Re: 323Ci standard wheel size

Jeff Is there any way of proving that these sizes were offered as options on this car for that year? Cheers Richard

Those options are among the factory choices. > > > > >> I'm renewing my insurance this month and have been asked whether the car >> has any modifications. I have 225 x 18" front and 255 x 18 rear. I >> suspect these are not standard for a 2000 323Ci. Does anyone know what >> the standard sizes are? >> >> Cheers >> Richard >> >
Reply to
Richard Spare
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Besides looking in the owner's manual or on the door jamb?

The insurance company doesn't really care that the car has 18" wheels unless they will be required to insure them. If they are not advised that they will be insuring them, then they will resist paying a claim for them later.

Frankly, I would simply drive the car to the insurance agent's office and let him give you a quote. It really shouldn't cause the questions you asked. The modifications they want to know about are those that increase their risk factor, is the car lifted, is the engine modified for speed, that sort of thing.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

That might be true in your country Jeff (i'm assuming your not in the UK) but I know someone that had their car written off and the insurance company tried to wriggle out of paying due to not declaring the non standard wheels. I think the two parties came to an understanding in the end but i figure, why take the risk? The door jamb and owners manual won't tell me if BMW supplied them as a standard option or whether a previous owner fitted them. In any case the car is at the body shop having its subframe mounts repaired so I couldn't look at the door jamb or manual if I wanted to.

Reply to
Richard Spare

I agree that they will wiggle out of paying for the non standard wheels, this is why you need to go to the insurance office so the guy that writes your policy can take a look. Whether they were added by a previous owner or by the factory, they are a standard option that should pass muster with the insurance company. They are not a "modification" as much as they are "optional equipment."

The car being at the body shop is a temporary condition, you can look at the door jamb in a week or so.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

The difference between declaring them or not is £50 ($90ish) from one of the direct insurers. They just note that the wheels are declared non-standard so I guess i'll pay it and be done with it as their quote is still £70 cheaper than the next best quote i've had.

Thanks for your help Jeff.

Reply to
Richard Spare

They are a factory option. If they are in fact BMW wheels, then insurance should cover the replacement cost if the need ever arises. My car is fitted with a complete set - including the tire in the trunk - of 17" rims. My model had a 17" rim as an available option even if my particular car didn't have the option installed. The insurance company will put whatever is on the car back on the car if there is ever an insurance claim. The trouble I am going to run into is that the cost of repairs might exceed the value of the car, and the insurance carrier will simply total the car and scrap it when this happens. You will eventually run into similar issues, but the tires and rims are a small part of this decision.

On any case, this is not the kind of modification they are asking about when they ask if the car has any modifications. They have no way of telling when BMW wheels are installed, and if you have pictures of the car they insured, then they will have a difficult time weasling out of covering them. If you had the El Cheapo rims on the car, then put on good rims later, then they might try to avoid paying for the upgrades. For all you know, these are the foactory original rims if they are indeed BMW parts. And, BMW offered 18" rims for that car.

Good luck ...

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

should you not be able to see the wheel options shipped on the car as part of the options list - ie. ask bmw for the shipped options list from your VIN number...

Reply to
Henrik Ohm Eriksen

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