New Z4 owner with a cracked alloy (326 type)

D

DreamchaserRoss

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

Anyway, here's my new Zed...

A7CA7F27-8C8E-4679-A32A-1A4012858553.jpg
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

61B45B8A-AEB8-47A4-A8F4-595EFFC6FC2F.jpg

Anyone had these replaced under warranty?
 
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.
 
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.
 
Can't help with your wheel issue. So I'll just add a welcome and wish you luck.

Good looking Zed by the way. :thumbsup:
 
Stark said:
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.
Click to expand...
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
 
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.
 
abeardo83 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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!
 
DreamchaserRoss said:
abeardo83 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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!
Click to expand...

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".
 
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 :thumbsdown:

I'm still going to take this as far as I possibly can, simply out of principle, and bad customer service!
 
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.
 
abeardo83 said:
DreamchaserRoss said:
abeardo83 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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!
Click to expand...

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".
Click to expand...
This is why I never get my car serviced at my dealer - bunch of w***er$
 
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.
 
lux said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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!!!
 
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... :x
 
Going to change my 326's and get something better with None RFT's.

I hit a pothole south bound on the A43 near the Green Man just past Silverstone at about 80mph. KER-BOOM!!!!!! Car shook and nearly lost control of it. Alloy seems OK.

The roads are a disgrace considering what tax we pay for the "privilege" of driving on them.
 
Ds233 said:
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!!!
Click to expand...

What wheels have you got? RFT?
 
Ds233 said:
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!!!
Click to expand...

Hi there,
The solution is running non run flats. End.

I was lucky enough (a few years after starting this thread), to stumble upon a set of 4 good used 326 alloys for dirt cheap! Anyway I fitted them and replaced all the useless run flats with Pirelli p zero non run flats, and almost two years later, not a single crack to be seen!
 
DreamchaserRoss said:
Ds233 said:
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!!!
Click to expand...

Hi there,
The solution is running non run flats. End.

I was lucky enough (a few years after starting this thread), to stumble upon a set of 4 good used 326 alloys for dirt cheap! Anyway I fitted them and replaced all the useless run flats with Pirelli p zero non run flats, and almost two years later, not a single crack to be seen!
Click to expand...

No it’s not, i replaced my rim crackers (runflats) with normal tyres & they still cracked!
The cure is to throw the 326 wheels in the skip & replace with items that aren’t made from reconstituted eggshells 🤨
Rob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom