I must put in a few centimes here. Ken's comment about accumulating costs is
quite true. The initial cost of junkyard wheels, as well as any wheels that
require center machining just represent the tip of the iceberg. The machining
costs incurred on the set of Audi 5000 Turbo alloys (Ronal R8), together with
the costs of wheel refinishing (I sandblasted off the old finish and
powder-coated the rims), adding new studs to the rear, and developing center
hole covers quickly brought the total to the cost of new SA rims. The spacers
for proper offset proved a trivial cost. This just a note to warn the
unsuspecting about quoted low-ball estimates often cited on the list and the
archives. BTW, my cost experience is detailed in a missive posted to the list
and to be found in the archives.

That said, the reason I felt justified in following the bleeding (or
Vanagon-like) cost profile with my wheels is that (frankly) the factory
wheels and the SA imports have a ghastly case of the uglies compared to the
Ronal R8 wheels. I thought the stock steel wheels with small hubcap looked
better and the wheel covers I used with my 14 inch stockers were excellent.
Of course, beauty and taste lie in the eye of the beholder as evidenced by
the fact the my SWMBO (gorgeous and dangerously intelligent) has put up with
me for more than 25 years!

Frank Grunthanerr