V8 Sports Pack wheels
V8 Sports Pack wheels
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KEFKEF

Original Poster:

78 posts

184 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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Some of you may remember that I recently had my V8V serviced at Bamford Rose and they they discovered 'corrosion blisters' on the inside of the rims. I took the car to the main dealer as the car was just inside the 3 year warranty for them to address the issues.

After 2 weeks AM have come back and kindly offered to refurbish the OUTSIDE of the rims of 3 wheels, leaving the 4th wheel entirely and ignoring the corrosion blisters on the inside of the all 4 wheels completely citing 'evidence of stone chips' as the cause of the corrosion!!!! On a car that has less than 8k miles on it and is kept in a carcoon over the winter I find this astonishing. I have a Land Rover Discovery 3,that is 5 years old, has 58k miles on it, is used all year round, has 19" alloys, is kept outside and guess what, no corrosion on the alloys at all.

I have no criticism of the dealer as they have spent the last 2 weeks trying to fight my corner. Incidentally, the dealer also told me that if I traded the car in after the remedial work byAM that they would deduct the cost of refurbishing all 4 wheels, c. £720, from any price offered, amazing!!!!

I am about to go into battle with AM, any advice in dealing with them will be greatly received.

Keith

Lunablack

3,494 posts

191 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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KEFKEF said:
!

I am about to go into battle with AM, any advice in dealing with them will be greatly received.

Keith
You're probably pissing into the wind, and will end up getting stressed out...... If it were me I'd just take the wheels to a refurb place, and get them donesmile

tonyhall38

4,194 posts

245 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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better off buying a gun....even that wouldn't work....let them re furbish what they have offered...but go direct to wheel refurber....make him an offer to totally refurbish the wheels...i have been quoted £55 per wheel +vat to change mine from silver to graphite....so not too bad really

MichaelV8V

650 posts

290 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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My sport pack wheels had corrosion behind the lacquer on the outside on all four wheels by the time it was 9 months old / 3000 miles. By the time it went in for its first service I'd kerbed two of them too.

At the first service AM approved replacement of all four, and I'm now much more careful when near kerbs, so they still look great.

If the corrosion is out of sight, I wouldn't worry too much about it, it shouldn't weaken the wheel.

Wobbly

563 posts

202 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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tonyhall38 said:
.i have been quoted £55 per wheel +vat to change mine from silver to graphite....so not too bad really
Hi Tony, as you live somewhere close to me, could I ask who has quoted this price.

KEFKEF

Original Poster:

78 posts

184 months

Friday 19th October 2012
quotequote all
tonyhall38 said:
...i have been quoted £55 per wheel +vat to change mine from silver to graphite....so not too bad really
Would be interested in knowing who your wheel man is please.

Keith

tonyhall38

4,194 posts

245 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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Wheel works in Crawley.....

Jockman

18,410 posts

189 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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Interesting one this Keith......

My car was 4 months out of warranty this year when I noticed peeling on my wing mirror stalks, so I asked a question of JCT and they gave me an answer - it could've been caused by a stone chip and you are out of warranty.....but AM are prepared as a gesture of goodwill to furnish you foc with an entire new wing mirror fitted by JCT.

Happy Days, until they fitted it and noticed that the other stalk was blistering and this could not have been caused by stonechips as it the surface was intact. Another new wing mirror was quickly shipped up by AM and fitted foc.

Quite interesting to compare that to your situation....and best of luck in getting it sorted smile

KEFKEF

Original Poster:

78 posts

184 months

Friday 19th October 2012
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Interestingly they replaced a door mirror that had bubbling without any questions.....it is bizarre this one. Perhaps I will get a metallurgist to have a look. Will keep you all posted.

EBruce

200 posts

197 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
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I too have what appears to be pitting in multiple areas on the inside of all 4 sport pack wheels! They have perhaps 6k miles on them.

At first I thought they were just rock chips, but they keep appearing.

Did they say what could be causing it?

drmw

190 posts

169 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
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I had issues with both wing mirrors - no peeling at all, but looking at the "texture", it wouldn't be long. Had just bought the car (2008 model). Spoke to AM, they sent me to local dealer (JCT600 Leeds) who took pics - one hour later, AM approved two new mirrors (everything bar the front shell) - I did have to pay for fitting, but satisfactory conclusion.

On wheels, agree with previous post that you will probably have to bite the bullet. I had diamond cut "turbine" alloys on my previous Merc - that finish is doomed before it left the factory - recutting is a waste of money as they will go again - inherent problem with diamond cut finish. I had them refurbed at the wheel specialist (http://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/?adw&gclid=CMT8zoLnj7MCFU3HtAod6yUAZA) - powder coated in "black chrome" - looked better than the originals - same day service, cost was (from memory) £350 all in. a £55 job is going to be painted - look good - for a year maybe, then they will go again - powder coating is the only way IMHO

jonby

5,367 posts

186 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
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tonyhall38 said:
better off buying a gun....even that wouldn't work....let them re furbish what they have offered...but go direct to wheel refurber....make him an offer to totally refurbish the wheels...i have been quoted £55 per wheel +vat to change mine from silver to graphite....so not too bad really
that's exactly the point - wheel refurbing is such excellent value for money if you go to a proper place that takes the wheels off, rather than a home visit type firm - both types tend to charge the same amount but with one you are effectively paying for their travel & your convenience, with the other you get a great job done at a reasonable price !


Lunablack

3,494 posts

191 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
quotequote all
jonby said:
that's exactly the point - wheel refurbing is such excellent value for money if you go to a proper place that takes the wheels off, rather than a home visit type firm - both types tend to charge the same amount but with one you are effectively paying for their travel & your convenience, with the other you get a great job done at a reasonable price !
Agree..... I removed my wheels, and took them to a wheel refurb place..

They removed 4 tyres,
Repaired the rim of 1 wheel
Stripped and powder coated 4 wheels
Refitted 4 tyres
Balanced wheels...

Less than £300 quid..... Almost a year ago now and they still look as good as newsmile


mikey k

13,074 posts

245 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
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Luna where did you get that done?

Lunablack

3,494 posts

191 months

Saturday 20th October 2012
quotequote all
mikey k said:
Luna where did you get that done?
smile

http://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/locations/birm...



Had my sisters MX5 wheels done a couple of weeks ago.... They looked spot onsmile


KEFKEF

Original Poster:

78 posts

184 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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EBruce said:
Did they say what could be causing it?
The view is that stone chips are the culprit althought to get that many marks on 4 wheels you would think that I rallycross the car at weekends, not so. I will take the conversation to AM customer services in the morning. My view is that it is just poor preparation and finishing of the wheels; not the quality that you would expect on an AM!!! I have many cars with alloy wheels and this is the first time I have seen this or heard such a pathetically weak excuse for failing to honour a warranty claim.

MaverickAM9

1,086 posts

167 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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Hello Boys, sorry to butt in, but I had all my wheels done every time I change the tyres (about once a year), I have some spare sets of wheels, because the wheels need to harden before they can have tyres put back on.

I've just come to accept that wheels need to be refurbed about once a year. Right or wrong I just accept it. £55.00 is about right, but for that they normally take the wheel off, break the tyre seal on the wheel and spray the front face of the wheel. That way the wheel does not have to harden, because it does not need the tyre put back on. Ever seen the garage stretch a 35profile tyre over a freshly refurbed wheel ?? Its breath holding .......

Personally I take the tyres off myself, get some local boys to sand off most of the paint, then hand them to the local garage, they sand them and spray them for £55.00, I let them harden for a month or so and I get a near perfect set of OEM wheels.

MichaelV8V

650 posts

290 months

Sunday 21st October 2012
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MaverickAM9 said:
Hello Boys, sorry to butt in, but I had all my wheels done every time I change the tyres (about once a year), I have some spare sets of wheels, because the wheels need to harden before they can have tyres put back on.

I've just come to accept that wheels need to be refurbed about once a year. Right or wrong I just accept it. £55.00 is about right, but for that they normally take the wheel off, break the tyre seal on the wheel and spray the front face of the wheel. That way the wheel does not have to harden, because it does not need the tyre put back on. Ever seen the garage stretch a 35profile tyre over a freshly refurbed wheel ?? Its breath holding .......

Personally I take the tyres off myself, get some local boys to sand off most of the paint, then hand them to the local garage, they sand them and spray them for £55.00, I let them harden for a month or so and I get a near perfect set of OEM wheels.
What are you doing to your wheels that means they need to be returned every year? Or they being badly painted and it doesn't last the way they should? Is the place that sprays them just using ordinary car paint?

They should last at least 5 years / 50k miles

EBruce

200 posts

197 months

Monday 22nd October 2012
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Yeah, once a year seems crazy! i have never had wheels on any car mark up like this....

Now mine are all on the inner spokes of the sport pack wheels (where rocks may hit) and nowhere else.

Also, i feel the diamond turned wheels are much more challenging to refurb than standard.

mikey k

13,074 posts

245 months

Monday 22nd October 2012
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He'll be painting them rather than powder coating
Paint just isn't durable enough IMHO

Edited by mikey k on Monday 22 October 10:55