[phoneman]

I just sold a set of OEM BMW rims & tires on craigslist yesterday.

The buyer is coming back to me today saying two of the rims are bent. I ran those rims until I put my snows on in November, and never experienced anything that I would think was caused by bent rims, but I'm not sure what I'd be looking for honestly. I travel at interstate highway speeds and I never noticed vibration, pulling, etc.

What would the symptoms of bent rims be? I think the buyer is trying to scam me.

[Billfitz]

A bent rim is as plain as the nose on your face, sticks out like a sore thumb. Unless you're so blind that you shouldn't be driving you'd have seen it. However, they could have been damaged in shipment.

[phoneman]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

A bent rim is as plain as the nose on your face, sticks out like a sore thumb. Unless you're so blind that you shouldn't be driving you'd have seen it. However, they could have been damaged in shipment.

OK, so if I was driving on bent rims, is it safe to say that it would be impossible for me to run that car 85+mph and not know something was wrong?

[mdai245]

I would tell him to not worry about it if it drives fine. Tire shops tend to exaggerate unbalanced wheels as bends. Even on relatively new wheels with no visible damage.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by phoneman

OK, so if I was driving on bent rims, is it safe to say that it would be impossible for me to run that car 85+mph and not know something was wrong?

You might notice a small vibration if it's just minor. Depends a lot on tire too you'll feel it more on a low profile tire. Assuming you're not eating a ton on shipping and it's a local deal it doesn't sound like he's trying to scam you - just make sure they're in the same condition you sold them in.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by phoneman

I just sold a set of OEM BMW rims & tires on craigslist yesterday.

The buyer is coming back to me today saying two of the rims are bent. I ran those rims until I put my snows on in November, and never experienced anything that I would think was caused by bent rims, but I'm not sure what I'd be looking for honestly. I travel at interstate highway speeds and I never noticed vibration, pulling, etc.

What would the symptoms of bent rims be? I think the buyer is trying to scam me.

Tell him it's Craigslist - the rims are sold AS IS, buyer beware. They were fine when they left your possession. If he was concerned, he should have arranged for some way to verify and tell you ahead of time that he wanted to do that. A good Craigslist learning lesson for all.

[phoneman]

The tires were all 18" runflats, speed rated 91Y. I can't believe that I wouldn't have known.

[xlover]

Let me guess he wants you to send him money for shipping..... then you never hear again. If you know they were good might be time to send to spam.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by phoneman

I just sold a set of OEM BMW rims & tires on craigslist yesterday.

The buyer is coming back to me today saying two of the rims are bent. I ran those rims until I put my snows on in November, and never experienced anything that I would think was caused by bent rims, but I'm not sure what I'd be looking for honestly. I travel at interstate highway speeds and I never noticed vibration, pulling, etc.

What would the symptoms of bent rims be? I think the buyer is trying to scam me.

Originally Posted by Billfitz

A bent rim is as plain as the nose on your face, sticks out like a sore thumb. Unless you're so blind that you shouldn't be driving you'd have seen it. However, they could have been damaged in shipment.

Tell your buyer that sometimes having bent rims works out to his advantage. This is especially true if he lives in an area with a lot of potholes. The reason is that perfectly round wheels don't fit into potholes as well as pre-bent/broken in wheels. The wheels you sold him will fit into potholes like pieces of a puzzle perfectly. Since these wheels are strain hardened, it will be stronger now like premium aerospace alloys.

[turboawd]

lots of times its the inner barrel of the wheel that gets bent. usually it can be easily fixed by wheel repair guy.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by phoneman

I just sold a set of OEM BMW rims & tires on craigslist yesterday.

The buyer is coming back to me today saying two of the rims are bent. I ran those rims until I put my snows on in November, and never experienced anything that I would think was caused by bent rims, but I'm not sure what I'd be looking for honestly. I travel at interstate highway speeds and I never noticed vibration, pulling, etc.

What would the symptoms of bent rims be? I think the buyer is trying to scam me.

You can drive a car without being aware of having a slightly bent rim (or two). If it still stays within a decent balance, it can only be known by inspection. Spinning the wheel and visually examining for run-out or bent section.

I was totally unaware of a bent rim on my F11, only when mounting a new tire and putting it on the balancer, did I realise it was damaged. There were no signs of imbalance, no vibration.

[440xiGCMsport]

like someone else said just make sure they are your rims.

[hans007]

Originally Posted by turboawd

lots of times its the inner barrel of the wheel that gets bent. usually it can be easily fixed by wheel repair guy.

ihad this happen to me on my bimmer.

its very easy to have happen especially with the stiffer runflat sidewalls. if its only slightly bent it will not be noticeable, but they'll find it when they try to balance your tires

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

You can drive a car without being aware of having a slightly bent rim (or two). If it still stays within a decent balance, it can only be known by inspection. Spinning the wheel and visually examining for run-out or bent section.

I was totally unaware of a bent rim on my F11, only when mounting a new tire and putting it on the balancer, did I realise it was damaged. There were no signs of imbalance, no vibration.

Same here, in my experience, you can have bent rim and not notice it.
So it's possible that you unknowingly sold him rims that are slightly bent.

[BEM-S4]

Also 9/10 times the bend is on the inside that's much weaker than the face

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Also 9/10 times the bend is on the inside that's much weaker than the face

Agree.

Was the case with my rim. The outside of the rim ran true, the inside had about 3mm of radial run-out, dropped towards the middle of the rim, over about 1/4 of the circumference. The new tire still ran without run-out on the treads, and balanced without vibration. I sorted the rim while running my winter set.

[CalCarNut]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

Same here, in my experience, you can have bent rim and not notice it.
So it's possible that you unknowingly sold him rims that are slightly bent.

^this. I ran my wife's mercedes (unknowingly) that was bent AND Broken. It didn't leak air but it ran straight enough to not know there was any issues. It'll only be discovered when tires are mounted and/or balanced...

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by CalCarNut

^this. I ran my wife's mercedes (unknowingly) that was bent AND Broken. It didn't leak air but it ran straight enough to not know there was any issues. It'll only be discovered when tires are mounted and/or balanced...

I had a crack in my BMW rim (small) that we only noticed when they changed the tires. I never would have seen it, it was very small.

BMW wheels are notorious for being easy to bend and break. Especially running low profile tires. Mine are brand and stacked in my garage right now, went straight from taking delivery of the car to get new BBs rims installed.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

BMW wheels are notorious for being easy to bend and break. Especially running low profile tires. Mine are brand and stacked in my garage right now, went straight from taking delivery of the car to get new BBs rims installed.

Have you kept run flats with your new rims? I had two bent rims so far and both were with run flat tires on them, none since I swapped them out.

I'd be interested in finding out if it's actual BMW rims or run flat tires having less give to them and most impact being absorbed by the rims. When I took mine for repair, the guy in the shop mentioned that he's seeing more rims bent with run flat tires on them. Someone (not sure how much truth to this) also mentioned that they are designed a bit softer so that there's a less potential damage on suspension components which are more expensive to repair/replace.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

Have you kept run flats with your new rims? I had two bent rims so far and both were with run flat tires on them, none since I swapped them out.

I'd be interested in finding out if it's actual BMW rims or run flat tires having less give to them and most impact being absorbed by the rims. When I took mine for repair, the guy in the shop mentioned that he's seeing more rims bent with run flat tires on them. Someone (not sure how much truth to this) also mentioned that they are designed a bit softer so that there's a less potential damage on suspension components which are more expensive to repair/replace.

So I currently have 4 BMWs and it's random combo of changes. My M235 is my second one and both this one and my old one came w PSS non run flat tires. Those rims are horrible and on the new one I replaced them immediately and went down a size and bigger sidewalk since the roads by me are shit. Old one I bent all of the rims multiple times.

Sport wagon came with optional larger sport rims with RFT. I immediately removed the RFT with DWS06. RFT are stacked in the garage to be reinstalled at lease turn in (if we turn it in) or sold.

328d has RFT and we kept them. GF drives it so handling wasn't a huge concern and the sidewall is pretty beefy since we didn't choose the bigger OEM rims on that one.

None of the rims are great but it's kind of a combo of needing to look at both that and the sidewall of the tire to really quantify how risky everything is.

[CalCarNut]

Depends on roads. Wife's benz had Michelin Pilot go flats...and it still incurred a broken/bent rim on nailing a pothole or 2 in DTLA on 17" wheels.