New Z4 owner with a cracked alloy (326 type)

DreamchaserRoss · Post by **DreamchaserRoss** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:40 pm

Hi, I'm new to this forum and the world of Z4 ownership...

Anyway, here's my new Zed...

2012, 24k miles, 20i M sport

Unfortunately, I took it to a tyre shop the other day to have a tyre replaced before it's first MOT, and discovered that the N/S rear alloy had a crack in it... Of course I had it booked into bmw for it's MOT and they failed it based on the crack.

The service rep had informed me that bmw WILL NOT cover it under warranty as the 19inch alloys profile is too thin so they don't cover it (this is laughable). I spoke to customer services and highlighted the fact that I had seen on forums that they have re-manufactured this alloy so there should be a recall, but he outright denied that there was any issue.

Anyway I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing about these useless alloys... Here's a picture to add to the collection

Anyone had these replaced under warranty?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:08 pm

I had a few replaced under warranty, they do a rolling test and see how much the wheel is out by, they allow a max of 2mm. If it's within that they will replace it.

However if it's out of warranty now, and even if it has extended, it is not covered.

I had 5 x 326 wheels changed and 7 x 296 wheels changed.

Oakleyextreme · Post by **Oakleyextreme** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:13 pm

Hi and welcome to the zed forum.
There's a lot of people on here that can give u some good advice, I've not experienced wheel cracking as I'm running 18" wheels.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:25 pm

Can't help with your wheel issue. So I'll just add a welcome and wish you luck.

Good looking Zed by the way.

DreamchaserRoss · Post by **DreamchaserRoss** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:32 pm

Stark wrote:I had a few replaced under warranty, they do a rolling test and see how much the wheel is out by, they allow a max of 2mm. If it's within that they will replace it.

However if it's out of warranty now, and even if it has extended, it is not covered.

I had 5 x 326 wheels changed and 7 x 296 wheels changed.

Thanks for the replies guys!

I cannot believe you've had so many replaced?

I've been told by another bmw garage that the alloys are apparently warrantied for 5 years.. Also I informed them of this issue whilst the car was still in it's warranty, so technically I would expect them to have to honour it, provided that it passes a runout test!

I will say that it seems as If bmw are trying everything to get out of it, including trying to talk me out of risking having to pay them to do their runout test!

Has anyone had their alloys welded?

- I must add that it's a great car otherwise!

Thanks, Ross

abeardo83 · Post by **abeardo83** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:49 pm

I've had hell with them trying to get them to replace one under warranty. Wrote a letter to the CEO too, and still BMW UK told me to do one. I ended up having to pay for a new one. Bought some non-RFT tyres too, to try and help them out.

If I lose another wheel to cracking, i'll be buying some 18's.

DreamchaserRoss · Post by **DreamchaserRoss** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 7:35 pm

abeardo83 wrote:I've had hell with them trying to get them to replace one under warranty. Wrote a letter to the CEO too, and still BMW UK told me to do one. I ended up having to pay for a new one. Bought some non-RFT tyres too, to try and help them out.

If I lose another wheel to cracking, i'll be buying some 18's.

Did you get your alloys run-out checked? I've booked mine in for a runout test, but I'm afraid that even 'if' the alloy turns out to be within the correct ovality spec, they may still refuse to replace the alloy!

abeardo83 · Post by **abeardo83** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 8:14 pm

DreamchaserRoss wrote:
abeardo83 wrote:I've had hell with them trying to get them to replace one under warranty. Wrote a letter to the CEO too, and still BMW UK told me to do one. I ended up having to pay for a new one. Bought some non-RFT tyres too, to try and help them out.

If I lose another wheel to cracking, i'll be buying some 18's.
Did you get your alloys run-out checked? I've booked mine in for a runout test, but I'm afraid that even 'if' the alloy turns out to be within the correct ovality spec, they may still refuse to replace the alloy!

No. BMW UK flatly refused any assistance whatsoever. It's just ticked over 60,000miles, so they refused everything outright.
When I asked about a warranty claim on a new wheel, they said they would probably refuse that too as "there's nothing wrong with the wheels on the Z4".

DreamchaserRoss · Post by **DreamchaserRoss** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:44 pm

Yeah that's the exact same thing they said to me

I spoke to an executive at BMW customer services about my issue, and he said told me that "there is no problem with the alloys on the Z4, everything on the forums is exaggerated, and the car could've been raced hence the wheel being cracked"... Load of rubbish!

He also added that BMW would only have to replace my alloy If the alloys were re-manufactured which would indicate a problem. Funny thing is, I explained to him that it seems that they were indeed re-manufactured based on a few pictures I've seen online, and a Z4 I looked at before I bought mine, had two of the new type alloys on the rear, which were distinctively different from the front alloys! I then offered to email him the picture I was looking at of the two different alloys and he said he didn't want to see it and my alloys were not covered LOL

I'm still going to take this as far as I possibly can, simply out of principle, and bad customer service!

lux · Post by **lux** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:58 pm

To be honest that alloy has a dirty great scuff on it that looks to me as though its taken a hit, in which case no fault with the wheel.
I've had my 326's for nearly three years and no problems at all.

matthurley · Post by **matthurley** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:37 pm

abeardo83 wrote:
DreamchaserRoss wrote:
abeardo83 wrote:I've had hell with them trying to get them to replace one under warranty. Wrote a letter to the CEO too, and still BMW UK told me to do one. I ended up having to pay for a new one. Bought some non-RFT tyres too, to try and help them out.

If I lose another wheel to cracking, i'll be buying some 18's.
Did you get your alloys run-out checked? I've booked mine in for a runout test, but I'm afraid that even 'if' the alloy turns out to be within the correct ovality spec, they may still refuse to replace the alloy!
No. BMW UK flatly refused any assistance whatsoever. It's just ticked over 60,000miles, so they refused everything outright.
When I asked about a warranty claim on a new wheel, they said they would probably refuse that too as "there's nothing wrong with the wheels on the Z4".

This is why I never get my car serviced at my dealer - bunch of w****r$

abeardo83 · Post by **abeardo83** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 10:14 pm

I've just had a new one on the front, and the new one hasn't been remodelled. It's just as thin as the one it replaced. Looks like they only beefed up the rears.

Dryce · Post by **Dryce** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:35 pm

lux wrote:To be honest that alloy has a dirty great scuff on it that looks to me as though its taken a hit, in which case no fault with the wheel.
I've had my 326's for nearly three years and no problems at all.

I think the varying experiences have nothing to do with driving style - simply the roads on which they are regularly used. If your regular routes are ones that provide the right circumstances for the damage to occur then it's only a matter of time. Not much an owner can do about it.

We've had two failures, one well before 30,000 and one just after. Most of the mileage is on the motorway. The rest is mainly suburban at suburban speeds.

My view is the wheels are so vulnerable that they are not adequately specified.

Also bear in mind that the likely margins on these wheels are such that BMW could likely offer a 50% goodwill programme to smooth the problem over and probably not lose money (and not lose customers). But as things stand they probably figure they can brazen it out, blame the customer, and profit from replacements.

Ds233 · Post by **Ds233** » Mon May 20, 2019 7:51 am

I'm going to bring this back up because my Z4 is starting to cost me an absolute fortune. I spend more money on getting new wheels and tyres than anything else. I have had to replace my rear wheels on my car every 3_6 months. BMW flat out refused to admit there was a problem.iv been told by another wheel and tyre specialist it's a very common problem with this car and it's to do with the run flats that are on the car. They dont have much play and the wheel takes the full impact of every pothole.
It's an absolute liberty that I keep having to replace them to the point I'm not enjoying the car anymore.
BMW just refuse there is a problem and say its pothole damage. £1600 everytime I need to get two rear wheels.
If something isnt sorted soon I will be moving away from BMW and never using them again!!!

clarker63 · Post by **clarker63** » Mon May 20, 2019 8:55 am

As has been said, try running non runflats (although I've not moved off them), or its cheaper to get some different wheels... or move down to the oem 18" wheels. No point spending £1600 when you can get 4 nice wheels for about £800. Plenty advice on this website about replacing wheels. You're not going to get very far with BMW I'm afraid...

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