New Wheel
Posted: Sun 6 April, 2008 Filed under: Domestic, Driving 1 Comment »About two months ago, I whacked the car into a pot-hole, hard enough to knock the wheel-cover off. It went straight back on, but I knew I’d dented the rim of the wheel as well.
Since then (and bear in mind, this is before we went up to the Lake District) the steering vibrates when I’m on motorways (i.e. something over about 60-65mph) so I thought that the pot-hole had knocked the wheel alignment out a bit. It doesn’t affect the handling, but it’s noticeable – and again, we’ve done the best part of a thousand miles since it happened.
I went in yesterday to get the wheel alignment checked – and it’s not that. No, I’ve knackered the rim of the wheel itself, and have to get a complete replacement wheel. It’s still OK to drive on, but yeah, it needs replacing.
So I’ve ordered one, and booked in for getting it replaced in a couple of weeks time, when the current contract comes to an end. It’s a pain, but well, it could be worse.
Does it *really* need replacing? Is that small garage or main dealer saying that?
Mr BW did the same a few weeks back – and was quoted £162 for a new wheel (alloys). He knocked it out with a hammer himself (he does have a background in Mech Eng but a small garage should be able to do it) then had it rebalanced and it’s perfect again.
I’d be more concerned about the tyre to be honest… We replaced ours just to be on the safe side as you never can tell what invisible damage has been done. Blowouts cost lives…
And aren’t the road surfaces bloody awful these days?