[BIGTIME]

I check my pressures weekly and this morning they were as usual except a rear had lost 3psi. I have 19 inch 225M alloys so it's going to be cracked or a puncture I guess. What are my options if:

a) It's a puncture - The car has 8,000 miles on the clock. As RFT's aren't repairable would I have to replace both rear tyres?

b) The alloy is cracked. I really don't want to pay £500 for another alloy that's obviously not fit for purpose and just going to crack again. If I bought a full set of these (that are around the same proce as 1 BMW alloy) would these just crack as well due to the way the car is set up.

http://www.bmautosport.co.uk/detail.php?siteid=1497

Any other help or guidance would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Jim

[idnan]

I was losing pressure in the rears of my 225m alloys and it turned out that both were cracked. It was confirmed when I had brand new Michelins fitted and the fitters noticed cracks in both.

Repairing runflats is a bit of a grey area abd some people are still willing to do them. However, I'm not sure if you would have to replace both as after 9k, I wouldn't expect them to be particularly worn.

As far as the alloys you've linked to are concerned, I wouldn't expect them to be very strong as they are only cheap replicas. They are made by gravity casting methods, whereas better wheels are made by low pressure castings methods which are far stronger. I would expect them to be weaker than the standard wheels.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by BIGTIME

a) It's a puncture - The car has 8,000 miles on the clock. As RFT's aren't repairable would I have to replace both rear tyres?

RFT's are repairable but it depends where the puncture is.
Sidewall is a no-no, but if it's in the centre area its possible.
You'll find most of the nationals won't want/or refuse to repair, so find a good indie and they will.

b) The alloy is cracked. I really don't want to pay £500 for another alloy that's obviously not fit for purpose and just going to crack again. If I bought a full set of these (that are around the same proce as 1 BMW alloy) would these just crack as well due to the way the car is set up.

http://www.bmautosport.co.uk/detail.php?siteid=1497

I'd first ask BMW to replace either under warranty or goodwill, it's certainly worth a try.
BM auto are very reputable and I'd ask what sort of guarantees they offer.
I've not heard of any cracking issues on reps of any kind, but that's not to say it does not happen or will happen.

Any other help or guidance would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Jim

.

[xenon]

I agree with HC. If it hasn't been run on the flat there's no problem in repairing them. Some nationals will do them now - I've had mine repaired twice.

If it's a crack then it's a pisser after so few miles which will help your case. I've had the 225M wheels on from new and I've just turned 17k. No cracks yet but I drive over the shitty roads as gently as I can, wincing all the time.

[BIGTIME]

Xenon that's like me too, I know where all the pot holes are on my local roads and avoid them like the plague. If it is cracked I am seriously thinking of changing the car as there seems to be no fix for this and I haven't got the time and money to keep on changing alloys all the time.

I knew about this issue before I bought the car but just hoped it was the minority that cracked because they'd been run on low pressures. My rear pressures have never been below 40psi and like I said I avoid pot holes the best I can.

I've just been talking to a work colleague who thinks there may be nothing up as he regularly looses a few psi randomly out of a tyre then it's fine after he's pumped it up.

[Jeff123]

Couple of options:

Like your mate says, they sometimes lose the odd few pounds of pressure so I would monitor the situation.

If you sell the car, you will line a $tealers pocket. Why not buy some 2nd hand 18" (or even 17") wheels and put a set of non-RFT's on. You don't need to avoid pot holes to the same extent with them. You could then sell the 19's and may recoup most of your expense - assuming that they aren't cracked.

17" on M-Sport suspension looks OK IMO.

[BIGTIME]

Thanks Jeff, you are right about me monitoring them.

A friend has 18's on his, I don't mean to offend anyone on here with these alloys, but imo the 19's make the car and it does look alot nicer than his with 18's. If I was guaranteed that the 19's wouldn't crack with non run flats I would just change all the tyres. Unfortunately I can't get this guarantee.

[BIGTIME]

I emailed the company above about my dilema and this is the reply I got.

The cracking is caused because of the Runfalts, if you were to use the reps with runflats there is still a chance they would crack so they would not be any warranty against this, i can sell you a genuine rear alloy in original condition with no cracks/repairs for £190. The reps dont show a deeper rear where as the originals have a bit more depth in the middle of the wheel.

Quite a bold statement the first sentence. What do people think about £190, seems cheap to me and I could keep it as a spar? I presume both rear alloys are the same.

[pjs]

If it is cracked, they'd replace FOC esp as yours is such a recent car with low miles

[BIGTIME]

Update. I've been checking the pressures everynight and the tyres seems to be loosing 1-2 psi per 24-48 hrs. If I had to bet I'd say it was a puncture as the pressures have never fallen below 41psi and I can't recall going over any large pot holes.

I'll just keep pumping them up and checking everynight until it needs it's first service.

[Jeff123]

If it's losing pressure but you have not actually run it deflated, why not just find a tyre fitter to repair it?

[BIGTIME]

I may do Jeff but it's finding the time especially if they then say they won't fix runflats. I will have a good look this weekend to see if I can find a nail in it.

[pjs]

Sounds more like a cracked wheel to me at that rate of pressure loss

[BIGTIME]

PJS don't say that........ I think I am in denial. My previous Vauxhall had the same rate of pressure loss and that was a puncture, it was also the same side rear wheel. If I have time on Sunday I will ask my local National Tyres to get it up on the ramps.