TMc993

I have exactly the same problem, but it is worse when the ambient temp is below 55 degrees...BUT it is only present during the first few minutes of the first drive of the day. Rebalancing the wheels didn't help significantly.

I had German Car in Roswell look at it when I had it in a couple of weeks ago and they indicated that the front tires were probably flat-spotted. I guess they "loosen up" after they heat up.

They suggested that it might help if, over one weekend when I wasn't driving the car, I upped the inflation to approximately 50 PSI and let it sit for the weekend. I haven't tried that yet...

zone5

OK I went to a Firestone where they had one of the Hunter "Road Force Balance" machines and the car is now 90% better.

I talked the technician into letting me watch him do it. He said the force balance machine is rarely used because the other one is easier to use -- they sit side by side in the shop. Seemed pretty silly to me to let a very expensive machine just sit there.

The first wheel was 1/2 an oz. off and he placed the weight and re-tested the wheel and it was perfect. He then did the other one and it was a full ounce off, and he placed that weight and started taking the wheel off the machine. I asked him, "Aren't you going to test it after placing the weight, like the other one, to make sure it's good?" He said, "nah, its fine... but I'll do it if you want." So he did, and it was still off 1/2 an oz. Then it was perfect after he placed the additional weight. Mind you, the wheels were "balanced" at Costco this morning. So much for the lifetime balance as a reason to buy tires there.....

Anyway it was surprising to see blatant shortcuts, with me standing right there and all.

As I was leaving the shop I saw a brand-new M5 sitting there with a flat tire. The manager told me they were going to have to go buy the tire for the customer (it was a Michelin) because they didn't stock it. It cost FIVE HUNDRED dollars. I asked why it couldn't be fixed (the guy had run over a piece of metal). The store manager said that it couldn't be fixed because the customer had used a can of "run flat" to keep the tire going. Once the stuff got inside the tire it made repair impossible and the tire had to be replaced. I asked why the guy didn't put the spare on, and the manager said "there is no spare, the procedure for a damaged tire is to spray in the BMW tire repair stuff and limp to a tire store."

I thought it was a pretty harsh that the M5 drivers basically have to eat a tire every time they get a flat -- that would get old pretty quick....

chris walrod

If after balance checking the wheels doesnt cure this steering wheel wobble, do get under the car and check those front lower control arm bushings!

I ask this not because I offer these bushings as a upgrade, only because we cure this random wheel wobble with the use of these bushings. Also, random brake pedal judder is another syptom of bad bushings.

I know how frustrating these problems are in the 964/993 cars and also see the effects of the fix.