I'll get a pic up later but we noticed the 100HP had been pulling to one side slightly, tyres looked OK. But yesterday Mrs Dervdrain rang saying it was making a funny noise. I met her at a car park and pulled out slightly - NSF tyre was totally flat.

Off with the wheel and bloomin' hell - the inside shoulder and side wall was completely ripped and worn through. Right next to a big flat spot on the buckled wheel. Over some years the unevenness must have caused stress and wear and it had now gone right through the carcass. Luckily it finally 'went' in a car park!

Anyway, I need a new 'round' alloy in a hurry if anyone can help me locate one at a fair price.

There was no evidence of this from the 'outside' and no vibration or wandering etc. See in the lower pic how it has worn a rebate into the tyre. Scary.

Had something similar when I bought mine 3 years ago. Due to the rareness I had it repaired (by famous framebuilder Nico Bakker in the next village) for about€ 60 IIRC.
There's probably a specialist nearby you that can perform the same "magic".
Got the address from my friendly neighborhood tirespecialist that sourced out more similat problems to them.
Mine is perfectly round and working great the past three years. Me happy

gr J

I've rung round local breakers and no luck, one guy does see them from time to time and quoted £40 - £45.

I'll continue searching, one seller on eBay has them and quoted £100 each + shipping which is crazy for a little Panda wheel. I picked up a full set of four massive Land Rover wheels and barely used Bridgestone mud tyres for £180 all in.

Anyway, if anyone can help please let me know - cannot go far on the poxy space saver!

Dervdrain said:

I'll continue searching, one seller on eBay has them and quoted £100 each + shipping which is crazy for a little Panda wheel. I picked up a full set of four massive Land Rover wheels and barely used Bridgestone mud tyres for £180 all in.

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Sadly it's all about supply and demand.

Fiat wheels are notoriously fragile and hence secondhand ones in decent condition are always in demand and are often priced accordingly.

Sod's law says that you'll never be able to find one when you need it (there wasn't anything on ebay for the 100HP when I last looked, at any price ).

Looking to the future, keeping one in reserve at the back of the garage would seem to be a good insurance policy; you'll likely easily sell it on if you ever part with the car.

dervtrain

If you or someone you know has Facebook, search and join the "FIAT PANDA UK PAGE".

There are Lots of people on there mostly with 100hps and they're always selling the original alloys / seats / fittings etc. They're all based in England too for the most part.

If you went onto it and posted that you need one even tonight / tomorrow I bet someone has an alloy and would be willing to sell it / meet you to sell it.

Best of luck

They cost £350 per rim at Fiat, ii never had any deflation issues and the tyres where slightly low at mot but still past. Can you get a better pic of the tyre? Looks like no tread near edge of tyre. I've got a slightly part worn Oem tyre if you want it? I always change tyres in pairs and it's the othe rear to a punctured one. I'd look for a steel wheel as a temp and keep an eye on eBay.

Gaffa tape should sort that leak.

Fit a cheap steel on a back wheel. Then you can at least use the car.

Thanks guys have applied to join the Panda group.

Would rather get an alloy but do you mean just buy a cheap steel with tyre already fitted - will the size be correct though as the 100 HP presumably uses different diameter effectively?

If so is there a particular steel one to get?

You could buy a steel wheel and then come by my house and collect the spare tyre I have for you if you want it. I'm sure you could find the address?.

gtidriver said:

They cost £350 per rim at Fiat, ii never had any deflation issues and the tyres where slightly low at mot but still past. Can you get a better pic of the tyre? Looks like no tread near edge of tyre. I've got a slightly part worn Oem tyre if you want it? I always change tyres in pairs and it's the othe rear to a punctured one. I'd look for a steel wheel as a temp and keep an eye on eBay.

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agreed - that tyre has been run SOFT for a while

if it was going to go POP , it's done it at the best time

the HP's alloys are VERY fragile, so many owners keep a spare or 2,

:idea: maybe cheaper to buy a used winter set of OTHER FIAT wheels, and get the HP stuff together over the winter,

Charlie

varesecrazy said:

the HP's alloys are VERY fragile, so many owners keep a spare or 2,

Charlie

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Mine seem to be a lot stronger than the ones on my ex's 2006 Fiesta...they are appalling, the inner rim looked like one of those pastry cutter, all frilly! When I went to collect a new one from the dealer, he said he'd already sold 10 that week!

I would've had the rim repaired...
A 14" steelie with 185/55 14 (or 185/60 14 if you have 195/50's) will have the same circumference. Otherwise the ABS will play up.

gr J

Have one with a serviceable Toyo tyre with c, 3-4mm of tread you can have for £45. I move between Home in Norwich and Dover weekly so can deliver or meet if its somewhere near the route. I had almost identical damage and had it repaired but that cost £85+

If you do get it repaired the wheel will fit in the spare wheel well although it is about 1and a half inches higher than the boot mat so the reult is a bit of a high spot under the boot mat.

On the pulling to one side, I had this on purchase and thought I had bought a dog. I had the track done by STS Tyres specialists and unlike everywhere else I have had tracking done at before they sorted the problem in one go for about £45.. Now use STS for all my suspension adjustments and they so far have a 100% record of eliminating tyre wear on 4 different cars. Cant speak highly enough of them.

Hi Peter, thanks very much, I will PM!

A3jeroen said:

I would've had the rim repaired...
A 14" steelie with 185/55 14 (or 185/60 14 if you have 195/50's) will have the same circumference. Otherwise the ABS will play up.

gr J

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How do they repair or straighten a buckled alloy lik this? Is it safe to do this?

Another thought on your photos. The split tyre wall reminds me of the state of the tyres on my car when I bought it. The day it was MOT'd I removed the wheels to clean them and saw the tyre was cracked all the way round the circumference exactly where yours has split.

The very low profile tyres will run when at VERY low pressures which is very very bad news in the longer term. It is important to check tyre pressures on all cars, but has the potential to cause a catastrophic failure on a very low profile tyre after relatively short distances. I check weekly now without fail. I also now inspect the tyres -inside and outside - sidewalls on a regular basis to check for cracks!!

Lad in work knocks flat spots out of alloys and repairs cracks. Charges £45 a wheel. I've seen him sort a huge range rover sport alloy that most people would of scrapped.

Dervdrain said:

How do they repair or straighten a buckled alloy lik this? Is it safe to do this?

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with the correct kit/ know how - yes..

a friend had a garage ,on a test drive , damage his Audi alloy, they would only pay £100 , it cost £800 for a new one (19" ) so paid a specialist £200 to fix it

it actually looked like a D