A set of wheels and tires from the factory costs somewhere around the vicinity of $86,000. Seriously. I checked. So that makes this random set of Bugatti Veyron rims and tires floating on eBay a relative bargain, with a starting bid at $30,000. Time to open up your wallets, kids.
Now you may be wondering just how in the world Bugatti wheels and the matching set of tires cost just that much. Sure, it's absurd, but by the numbers, the car itself costs somewhere north of $2,000,000, depending on how you'd like it. Bugatti will sell you a set of tires, created by Michelin specially for the Veyron, for just $17,000.
And the bog-standard wheels will set you back $69,000.
Oh, sir would like his wheels and tires separate? That'll cost you, too, as they rim-and-rubber combo needs to be returned to France, and you'll end up spending around $70,000 for the pleasure of getting those tires changed.
But if you're looking for some real, tangible reason as to why they cost so much from the factory, it's mostly down to two reasons:
1) Because they can. If you're the type of person to be spending millions on one car, it doesn't matter what a wheel costs. Such trifling thought experiments are for us plebs.
And
2) You try making a 4,160 pound car go over 250 miles per hour without the wheels falling off. Go ahead, try. I'll wait.
But say you're not the type of person to be spending millions on one car, but rather you're the type of person to be randomly in the market for Bugatti wheels. Whatever, I'm not judging. Stick them on your GTI, that's probably a good idea.
eBay user phenix129 (100% positive feedback!) has got the deal of the century for you. You can get this set of four, yes four, authentic Bugatti wheels and tires today.
They look to be from an earlier-model Bug, and in pretty good condition. Phenix129 says that the original owner bought a set of Sang Noir wheels when the car had done less than 1,000 miles, and thus they should be good as new.
Of course, you've got nothing to authenticate that they're real, other than the seller's word and their 100% rating, but hey, that's as good as gold, right? Or, well, as good as Bugatti wheels, since they seem to be worth more than their weight in gold.
So what do you do with a pair of Bugatti wheels once you've plunked down the cash?
Like I said, stick them on your GTI. When you curb them, you can call the insurance company and tell them the car was totaled.
(Note: don't actually do this.)
And if you didn't have incentive enough, free shipping!
Topshot credit: Flickr user Waaghals