Cracked BMW alloys

dale1uk · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:18

Hi, my Dad has recently got himself an e92 320d m sport that has a set of the 19" style 225 alloys on it. Now these are the wheels that Watchdog did the report on regarding them cracking and I'm just wondering what the current situation is? Are these covered by the BMW warrenty or do they still try and wriggle out of replacing them if they do crack?

Thanks

Stupot_ · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:20

So they're not actually cracked... Do you sleep at night?!

dale1uk · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:24

Stupot_ said:
So they're not actually cracked... Do you sleep at night?!

No they aren't cracked, but seeing as it is/was a known fault of them I thought i'd ask what BMW do about it now.

That is ok isn't it?

[TW]Fox · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:25

The situation is that if you bash the wheel into something very hard, they might crack, whereas other wheels might not.

Therefore the advice remains not to drive into holes and stuff.

320d M Sport on 19's, the eco models should come with 15 inch steelies and a boring 'I am an economy bore' set of bumpers

dale1uk · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:41

[TW]Fox;17005828 said:
The situation is that if you bash the wheel into something very hard, they might crack, whereas other wheels might not.

Therefore the advice remains not to drive into holes and stuff.

320d M Sport on 19's, the eco models should come with 15 inch steelies and a boring 'I am an economy bore' set of bumpers

Thanks, will tell him to stop aiming for the big crators in the road at 100mph now then.

Granted the 320d is far from the best in the range, but considering he was driving a diesel astra a few years back it's more than adequate for him.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:43

I just think its a shame you can buy the really nice trim levels with the bodykit, big wheels, etc etc... with the smallest engine they offer

And 9 million people order them because its on the cheap lease car list and when you are lucky enough to see something rare like a 335i you dont even notice it

An uncle of mine has just bought a 2009 Civic 1.4 Type S. It looks exactly like a Type R

dale1uk · 23 Jul 2010 at 16:55

[TW]Fox;17005981 said:
I just think its a shame you can buy the really nice trim levels with the bodykit, big wheels, etc etc... with the smallest engine they offer And 9 million people order them because its on the cheap lease car list and when you are lucky enough to see something rare like a 335i you dont even notice it

An uncle of mine has just bought a 2009 Civic 1.4 Type S. It looks exactly like a Type R

Oh I totally understand where you are comng from, but the bigger engined ones are wasted on him and this one came up so he went for it. Yes the kits and wheels should be kept for the special models, but until car manufacturers do this you cant fail to to see the appeal of them to buyers who are looking at the lower end of the model range.

Dr House · 23 Jul 2010 at 17:59

My style 230 cracked.

It took 3 months of fighting with bmw but they replaced them free of change. I never bothered to put the new ones on the car. I just changed to a set of Mv3's.

Amoeba · 23 Jul 2010 at 18:07

[TW]Fox;17005981 said:
I just think its a shame you can buy the really nice trim levels with the bodykit, big wheels, etc etc... with the smallest engine they offer And 9 million people order them because its on the cheap lease car list and when you are lucky enough to see something rare like a 335i you dont even notice it

I can't quite tell if you are joking or not.. :confused:

Deleted User 234324 · 23 Jul 2010 at 18:17

I know what you mean Fox, most of the time its nigh on impossible to tell which car is which without seeing a badge on the back or because it makes a certain sound.

Jez · 23 Jul 2010 at 19:08

Amoeba said:
I can't quite tell if you are joking or not..

Of course he isnt, it totally devalues the higher end models

TS7 · 23 Jul 2010 at 19:15

Jez said:
Of course he isnt, it totally devalues the higher end models

I know someone who use to have a 550i and it looked no different to a 520. Though they seem to be very uncommon, I haven't seen one since his. Or maybe I have, I wouldn't have noticed

Amoeba · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:03

Jez said:
Of course he isnt, it totally devalues the higher end models

Sorry I forgot that only those wealthy enough to afford to buy and run a 3 litre 6 pot are entitled to alloys and nice trim.

Jez · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:07

Amoeba said:
Sorry I forgot that only those wealthy enough to afford to buy and run a 3 litre 6 pot are entitled to alloys and nice trim.

Its a shame in my opinion that the higher end models are not distinguished from that of the low end ones...

Amoeba · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:11

Indeed, but in my opinion the answer to that would be to have some extra styling only found on the higher end models (like there is on the M3/5) rather than restrict the more 'normal' options available on lower priced cars.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:26

Amoeba said:
Indeed, but in my opinion the answer to that would be to have some extra styling only found on the higher end models (like there is on the M3/5) rather than restrict the more 'normal' options available on lower priced cars.

BMW used to have it right - if you wanted a Sport model, you had to chose a larger engine. When introduced on the E39, for example, you were not allowed a Sport with a 520i or a 523i, only a 528i or above.

I completely understand why they do it - the demand is there - but as a fan of proper BMW's I just think its a shame, thats all

You used to have go go out of your way to pick a Sport - it marked you out as being at least semi interested in what you were buying - now 75% of new BMW's are powered by 2 litre diesels and the only amount of thought that goes into the buying process is which pen to use to tick the box on the company car list, and there are 7-8 M Sport for every SE

I'm just whinging - I cannot in any way blame BMW as they are a commercial organisation, I just wish people who didnt care about cars didn't pick the bodykitted Sport model with the massive wheels and the smallest engine

Wicksta · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:32

The 3 series has long had small engined sport models though - remember the E30 318is?

DM · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:33

Wicksta said:
The 3 series has long had small engined sport models though - remember the E30 318is?

At least that had 16 valves when 16 valves was something to talk about.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:35

Wicksta said:
The 3 series has long had small engined sport models though - remember the E30 318is?

Not until the run-out edition of the E36 318iS (Only a years worth of production IIRC?) did it have the same bodykit etc as the other models, mind. It was a sort of 325i Sport 'lite'.

Wicksta · 23 Jul 2010 at 20:40

Well I'm not going to argue with either of those posts, but I was just saying, k.