wheels So Badly Made?

Rota wheels are not actually badly made. In terms of quality, Rota wheels are well made and have proven to be strong enough even for track use. They are also JWL and VIA certified.

Why Are Rota Wheels So Wide?

Many Rota wheels are made in wide widths to accommodate people trying to get a certain wheel fitment or run wide body kits. However, you can get Rota wheels in many different widths including more narrow widths that fit regular cars.

Is Rota a Philippine brand?

Yes, Rota is a Philippine brand, they are based in the Philippines and make all their wheels there.

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