There is certainly a market out there for those who wish to buy cheap custom wheels. There is the used market, the black market, and the market that really has sub-standard custom wheels. What then makes the custom wheels so cheap? It could be that there is a crack or problem with the way the wheel was molded. Sometimes errors occur while at the plant, there might have been air or other alloys that might have contaminated it. Although the wheel seems perfect, its durability has been compromised. Rarely do manufacturers sell these for to do so means that they are inviting the owner to die or get hurt due to faulty equipment. Sometimes you can find cheap custom wheels in your local junk shop but they may be mis-matched or not fit your vehicle at all.
Sometimes these custom wheels come cheap if the manufacturer is introducing them into the market and needs to gather a market share or group of supporters. Sometimes freebies like repair equipment is given but the price is brought down to attract more customers. After a while, the prices are brought back to their actual market value.
Another reason why there are cheap custom wheels is that there is a surplus of a type of wheel and dealers can’t find ways to dispose of them so they just sell them as a bundle with other items. This does not mean that the quality is compromised. It just means that it is not selling anymore. It could be due to social pressure, culture or other factors.
Vehicle owners also have to decide what they mean by cheap. Cheap for some people may mean spending under 50 dollars while some consider cheap a few hundred dollars. But normally when the word cheap custom wheels are mentioned, one always assumes that there is something wrong with the product.
Buying custom wheels online may be considered cheap since customers can buy directly from the manufacturer and this cuts out of the middleman. Taxes may also be shaved off since customers nowadays can buy and have it shipped for free provided they fall within the approved location.
So by cheap custom wheels, it depends where you buy them and if there are any defects that may come with it.