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Tue 5 Nov 2002 14:03
Help. - BMDUBYA
I have a BMW 5 series 96 old model, and when I bought the car it had nasty metric wheels, so I contacted the local BMW dealer to get some new alloy wheels. Now I know that the old shape 5 (known as e34) has very slightly smaller wheel hubs than the newer shape (known as e39). Now I have had major problems balancing the wheels, so much so that it went back to the main dealer where I bought the new wheels, but after 3 days of trying a number of different things they failed to find any problems with the car. Today I had the car booked into a different main dealer within 1 hour he told me that he could not go any further with the diagnosis because the wheels are for an e39(new shape) not e34(old shape). As you could imagine, not V happy. I have contacted the main dealer who supplied the wheels, but as you would imagine they are being defensive. Luckily for me I purchased the wheels on Barclaycard so I MAY and pray that they will help me out. Any further advice welcome.
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Tue 5 Nov 2002 15:28
Help. - madf
"diagnosis because the wheels are for an e39(new shape) not e34(old shape)"

As long as you specified the model when you bought them, you are covered by Sale of Goods Act. Unfit for purpose.

Money back. 100% and refund of all costs.

If no joy, Trading Standards. They will persecute (and I mean that advisedly, not prosecute) them!
madf
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Tue 5 Nov 2002 15:51
Help. - Andy P
If the hole in the centre of the alloy wheel doesn't fit snugly onto the hub, there's no amount of wheel balancing will stop vibration through the steering. Wheel bolts alone are not sufficient to hold the wheel in place, so even the slightest gap will allow the wheel to move. When I had this problem, it was most noticeable above 60mph. Eventually I got rid of the wheels, as there was no way they were going to fit properly.

(see www.tyres-online.co.uk/techinfo/alloy.asp)


Andy
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Tue 5 Nov 2002 16:01
Help. - PB
>>purchased the wheels on Barclaycard <<

If the dealer will not cooperate then you can withhold that portion of your bill and call/write Barclaycard to explain, as the goods provided were not those that you ordered.
In my opinion the onus is on the garage to have determined which of the 1996 models your was (they are the BMW experts after all).
PB.
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Tue 5 Nov 2002 16:09
Help. - BMDUBYA
Thanks to everyone for all your help and advice, I have just had a call from the main stealer who have admitted that they have sold the wrong wheels, and will refund the cost of the wheels, and the cost of when they had the car for three days. I still cant believe they had the car for three days and failed to spot something which another garage took about 30 minutes to spot.

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