These 108s

Q

quincy

New member
Don't get it. What's the point of the split rims ?
They seem to corrode badly compared with other wheels and I don't care much for the look of all the bolt holes but I know that's a very personal thing.
The wheel can't be as strong as a conventional alloy surely ?
Willing to be converted if somebody would kindly explain !
 
Depending on manufacturing techniques, a split rim can actually be much stronger than a forged rim. You can introduce significant stress concentrations and micro defects when forging a single piece of metal into a deep dish shape like a wheel. Also, a properly designed bolted join will be just as strong if not stronger than the base material. It is not uncommon to see mechanical failures in which the bolted joint survives in tact, but the part fails in some other area.

All of this said, I am sure that the 108 design is just a matter of style, and IMHO, it is the best looking factory wheel available for the Z4! :thumbsup:
 
Welcome quincy
Do you have a Zed, prospective buyer, interested?

The 108's are without doubt one of the most beautiful wheels that BMW has ever fitted to a car, the combination of lightweight cast inner 'star', polished outer and machined inner, but of course it all personal opinion. :)

Manufactured by BBS I'm put my life on them being of the highest quality and equally strong/light as 'normal' rims
 
I'm 50:50 on them.

If the didn't corrode I'd be sold, but that simple fact makes doing anything with them then twice as hard as they need splitting/refinishing differently, etc...

I'm still swininging from buying 107's or keeping my 108's on a daily basis :lol:
 
Totally agree that they have their downsides of corrosion and more expensive to maintain.

Guess if we wanted the easiest to maintain, low cost and durable, we'd have silver steel wheels
 
They do have alot of holes/gaps to clean around/in to get properly clean too, and considering their sensitivity to not been clean, not cleaning them right is just leaving yourself open to pain. I've got two coats of wax on mine now, and going for a 3rd today, just to keep the dirt out!

107's in comparison are just all flat surfaces bar the few holes around the wheel studs. So easy to keep clean or fix.

Sometimes 108's look great, other times they look too fussy, while the 107's can look too plain :rofl:


I canny make my mind up. BUT, I've seen bugger all 107's on cars for sale or for sale on eBay etc, so they are the rarer wheel I think... which is a nice thing.

Dave
 
Welcome to the forum Quincy.

I agree that the 108's are the best looking factory wheel for the Z4. Although i can't comment on the corrosion as i've only had the car around 5 months and it's a 2008 model so i'm expecting them to stay fine for quite a while.
 
Thanks for the welcome chaps.
Interesting comments about the 108s - I just wonder whether those different metals and differently processed aluminium components in close proximity and in the presence of wet road salt might not be a disastrous recipe for corrosion.......
I'm looking to buy a used Z4. My local dealer tells me the new model will be in the showroom (in England) on May 7th, I wonder if there will be a big fall in used prices after then, so maybe I should wait a bit ?
 
quincy said:
Thanks for the welcome chaps.
Interesting comments about the 108s - I just wonder whether those different metals and differently processed aluminium components in close proximity and in the presence of wet road salt might not be a disastrous recipe for corrosion.......
I'm looking to buy a used Z4. My local dealer tells me the new model will be in the showroom (in England) on May 7th, I wonder if there will be a big fall in used prices after then, so maybe I should wait a bit ?
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Yes - of course it's a recipe for corrosion with the polished lip, diamond cut inner face and the gap betwen the 2 parts to trap salt, water and dirt. A price to pay if you want them over single piece wheel.

Prices dropping. Well IMHO the biggest falls have already taken place on the majority of the range driven by worries over tax, fuel prices, economy and recession. Perhaps the newer models will drop a bit with a new launch, but in reality I think they are there or thereabouts now and may even see slight increases/firming as the Spring weather causes buying of softtops. If any of us could predict it we'd be minted from trading :)
 
Mr Whippy said:
They do have alot of holes/gaps to clean around/in to get properly clean too, and considering their sensitivity to not been clean, not cleaning them right is just leaving yourself open to pain. I've got two coats of wax on mine now, and going for a 3rd today, just to keep the dirt out!

107's in comparison are just all flat surfaces bar the few holes around the wheel studs. So easy to keep clean or fix.

Sometimes 108's look great, other times they look too fussy, while the 107's can look too plain :rofl:


I canny make my mind up. BUT, I've seen bugger all 107's on cars for sale or for sale on eBay etc, so they are the rarer wheel I think... which is a nice thing.

Dave
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107's aren't that easy to clean :? The slot between the triangles is a pain in the rear and getting behind the big spokes isn't easy either. :headbang:

Plus they can't look too plain, they're far too "unique" looking. They're a bit of a marmite wheel but I love them, I just can't think of another car they'd possibly look good on though.
 
Herminator said:
Mr Whippy said:
They do have alot of holes/gaps to clean around/in to get properly clean too, and considering their sensitivity to not been clean, not cleaning them right is just leaving yourself open to pain. I've got two coats of wax on mine now, and going for a 3rd today, just to keep the dirt out!

107's in comparison are just all flat surfaces bar the few holes around the wheel studs. So easy to keep clean or fix.

Sometimes 108's look great, other times they look too fussy, while the 107's can look too plain :rofl:


I canny make my mind up. BUT, I've seen bugger all 107's on cars for sale or for sale on eBay etc, so they are the rarer wheel I think... which is a nice thing.

Dave
Click to expand...

107's aren't that easy to clean :? The slot between the triangles is a pain in the rear and getting behind the big spokes isn't easy either. :headbang:

Plus they can't look too plain, they're far too "unique" looking. They're a bit of a marmite wheel but I love them, I just can't think of another car they'd possibly look good on though.
Click to expand...

I think everything balanced the 107's are my preference. It's just getting a hold of some for decent money. Looks like new ones might be the sensible direction, my wallet is going to feel pain soon I fear :cry:

When I said plain I meant next to the fussy 108's, which are quite 'flash', the 107's are subtle but good looking and match the Bangle flaming perfectly imho!


I'd just drop the 107's off for a full wash every 3 months or so, then LOTS of wax. The problem with the 108's is every single bolt hole round the edge, then the gap between the inner and outer gets dirt in it... to clean them well takes a fair old while really...
 
I actually started on the 107's and changed them to 108's. Sat next to the X5 which has it's not disimilar wheels they just looked a bit plain and dated to me and didn't 'lift' the Zed.

DSCN0531.jpg


DSCN0328.jpg


DSC02592.jpg


This is though, the beauty of wheels and thank goodness everyone likes different, so our cars don't all look the same :)
 
cj10jeeper said:
This is though, the beauty of wheels and thank goodness everyone likes different, so our cars don't all look the same :)
Click to expand...
Completely agree :thumbsup:

I'm a big fan of the 108s despite the corrosion issues. Like Dave (My Whippy) I'm swinging between keeping my 108s or looking for a set of 107s. Personally I prefer the 108s but the simplicity of the 107s appeals too. Argh, we'll see LOL.

I find the 108s easy to clean though - cheap soft brush from tesco for the insides, sponge for the outsides, and a paintbrush into the 80(!) bolt holes, job done :D
 
cj10jeeper said:
DSC02592.jpg
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cj10jeeper... is this your Zed?? Looks the b*ll*cks :thumbsup:
Having seen this i reckon i'll get a pair of 108s as well. Do yours have the anthracite centre??
 
srhutch said:
JayT said:
cj10jeeper said:
DSC02592.jpg
Click to expand...

cj10jeeper... is this your Zed?? Looks the b*ll*cks :thumbsup:
Having seen this i reckon i'll get a pair of 108s as well. Do yours have the anthracite centre??
Click to expand...

a pair of 108's?

that would look interesting :poke:
Click to expand...

Haha... yeah i was planning on keeping my 103s on the front and putting a 'pair' of 108s on the rear :oops:
 
Yeah - that's my baby :thumbsup:

The wheels look so much better now than in that photo. The rotors have cleaned up (they came black painted) and I've not got mud on the tyres now..lol

The rims are a DIY Project (write up elsewhere ont he board) but in essence the centre starts are smoked chrome. IIRC back coated then wet spray paint in chrome then lacquer.
 
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