What's the state of play with cracked alloys nowadays?
- Thread starter Disca
- Start date
Linzi_m said:I've asked them for my original wheel back, they weren't happy about it, but I pointed out that if they weren't paying for it on warranty then it's still mine. They asked what I wanted it for - I told them I'm putting it under the electron microscope at work to look at the fracture faces and prove that it's a manufacturer defect, not an impact defect (don't mess with an engineer that deals with fracture!).... they went quiet at that point
I may look at getting it repaired but am about to switch to a set of new tyres which will hopefully solve it once and for all.....
Thank goodness somebody has done this
I hope you'll let us know what you find please.
I had 2 cracked wheels on my 2011 Z4 35i a while back outside of warranty. Mot 2015 and 2016 it passed, then at 28k miles 2 cracked wheels. I had them welded and refinished. they lasted to the next MOT until 33k miles and failed the 2017 MOT.
I was offered a pair of rears for £1100 but looked at a set of BBS CH rims. full set delivered was just over £1,400. then i sold the original set for £700 with cracks disclosed to the buyer. When you see how thin the inner rim side wall is its no wonder compared to the BBS.
on the MY 2013, a friend of mine with his 35iS fails the MOT with one cracked rim. they did the out of round test and it passed. He was fortunate that they changed the wheel under warranty. that had covered 28K miles.
They are just s**t wheels!
I was offered a pair of rears for £1100 but looked at a set of BBS CH rims. full set delivered was just over £1,400. then i sold the original set for £700 with cracks disclosed to the buyer. When you see how thin the inner rim side wall is its no wonder compared to the BBS.
on the MY 2013, a friend of mine with his 35iS fails the MOT with one cracked rim. they did the out of round test and it passed. He was fortunate that they changed the wheel under warranty. that had covered 28K miles.
They are just s**t wheels!
SteveSmith
Active member
Just been to BMW to have new discs and pads all round. 3 cracks in NSR wheel. It's still holding air with no issue.
I'm outside warranty by a few months now.
I'm tempted to get some M359 reps and sell on my M326's.
I'm outside warranty by a few months now.
I'm tempted to get some M359 reps and sell on my M326's.
Busterboo said:I'm sorry the 326s cracked and the welds cracked, too.
Still, buying new wheels is fun, isn't it? Especially when they're as good as yours.
I didn’t read anywhere that the welded repair had cracked, whereabouts did you get that info from Buster?
Rob
Linzi_m said:I've asked them for my original wheel back, they weren't happy about it, but I pointed out that if they weren't paying for it on warranty then it's still mine. They asked what I wanted it for - I told them I'm putting it under the electron microscope at work to look at the fracture faces and prove that it's a manufacturer defect, not an impact defect (don't mess with an engineer that deals with fracture!).... they went quiet at that point
I may look at getting it repaired but am about to switch to a set of new tyres which will hopefully solve it once and for all.....
Did you do any analysis yet ?
I'm very sympathetic in this wheel-cracking scandal. From 1999 to 2008 Porsche produced 911s with flawed engines: two generations with inadequate intermediate shaft bearings and one with inadequate cylinder linings - all the products of poor design and cost-cutting.
I had one for five years and was lucky, but, no matter how well I took care of it, a week or even a day didn't go by that I didn't think, 'Mmm, I wonder if it's going to happen to me ...'.
The upside in the BMW wheel lottery, however, is that four new wheels cost less than taking out a 911 engine - and they always have to come out - let alone repairing one.
I had one for five years and was lucky, but, no matter how well I took care of it, a week or even a day didn't go by that I didn't think, 'Mmm, I wonder if it's going to happen to me ...'.
The upside in the BMW wheel lottery, however, is that four new wheels cost less than taking out a 911 engine - and they always have to come out - let alone repairing one.
