Vibration at higher speeds, not tires/balance/alignment

[khp3655]

I have a 2010 Z4, base with a 6M. It has 66K miles and has been well-cared for. For the past year or so it has had a shake at higher speeds that often feels like a tire balance issue. Above 65, the steering wheel starts to vibrate a little. Above about 75 the shake gets really noticeable and I can feel it in the car. Sometimes balancing the tires helps, but it clearly has not solved the problem. In addition, I recently got 4 new tires and that hasn't made a difference (I was told the old tires were scalped and that might be the problem -- it wasn't). The alignment is good and I had it checked as well (and was told the car did not need an alignment).

The car has been hit very lightly (cosmetic damage) twice in the area of the passenger rear wheel. I have mentioned the shake that I thought might be related to the accident, but was told the tires were most likely to blame (which I know now the tires clearly were not source) but there was nothing else wrong with the car.

I am not sure if it is related, but every so often i hear a slight thump coming from the area of rear wheels, almost like an exhaust note that I can hear when the top is down. I have no idea if it is related and the sound is not alarming, almost like the folded-up top slightly shifted.

I don't know what else to check. Most of the time, around town, it is not an issue and a slight vibration in the steering wheel and shake rarely gets me much sympathy, but it takes the joy out driving the car on the highway.

I am willing to bring the car in to a shop, but I want to know what I should be having them look at/for.

Any ideas and input are welcome.

Thank you.

[khp3655]

I brought the car to the shop. They specialize is BMWs. They told me the tires -- new tires with less than 1,000 miles on them -- have significant run out. They checked everything else and bound no problems. I am going to take them back to the place I bought them and get the tires looked at.

However, I was told the last set of tires was bad as well and that is why I needed new ones.

The car has been in two very minor accidents. I tried to say the vibration started after the second one, but the body shop said, no way. That's in your tire. Could they have missed something? The car was hit in and around the rear wheel well and the rim did need to be refinished.

Any thoughts? Is there another part that should be looked at?

Thank you.

[J306TD]

I brought the car to the shop. They specialize is BMWs. They told me the tires -- new tires with less than 1,000 miles on them -- have significant run out. They checked everything else and bound no problems. I am going to take them back to the place I bought them and get the tires looked at.

However, I was told the last set of tires was bad as well and that is why I needed new ones.

The car has been in two very minor accidents. I tried to say the vibration started after the second one, but the body shop said, no way. That's in your tire. Could they have missed something? The car was hit in and around the rear wheel well and the rim did need to be refinished.

Any thoughts? Is there another part that should be looked at?

Thank you.

Sounds like something was damaged in the accident and not spotted or replaced. Have seen this before place did bodywork but left the slightly twisted rear axle well tbh they didn't even see it even with a bend.

I'd say the rim that was refinished could potentially have a slight buckle. This doesn't always show up when balanced. If possible try another rim and see if it goes away.

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[mlytle]

I brought the car to the shop. They specialize is BMWs. They told me the tires -- new tires with less than 1,000 miles on them -- have significant run out. They checked everything else and bound no problems. I am going to take them back to the place I bought them and get the tires looked at.

However, I was told the last set of tires was bad as well and that is why I needed new ones.

The car has been in two very minor accidents. I tried to say the vibration started after the second one, but the body shop said, no way. That's in your tire. Could they have missed something? The car was hit in and around the rear wheel well and the rim did need to be refinished.

Any thoughts? Is there another part that should be looked at?

Thank you.

what kind of tires? a new set of pirelli p zero nero gt's i just put on a car had significant runout (out of round).

ps - if your first set of tires were bad because of scalloping (not "scalped"), then you do have an alignment problem.

[PbFut]

Bent wheel? Bent control arm but you say alignment is ok. What about unrelated issue such as something is the driveshaft like the flex joint or even motor mounts. Can you find someone with same car to swap wheels for a few minutes and try their set to see if the vibration goes away?

[surfwooderII]

I'm kind of having the same problem on my 2009 Z4. I'm looking at the thump sound from the rear drivers side. I looked at the shocks, both sides, and saw now leaks, but my next time at the shop will be a look at the shock towers. I do know scalloping of tires is a alignment, or shock problem. Scalloping shows the tire, or tires are bouncing off the road causing the rubber to wear off. Many BMWs have 4 wheel alignment, and following your accident the geometry of your car may be off. I'd also look at rear end, and axels. I hope this helps, I know this thread is a bit old, and you should have found the problem by now.