got a set of MV2 18" oem style 135 on my E60 and just want some new wheels.
was thinking of 18" style 172 but replicas, non oem.
any feedback from people who have gone that route? are they reliable?

style 172:

 

Best 172 reps I've seen so far, matter fact, I'm doubting this pic is a rep, looks like OEM to me, I've only ever seen 1 set of 172 reps before and they looked horrible. I wouldn't be surprised if someone bought these and received something other than what was pictured here. These just look too good.

 

the guys who work on my car for me advised against reps, they sell cars and have put rep wheels on a few e60's, problems with poor finish and cracking. probably best to try and buy a straight set of 2nd hand wheel and refurb

 

These do seem to be to good to be true, image above can't be distinguished from the real deal (at least not by me).
172's are complex and even as OEM known to bend on certain occasions, so better safe (and broke) than sorry with poor reps...

 

I checked out that website... those are genuine wheels:

Set of 4 Genuine BMW alloy wheels
We DO NOT sell any replica alloy wheels

Front alloy wheels: 19x8.5" ET18
Wheel part number: BMW 36118036948

Rear alloy wheels: 19x9.5" ET32
Wheel part number: BMW 36118036949

Alloy wheel finish type: BMW Silver

Warranty length: 2 years congruent with manufacturer's warranty terms and conditions

Caps: centre caps not included. Choose from the green section

 

actually the one in the photo, i just used as reference. it will not be that specific one.
perhaps i might just refurb my set, get them looking like new

 

Well then that makes sense, because the only set of 172 reps I'ver ever seen like I said were so bad that they couldn't be ran with OEM 172's, you'd have to but a full set they looked so different.

One of my 172'2 has some curbage and I would replace it with a rep, but it would look out of place, and I don't want to pay OEM prices for that wheel just because of some curbage. So I just live with it.

 

dunno where you are sd but there's a place outside belfast that do a great refurb job, they run about £100 a wheel but i've seen their work and it's impressive. i plan on getting two of mine done in the spring.

Nu-Luk Wheels.

 

i'm in Dublin so its not too far.
going to check them out perhaps they can do a nice gun metal finish

 

172s are 19" wheels, though, so if the ones you are looking at are really 18" wheels, they are replicas.

Replicas are weird. Not many of them are of high quality, because the manufacturers know they are dodging BMW on design rights and selling to people who are price shopping. With many of them, you get little vibrations that don't go away, no matter how many times you have them balanced. Thing is, you don't know if this is going to happen with yours until you own them.

Roll the dice?