Cracked alloys

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   Hi Guys. I'm sure this has been done to death, but just checking that no-one has had a decent result with this. My wife's 325D just failed it's MOT at Fairbairn's in Glasgow because of cracks in the inner edge of the two rear alloys. They are the 19" jobs with the dreaded run flat tyres. The car is just 4 years old and has only covered 25k miles. We bought it from them at a year old and paid £33,000 for it. I know this is a known issue, and one which BMW will not accept as a design fault, which in my opinion it fairly and squarely is. Customer service aren't interested.
I'd like to have a go at taking them on, as two wheels have been quoted at £1146.
Has ANYONE had success with this?
Thanks,
Ken.

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ken737 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 11-February-2007 Location: Troon, Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 156	Post Options Post Reply Quote ken737 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Cracked alloys Posted: 19-June-2013 at 20:43
	Hi Guys. I'm sure this has been done to death, but just checking that no-one has had a decent result with this. My wife's 325D just failed it's MOT at Fairbairn's in Glasgow because of cracks in the inner edge of the two rear alloys. They are the 19" jobs with the dreaded run flat tyres. The car is just 4 years old and has only covered 25k miles. We bought it from them at a year old and paid £33,000 for it. I know this is a known issue, and one which BMW will not accept as a design fault, which in my opinion it fairly and squarely is. Customer service aren't interested. I'd like to have a go at taking them on, as two wheels have been quoted at £1146. Has ANYONE had success with this? Thanks, Ken.
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Robin814 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Really Senior Member I Joined: 15-May-2011 Status: Offline Points: 385	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robin814 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19-June-2013 at 21:11
	Ouch!! Bad luck Hopefully someone has some info.
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SeamusT Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Advanced Newbie Joined: 07-May-2012 Location: South Lanarks Status: Offline Points: 22	Post Options Post Reply Quote SeamusT Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19-June-2013 at 23:53
	Try this link for similar experiences and some solutions http://www.e90post.com/forums/index.phps=5099bdb4b174739e88aa58bbdcf1340a& Look for the general UK forum and the cracked wheels thread, now 28 pages long. It seems BMW will still not own up to some of their wheels being up to the UK's roads. I had a 19" style 230 wheel replace on my2006 335d SE coupe back in 2008 when cracks were seen while a brake fluid change was being carried out at Douglas Parks in Hamilton.Luckily the wheel passed the so called "run out" test and I had a new wheel and also tyre off them (tyre apparently damage while being changed) with no trouble at all. Good luck with having your wheel replaced! Edited by thepits - 21-June-2013 at 16:41

ken737 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 11-February-2007 Location: Troon, Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 156	Post Options Post Reply Quote ken737 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12-July-2013 at 22:12
	OK chaps, here's the latest. Bit of a result, as HF Glasgow agreed to replace the two rear wheels at a cost to us of £150. Now, I know that, in an ideal world it would be free, but in this case, I'm happy with the result, as it is obviously the dealer which is doing it's best to keep us happy. So, the wheels were replaced. As a follow on to this, I today changed the run flats for conventional tyres. I went up a profile on both the fronts and rears, so at the front went from 225.35x19 to a 40 profile , and at the back from a 30 to a 35 profile. The difference is hugely noticeable in driveability, and hopefully we should be able to make the wheels last a bit longer too. Finally, I have bought a BMW Mobility kit off Ebay for £65 posted, which will be a get me home thing.
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Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Post Options Post Reply Quote Andrew Rolland Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15-July-2013 at 14:40
	Not too shabby a result. Whats in the Mobility kit? Can of tyre weld or a spare wheel?
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ken737 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 11-February-2007 Location: Troon, Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 156	Post Options Post Reply Quote ken737 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16-July-2013 at 00:00
	Easy...a tyre pump and a can of skoosh! But, I've been assured the trade in value will be the same with non RFTs as long as I have the Mob kit.
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Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Post Options Post Reply Quote Andrew Rolland Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16-July-2013 at 08:27
	I'm debating what to do next. After a few nods on here, I can buy Contis for my beast that are not run flat, have better grip and are cheaper than the Dunlop boots on it at the moment. But I would then need a form of puncture repair. All I have in my boot is a pump and a wheel brace.
	Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series! Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto

ken737 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 11-February-2007 Location: Troon, Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 156	Post Options Post Reply Quote ken737 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20-July-2013 at 23:45
	Well, when I had my 545 (should've kept it), I had M5 alloys and standard tyres and it handled superbly. Also, remember, I fitted M Sport suspension and bumpers too. I bought a spare, jack etc from Ebay and this fitted the space in the boot. Well worth it. Edited by ken737 - 20-July-2013 at 23:46
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Honeyman328 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 19-April-2010 Location: Glasgow Status: Offline Points: 108	Post Options Post Reply Quote Honeyman328 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12-September-2013 at 19:13
	My mum owns a 2008 325d Conv. Again Harry Farbairn, aka Arnold clark. Last year the car failed its MOT on a cracked alloy which BMW wanted £425 for, this was fixed by an independent wheel specialist. Yesterday again it failed on a cracked alloy, though a different wheel. Now my Dad brought the car there for an MOT as it was bought from there. I gave him a slap as I would rather chop of my arm than use an Arnold clark franchise There must be something wrong with the alloys as my bbs split rims were manufactured in 1996, yet no cracks and my original 15" alloys are still good. And I would bet my newly acquired e34's alloys are fine. I know BMW will say it is due to road conditions and low profile tyres but I would say the alloys are of poor quality.
	Now - e36 328 touring, e34 520 saloon Previous - e36 328 sport

ken737 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 11-February-2007 Location: Troon, Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 156	Post Options Post Reply Quote ken737 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12-September-2013 at 22:16
	Yes, there's LOTS of stuff about this wheel/tyre combo; it was even a subject on Watchdog a while back. The problem would appear to be a defective design, allowing road impacts to be transferred through the stiff RFT sidewall to the wheel, causing the cracking. However, for BMW to openly admit to the fault would cost them a fortune, hence the problem.
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colb666 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 21-January-2009 Location: Bishopbriggs Status: Offline Points: 151	Post Options Post Reply Quote colb666 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14-September-2013 at 07:02
	Very common issue which I've had on an E93 m sport with the 19" wheels and also on an E61 with 18's. Not always related to 19's with m sport suspension and run flats but,certainly far more common with this combo. I had BMW pick up the tab for 2 19" wheel for the 3 series but,it was a long fight with them to do so and in the end up they called it " a contribution of goodwill"