Who uses their four spare wheel bolts ?

[chr1s]

Whilst swapping my wheels front to back (so new tyres on rear), it occurred to me that car manufacturers make all sorts of annoying cost savings and tiny weight reductions, but Fiat still provide four extra wheel bolts with the locking wheel bolt 'key' (or they still did in 2012).
My BMW just has the 'key' with no spare bolts.

Is there a reason for supplying these bolts, and does anyone use them ?
I have never used any of mine, but carefully keep them in their box and carry them in the car wherever I go !

 

[varesecrazy]

Car is built without locking bolts

Locking bolt fitment then makes a bolt from each road wheel redundant.

They will be in pristine condition.. but I have to agree they could travel 100,000 miles and still look like new

Charlie

 

[AndyRKett]

We should add locking wheel nuts are usually added by the supplying dealer on the PDI. The dealer doesn’t want boxes full of wheel nuts, so just puts them in the plastic box the locking nuts came in and throw them in the boot.

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

When I was in ''The game'' during my time with fiat from 1978 to 1985 I had a two gallon bucket full of wheel bolts and nuts
LUIGI

 

[DaveMcT]

Just don't forget to put the "key" back in the case when you refit the wheel. Its all to easy to leave it on the bolt to get lost down the road. DAMHIK

 

[The Panda Nut]

I had 6 or 7 sets recently and took them to the recycling centre. This really is a disgrace in environmental terms. Back to three sets on the shelf now! ANyone wanting spare wheel bolts please ask and you can have them. If you have an older car you could rapidly collect some nice new bolts to smarten it up!!!

 

[chris3234]

I had 6 or 7 sets recently and took them to the recycling centre. This really is a disgrace in environmental terms. Back to three sets on the shelf now! ANyone wanting spare wheel bolts please ask and you can have them. If you have an older car you could rapidly collect some nice new bolts to smarten it up!!!

Why is it?
Would you rather fiat kept them all?
Being made of a high quality metal they are great items for scrap anyway

 

[g8rpi]

Just don't forget to put the "key" back in the case when you refit the wheel. Its all to easy to leave it on the bolt to get lost down the road. DAMHIK

Indeed, dealers do his too. Last week I picked one up off the road mot far from a Merc dealership Only a 3 pointe.star, no code letter or colour so can't match it to anything.

Always useful to have spares in the car, all too easy to loose one down a drain if changing a wheel roadside at night.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[DaveMcT]

Reminds me of a cartoon...

Man changing car wheel is looking for the wheel nuts. Little boy standing innocently by his side is holding a catapult.

 

[s130]

Indeed, dealers do his too. Last week I picked one up off the road mot far from a Merc dealership Only a 3 pointe.star, no code letter or colour so can't match it to anything.

Always useful to have spares in the car, all too easy to loose one down a drain if changing a wheel roadside at night.

Robert G8RPI.

Despite trying to be 100% on the game and meticulous I'm guilty of driving off the drive after a major wheel off service and for some stupid reason have left the locking key on. Has only happened about three times in untold years and if I recall correctly a walk with the wife has found it. One time was just yards away. Another some several hundred meters away. They tend to drop off on bends/turns so you spend more time on these road sections.

As for two sets of keys. Yes this is the first part I order when buying a new Fiat. When I ordered and paid for my 500X the parts manager (who I know well) automatically ordered a spare key know full well that I would otherwise asking him to do so.

You would think that for the sake of a few bob that Fiat would supply two keys. Yes the dealer can order a 2nd key but the whole chain of cost from vehicle owner to dealer to Fiat UK and the return path could sensibly be avoided.