Defect on rim, lot's of marks. [photos]

[alistairgd]

The 18" AMG alloys on my new C180 AMG Sport Plus are developing a defect on the rims. This is very disappointing as I love these wheels and was intending on keeping them absolutely pristine, now they are starting to look like the get kerbed every day.

I'll be in touch with the dealer about this, certainly not happy with them. Anyone seen this kind of defect before. It's like water has managed to get under the lacker on the edge of the rims, and is causing blistering that is letting dirt in. It can only get worse with freeze/thaw action breaking the lacquer.

I'd say each wheel has 30-40 of these marks!

You should be able to see by these photos that they are totally spoiling the clean edge of the rim

 

[Dieselman]

That's normal for diamond cut rims once the lacquer breaks down.

They will get a lot worse, soon.

 

[alistairgd]

That's normal for diamond cut rims once the lacquer breaks down.

They will get a lot worse, soon.

OMG what?!!! I'm going to have trouble coming to terms with that, seriously all diamond cuts rims start to go like that after only a few months??

 

[ivandraganov]

Are they made in China or Turkey?

 

[Howard]

Pretty much , the laqcuer doesnt adhere to the bare metal , so peels off quicktime. Tiny stonechips like you have don't help as they allow moisture in and it goes milky quickly.

Only remedy is a refurb. If it bothers you , get them powder coated , they won't have the shiny finish though.

 

[redbaron]

Diamond cut = ****e. Why MB persist (Or VAG / BMW tbh) I will never know.

 

[mabz]

Diamond cut = ****e. Why MB persist (Or VAG / BMW tbh) I will never know.

couldnt agree more,dont get me wrong they look nice but with our climate and knuckle dragging tyre fitters they dont stand a chance.

 

[alistairgd]

Wow, this has been an education for me then, thanks for the info.

Any warranty replacement hope just shot out the window by the sounds of it.

I'll shoot the photo's off to the dealer anyway and see what they say.

 

[alistairgd]

Did a little googling on diamond cut rims... educational. I need to go read my car manual and see it what it says about wheel care.

Mates bodyshop has contract with VW and 90% of his work is Refurbing the wheels even on brand new cars.

after one week of being left on it's own after having been out in the salt covered roads and they were knackered

people on ED38 say you either have to wash them almost everyday

Diamond cut alloy wheels need specialist care and servicing, so we advise that they are cleaned at least twice a week with a car sponge and wheel cleaner to keep them in top condition

 

[del320]

Search 'diamond cut' on the Forum here and pages of threads appear - many confirming that the finish is short-lived.

Mine were done by a reasonably decent outfit, yet the signs of deterioration started to appear within eight months.

Read about it here on posts #111 to #114.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/mbclub-projects/70769-c124-refurbish-3.html

Needless to say, after nearly three years, they remain unmarked.

 

[Simon_M]

Any warranty replacement hope just shot out the window by the sounds of it.

Oh no, no - I thjink people are saying that it is normal for diamond cut wheels to corrode like that.

Although personally it is strange to see rust like that.

If the car is only a few months old them take it back to the dealer but be prepared to fight. They will argue that it is either kerb damage or stone chips that have damaged the lacquer.

S

 

[JimboDS]

Mine were done by a reasonably decent outfit, yet the signs of deterioration started to appear within eight months.

Is 8 months a typical timescale for the damage to appear? My car is 6 months old and so far they are okay.

 

[del320]

Is 8 months a typical timescale for the damage to appear? My car is 6 months old and so far they are okay.

You and alistairgd should expect a great deal longer on the original factory finish, but the refurb outfits will often only give a six month guarantee.

 

[alistairgd]

If the car is only a few months old them take it back to the dealer but be prepared to fight. They will argue that it is either kerb damage or stone chips that have damaged the lacquer.

S

Yeh I'll fight my corner on this one, neither stone chips nor kerbing are realistically arguable in this case.

I was thinking about too, my VW Scirocco scala many years ago had similar wheels (white inserts if anyone else remembers) and it never had this problem.

 

[portal_96]

Any news on this OP?

I've a similar problem, taken mine into the dealer this afternoon. They seemed to be aware of a problem with the lacquer on the early sport plus' and said Mercedes changed it part way through production last year?

I don't have an outcome on a warranty claim yet though...

Mine is more of a bubbling around the rim, but not right on the edge like yours and only 2 or 2 places on each wheel.

my car is 7/8 months old too and theyve only appeared the last week or so

 

[Rashman]

Some argue against aftermarket wheels.

But this is a good reason why selling the wheels before they get bad and getting a set of aftermarket wheels that suit the car is a good idea.

 

[alistairgd]

Hi Portal. Mine is a late year model, October, so not sure what they changed.

I emailed the salesman the photos and he said he had seen it before, although not on all 4 wheels, and was pretty sure they were swapped out under warranty. He passed my email onto the warranty guy, but he has never been in touch, and that was weeks ago.

I should chase them up. Ive had a closer look at all 4 wheels though and the problem is really just the front ones I think.

 

[boxbrownie]

As I recall, a recent issue of Which magazine had a readers case of a new Mercedes with corroded wheels (in the centre around the centre cap) the lady owner had complained to the dealer who agreed there was a problem, I believe MBUK first said they would replace three wheels under warranty then informed the dealer only one wheel would be replaced, anhoo long story short after Which got in touch with MBUK Mercedes said it was a breakdown in communication between the dealer and themselves and told Which they would replace the whole set........it pays to know the right people, it shouldn't Bloomin' matter but it does!

 

[portal_96]

Good news,

I've just had a call from the dealer and the claim is approved under the warranty. I'm getting 4 new wheels once they get them into the bodyshop.

Will they need to send the old ones off as proof to MB? I'm wondering if there may be an oportunity to buy them cheap to stick some winter tyres on?

 

[Rashman]

Good news,

I've just had a call from the dealer and the claim is approved under the warranty. I'm getting 4 new wheels once they get them into the bodyshop.

Will they need to send the old ones off as proof to MB? I'm wondering if there may be an oportunity to buy them cheap to stick some winter tyres on?

Glad they have assisted you with the wheels.

I suspect they will want the old rims back.