Hopefully this will make me feel better.

Look what a DC pothole did to my 4th month old Mini's precious JCW rim.

Happened at the D St entrace to the 3rd street tunnel heading south to 395 in DC. The hole is on the right side about 2 feet from the wall??

It happened thursday and I just noticed it today.

Do I have any recourse?, like filing a claim against the city.
Am I out a rim?
Can it be fixed?
Is it safe to drive like this?

Thanks

 

No recourse.
Yes, unless you have the wheel/tire plan from the dealer.
Yes, but not recommended.
No.

Have you noticed any change in the alignment?

What time of day/night did you hit the pothole?

I'm so very glad I have the wheel/tire coverage from the dealer; if it had happened to me, the wheel & tire would be replaced at absolutely no cost to me whatsoever.

 

I'll probably notice it now.

My best guess is that it happened in the morning on my way to work. That's the last bump I remember.. and it was loud.

 

Ahhh another similar thread going on.

I'm going to bet the insurance company and city are going to think it's a stationary object, and that you have some duty to avoid it. (that was my experience anyway... sucks but true...)

 

Dude, sorrry about the wheel. I didn't know there is someone else out here with R105s. Best bet, buy a new wheel. It should only cost about $400 without the tire. Good luck

 

just get a new one.

 

Pot holes are one of the reasons I went to 15s. That and asthetics.

 

You can't file a claim with the city? I've heard before that you can.

 

i hate potholes. why does a city that gets very very very minimal snow have so many potholes. i cannot understand. we had less potholes in the snowbelt of ohio than out here.

 

Potholes? Causes-
In areas with a winter:
"Potholes occur when snow and ice melt as part of the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle. The resulting water then seeps beneath the pavement through cracks caused by the wear and tear of traffic. As the temperatures cool to freezing at night, the water becomes ice and expands below the pavement, forcing the pavement to rise. As the weight of traffic continues to pound on this raised section – and the temperatures once again rise above freezing – a shallow divot occurs under the surface and the pavement breaks, forming a pothole. A pothole is typically fixed by cleaning out the loose debris and filling it with hot and cold asphalt patch."

As soon as the first vehicle crosses it, damage begins accumulating in a
pavement. Over time, as the pavement is "flexed" by traffic up to 100
million or more times, the pavement will begin to break from fatigue just as a coat hanger that is repeatedly bent will eventually break. This damage typically starts as a single crack where the wheels run on the pavement.

Over time, more of these cracks will appear and eventually join to form a
distinctive cracking pattern that is often referred to as "alligator" or
"chicken-wire" cracking. Once this type of cracking occurs, if the pavement
is not promptly repaired, the structural integrity of the pavement is lost
and traffic will start knocking the pavement chunks loose. At this point, a
pothole is born.


Water seeping into the pavement through the cracks can accelerate this
process by softening the soil under the pavement. Water expanding and
contracting due to freezing can make things even worse. However, potholes can form in any unmaintained pavement, even in dry, hot places like Arizona.
---------
In Hawaii we have lots of potholes.
Cheap road fixes, heavy trucks pounding the weak roads.
Lots of water on and off, poor drainage and poor undersoil that shifts.

For your rim- buy a new one from the dealership- use your BMW club discount or MINI club discount. Or contact Classic MINI in Ohio. One rim is worth replacing.

You can't really drive on that rim- might not hold air well or cause failure of your tire. Inspect your tire for sidewall damage both inside and outer edges. Inspect your suspension and tower struts for damage and inspect both sides of the car including the inner edges of all rims on your MINI for hidden damage.

With large rims you must drive really slow when possible and carefully in areas you don't usually go or if it is at night or in the rain when potholes are hiding.

Sorry to hear about your wheel. Nice to have pictures, that's a huge dent.

 

Ye Olde Wheel Shop in Elkridge MD can probably fix that wheel like new for $150. I've had them fix some BBS wheels for me and you couldn't tell and they were like new.

 

I've heard that "wheel worx" in crofton/glen burnie are good for wheel work. I doubt they have a webpage but their number is 410-969-7282.

Sad thing is that they will need to actually see the damage in person before giving a dollar amount.

good luck

 

1. yes you can file a claim. I've done it in the past. but it requires work and time on your end....and to be honest, its not really worth it.
but if you want to try, go get photos of that pothole before they fill it in.
2. yeah...pretty much.
3. If I didnt see the first pic you posted I'd say it could be fixed. but looking at the first pic, there is a big crack/split on the lip. that probably wont be able to get fixed, but check with a wheel repair shop to be sure.
4. no, dont drive it like that. very unsafe.

 

not sure how much that wheel is but typically wheel repairs start at $150 and up. so just get a new wheel unless it's an expensive wheel.

expensive wheel = more than 3x the cost of the repair.. imho.