To all "296" wheels haters!!!!

[silverstone_ttlz4]

Originally Posted by Alter Peter

PS. Also note that other members have had there wheels changed without any issues when they had hairline cracks. Search this forum for more posts on "296 wheel cracks" also note that some members reported they got a improved design wheel ... you can find the posts if you search. Finally should the dealer tell you you gone thru a pot hole ask him on what he bases this conclusion and for him to show you the evidence i.e damage on your wheel, also ask them whey the front wheel is not cracked only the rear? I hope you don't have any issues with your dealer.

Thanks for that. I'm sort of relieved to hear that it isn't 100% subjective. I've read posts where people have said that they've got wheels with hairline cracks replaced, but I wanted to know if there was something in particular people were saying to get that outcome.

[Jayda]

Been totally loving my car, top down all the time now in the nice weather. Yesterday I get the low tire indicator on the dash for the right rear tire. I check the pressure and it is at 36 psi. I fill it to 42 psi. I drive my baby today about 30 miles in glorious sunshine and the right rear is down to 37 psi again. I am assuming the worst, cracked rim! I can see no evidence of a nail. I am leaving for a business trip this week so it will sit until I can get it in to BMW. I do have the tire and wheel insurance but trust me our roads are fairly good and I pretty much drive like a grandma! I am glad I will go to the dealer armed with the knowledge I have of this issue from this board! Heeee, hubby wanted to drive my car while I am gone......too bad not going to happen. I actually want to be the one to take my car in because I have all the amo from this board. Pitiful BMW, I have only about 9,500 miles on the car now!

[baldguyj]

Good luck and let us know how it turns out

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by silverstone_ttlz4

Thanks for that. I'm sort of relieved to hear that it isn't 100% subjective. I've read posts where people have said that they've got wheels with hairline cracks replaced, but I wanted to know if there was something in particular people were saying to get that outcome.

You are welcome, this is after all what this board is all about.

Originally Posted by Jayda

Been totally loving my car, top down all the time now in the nice weather. Yesterday I get the low tire indicator on the dash for the right rear tire. I check the pressure and it is at 36 psi. I fill it to 42 psi. I drive my baby today about 30 miles in glorious sunshine and the right rear is down to 37 psi again. I am assuming the worst, cracked rim! I can see no evidence of a nail. I am leaving for a business trip this week so it will sit until I can get it in to BMW. I do have the tire and wheel insurance but trust me our roads are fairly good and I pretty much drive like a grandma! I am glad I will go to the dealer armed with the knowledge I have of this issue from this board! Heeee, hubby wanted to drive my car while I am gone......too bad not going to happen. I actually want to be the one to take my car in because I have all the amo from this board. Pitiful BMW, I have only about 9,500 miles on the car now!

I fear you have a hairline crack (slow leak) and there should be no issue to replace your wheel. The fact that you are well informed from others here on this issue and that BMW now apparently has a stronger design of the 296 wheel should help you out well.

Make sure you ask them while in the garage to check the left hand rear wheel as well.

In addition to what I wrote to silverstone above keep in mind that your rear wheels are set up with a negative 2.5 degree camber (you may have seen posts regarding this). Some members have had this negative camber reduced by 1 to 1.5 degree to reduce the load to the inner edge of your wheel. The negative 2.5 degree is really not that noticeable if reduced by 1 degree or so. I am convinced that this negative camber along with the RFT caused both my rear wheels to crack.

The wheel that BMW screwed me on and never paid me for now has a place in my garage and garden hose duty so to speak (photo in my Retired car garage here ---> Click to Open at least I can have some use out of it)

Good luck to you and let us know how you make out.

Cheers, Rolf

[Jayda]

The only thing that will "piss me off" greatly is if I have to pay for a new rim and/or tire if needed. Since I bought the wheel and tire warranty knowing this could be an issue, I would hope whatever is wrong will be covered. I also copied pics of the new vs. old wheel to my iPad from this forum to take with me to the dealer.

[robertrichhart]

Good luck Jayda! Let us know how it goes with the dealer...

[nickm9]

By the way the new 296 wheels are no stronger, they are exactly the same!!

[Pecty]

Originally Posted by Jayda

The only thing that will "piss me off" greatly is if I have to pay for a new rim and/or tire if needed. Since I bought the wheel and tire warranty knowing this could be an issue, I would hope whatever is wrong will be covered. I also copied pics of the new vs. old wheel to my iPad from this forum to take with me to the dealer.

If you are leasing, when I turned my car in the cupping on my rears wasn't covered by the wheel and tire warranty and I was charged for the tire (though the CA and service manager did try like hell to get them to cover it and in the end didn't charge me full price for the tires).

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by nickm9

By the way the new 296 wheels are no stronger, they are exactly the same!!

Do you have any facts / support for that statement? I've read by another member (he supported it with photos) that the new 296 wheel is stronger i.e. more material.

[Colorado]

Pecty---I am sure they told you that maintenance to include wheel balancing is your responsibility. Sounds like the wheels were out of balance which caused the cupping. Do you agree? If you lease, they will find a way to charge you for something.

[robertrichhart]

Originally Posted by nickm9

By the way the new 296 wheels are no stronger, they are exactly the same!!

Apparantly there has been a change since you last looked, as the new 296 they mounted on my right rear is twice the thickness across most of the wheel...

[Pecty]

Originally Posted by Colorado

Pecty---I am sure they told you that maintenance to include wheel balancing is your responsibility. Sounds like the wheels were out of balance which caused the cupping. Do you agree? If you lease, they will find a way to charge you for something.

I am sure there will always be something to charge us for on leases, but those wheels and tires were maybe 6 months old, max. I had to have all four wheels and tires replaced for hairline cracks. No cupping before they did the replacement, 3000 vanilla driving miles later (no tracking or autocrossing) and they are cupped to the point of having to be replaced.

Just venting because I do feel a bit slighted, by the dealer a bit if they gave the car back to me out of balance and by the insurance department for rejecting a claim when the dealer said they needed to be replaced.

[nickm9]

I've had 4 wheels changed at various times over the last 18 months, the last one about 5 months ago....if its changed since then, then my apologies. But I know people in the UK who have had recent changes and wheels still cracking.

[Colorado]

I just picked up my 2012 28i 3 weeks ago so I am still playing and learning. One thing that I noticed on this thread is that the cracking seems to always be on the rear wheels. My car has the same size tires front and rear unlike my 2009 C6 Corvette. I could not rotate my tires on the Vette but I do rotate my tires on my Lexus GS350 AWD and my Cadilliac CTS AWD. Do all models of the Z4 have the same size tires on front and rear? How many people rotate their tires every 5,000 miles?

[baldguyj]

That may be a 28i thing, all the 2010 Zs (when I did the research) had different size front and rear for stock.

[Colorado]

I am glad I have the same size tires front and rear so that I can rotate my tires.

[Jayda]

Car has an appointment on Monday morning to get the wheel looked at! I am in Vancouver and my car sat at home all week! Hope I don't get into airline delays coming home tomorrow.

[baldguyj]

Originally Posted by Jayda

Car has an appointment on Monday morning to get the wheel looked at! I am in Vancouver and my car sat at home all week! Hope I don't get into airline delays coming home tomorrow.

When I travel for work the three things I miss the most are cloud bed, 50" HDTV and the Z. Hertz just won't rent them out!

[Robert_tran]

I just verified through bmw that both my rear rims cracked and it would cost me nearly $1800 to fix. I took my car back from the dealership and tried to fight with the claims department and they closed my case and denied reimbursing me or fixing the rims. Im pissed right now and trying to be a part of this class action http://www.z4296wheelsettlement.com/ but i think its too late. whats the next best option for me?

[porshah]

Save yourself the heartache...I think it might be a losing battle with the dealership. Get on tire rack and get yourself a set of 18" wheel with non run flat tires. I got this complete set with new tires and tpms for less than $1500 delivered.

[DAMZ4Bimmer]

I have a set of 296 rims with one rear cracked and they tried to fix it. would like to get 600.00 for the set. Let me know and ill send pics if interested.