Where Should You Repair Your BMW’s Cracked Alloy Wheels in Las Vegas?

No driver is perfect and many of us can often overlook important details of good vehicle maintenance. Often, we get so caught up on caring for parts, such as the engine, that we neglect to care for other vital parts, such as our wheels. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at your BMW’s alloy wheels.

Semantics: Wheel vs. Tire

Wheels are the round hub permanently attached to your car’s axle. Conversely, tires are rubberized components around the wheel. Tires are what make contact with the road and provide traction.

We’ve all had to replace tires, and like all other parts of your car, your wheels can require replacement as well. Alloy wheels can crack under certain circumstances, so let’s take a closer look at why this happens and where you should go to remedy the issue.

Alloy Wheels: A Closer Look

Alloy wheels were once considered a specialty item of status and luxury. Nowadays, even economy models of cars tend to use alloy wheels.

Alloy wheels are a great choice for cars because they are lightweight. This means that they reduce the overall weight of your car, allowing for speedier acceleration and swift stopping. They are also less taxing on your suspension and springs, which helps to extend the lifespan of the suspension system.

There are some drawbacks to alloy wheels. The issue most drivers dread with alloy wheels is inadvertent cracking. A lot of drivers think that wheels are tough and made to take a beating. While this may be true of the tire tread, the wheels themselves are not. Worst of all, when the alloy wheels crack, they constitute a hazard.

Don’t be fooled into buying an expensive and flashy set of alloys, as you’re paying for style, not strength. In fact, many expensive wheels are more prone to cracking because they opt to make a fashion statement over providing reliable function.

Expensive alloy wheels tend to be bigger to show off their design better. However, the general rule of thumb is the bigger the wheel, the more likely it is to crack. Therefore, if you don’t want to shell out for a new set sooner than you’d hoped, choose to be understatedly elegant instead.

Common Reason for Cracked Alloy Wheels

Alloy wheels may crack for a variety of reasons, but the root cause is almost always impact. Commonly, this is caused by driver error, such as driving too close to the curb and nicking the surface alloy. Being jarred by a large pothole can also cause stress fractures to form in your wheels. Also, any impact which causes tire damage has probably damaged your alloys, too.

Of course, cracks can range from small fractures to complete breaks. It is rare for the wheel to be completely broken, unless either a long period of neglect has occurred, the alloy had an inherent fault, or a serious impact or collision has taken place.

More often than not, the cracks in your alloys are small. Larger cracks will often drain the tire of air immediately, while smaller cracks will result in pressure loss over time. This can post a safety risk, as added shocks will only make the crack worsen. This could lead to sudden breakages when you least expect it.

Fixing Cracks vs. Buying a new Alloy Wheel

Having your cracked alloys repaired as soon as possible will save you a lot of money. It is possible to repair minor cracks at a fraction of the cost rather than having to buy a new wheel. Some auto service centers will try to trick you into buying an expensive wheel, but European Motor Cars auto repair shop will always be transparent and give you honest advice to your safest solution.

European Motor Cars

If you are in need of alloy wheel repairs, look no further than European Motor Cars. Our customer service team is ready and waiting to take your call. We serve the communities of Spring Valley, Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Las Vegas, NV. We specialize in the following brands: Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Mini Cooper, Porsche, Range Rover, Volvo, and Volkswagen. Call us today for a convenient appointment or to speak with our customer service reps. We look forward to becoming your service center for your future automotive needs.