BMW wheel locks little challenge for thieves
Q: The alloy wheels on my brand new BMW 335i were stolen at night while the car was parked in front of my house, right under the glare of the street light! No one in the neighbourhood heard anything.
BMW has no answer as to why the $100-a-set lock nuts they sell did not protect my wheels and tires from being stolen.
What's your opinion on these lock nuts? They were apparently useless for me.
A: The BMW lock nuts are no better or worse than any others out there. They are meant more as a "feel good" item for the consumer and as a mild deterrent to crimes of opportunity by amateurs.
Professional thieves come with power tools. A powerful drill with a reverse thread cutting bit will have the lock off in about 15 seconds. Or the thieves that prefer to work in silence buy lock keys. There are not that many to make up a complete set.
Q: I appreciate the consumer advice that you give.
I just recently purchased a 2008 Mercedes-Benz B200. For a small car it is quiet and has a very solid feel. The tires (Continental ContiProContact P205/55R16 91H) seem quiet enough and provide a good ride.
The salesperson thought the tires would be fine for Toronto winters and that I wouldn't need a separate set of winter tires.
My experience has been that winter tires can make a big difference and I likely will get them for peace of mind.
Which winter tires might come closest to the Continental for quiet and ride? I assume I would go for the same size of tire.
I will also get separate rims. Is there any reason why people might purchase alloy rather than steel rims for winter tires?
A: Your salesperson has the wrong attitude. The all-season tire on the Benz is a real three-season product, even by downtown standards.
If you are using the same size winter tire, you could use the wheels on the car. However over the long term, extra wheels can save money in changeovers and keep the OE wheels looking good.
Generally people use steel wheels because they are cheap. Most vehicles have steelies available for $60-$80 a corner. However, your MB steel wheel costs $129.
Now, alloy wheels look nicer than steel and so are very popular on upscale cars like yours.
But you do not have to use an MB alloy wheel. Replica alloys cost from $120 to whatever you'd like to pay.
There is a quite sharp looking AMG replica for $130.
Using your criteria for quiet, the tires I'd look at are: Continental Winter Contact TS810S, Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60, Yokohama IG-20 and the Pirelli Sotto Zero.
Tread Bits:
YOKOHAMA TIRE announced price increases of up to 7 per cent, effective Jan. 1. Increased raw material costs were cited as the reason. So those of you needing new summer tires in the spring might do well to order now and pay now, and take delivery in the spring.
Email tire questions to John Mahler at
thetireguy_1 @hotmail.com.
Please include vehicle's make, model and year, tire brand and size and your name, address and phone number.
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