jskovatha

I posted my little summary in another thread but I'll recap again here. If anyone if from the Chicago area, you will know the brutal winter has made the streets just awful. I'm running Bridgestone Blizzak RFTs with my 123s.

I first bent my right front wheel and had it repaired. A few months later, I bent AND cracked my rear right wheel. I had it repaired. A few weeks later, it wasn't holding air again. The same rim was cracked again below the weld of the first crack. Yes, we all know any wheel is pretty much toast once it is initially cracked. The wheel repair shop fixed it again for free. I gave up so I ordered a new OEM 123 and keep the repaired cracked wheel as a spare. I put the new wheel on and a few weeks later I noticed a vibration. The shop told me that it was bent, so my 2 week old wheel is bent too I had it repaired and put back on. I still feel alot of vibration at different speeds and I suspect that it is my rear left wheel. It is not a balance issue. Also, my shop can't remove my Blizzak RTFs with their equipment when I bring the car in. Because it is so cold outside, they said it is way too stiff for them to remove so they have to have the wheel repair shop do it. They had no problem mounting/dismounting them at the start of the winter when it was not really cold yet. This whole winter has been so frustrating.

If I still have the car by next winter, I will scrap all the wheels and buy 17" OEMs. Heck, I may even buy steel wheelies.

I was going to buy 166s or 172s to run now in the Spring/Summer, but the idea of running 19s in the Chicago area still has me cringe. I started to browse and I bought some virtually new 135s for a couple of bucks from a private seller. What luck! They are the real deal, with the BBS stamp on them and all.

I will post pics of them on the car soon.

My ride:


New 135s:

Howitzer

I live in the Barrington area and have 166's on. No probs!

P.S. - If you know a good wheel repair shop please tell me. I went to Wheels America in Arlington Heights and they are absolute fking moron idiot wankers. Never again.

mikeg3tsguap

19's in nyc no prob had 22's on my last ride no prob you just need to adjust your driving habits and your route's

wacopolumbo

Congrats on the good deal on the 135s! However, they look like they will the hell to keep clean

info@trinityautosport

congrats on the 135s

jskovatha

Small world. I live in the Barrington area too! I bring my car to a shop in downtown Barrington. I am not sure what shop they send the wheels out to but I'll ask. The repairs have been correct; I don't blame anything but the potholes. You are pretty luckly to have avoided any bad luck with 19"s.

The first place I brought my wheel for repair is Wheel-Tech in Lake Bluff. They did a great job. Not as close as Arlington Heights but may be worth it. Also, look into TransWheel They are nationwide and I *think* they have a shop in Elk Grove Village. I've heard that a lot of shops send out their wheels to them.

545OH

Are these the wheels that came on the old m3?

ObD

JMHO, non-runflat winter tires would not have bent the wheels.