yet another FAULTY CRACKED 296 wheel by BMW --HELP!

[wanatkinson]

Hi mate,

I have had 296s for 2 years with no issues. Just after I bought the car I started reading about issues with the wheels and got a bit worried so I quickly changed the RFTs for a decent set of regular tyres. I read that BMW also silently changed the design slightly to strengthen them so newer wheels should be stronger. I found these pics posted elsewhere

Old version


New version


I noticed on my service history that at least one wheel had been replaced and tbh, I'm not sure if my wheels are the newer type or not, but with regular tyres, no problems here.

 

[mcbutler]

One of my rears has a small crack in it, I just pop em off, take them to a local engineer, he removes the tyre, rebuilds the wheel with a specialist welder, has the wheel sprayed next door, tyre back on, all for £45!
I am still on RF tyres so expecting this now...

 

[Nictrix]

I wanted to revive this thread, as the 296 wheel is still living on 4 corners of a lot of Zeds out there.
I wondered if cracks are still plaguing this rim design, or whether, after time, later cars with wheels
made after 2012 really seems to have fixed the problem.

My Zed has 18" rims, which I are perfect for british roads. So, I have been tempted to hang on to these
when I sell my car, and fit to my next Zed. The 296 is a cool looking rim, though, and swapping rims is
not an insignificant amount of effort. So what is everyone's experience?

These are 325 wheels not 296.

 

[Smartbear]

I wanted to revive this thread, as the 296 wheel is still living on 4 corners of a lot of Zeds out there.
I wondered if cracks are still plaguing this rim design, or whether, after time, later cars with wheels
made after 2012 really seems to have fixed the problem.

My Zed has 18" rims, which I are perfect for british roads. So, I have been tempted to hang on to these
when I sell my car, and fit to my next Zed. The 296 is a cool looking rim, though, and swapping rims is
not an insignificant amount of effort. So what is everyone's experience?

These are 325 wheels not 296.

Steve’s talking about others that may still be using 296’s not his own car, that’s how i read it anyway.
Rob

 

[Nictrix]

I wanted to revive this thread, as the 296 wheel is still living on 4 corners of a lot of Zeds out there.
I wondered if cracks are still plaguing this rim design, or whether, after time, later cars with wheels
made after 2012 really seems to have fixed the problem.

My Zed has 18" rims, which I are perfect for british roads. So, I have been tempted to hang on to these
when I sell my car, and fit to my next Zed. The 296 is a cool looking rim, though, and swapping rims is
not an insignificant amount of effort. So what is everyone's experience?

These are 325 wheels not 296.

Steve’s talking about others that may still be using 296’s not his own car, that’s how i read it anyway.
Rob

True, read it back with your thinking and you are probably right.

 

[GoSteve]

These are 325 wheels not 296.

Steve’s talking about others that may still be using 296’s not his own car, that’s how i read it anyway.
Rob

True, read it back with your thinking and you are probably right.

Sorry, It was a bit confusing, 'me posting a pic of an 18" rim', during a discussion of a completely different 19" rim.

The Favourite Alloy poll demonstrates the 19" rims, despite their reputation for cracking, are clear favourites.
I like them too. My own 18" rims, look great, but if I were confident I was not going to be repairing/replacing
rims during my course of ownership, I would also fit the 326 or 296 rims.