Small vibration at 150MPH

Murray C · Aug 29, 2016

Had the pleasure of helping my mate deliver his QP 4.7 GTS to Munich last month...moved for work, trip was just fantastic, car fantastic...once we hit Germany we weren't under 100mph for over 2hrs pushing 130mph in places.

Car preformed brilliantly with no issues but speaking with him tonight he's getting a very small vibration through the wheel now. This is at 150mph just to add.....from is office he has about 40minutes of unrestricted motorway so loving his drive home.......wouldn't we all

He thinks it could just be feedback from the road as he has never driven the car at those speeds before, so a new experience.

I suggested he check his tyres/pressures and wheel balances, got to be the first place to start.....if anyone has any other suggestion would be appreciated, i'll pass them along.

Contigo · Aug 29, 2016

Whilst I love driving fast a like part of me think either drive through the vibration to 160 or slow the **** down, if he drives at that speed for the most part he will become a statistic. Maybe 95 is enough?

GeoffCapes · Aug 29, 2016

A vibration at that kind of speed is probably something to do with the wheels or tyres.
Perhaps the balancing is slightly out or possibly a slight buckle on one of the wheels, on uneven tyre wear.

That would be my first port of call.

Had my Merc up to 165 and it was steady as a rock.

Steve GS · Aug 29, 2016

If the car is saying I don't like this speed slow the f--k down. Big car all that wind blowing around it they are not the most aerodynamic cars. Might have a little to do with it. But what do I know.

Ewan · Aug 30, 2016

An imbalance in the wheels or tyres should show at slower speeds. But if he rides for 40 mins at unrestricted speeds with issues at 150 mph or so, he needs to rethink his commute. My commute takes 10 minutes max, at that's at 30 mph! I suggest he moves office/house.

davy83 · Aug 30, 2016

unfortunately at that speed there any number of things that might start vibrating and its not uncommon in older cars for there to be some vibration at fairly high speeds. The obvious ones are tyre pressure and wheel balance, its worth making sure the tyre shop can balance to a fairly high level of accuracy, it can depend on how well maintained the wheel balancing machine is and the operator doing the balancing, i have had mixed experience with wheel balance. problems with UJ's in the prop shaft and rear drive shafts can cause issues at high speed as these rotate to road speed so at high speed rotate quickly. wear in the shock absorbers might also cause issues as might tracking and steering geometry? perhaps just slow down a little?

midlifecrisis · Aug 30, 2016

I agree with Davy, if it's only happening at 150mph I wouldn't worry about it, you're going at extreme speed and therefore you need extreme concentration. If a car is too quiet at 150mph you might nod off...

highlander · Aug 30, 2016

Even on public roads these speeds are permitted I would not do 150, I recognise I simply don't have the talent to "safely" do speeds like that where I am responsible for other users too. Kudos to those that have the talent and think again to those that "think" they have the talent but like me, don't

jluis · Aug 30, 2016

From experience of driving in German unrestricted motorways, although they have no speed limit, driving such a heavy car at that speed is bound to induce vibration in the car due to road irregularities.

Also, if you friend drives at those speeds every day for long periods of time in German motorways as part of his comute he might need a head scan.

Not all people are driving at those speeds on the motorway and all it takes is for one other car to change lanes at the wrong time to cause a massive accident.

I also noticed that German highways are usually packed with cars so it's most definitely not safe to drive at those speeds during regular comute hours

MrMickS · Aug 30, 2016

Only on this forum would you see an article title like this. Love it!

keith · Aug 30, 2016

I wonder what the mpg is like...

mjheathcote · Aug 30, 2016

First time a took the BMW barge on continental family holiday I noticed a driveline vibration at around 100 mph.
Back home the UK main dealer didn't want to investigate. 'sir you are not legally allowed to drive faster than 70 mph' came the reply...but I said 'i don't just drive in the UK'. I guess only a German dealer could investigate!

Swedish Paul · Aug 30, 2016

Remember Jezza in a Top Gear race to Oslo in a McClaren Merc I think. I recall he said he had to stop for fuel every 17 mins on the Autobahn

Murray C · Aug 30, 2016

Thanks for all the replies guys....have pasted them on, even the one that said he was a nutter. He's booking into the dealer next week for a check over.

He said he's not travelling at that pace for the entire journey, averages 100 to 120 most nights but kept getting passed by the german marque's so open it up a bit more to promote the brand.

I guess travelling at this pace is alien to us here in the UK....to much traffic and not the roads but I do remember when we took it over, we were getting flashed at 100mph in the middle lane, by vans as well.....crazy. You do have to dial yourself into those speeds and your concentration takes a big jump up I find.

Maserati built these cars to cruise at high speeds so would suspect it could handle runs up to those numbers without to much of a problem

Condition of the car is mint...25k full history so nice example as you can see for the pic.....will have to ask he him the fuel question

Mr K · Sep 1, 2016

Murray C said:
Thanks for all the replies guys....have pasted them on, even the one that said he was a nutter. He's booking into the dealer next week for a check over.

He said he's not travelling at that pace for the entire journey, averages 100 to 120 most nights but kept getting passed by the german marque's so open it up a bit more to promote the brand.

I guess travelling at this pace is alien to us here in the UK....to much traffic and not the roads but I do remember when we took it over, we were getting flashed at 100mph in the middle lane, by vans as well.....crazy. You do have to dial yourself into those speeds and your concentration takes a big jump up I find.

I've driven a couple of QPs at high speed in Germany and both suffered from vibration. My current one is pretty bad at 120mph (and barely noticably at 60mph) - I'm sure it's just a wheel balance issue, though. A German tyre fitting outfit will probably do a much better job than my wheel refurbisher in Norfolk...

Here's a still from my drive on Saturday.

dem maser · Sep 1, 2016

Love that QP, my favourite wheels

QP4Me · Sep 2, 2016

100 phone or 150mph? Makes no odds. Just a bigger splash. Go as fast as you want, otherwise buy something more sensible.

Corranga · Sep 2, 2016

I'm surprised by most of the comments here actually. These cars are built to do this sort of speed, and clearly are built for prolonged journeys (the definition of a GT car?)
I suspect that if the person has chosen to drive at 150mph, they have risk assessed the conditions and road, and don't really need to be continually told they are an idiot

If the thread was about a track day car doing 150 on a long straight piece of track, should the answers be different? My worry would be that the vibration at 150 may be down to wear and start to manifest at lower speeds, and that it'd be worth getting it sorted.

Finally, I feel I should add that I've never driven over 110mph personally, so don't really know what a car might feel like at those speeds.

mjheathcote said:
First time a took the BMW barge on continental family holiday I noticed a driveline vibration at around 100 mph.
Back home the UK main dealer didn't want to investigate. 'sir you are not legally allowed to drive faster than 70 mph' came the reply...but I said 'i don't just drive in the UK'. I guess only a German dealer could investigate!

I'd be writing to BMW UK to complain about that one as soon as I got home. The dealership is there to sell and service your car, including detecting and resolving issues, not to uphold the law, at least until BMW start making cars restricted to 70mph. Certainly doesn't give me any faith in BMW - dealers or cars - at all!!

Chris

Wattie · Sep 2, 2016

Oh come on,driving at 150mph is irresponsible.the car may be designed for it but the person behind the wheel most certainly isn't and I would suggest that the complaint "small vibration" says it all. Slow down then...get the vibration fixed. It might even have been the road.
Driving that fast isn't smart nor clever and certainly isn't as safe as driving at half that speed....even if you can in theory.
Cheers Wattie

Contigo · Sep 2, 2016

Wattie said:
Oh come on,driving at 150mph is irresponsible.the car may be designed for it but the person behind the wheel most certainly isn't and I would suggest that the complaint "small vibration" says it all. Slow down then...get the vibration fixed. It might even have been the road.
Driving that fast isn't smart nor clever and certainly isn't as safe as driving at half that speed....even if you can in theory.
Cheers Wattie

It's a section of Autobahn mate where there is no speed limit. I think you have to drive one to appreciate the lane discipline and just how safe they are when drivers actually stick to the rules. OK there's no accounting for a blowout or suchlike at higher speeds which will undoubtedly be more dangerous at 150mph than 75 mph but that's a risk that the driver must take.

Small vibration at 150MPH

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