Chipped alloy - new car!
Discussion
Ive chipped my alloy whilst parking on a pavement this evening. It's a new BMW so I'm pretty hacked off. Anyway, a small bit of the alloy has broken off - can this be repaired or would the alloy be a write off? It's around 5mm by 5mm.
If a repair is feasible how much would I look at paying? I'm going to ring my dealer in the morning but some visibility would be appreciated.
If a repair is feasible how much would I look at paying? I'm going to ring my dealer in the morning but some visibility would be appreciated.
Had some REALLY manky wheels refurbed here at very reasonable cost - http://www.pristinealloywheels.co.uk/
jacktoyou said:
Just to add to this - are mobile repair companies worth using? What type of finish do you get if repaired? Is it noticable?
From experience, no. This week I was in the same position as the OP. Kerbed wheel, car 2 days old. So out comes the mobile wheel man, at 8 o'clock at night, after me ringing him 2 days previous. It's getting dark, and he has a wheel to paint.8pm: "We're gonna be beaten by the light" he says...
So he asks if he can use the garage to paint the wheel. No problem, out comes the Escort, and in goes the wheel.
10:30pm: The slight kerbing is smoothed, and the wheel is ready for paint. So he paints it, and comes in for a cup of tea.
12:00pm!!: The paint's dried, so out he goes to inspect. It has reacted, unsurprisingly, and looks worse than before.
"Do you clean cars in here?" he asks.
"I do"
"That's your problem" he says, "The isotopes in the air make the paint react. Comes in the dash cleaner and the likes"
Erm... ok. Probably would have been a good idea to ask that question before he started, no? Considering my garage is wall to wall with these evil cleaning products. I'll have to take it away and fix it, he tells me.
12:30am: My wheel disappears in his van, looking worse than before.
4:00pm the following day: My wheel arrives back, and it's stuck on the car. It's now two different shades of silver, and there's now a 2 inch mark in it where there wasn't a mark before. I tell him I'm not happy with it at all. He agrees, and says that the whole job has turned into a nightmare, something about his mate telling him the wrong paint code for Vauxhall wheels or something. He tells me he doesn't expect paid. I tell him that comes as no surprise. He tells me he's sorry. I tell him goodbye.
Stay clear at all costs.
Mobile paint repairs are a bit of a nightmare concept because it's impossible to get a decent paint finish outdoors/in changing conditions/humidity/damp/frost - you name it, it affects the results.
Most people who do this, thrive on dealer/fleet business - e.g. it's a quick fix which doesn't have to last too long, just to get it off the forecourt for the most part.
To repair a wheel properly it needs to come off and be prepared in a proper environment. In most cases you want the tyre off too as painting it isn't clever - count on your wheel being gone for at least a couple of days if they're doing it properly.
Otherwise forget it - there'll be more chips soon!!
Most people who do this, thrive on dealer/fleet business - e.g. it's a quick fix which doesn't have to last too long, just to get it off the forecourt for the most part.
To repair a wheel properly it needs to come off and be prepared in a proper environment. In most cases you want the tyre off too as painting it isn't clever - count on your wheel being gone for at least a couple of days if they're doing it properly.
Otherwise forget it - there'll be more chips soon!!
StottyZr said:
Is it your front left? Is there a point having the wheel reconditioned. Lets be honest, 3 weeks time you'll do it again and it will hurt much worse after you've spent £50 reconditioning it 
This. I chipped an alloy when I first got my Ibiza. I felt bad so got it refurbished for the grand sum of £55. I then kerbed the same alloy within a month. I nearly cried.
I've ended up giving them all a bit of abuse in the first year I had it, but none in the last 18 months (touch wood). Still, I shan't be having them sorted until just before the lease is up in February. Sods law means I would just end up doing something dickish and ending up with a fresh mark!
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