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So, 2 weeks after buying my new pride and joy some absolute unmentionable has had ago at stealing one of my alloy wheels. Obviously they struggled with the security nut and must have called it quits.

However I must take some responsibility for what happened next...

I drove the car for about 15 miles with loose nuts, and by the time I was sure something was wrong (I'm running BMW 326 with RFT's so its bumpy at the best of times) the lug holes on one of my wheels are now ovalised.

What i'm after from you lovely people, are some recommendations of what to do next. Is it possible to get these wheels repaired (the garage says it isn't), get a new single 326 wheel, or get a whole new set of wheels. Bear in mind i'm only two weeks after buying the car so i'm not exactly flush with cash.

Any and all responses gratefully accepted!

Hi,

Sorry to hear of your wheel problem thanks to some little scrote.

I don't think the average wheel refurbishment companies are going to be much help with repairing damage to the mounting holes, however any good local engineering company should be able to repair your wheels inside the wheel nut recesses so you won't even need to get it repainted.

The existing holes need to be machined out to a larger size on a milling machine, with a counterbore added to clean up the original tapered clamping face for the wheel nut/bolt. A machined top hat shaped insert (from billet aluminium) can then be fitted into the enlarged holes (perhaps as a shrink fit and with an engineering adhesive), before the original hole detail is remachined into the insert.

The machine shop will probably also need one of your good wheels to make some measurements from before starting the work.

Chris