Wheel centre caps? Advice, please ...

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 12:46 pm

Just coming from a Porsche 911 - yes, major cylinder 6 damage - to buy a Z4 35iS DCT.
The Z4 needs new wheel centre caps.
So, please tell me ... do I do what most 911 owners do and buy copies off eBay because the originals are silly money or is it a matter of a visit to my local BMW authorised dealer?

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:08 pm

Hi, I get cheap ones from ebay & renew them every year or when they start looking scabby

Now post some pics of your new zed

Rob

RickRob · Post by **RickRob** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:13 pm

The cheap ones don't always fit that well. They don't fall out but they do rotate, so if you go for those be prepared to do some "packing" . My. Heap ones are, however, now 2 years' old and still look new.

NickDE · Post by **NickDE** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 4:39 pm

RickRob wrote: They don't fall out but they do rotate

How did you find out ? Do you drive along hanging out of the window to watch your centre caps ?

I also use ebay specials, no problems so far

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:11 pm

NickDE wrote:
RickRob wrote: They don't fall out but they do rotate
How did you find out ? Do you drive along hanging out of the window to watch your centre caps ?

I also use ebay specials, no problems so far

I know my "Ebay specials" rotate, because I lined them up in relation to the valve stems when fitting, and now they are no longer aligned. Plus, they rattle a little bit.

I solved by putting a dab of clear silicone on the clips when refitting, which solved the problem.

Mike

Stuartt · Post by **Stuartt** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:33 pm

I've just fitted these ones
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... ID=EBAY-GB

And they fit really tight even though they only have the 5 tabs, for some reason the listing has changed to carbon badges but mine were blue and white.

Stuart

ben g · Post by **ben g** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:38 pm

I've had the eBay specials and decided to shell out for OEM ones after having to replace them twice. I think they were about £34 for 4, so not too bad.

NickDE · Post by **NickDE** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:43 pm

Ducklakeview wrote:I lined them up in relation to the valve stems when fitting, and now they are no longer aligned.

Now I'm going to have to check the alignment on mine in the morning. So only 16 wheels to check. Car OCD gets me every time

RickRob · Post by **RickRob** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 6:15 pm

Ducklakeview wrote:
NickDE wrote:
RickRob wrote: They don't fall out but they do rotate
How did you find out ? Do you drive along hanging out of the window to watch your centre caps ?

I also use ebay specials, no problems so far

I know my "Ebay specials" rotate, because I lined them up in relation to the valve stems when fitting, and now they are no longer aligned. Plus, they rattle a little bit.

I solved by putting a dab of clear silicone on the clips when refitting, which solved the problem.

Mike

I wish that I'd thought of that. It would have saved a lot of driving whilst hanging out of the window!

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:53 pm

Smartbear wrote:Hi, I get cheap ones from ebay & renew them every year or when they start looking scabby
Now post some pics of your new zed
Rob

Will do my best.

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:56 pm

Busterboo wrote:
Smartbear wrote:Hi, I get cheap ones from ebay & renew them every year or when they start looking scabby
Now post some pics of your new zed
Rob

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Sun Nov 27, 2016 6:27 am

Very nice, like the wheels

Rob

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:47 pm

On my previous E89 the original centre caps were replaced by the dealer pre warranty expiry because they went scabby !

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:02 am

It's all relative... a full set of genuine ones is about £40 from a dealer. Which I bet is a shitload cheaper than Porsche ones

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:35 am

Bing wrote:It's all relative... a full set of genuine ones is about £40 from a dealer. Which I bet is a shitload cheaper than Porsche ones

About a hundred quid.

A hundred quid cheaper, that is.

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