Crack alloy, any experience of welded wheels?

[Gesberg]

My wife’s one series has just failed an MOT due to a cracked alloy.
Luckily I have a set of steel wheels and winter tyres that I can put on and get the car retested.
The garage have quoted £120 to have the wheel welded, they’ll send it off to another garage to do the work.
I don’t mind paying but wanted to ask if anyone had any experience with, or recommendations for, wheel repairers around the Bristol area?

[Fas1975]

I've had a wheel welded in the past. Contrary to many doom-mongers here. Worked absolutely fine for years until I sold it. Wouldn't hesitate to have it again. Still alive to tell the tale

[Gesberg]

Thanks, happy to get the wheel repaired. Wife now wants to sell in case something else goes wrong

[daver1184]

Northampton Welding. Great guy.

[Gesberg]

Thanks. Must admit I was hoping for a bit closer to Bristol if possible.

[Driver101]

How old is the car? First MOT?

Have you tried BMW for a warranty claim?

[Gesberg]

Out of warranty, it is 2013 car, it has only covered 17,000 miles but with the state of the local roads (and kerbing on the wheels) think a claim is unlikely to get very far.

[mmm-five]

On a similar subject, and after having read/heard about how terrible/weak the wheels on BMWs were (especially with large wheels and 35 profile tyres), I was surprised when my little interaction with a sticking out kerb on a country road earlier in the year resulted in nothing more than a slashed tyre and large scrape to the wheel...although it was a sickening sound at the time.

[Gesberg]

I must have been lucky, this may be my wife’s first BMW, but I’m on my 8th, all with low profile tyres and this is the first cracked wheel. Mind you, had cracked rear springs on my E46 and Z4.

[Gesberg]

mmm-five said:

On a similar subject, and after having read/heard about how terrible/weak the wheels on BMWs were (especially with large wheels and 35 profile tyres), I was surprised when my little interaction with a sticking out kerb on a country road earlier in the year resulted in nothing more than a slashed tyre and large scrape to the wheel...although it was a sickening sound at the time.

Ouch!

[Tommo87]

They wouldn’t be doing it, if there was a risk of a claim. Probably a lot of people driving around with a wheel repaired prior to their ownership who would never know.

I would still personally put it on the rear axle though.

[Gesberg]

The local BMW indie I use has pointed me to the welder they use.
Can’t swap the wheels as they are staggered sizes.

[DaveE87]

Most cracks are just on the lip so repairs are fine, but it can knock the balance of the wheel off. £120 seems a bit steep for just a repair - are they refurbing the whole wheel too?

[Gesberg]

DaveE87 said:

Most cracks are just on the lip so repairs are fine, but it can knock the balance of the wheel off. £120 seems a bit steep for just a repair - are they refurbing the whole wheel too?

No, just repairing the crack. Once I’ve swapped to the winter wheels I’ll take the cracked alloy to the company used by the BMW indie and get a price from them.

[DaveE87]

A repair should be about £30-£40, maybe a bit extra due to the short timescale with the expectation it would be fixed that day. £120 is taking the piss imo.

[Gesberg]

DaveE87 said:

A repair should be about £30-£40, maybe a bit extra due to the short timescale with the expectation it would be fixed that day. £120 is taking the piss imo.

Thanks, I wasn’t sure on the price, but definitely will not be paying that much. I’ll let you know what was paid when I get the wheel repaired.

[helix402]

A quality repair is fine on a single crack. I was advised to use a local motorbike engineer, who did two wheels for £80 including painting the welded areas to match the original paint.

[Bemmer]

Driver101 said:

How old is the car? First MOT?

Have you tried BMW for a warranty claim?

BMW warranty claim ...! Even if it was it's first MOT it's 3 years old..... you can crack an alloy in the first 3 months on UK roads.....

[Huff]

Gesberg said:

Thanks. Must admit I was hoping for a bit closer to Bristol if possible.

Easy recommendation from experience, Phoenix in Brislington; they did great work on my Alpina's wheels (18",forged, just.so.very.light ...a bit fragile); and would,have used again. Can fix anything inc welding, truing, turning, custom refinishing to whatever you want. I thought them excellent value at the time, and have used since. My local go-to


https://www.phoenixenhancementservices.co.uk/

[Mr Squarekins]

Bemmer said:

Driver101 said:

How old is the car? First MOT?

Have you tried BMW for a warranty claim?

BMW warranty claim ...! Even if it was it's first MOT it's 3 years old..... you can crack an alloy in the first 3 months on UK roads.....

I had 2 bmw alloys replaced under extended warranty at 4 years old and 110k miles. Just got to really push them,