Purdy Valve Caps revisited

[Duane Collie <drcollie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: "Bradley J. Otoupalik" <otoupalik@domain.elided>
>Subject: <wob> Valve cap correction
>
>These valve caps that I am getting for you (I do not use selling, because
>selling implies profit, I am doing this to help, and am taking like $2 as
>payment for my time) are ABS, not Brass.  They are manufactured from brass
>into an ABS that will not interact with salt and road grime to cause
>seizing.  These are the best caps available that I have seen.
>
>Also, I referenced some people who may have let some other people down in
>the past with these caps.

Bradley,

I bought a set of these cutesy caps with the Roundel logos on them from THE
DRIVERS SEAT in Stuart, Florida in summer of 1993 for my black E34 535i.
They looked kinda sharp and I paid something like $ 25 for the set.  

Fast Forward to winter of 1994 in Washington D.C. where the car is.  My
tires were low and needed air.  Can't get the @#%@^*& Caps off - they are
seized tight as a drum. Out come the Vice Grips and pliers to hold the
stems. Once cap cracked from the pressure, two released, and on the most
stubborn one, I twisted and split the rubber valve stem at the base (tire
went flat, naturally) which meant a trip to NTW to get the tire dismounted
and a new valve installed. In the middle of winter, I'm out there in 15
degree winter jacking the car up because of this lousy vanity valve cap.
Grrrrrrr....

Anyways, sounds like they have improved the manufacturing process since I
bought 'em.  Mine were aluminum or similar alloy with 0-rings in 'em.  Stay
away from those, I can tell you that!

Duane Collie  

------------------------------