Submariner1
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2016
- Messages
- 4,692
- Reaction score
- 788
- Location
- Windsor Berkshire
- Your Mercedes
- CL500 2009 5.5
Brief history wheels just had the usual bubbling around the hub caps.
Had the job done, and I said I wanted them uber glossy lacquered, for easy maintenance.
On the day they had trouble putting in the wheel nut. 1st fitter said there was paint in the way?? Note using genuine AMG wheel and genuine MB locking nut ... plus all worked fine before.
I then noticed a nasty black mark on this left front wheel.
They rubbed it with a microfible cloth with some creme coloured thick paste ... it looked like T Cut.
It looked OK, but as the wheels were not cleaned, and it was pelting with hail. So I assumed it was OK.
I then noticed they had scuffed one wheel nut recess on the right back wheel . I pointed this out to him and he initially said, well its your wheel locking nut. I said but its genuine MB , as is the wheel, and it worked before. Note because I have those MB stainless steel capped wheel bolts, I gave them a new skinny 17mm bihex socket (needed to prevent denting the stainless caps). He did look embarrassed when I slotted the socket on , demonstrating there was loads of space around the socket.
He said it was OK, as it hadn't gone through the powder coating. TBH I not sure if it had or not.
And he said they would touch it up.
I was expecting them to do a proper local repair. Nope just a wipe with the titanium colour brush not even a coat of clearcoat .
I made them write on the invoice, if I had proplems , that they would sort it. Plus he said I had a years warranty.
Back home I thought Christ, I could do better with an artist brush, and the trick of leaving it 29 mins and "flattening it with isopropyl alchlol and then adding a dab of clear coat.
So I rang them and asked for some touch up paint. No problem £25 for a touch up jar. Plus postage!!
Lets say they dropped that fast! Due to my reaction.
Looking today.
Here is the offending rear wheel as noticed and "repaired" on the day
Being legal aware I photographed it before enhanced mending it myself, as discussed with wheel company.
But then noticed a small mark on the locking nut hole ... really just lacquer damage ?
I then went on to photo the mark on the front wheel bolt hole, which was not noted on the invoice but verbally reported to them when requesting the touch up paint.
See below, there are a couple of gouges under the wheel locking nut
OK I could live with that.
But then I noticed on the spoke of the front wheel.
What in my ignorance looks like overpainted dust specs.
It looks worse than in the photos. Probably why they didnt clean the wheels before presenting the finished job to me.
There is also a faint line blow the dust speck??.
Price paid £420 including £36 for straightening 3 slightly buckled wheels. Was that enough for a decent job?
I also now have to take off each wheel, and get the paint off the machined face of the inside of the wheel. Theynpainted them and not too well .. looked uneven.
WIM who do my alighment say it is essential I get this off to get a perfect reading, and also any paint will breakdown and with removing wheels etc can cause the wheel to come off! Plus the wheels wont or may not run true.... tyre wear and damage wheel bearings.
Apparently uneven paint, by even 1/2mm at the hub; can be quite a lot by the edge of the wheel. I see their point.
Maybe one could say I am being too fussy, but the whole point of the job was to get perfect waterproof paintwork so bubling doesnt start again.
I am tempted to just go back and say redo the 2 faulty wheels!
But will the colour match! Probably not?
Also as its one front and one back, as their donor wheels are 20" there is usually a difference in rolling radius going from 19" to 20"
Is this damaging to the differential?
So By now I am thinking, if I leave the 2 good wheels there and I will end up with even more damage!
Currently the faulty wheels are on different sides, that means taking off all the wheels, to hide a colour difference ... more potential damage. Yep thats my confidence level!
My other alternative is to send them the pictures and say ... think of a discount! And if they corrode due to these issues ... you agree to put in writing that you will sort me out.
I favour this route, as the collection and drive took 4.5 hours and £30 in petrol ... terrible London traffic.
Plus it saves hassle
Any views
Am I being unreasonable.
Had the job done, and I said I wanted them uber glossy lacquered, for easy maintenance.
On the day they had trouble putting in the wheel nut. 1st fitter said there was paint in the way?? Note using genuine AMG wheel and genuine MB locking nut ... plus all worked fine before.
I then noticed a nasty black mark on this left front wheel.
They rubbed it with a microfible cloth with some creme coloured thick paste ... it looked like T Cut.
It looked OK, but as the wheels were not cleaned, and it was pelting with hail. So I assumed it was OK.
I then noticed they had scuffed one wheel nut recess on the right back wheel . I pointed this out to him and he initially said, well its your wheel locking nut. I said but its genuine MB , as is the wheel, and it worked before. Note because I have those MB stainless steel capped wheel bolts, I gave them a new skinny 17mm bihex socket (needed to prevent denting the stainless caps). He did look embarrassed when I slotted the socket on , demonstrating there was loads of space around the socket.
He said it was OK, as it hadn't gone through the powder coating. TBH I not sure if it had or not.
And he said they would touch it up.
I was expecting them to do a proper local repair. Nope just a wipe with the titanium colour brush not even a coat of clearcoat .
I made them write on the invoice, if I had proplems , that they would sort it. Plus he said I had a years warranty.
Back home I thought Christ, I could do better with an artist brush, and the trick of leaving it 29 mins and "flattening it with isopropyl alchlol and then adding a dab of clear coat.
So I rang them and asked for some touch up paint. No problem £25 for a touch up jar. Plus postage!!
Lets say they dropped that fast! Due to my reaction.
Looking today.
Here is the offending rear wheel as noticed and "repaired" on the day
Being legal aware I photographed it before enhanced mending it myself, as discussed with wheel company.
But then noticed a small mark on the locking nut hole ... really just lacquer damage ?
I then went on to photo the mark on the front wheel bolt hole, which was not noted on the invoice but verbally reported to them when requesting the touch up paint.
See below, there are a couple of gouges under the wheel locking nut
OK I could live with that.
But then I noticed on the spoke of the front wheel.
What in my ignorance looks like overpainted dust specs.
It looks worse than in the photos. Probably why they didnt clean the wheels before presenting the finished job to me.
There is also a faint line blow the dust speck??.
Price paid £420 including £36 for straightening 3 slightly buckled wheels. Was that enough for a decent job?
I also now have to take off each wheel, and get the paint off the machined face of the inside of the wheel. Theynpainted them and not too well .. looked uneven.
WIM who do my alighment say it is essential I get this off to get a perfect reading, and also any paint will breakdown and with removing wheels etc can cause the wheel to come off! Plus the wheels wont or may not run true.... tyre wear and damage wheel bearings.
Apparently uneven paint, by even 1/2mm at the hub; can be quite a lot by the edge of the wheel. I see their point.
Maybe one could say I am being too fussy, but the whole point of the job was to get perfect waterproof paintwork so bubling doesnt start again.
I am tempted to just go back and say redo the 2 faulty wheels!
But will the colour match! Probably not?
Also as its one front and one back, as their donor wheels are 20" there is usually a difference in rolling radius going from 19" to 20"
Is this damaging to the differential?
So By now I am thinking, if I leave the 2 good wheels there and I will end up with even more damage!
Currently the faulty wheels are on different sides, that means taking off all the wheels, to hide a colour difference ... more potential damage. Yep thats my confidence level!
My other alternative is to send them the pictures and say ... think of a discount! And if they corrode due to these issues ... you agree to put in writing that you will sort me out.
I favour this route, as the collection and drive took 4.5 hours and £30 in petrol ... terrible London traffic.
Plus it saves hassle
Any views
Am I being unreasonable.
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