Rear Wheel wells made of fabric material instead of plastic

[damills]

Im really into detailing my car, I noticed the first time I washed my new 09 135i with the M Sports Package that the rear wheel wells were not lined with plastic pieces (hard ABS liners like on front and all other bimmers I have owned) but with some type of material that looks like the same liner as on the inside of the trunk

Has anyone else noticed this, if you have plastic in the rear wheel wells, please post some pics and please PM me you last 7 digits of you VIN so I can order the plastic wheel wells, if everyones rear wheel wells are made of this material, I beleive this will be very hard to keep clean, I am use to cleaning the wheels wells when I wash the car, then spraying them with silicone, son-of-gun or amorall to keep them looking black and new. There is no problem with front wheel wells, they are made as in all other BMW's I have owned plastic or some hard ABS molded plastic.

This is one place I think BMW Engineering has went too far either in trying to cust cost or weight, this material cannot last as long and be as durable as plastic wheel well liners. Im hoping this is not true on all models and that I can order the plastic versions of the pieces seperately. I cant believe putting plastic (hard ABS plastic) vs the material being used was a large cost item, at the most $50 difference and Im guessing, those things are a little too cheap IMO for a $40k+ car. I would gladly have paid the difference, it cheapens the car IMO.

I tried to do a search on this subject and found nothing so am I the only one who sees this is a potential problem or is it not a problem for others. Surely Im not the only owner who cleans those areas every time they wash their car? Maybe no one cleans that area . Im one that when I first buy a car, I take the wheels off and wax inside the rim to make removing brake dust an easy job plus protect and keep the inside rim like new plus give the wheel liners a good cleaning and coat of silicone or equivalent.

I would like to hear from any 1-series owner 08 or 09 that are fanatical when it comes to cleaning their car. At first it looks like its just where there is no plastic like on the rear wheel well on an E46 (except for a very small piece at the back), but if you start feeling of it, then down at the bottom of the pieces near the ground, push on them it looks just like the material to line the trunk, its definitly not plastic, I believe these items will not hold up over time IMHO

Any comments?

P.S.

I looked up the parts on realoem.com, they call them wheelhouse, they are $91 retail, here is a link to the over drawing, its items 10 and 11.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...08&hg=41&fg=25

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by damills

Im really into detailing my car, I noticed the first time I washed my new 09 135i with the M Sports Package that the rear wheel wells were not lined with plastic pieces (hard ABS liners like on front and all other bimmers I have owned) but with some type of material that looks like the same liner as on the inside of the trunk

Has anyone else noticed this, if you have plastic in the rear wheel wells, please post some pics and please PM me you last 7 digits of you VIN so I can order the plastic wheel wells, if everyones rear wheel wells are made of this material, I beleive this will be very hard to keep clean, I am use to cleaning the wheels wells when I wash the car, then spraying them with silicone, son-of-gun or amorall to keep them looking black and new. There is no problem with front wheel wells, they are made as in all other BMW's I have owned plastic or some hard ABS molded plastic.

This is one place I think BMW Engineering has went too far either in trying to cust cost or weight, this material cannot last as long and be as durable as plastic wheel well liners. Im hoping this is not true on all models and that I can order the plastic versions of the pieces seperately. I cant believe putting plastic (hard ABS plastic) vs the material being used was a large cost item, at the most $50 difference and Im guessing, those things are a little too cheap IMO for a $40k+ car. I would gladly have paid the difference, it cheapens the car IMO.

I tried to do a search on this subject and found nothing so am I the only one who sees this is a potential problem or is it not a problem for others. Surely Im not the only owner who cleans those areas every time they wash their car? Maybe no one cleans that area . Im one that when I first buy a car, I take the wheels off and wax inside the rim to make removing brake dust an easy job plus protect and keep the inside rim like new plus give the wheel liners a good cleaning and coat of silicone or equivalent.

I would like to hear from any 1-series owner 08 or 09 that are fanatical when it comes to cleaning their car. At first it looks like its just where there is no plastic like on the rear wheel well on an E46 (except for a very small piece at the back), but if you start feeling of it, then down at the bottom of the pieces near the ground, push on them it looks just like the material to line the trunk, its definitly not plastic, I believe these items will not hold up over time IMHO

Any comments?

P.S.

I looked up the parts on realoem.com, they call them wheelhouse, they are $91 retail, here is a link to the over drawing, its items 10 and 11.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...08&hg=41&fg=25

A soft material like that will better absorb the hits from rocks, salt, water, sand, etc... and will not transmit the sound of the material hitting it.
Actually, that material doesn't sound like a "downgrade" or being "cheap".
It sounds like someone was thinking and used a better material for the job.

[BForbes]

You might be exaggerating a bit. I did notice the change. I dont think its a cost-cutting measure. My Mother's 65k+ Mercedes has this stuff along with other luxury marks. The smooth shiny plastic was indeed better to clean. There has to be a good reason for it. I'll look into it more tommorow

Originally Posted by RPM90

A soft material like that will better absorb the hits from rocks, salt, water, sand, etc... and will not transmit the sound of the material hitting it.

Actually, that material doesn't sound like a "downgrade" or being "cheap".

It sounds like someone was thinking and used a better material for the job.

What you said is factual. Lexus has been using it for a while too.

[damills]

If its a better material Ill stand corrected but if its a better material wonder why its not used all around, maybe the rear due to the fact it is a rear wheel drive gets more abuse and this material is better. I still feel this material will not look as new when cleaned as ABS plastic

If this is a better solution (which I hope it is), I bow to the BMW gods, I guess I will just have to go thru a few cleaning cycles on the car, clean them up and see how they hold up.

I hope your right, hope it is better. After some look at theirs, I would be interested in owners opinions who have a car detailed regularly and in those areas that has some miles on it.

Bottom line, hope youall are right, it wears, cleans and last better than ABS plastic, if it does I will to the BMW Engineers and aplogize

P.S. As long as I can clean it, still looks black, I wont care whats in there but I do wish it was the same as the front, I dont know, I still tend to think the plastic is a better solution, whether it was done as a better design, we will never know but hopefully it is, I just hope it cleans up well.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by damills

Bottom line, hope youall are right, it wears, cleans and last better than ABS plastic, if it does I will to the BMW Engineers and aplogize

I doubt very seriously if the "cleanability" of the wheel well liner material was a design consideration for BMW's engineers. They're building street cars, not garage queens that will stay spotless their entire life.

[AchtungF80]

If it gets too dirty...why not just replace the liners down the road if you're that anal about keeping your car clean?

That's a little too OCD for me, and I do spray out my wheel wells on every wash.

[Road Runner]

I was told by someone who knows about this stuff (forget who though), that the primary reason behind the fabric is to muffle sound just as RPM90 suggested.

[HeyMoe53]

I can't remember who told me about it, but I'll second what Road Runner said. Many cars, including my lowly Focus, have this material for that reason.

I just spray it out when I wash the car. I've been told not to clean it by brush, because it gets an "Afro" look.

[Ender_]

Yup my Audi has the same thing, front and rear, thought it was a bit odd first off all never really thought about it.

[m7ammed]

I guess they use it on the rear only is because the car is rear wheel drive and when the rear wheels start spinning under hard acceleration all rocks dirt will be hitting the back harder than the front which will make more noises ....etc

[cagekicker]

better material than plastic.

[jkoral]

Reviving an old thread, specifically to ask how folks that detail their wheel wells handle this material.

I was going to use Adam's (or Griot's) Undercarriage Spray, as detailed and shown in this thread:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260634.

But I'm not sure how that's going to work on the rear fabric ones. Googling around I see some other suggestions to use 303 fabric protector once clean, but haven't tried it yet (and don't own any).

Anyone that does their 1-series wheel wells have any good suggestions for the rear fabric ones? I'm not super anal, but I do love the way the plastic wheel wells can be cleaned/dressed from a dirty grey to a deep flat black.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Anyone that does their 1-series wheel wells have any good suggestions for the rear fabric ones? I'm not super anal, but I do love the way the plastic wheel wells can be cleaned/dressed from a dirty grey to a deep flat black.

I suppose the fabric wheel wells won't turn dirty gray over time.....?

When I'm washing the wheels, I hit the inside of the wells (front and rear) with my Foamaster, let it sit for a while, then rinse thoroughly.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I suppose the fabric wheel wells won't turn dirty gray over time.....?

When I'm washing the wheels, I hit the inside of the wells (front and rear) with my Foamaster, let it sit for a while, then rinse thoroughly.

Yes, taking a good look today with the wheels off in the sun, the rear is much blacker than the front, even though the front was "clean". So at this point my concern is moot, I'll just detail/dress the front wheel wells. Amazing how bad they look when you start noticing them (not just on your car).

[tuco44]

Sounds like an upgrade to me, and good thinking on the designer's part.

[Impervious]

Originally Posted by m7ammed

I guess they use it on the rear only is because the car is rear wheel drive and when the rear wheels start spinning under hard acceleration all rocks dirt will be hitting the back harder than the front which will make more noises ....etc

I like a quiet cabin while doing burnouts.

[syenisch]

Seriously people if you are detailing this area, you have a sickness lol. You cannot see this area at all!!

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by syenisch

Seriously people if you are detailing this area, you have a sickness lol. You cannot see this area at all!!

Tell that to the Concourse judges.

[993 911]

Concourse judges would probably instruct to get the car back in the spectators lot!

Lower your car and you'll never notice.

[zkeeper]

Was a bit surprised when I got my 128iMSport AW--and then after washing it, love it now. I AM one of those who cleans the wheel wheels, but prefer not using a silicone or armor-all prod...dirt cling are too easy on the front wells. A good cleaning and hit fronts with Griots SpeedShine, wipe and dirt does not cling near as much. Nice sheen. And those rears? They just wash right up and stay nice and black. I enjoy the new material...brilliant of them to think of it, use it and keep the car from looking all cheapy plastic that turns greyish anyway, if not always kept shiney. Just some thots...enjoy those rear liners--

[Sylon]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Tell that to the Concourse judges.

Many of the cars that compete in the Concourse shows are not driven enough to make these types of wheel wells an issue. You're not going to take a daily driver to that kind of show and expect to do well. Trying to keep the wheel wells spotless on a DD will test your levels of sanity.

[Guildenstern]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Tell that to the Concourse judges.

Concourse judges have it even worse. They are so bad they came up with a competition so they could judge others in how impossibly clean their car is.