I hit a curb hard in an ice storm and bent a wheel. It's minor but definitely can't be driven.
I have a place that says they can put it back into shape. Does it make more sense to find a new one, and where would I look other than a dealership?
If you have knowledge or experience in these things I'd really like to have your opinion.
If it's just the rim, and it's so bad that the car cannot be driven, call around to junkyards and get yourself a junkyard rim. Take it, and the car, to a tire shop.
If it's more severe than the rim, you may want to take it to the dealer or a BMW specialist rather than the kids at the tire store.
--scott
You cannot bend aluminium alloy without weakening it.
Regards,
Laurence.
-----------------
-----------------
There are some folks (and a couple of them advertise in Roundel) who have facilities that can straighten alloy wheels. However, they normally charge a couple hundred dollars each. I know folks who have used their services and been happy.
However, for a '95 318is, junkyard rims should be a whole lot cheaper than getting the old ones straightened, and they should be easy to find.
--scott
Thank you for your advice.
Assuming you have steel wheels, they can be straightened. Since the wheel is bent, you may want to consider damage to the undercarriage as well.
You can find upgrade wheels for your car on eBay. Try searching for BMW OEM E36 WHEELS.
You can plug in different rims sizes as well, if you want to change from a
15 to a 17, for instance. I put a set of 17s from a '95 M3 on my '94 325i, then moved them to my '94 325 convertible. There is no reason these would not fit your 318 ...
Or you can use a hammer and some hardwood (a lump of copper is even better) and knock it out yourself. It is amazing how easily these rims will knock back into shape, certainly well enough to re-balance successfully. If they are really smacked in though the alloy may split and then you will have to have them welded or fit tubes.
Thanks to everyone for their good advice. I really appreciate it.
I ended up at a Chicago area Wheels America that I found at fixrim.com and he had a new rim available that I purchased and had remounted and balanced for $175. I thought that was reasonable and they just happened to be within twenty minutes of me. It held up on a trip this week to St Louis and back.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.