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Re: bmw-digest V2 #144

From: "Goodman, John" <Goodmjo@domain.elided>
>Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 15:30:00 PST
>Subject: M3 parts, wheel fitment
>
>Also, has anyone fitted RD 8x16 wheels and 225/45 tires on all corners of an 
>E30 M3 that has lowering springs on it?  Any rubbing problems without 
>rolling the lips?  Anything bad to say about the RD wheels, other than 
>they're just plain expensive?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>John Goodman  <goodmjo@domain.elided>
>85 911
>88 M3

I have DP 16x8.5 or 16x7.5 with Pirelli 225/45 tires on my 89 M3 on all four
corners lowered with eibach springs.  Not a bit of rubbing.  There is only
a .4% difference between the stock 205/55-15 wheel and the 225/45-16.  The
225/45-16 are suppose to be the best combination/stock replacement for the M3.

Specification  Sidewall  Radius  Diameter  Circumference  Revs/Mile  Difference
 205/55-15         4.4in  11.9in    23.9in         75.0in        845        0.0%
 225/45-16         4.0in  12.0in    24.0in         75.3in        841        0.4%

Unfortunately 225/45-16's are a bit harder to get and only a few manufactures
stock the size.  See end of this message.

Now, a story related to tires/wheels:

I drove through The City (SF) this weekend and downshifted to a stop.  I noticed
the road becoming very bumpy.  I start up again and realized there is some-
thing wrong with my right rear wheels.  I pulled to the side and walked out
initally see nothing but the lip of my rim and about 2-3 inches of my
rim exposed.  The tire unseated itself! I had to drive four blocks to a safe
place hoping the rim lip doesn't touch asphalt by driving slowly.  Of course,
I get to work, undoing all my stereo equipment to get to my spare (thank God
I have a full size spare).  No problem taking off the lugs, but I had one hell
of a time with the locking McGuard lugs! I spent over an hour on that one lug
stud and couldn't get it off.  The pattern is only recessed 2-3 mm and will
slip when using the BMW lug wrench.  Ended calling AAA, but they were of no
help.  They wanted to tow my car!  The guy did try to take that keyed lug
stud off, but he was trying with all his might and couldn't get it to budge.
There is no way I wanted to get that car towed since it was lowered.  I had 
bad experiences with my 82 lowered celica towed on a flat bed and both times
it was towed, my front airdam was damaged.  Anyways, the guy though of a good
idea: reseat the tire.  It work, but the tire was losing air fast so I gunned
the car to a service station 11 blocks away.  Went in and the garaged charged
charged me 10 bucks to use an impact wrench to take off the lock lug stud.  When
all the lugs were off, the wheel wouldn't come off so the guy takes a mallet to
the rim and whacks it 5-6 times and it finally comes off.  After three hours,
I was on my way home.  When I got home that night, I tried taking off the
locking stud again with the stock lug wrench.  I knew I couldn't do it and I
was right. Next I took my Craftsman deep well socket and 150lb torque wrench
and tried it and the lock/key lug stud came off like nothing! It's impossible
to take off the lock/key lug stud with the stock tire lug wrench!  You gotta
have the right tools when you're on the road.  I'm throwing my craftsman
deep well socket and torque wrench (torque wrench for now until I replace it
with a long ratchet) in my trunk.

Now I am in the market to replace my Pirelli P700z.  I'm happy with them, but
they run $174-$200 apiece!  The only 225/45-16 tires available (that I know
of) are:

	Price	Tire
	-----------------------------------------
	178	Dunlop Sp Sport 8000 High Performance
	133	Sumitomo Tire HTRZ
	236	Michelin MXX
	157	Pirelli P-Zero Ultra High Performance
	174	Pirelli P700z High Performance
	159	Yokohama AVS Intermediates
	206	Continental CZ91

I've narrowed down my choice to Yokohama AVS Intermediates to replace my
Pirelli P700z.  I would get the Pirelli P-Zero's but I figure they won't
last too long.  Does anyone have comments about my choice about?

Just curious, what do you guys think of Sumitomo HTRZ? The least expensive
of the group.  Never heard of it.

Gary

89 M3
82 Celica GT
and possibly a 93 GMC Typhoon....

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lung@domain.elided (Aaron Lung)
>Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 14:15:50 PST
>Subject: Help!  Nationwide Insurance trying to rip me off???
>
>hi folks,
>
>I know this doesn't necessarily deal with BMWs in general,
>but any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Last Thursday, a bigrig truck decided to change freeway lanes into 
>our 88 528e while my wife was going to work.  In doing so, the 
>truck's front wheel hub ground itself across the rear driverside 
>door and into the front.  My wife is A-OK, just real shaken up that
>day.
>
>Unfortunately, no witnesses bothered to stop and make a 
>statement, including the guy driving behind my wife who almost 
>got whacked as well.  The trucker guy lied through his teeth on the
>police report saying my wife drove into him.  So until the
>insurance companies decide that it was his fault, we've got to 
>deal with this through our insurance coverage.

Don't you just hate people like that?

>I've already gotten 2 quotes from a dealer recommended body shop 
>and another reputable shop that specializes in BMW repair. Both are 
>approximately $2300 based on using brand new factory doors.  My 
>Nationwide Insurance's quote is a tad under $1200 using 'quality 
>recycled parts'
>
>Questions:
>
>What the hell is a 'quality recycled part'?  Something
>from a junkyard?  Not acceptable.

Don't take it.  Insist on genuine parts.  My parent's camary was side swiped.
Luckily, my sister had AAA which let her chose her own body shop which insisted
on using on factory parts.  The car till this day looks brand new.  The fit
of the doors, seams, and the integrity of the car is just unbelieveable for 
a car that was damaged the way it was.  Not even a creek from the repair.  I'm
pretty good figuring out if a car was damaged and I couldn't tell the car was
crashed (the body shop also use factory paint to repaint the doors).  No 
bondo either.

>Is it customary to repaint the entire side of the car just
>to redo the doors? 

If those suckers can't match the paint right they may insist on painting
the entire side of the car.  They may have a point if your paint is metallic
since metallics are a bit harder to match.

>Anything I should know to get these idiots at Nationwide to
>get in line with what everyone else charges and use real parts
>before I give them a call back?

I would insist on genuine parts.

>According to the dude at one of the shops, BMW does not supply
>door skins by themselves.  They only supply brand new door shells.
>That means 2 brand new door assemblies.  That's fine with me.

I would go that route.

>I'm considering another insurance company after this.  Needless
>to say, I'm a bit irate about this entire incident.

AAA is good.  A bit more, but good.

>aaron
>lung@domain.elided

Aaron: When I got to your sig, I was a big taken aback.

Gary