Restore turbines or buy new throwing star covers? Your opinion? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

stedes · 6th November 2009, 15:46

Hey guys,

Own a 1990 production E34 M5 in Calypso Red. Car has turbines on in need of restoration. Previous owner changed bonnet/grille to facelift model's and also added the motorsport door mirrors.

Would you:
1. Restore turbines and plan to return the car to pre-facelift look with new bonnet/grille
2. Purchase throwing star covers from dealer and restore only edge of rims to complete the facelift look.

Thanks.

Mmm-Five · 6th November 2009, 16:49

I'd refurb the turbines because they have a cool retro feel to them.

Josco010 · 6th November 2009, 17:01

+1, i have the later 6spd but always preferred the turbines, something about the way the look (Smart) is one of them and on your car they will be smokin. As for the bonnet i am indifferent. But nothing like a mint looking turbine wheel.

GeorgeK · 6th November 2009, 18:13

Careful!
Not all turbine rims will accept the throwing star center cap! I ran into that hitch when I had to buy one used rim while one of mine was being repaired.

bubba966 · 6th November 2009, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeK

Careful!
Not all turbine rims will accept the throwing star center cap! I ran into that hitch when I had to buy one used rim while one of mine was being repaired.

The turbines use different length bolts than the throwing stars do. Turbines use M6x30 bolts to secure the covers to the wheel while the T-Stars use M6x20 bolts. The rims should be no different at all. They've got the same parts #'s.

Did you try to use the wrong length bolts?

bubba966 · 6th November 2009, 23:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by stedes

Hey guys,

Own a 1990 production E34 M5 in Calypso Red. Car has turbines on in need of restoration. Previous owner changed bonnet/grille to facelift model's and also added the motorsport door mirrors.

Would you:
1. Restore turbines and plan to return the car to pre-facelift look with new bonnet/grille
2. Purchase throwing star covers from dealer and restore only edge of rims to complete the facelift look.

Thanks.

I'm quite fond of the wide grille/T-Star/motorsport mirror look myself. Which is exactly why I bought one of the very few E34's that had that combination from the factory. Don't really care for the turbine look.

But you should ask yourself this. Which look do I prefer?

I'm guessing you don't have the original hood & grille that'd have the original factory VIN stickers on them. Probably don't have the original mirrors either. If so your car will never truly be "original". So what does it matter then if you put on T-Star covers to complete the facelift look?

If you do get a set of T-Star covers you can always refurb the turbine covers later at some point and put them back on.

In the end your opinion is the only one that really matters and you should go with what you want. After all, you're the one that has to live with the car every day. It should be just how you want it.

GeorgeK · 6th November 2009, 23:34

No. Definitely not. There are slight detail differences in the rim itself. The throwing star ends up closer to the rim, which prevents the center cap from clipping in place. The difference is in the rim. I did lok at the details and could identify the variations.
You could circumvent this by using spacers to allow room for the center cap, but that would put the outer edge of the TS at a distance from the rim.

Edit: at least on the early rim I bought. Might be a one-off, but I have no reason to believe so.

mottati · 6th November 2009, 23:57

there was a guy on bimmerforums who bought a set of wheels who had exactly this problem, center cap would not snap on.

Wharthog · 7th November 2009, 08:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by mottati

there was a guy on bimmerforums who bought a set of wheels who had exactly this problem, center cap would not snap on.

I guess I got lucky then. My car was T-star from the factory but came with a set of aftermarket wheels. I bought a set of turbines and fitted new T-star to them..

in answer to the original post. I like to keep them period correct but I think both look good.