The UK roads are another reason to Foxtrot Oscar...
Discussion
New tyres needed today for MOT on Tuesday.
Ordered through Blackcircles to be delivered and fitted by the place that did it last time - booked in for Saturday. Handy I thought as just round the corner from my house. Last minute they cancelled as they were double booked but Blackcircles got me booked into another place local to my office for today.
Went down there at 11, which is where the fun started. The last place had put the wheel nuts on crazily tight and it took two of them on the wrench to get 3 of them off.
On the fourth the wheel nut key snapped. Great. So he tightens up all the wheels and off I go to BMW to hopefully get a new one there and then. As luck would have it they did have one.
Back to the garage and jacked up again. Last rear wheel he takes off and comments that they hadn't even greased the hubs on any of them and asks which monkeys did it last time. He then tells me more bad news, rear spring is snapped. Common with the roads the way they are, 2 of my 4 wheels are also pretty buckled. Spring is an MOT failure so need that sorting for Tuesday, apparently they advise to do them in pairs but no real damage done if they're not?
So 2x buckled wheels, £10 for a new wheel nut key, a new spring. 4 hours later I'm back at my desk.
I need to get out of this country.
2nd anniversary of buying the car approved from BMW, insurance, MOT and tax due. Full service time too. 2 new tyres, rear springs and God knows what else will come from the service and MOT.
Expensive hobby enjoying cars!
Ordered through Blackcircles to be delivered and fitted by the place that did it last time - booked in for Saturday. Handy I thought as just round the corner from my house. Last minute they cancelled as they were double booked but Blackcircles got me booked into another place local to my office for today.
Went down there at 11, which is where the fun started. The last place had put the wheel nuts on crazily tight and it took two of them on the wrench to get 3 of them off.
On the fourth the wheel nut key snapped. Great. So he tightens up all the wheels and off I go to BMW to hopefully get a new one there and then. As luck would have it they did have one.
Back to the garage and jacked up again. Last rear wheel he takes off and comments that they hadn't even greased the hubs on any of them and asks which monkeys did it last time. He then tells me more bad news, rear spring is snapped. Common with the roads the way they are, 2 of my 4 wheels are also pretty buckled. Spring is an MOT failure so need that sorting for Tuesday, apparently they advise to do them in pairs but no real damage done if they're not?
So 2x buckled wheels, £10 for a new wheel nut key, a new spring. 4 hours later I'm back at my desk.
I need to get out of this country.
2nd anniversary of buying the car approved from BMW, insurance, MOT and tax due. Full service time too. 2 new tyres, rear springs and God knows what else will come from the service and MOT.
Expensive hobby enjoying cars!
Nothing to do with the roads. It's a problem which has plagued a hell of a lot of BMWs, which BMW seemingly aren't bothered by. 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, Z4 etc etc etc all have plenty of examples where cars have knackered rear coils. I've had it on 2 of my own, one which was brand new (E46) and an E38 740.
If you think our roads are bad I'm guessing you've not done much driving in other countries? We do have some bad roads, or roads in need of repair, but we've generally got it very good and it's unreasonable to expect them to be 100% perfect 100% of the time - especially after the damage over winter. I'm certainly not defending the road repair system - as frankly it's hideous, what with all the randomly placed manhole covers, overbanded tarmac everywhere, and 'gravel trap' repairs which do more harm than good - but really, we've got it a hell of a lot better than a hell of a lot of other places, even in Europe we're leagues ahead of a lot of places when it comes to quality of road surface and state of repair.
If you think our roads are bad I'm guessing you've not done much driving in other countries? We do have some bad roads, or roads in need of repair, but we've generally got it very good and it's unreasonable to expect them to be 100% perfect 100% of the time - especially after the damage over winter. I'm certainly not defending the road repair system - as frankly it's hideous, what with all the randomly placed manhole covers, overbanded tarmac everywhere, and 'gravel trap' repairs which do more harm than good - but really, we've got it a hell of a lot better than a hell of a lot of other places, even in Europe we're leagues ahead of a lot of places when it comes to quality of road surface and state of repair.
Edited by Stu R on Thursday 16th September 15:26
Be careful where you go- when I was in Australia I mentioned in passing that I'd driven at 130km/h and a couple of the locals I was sitting with looked at me like I'd just told them I'd rogered their dog.
Most of the roads are in better nick than ours as they don't get the extremes of weather but they're not much fun to drive on.
Most of the roads are in better nick than ours as they don't get the extremes of weather but they're not much fun to drive on.
Bill Carr said:
Look at it as an excuse to fit some performance upgrades! 
I really haven't got time between now and MOT to organise it. My fault for leaving it so late unfortunately. I guess I should just take it as a blessing that these guys spotted it rather than having the hassle of failing/retest etc etc.The countries (or maybe areas of countries) I generally visit have well maintained smooth roads, and not a speedbump in sight.
Just letting off a bit of steam that's all, these things seem to all fall together. Typically after a month or so of heavy spending such as the summer holiday.
I've just replaced both snapped front springs on the OHs car and had the snapped wheelbolt hell experience. Still got one stub in a hole that I need to get removed. Meant to be a very common problem these days due to speed bumps and potholes.
No way I'd go for tyres that give less than about 4 inches of sidewall height anymore these days.
No way I'd go for tyres that give less than about 4 inches of sidewall height anymore these days.
About two months ago I had a service where the original locking nut snapped - again BMW had one.
Also, I have had to replace both rear springs as they had snapped. One went when an over wieght mate got in the car, made a loud bang - he lost two stone after that
Buckled wheels is odd if they are OEM, but then agin potholes do damage your car.
Anyway, roads wouldn't be on my list of things to move country!
Also, I have had to replace both rear springs as they had snapped. One went when an over wieght mate got in the car, made a loud bang - he lost two stone after that
Buckled wheels is odd if they are OEM, but then agin potholes do damage your car.
Anyway, roads wouldn't be on my list of things to move country!
Edited by TommyBuoy on Thursday 16th September 16:16
iAlex said:
Bill Carr said:
Look at it as an excuse to fit some performance upgrades!
I really haven't got time between now and MOT to organise it. My fault for leaving it so late unfortunately. Bill Carr said:
Rear spring failure on BMW's does (anecdotally from what I've read on PH and other places) seem quite common, unfortunately.
Look at it as an excuse to fit some performance upgrades!
It's apparently true of a lot of Euro cars. Something to do with the way the springs are made, making them more susceptible to breakage than springs from the East or US.Look at it as an excuse to fit some performance upgrades!
I think.
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