What is it with valve caps?

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How many valve caps have you lost so far?

None (I'm lucky or just got my car)
28
40%
One
7
10%
Two
6
9%
Three
3
4%
Four
12
17%
Five - Nine
6
9%
Ten + (the thieving b**ta*ds seek me out...)
8
11%
 
Total votes: 70

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Phooto
Joined: Fri 07 Nov, 2003 17:32
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What is it with valve caps?

Post by Phooto »

Replaced two on my 330 yesterday; the wheels were not perfectly clean, so you could see where they have been stolen, the finger marks as someone has unscrewed them.

Drives me mad, I seem to replace a couple a month, so keep a small stock of them at home.

So, how many have you had stolen to date on your Z? - bit of a trivial question, but one of life's great irritiations IMHO.

Maybe it's like the great Vauxhall Cavalier wheel cover - I reckon there was only one missing in the whole of the country, just each person stole one from the next and so on...
Simon Taylor
phooto
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M11 POW
Joined: Thu 20 Nov, 2003 19:00
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Location: Colchester

Post by M11 POW »

Got fed up with financing some other buggers wheels, :evil: so now have locking ones. :lol:
[321 bhp. Das ist gut ja?
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Devon Z
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Location: Brixham, Devon

Post by Devon Z »

I've had one set go missing so far :evil: local dealer take them off all sales cars until sold and several sets gone off customers cars in public car park :twisted: but things seem to have been OK this year :D maybe there back to nicking VW/Merc badges.

Steve,
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Lorraine
Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 15:55
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Ripon

Post by Lorraine »

I caught a young skateboarder nicking my valve caps one night, the local police told me that the young boys like to use them on their push bikes.
Cheers,
Lorraine
Z3 3.0 :D
RachelM
Joined: Sun 11 Jan, 2004 16:23
Posts: 123

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Clifton

Post by RachelM »

I think we lost three. We had a nice set with the Z3 logo on them, but they didn't last long - one was left behind as it was on so tightly! We heard later that you should only use those when you're showing the car or you're asking for them to be stolen. Ah well, some people obviously have more time on their hands to go round collecting them from other people's cars...
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Jules75
Joined: Mon 17 Nov, 2003 10:43
Posts: 380

  Z4 M roadster
Location: Glasgow

Post by Jules75 »

M11 POW wrote:Got fed up with financing some other buggers wheels, :evil: so now have locking ones. :lol:
Me too. Got them of e-bay for £10.
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Dazza
Joined: Thu 19 Feb, 2004 13:14
Posts: 377

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Post by Dazza »

I had two of mine stolen on Friday night, they took drivers side as there was only houses on the passenger side

Those little @~*&^@~@'s
Gwynn
Joined: Thu 13 Nov, 2003 22:15
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Location: Jersey

Post by Gwynn »

Gave up in the end now I have boring old black ones that nobody wants.
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Jules75
Joined: Mon 17 Nov, 2003 10:43
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Location: Glasgow

Post by Jules75 »

Gwynn wrote:Gave up in the end now I have boring old black ones that nobody wants.
It was the boring black ones they stole from my car! :cry:
garyw
Joined: Fri 07 Nov, 2003 22:29
Posts: 2644

  Porsche

Post by garyw »

I used to loose quite a few, the Kids do nick them for their bikes, little Sh*ts.
I did get the last laugh on the Zed when I fitted Alpina's, which have no visible valve or cap, and is locked away in the centre 8-).
Ordered locking ones with a crest on it to save the hassle on the porker. :D
My nephew used to go around nicking them back and giving them to me, it took a while to explain it was pointless taking them off other peoples cars to give them to me :|
Garyw
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nero
Joined: Wed 08 Oct, 2003 22:23
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Post by nero »

RachelM wrote:We heard later that you should only use those when you're showing the car or you're asking for them to be stolen.
They're not even safe then - we were at a Classic Car Show on a club display and a couple of kids tried to nick the caps while we were around :lol:
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John B
Joined: Sun 09 Nov, 2003 15:17
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  Z4 roadster 3.0si
Location: Hinckley

Post by John B »

Don't you think it makes it worse when you can see the evidence of the grubby little fingers on the rims? At least on clean wheels it doesn't seem so personal! I put some on our Mini that have an hexagonal cap to tighten with a spanner, they even got 3 of those off - must be carrying tool kits for the job.
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Miss M
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2004 11:18
Posts: 70

  Z4 roadster 2.2i

Post by Miss M »

I've caught the little <bleep> on my driveway trying to get them off....twice! Luckily I have locking ones so all they get is a handful of brake dust! :roll:
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Bestgear
Joined: Mon 12 Jul, 2004 20:04
Posts: 208

  Z4 roadster 2.5i

Post by Bestgear »

Guys...

I would be very wary of the aftermarket ALLOY dust caps as they have a big tendency to corrode very quickly and then stick themselves to the valve - meaning its a trip to a tyre fitter to remove them and replace the whole valve.

I used a set of smart caps and tightened them with a 10mm key - to find that three of them were stuck solid inside 4-6 weeks....
The tyre fitter said he sees them all the time like that.

I guess the morale to the story is check your pressures each week and clean the cap/valve when you remove it.

D
DavidM
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Post by DavidM »

None - since I changed the wheels - the Breyton ones are made to look like the bolts on the rest of the wheel - and you need a tool to remove them - that then becomes the valve stem too
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steve'z3'ski
Joined: Tue 16 Dec, 2003 13:15
Posts: 148

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Romford

Post by steve'z3'ski »

AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!

Parked round the Mrs house Friday night, woke up and had to get something out the Z, noticed only two caps missing on the nearside, offside was ok. Go lo leave later in the day and the fcukers have come back and taken the other two!?!?!?!

WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST LEAVE MY CAR ALONE?!?!!?!?
A perfect picture of peace and tranquility.......
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DavidO
Joined: Wed 12 Nov, 2003 19:30
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Location: Weymouth

Post by DavidO »

Over the last 12 months I have lost a total of 3 complete sets to the little scrotes :evil:

My greatest fear is that one day I will catch the little bas***ds at it, and then it will be me that ends up in court!! :head:
David O
qbass00
Joined: Thu 09 Sep, 2004 14:24
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Location: brighton

Post by qbass00 »

wasnt even aware that this was going on. is this happening all over the country?
321bhp
Joined: Mon 01 Dec, 2003 19:34
Posts: 2516

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Location: essex

hi

Post by 321bhp »

best bet is to get hold of some BARBIE DUST CAPS :D :D :D :D
i recon they would leave um :lol:
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Robin
Joined: Sun 14 Dec, 2003 18:35
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perspective

Post by Robin »

Millions are starving starving, kids dying in the Sudan..... etc & we worry about our valve caps being pinched :?
Heck I'm as guilty of worrying as the rest :oops:
Last edited by Robin on Tue 28 Sep, 2004 00:25, edited 1 time in total.
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DavidO
Joined: Wed 12 Nov, 2003 19:30
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Location: Weymouth

Perspective the Sequel

Post by DavidO »

Someone comes and asks me to donate my chrome caps to help kids in Sudan, and I might gladly hand them over......................Some thieving little toerag takes it upon himself to come down my drive and help himself, and I would happily see him transported to the Sudan. :x

Today, valve caps. Tomorrow, mugging old ladies for their pension
David O
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Robin
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Post by Robin »

True David. I like your perspective. I wasn't trying to justify thieving of any kind :wink:
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Paul R
Joined: Sun 14 Dec, 2003 20:38
Posts: 53

  Z4 roadster 3.0i

Post by Paul R »

Mmmmmmmm......only lost 1.....hadn't thought of the pushbike valves needing them.......little shites... :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Phooto
Joined: Fri 07 Nov, 2003 17:32
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Re: Perspective the Sequel

Post by Phooto »

DavidO wrote:Today, valve caps. Tomorrow, mugging old ladies for their pension
Exactly - my problem with many people these days, there is no respect for other people or their property. I must be getting old!
Simon Taylor
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FreddyK
Joined: Fri 14 Nov, 2003 10:14
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What are valve caps ?

Post by FreddyK »

Can any of you post a picture of a valve cap because I have no idea what everybody's talking about (english not being my mothertongue, sorry).

I thought valves were a part of the engine, not the wheels.
Freddy

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Robin
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Post by Robin »

Freddy
They screw onto the 'tyre inflation valves' on your wheels to keep dust out & prevent air leak if valve fails.
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steve'z3'ski
Joined: Tue 16 Dec, 2003 13:15
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Location: Romford

Post by steve'z3'ski »

But if I can get my hands on the little shites and give them a slap, I can no-longer park by beautiful car anywhere near the 'crime-scene' as they'll come back.........

Maybe it's worth it though.....
A perfect picture of peace and tranquility.......
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Robin
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Flashing LED valve caps

Post by Robin »

My son has just bought a mountain bike magazine called 'MBUK'.
It comes with free pair of briliant red or blue flashing LED valve caps. They switch on automatically by sensing movement.
I shall see how they look tonight on my car just for a giggle.
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nero
Joined: Wed 08 Oct, 2003 22:23
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Post by nero »

Robin - I thought for a minute that you were going to seek revenge and "borrow" some back :mrgreen:
BMWCCScotland

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Robin
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Post by Robin »

Nero
I am !
I'm going to borrow them from my son's mountain bike :lol:
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steve'z3'ski
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Location: Romford

Post by steve'z3'ski »

ha ha ha, get another mag and use all four.......
A perfect picture of peace and tranquility.......
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BostonGreenZ3
Joined: Fri 06 Feb, 2004 18:05
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Flashing Blue ones would look nice.......

Post by BostonGreenZ3 »

And then get another 2 mags for when they get nicked off the car :lol: :lol: :lol:
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