[Boondoggler]

I took delivery of my 2016 340i xDrive in October. While I was installing my winter wheels this weekend I noticed something suspect on the front driver's side. When the wheel was removed I noticed that the rubber boot covering the top of the strut/spring tower had a four inch tear in it. I noticed a piece of blue plastic sticking out, obviously having caused the tear. I reached in and pulled multiple broken pieces of blue and white plastic from inside the boot. I'm thinking these may be a plastic spacer that is used to keep the spring from compressing during shipping and should have been removed during the new car dealer prep process. Does anybody know what these are?

[Orient330iNYC]

oh jeez, they forgot to remove the shipping spacers. bring it back to the dealer with the pieces and have them check all the struts and replace the torn boots.

[Boondoggler]

Originally Posted by Orient330iNYC

oh jeez, they forgot to remove the shipping spacers. bring it back to the dealer with the pieces and have them check all the struts and replace the torn boots.

That's what I thought. Amazing they forgot on only one side! I have a call into my SA.

[chiefneil]

I can't believe this crap still happens. If you google "shipping blocks" the only hits are for BMW's. No MB, VW, Porsche, or any other import. Crazy.

Anyway, yes those are shipping blocks. Bring them back to the dealer and have them fix your boots. Complain to the service manager and your sales guy and see if they'll give you a freebie of some sort.

[tboooe]

I dont get...all cars get shipped with these. I would imagine there is some sort of checklist the dealer goes through after receiving a car and getting it ready for sale?? Seems crazy this happens.

[Boondoggler]

For sure this should never happen, I'm particularly frustrated that I found it out after I had replied to the BMW dealer survey and gave the dealer all 10s. I'll be complaining to my Client Advisor and see if I can grab some kind of freebie out of it.

[MforLove]

Someone did a poor pdi job

[Fronzdan]

Would one know they were still in there if they were? I assume you'd feel the suspension bottom out easily?

[lgts09]

Again?!?!.....completely unacceptable.... this is the fifth time I see this same issue on this form....

[versailles]

I'm amazed you didn't notice a difference in the ride height of only one was left in?

[37b]

Originally Posted by chiefneil

I can't believe this crap still happens. If you google "shipping blocks" the only hits are for BMW's. No MB, VW, Porsche, or any other import. Crazy.

Anyway, yes those are shipping blocks. Bring them back to the dealer and have them fix your boots. Complain to the service manager and your sales guy and see if they'll give you a freebie of some sort.

If you Google "strut pucks" you'll find VW and Audi guys have this problem also.

[Boondoggler]

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

Would one know they were still in there if they were? I assume you'd feel the suspension bottom out easily?

I did feel it. The street my house is on has speed bumps, and when I hit the first one at about 15mph I noticed it was really stiff and there was a pretty loud bang, like bottoming out. It's my first xDrive, so I was unsure what to expect from the suspension. I was a bit freaked out, but after that it seemed to ride fine and I didn't think of it again until I changed the wheel and saw the damaged strut boot. I'm assuming I broke the spacer on that first speed bump, and from that point on it was functioning close enough to normal for me not to notice. The spacer was broken into four pieces and was allowing the spring to compress.

Originally Posted by versailles

I'm amazed you didn't notice a difference in the ride height of only one was left in?

The spacer was broken about 15 minutes after I picked up the car, it happened on the way home from picking it up at the dealer, so that's most likely why I didn't notice. Although, we did a walk around at the dealer and neither of us noticed, so perhaps it doesn't have a visual impact on ride height, just keeps the spring from compressing while driving.

[spuntyb]

This happens a lot. WTH??

[paul e]

C'mon guys, what do you expect for $40K+ minimum?

Plus they DID get 3 out of 4!

[paul e]

C'mon guys, what do you expect for $40K+ minimum?

Plus they DID get 3 out of 4!

[kolosy]

so uh.. how do you check if these are there? do you have to pull the wheels?

[howiegu]

This was why I asked the Tech to check in front of me when taking delivery for the past two cars. The most recent was in Sept. for a 2016. Sure the right rear block was on!

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by chiefneil

I can't believe this crap still happens. If you google "shipping blocks" the only hits are for BMW's. No MB, VW, Porsche, or any other import. Crazy.

Anyway, yes those are shipping blocks. Bring them back to the dealer and have them fix your boots. Complain to the service manager and your sales guy and see if they'll give you a freebie of some sort.

BS, Honda S2000 back in the day.

[Boondoggler]

Originally Posted by kolosy

so uh.. how do you check if these are there? do you have to pull the wheels?

No, you do not have to pull the wheels. I took a picture with my wheel on and you'll see there is a rubber boot in the red square on the picture. If that boot is torn and white and/or blue plastic pieces like the ones in my original post on this thread are showing, they forgot to remove the shipping spacers. Obviously mine now looks pristine, as it should, because my repair is complete. You won't have quite as much gap to view through because I have the higher sitting xDrive, but with a flashlight you should definitely be able to view the strut boot without taking the wheel off.

[PK2348]

Not sure if I recall correctly, but it seems most if not all of these incidents occurred in NJ. Could it be one particular dealer who keeps messing this up?

[lgts09]

Originally Posted by Boondoggler

No, you do not have to pull the wheels. I took a picture with my wheel on and you'll see there is a rubber boot in the red square on the picture. If that boot is torn and white and/or blue plastic pieces like the ones in my original post on this thread are showing, they forgot to remove the shipping spacers. Obviously mine now looks pristine, as it should, because my repair is complete. You won't have quite as much gap to view through because I have the higher sitting xDrive, but with a flashlight you should definitely be able to view the strut boot without taking the wheel off.

That gap looks massive... Is it normal for xdrive?

[Boondoggler]

Originally Posted by lgts09

That gap looks massive... Is it normal for xdrive?

No, that "massive" gap is a unique feature on my car...thanks for pointing it out...sigh.

The gap in this picture looks that wide because I was taking a picture with the purpose of answering the guy's question about whether you can see the strut boot without taking off the wheel. To show him the strut boot, I took a picture on an upward angle that makes the gap look wider than normal.

The search function would have helped you research your question about the xDrive gap, but take a look here to see what my car looks like from normal angles. The gap is larger than RWD, and I'll consider lowering springs when they become available for the 340i xDrive, but I don't consider it "massive".