It doesn't wash

[jaymanek]

Well done! How much are the wheel refurb guys going to charge?

 

[Matt32AMG]

Hi Jaymanek, Around £360 give or take a pound or two Though I haven't as yet decided on final finish

 

[johnpidge]

Well done!!!

I've had wheels refurbed both ways before i.e. done by the local mobile wheel refurbs in Brentford (did a good job on WRX and my TT) and also sent big GS300 wheels for a full refurb (can't remember where near Amersham somewhere).

Local boys deflate tyre rub down/ degrease / spray /lacquer and heat with UV light - good not 100% perfect but ish £30 -£40 a wheel and spend an hour plus a wheel - proper refurb is shot blasted I imagine then finished and heated in kiln etc - perfect finish but £60 + and wheels away for week or more. Some do it then and there but I'm not sure??

 

[Matt32AMG]

Well done!!!

I've had wheels refurbed both ways before i.e. done by the local mobile wheel refurbs in Brentford (did a good job on WRX and my TT) and also sent big GS300 wheels for a full refurb (can't remember where near Amersham somewhere).

Local boys deflate tyre rub down/ degrease / spray /lacquer and heat with UV light - good not 100% perfect but ish £30 -£40 a wheel and spend an hour plus a wheel - proper refurb is shot blasted I imagine then finished and heated in kiln etc - perfect finish but £60 + and wheels away for week or more. Some do it then and there but I'm not sure??

Hi John, I think I've had as good a result As I can expect under the circumstance.

These wheels will be properly prepared, that means tyres off shot/bead blasted. Etch primed, powder coated, oven baked, lacquered and finally polished if memory serves. All in one day. I have to deliver the car at 8 o’clock in the morning and I collect the same day late afternoon. The finish I am considering would normally be £423.20 but because they have already done my SLK32 wheels I get 15% discount making £368.00.

The process they use is not the same as MB who use a wet paint finish which is not as durable, especially on our roads ( over use of salt etc), as powder coating.

 

[johnpidge]

Matt

No your right - you've certainly had a result as MB are paying for it!!

Just have a look at http://www.wheelrefurbishing.com/pricelist.htm as their prices are good and their work is brilliant!

As you said if MB are paying for it what are you worried about - shows you have to persist these days!

 

[elpeterol]

Good result! Your patience paid off.

 

[Matt32AMG]

Matt

No your right - you've certainly had a result as MB are paying for it!!

Just have a look at BJV Engineering - Alloy Wheel Refurbishment - Price List as their prices are good and their work is brilliant!

As you said if MB are paying for it what are you worried about - shows you have to persist these days!

Yes definately had the result here, though getting there was a bit like pulling teeth with chocolate pliers.

The place you suggest is similar to where I'm going and looks like the offer sililar services.

Here, check out the website of where I'm taking mine. Alloy Wheel Refurbishment | Refurbish Alloy Wheels | Refurbish Wheels | Alloywheel Repair | Refurbished Alloy Wheels You can read about the process and see examples of the finishes they do. Like I said, I had my SLK32AMG wheels done just before Christmas last year in the Nickle silver, and they look just as good as the day I had them done. It's a stunning finish and suit the style of rim (AMG IVs) on my car, IMO, very well. It affords a larger metal flake within the wheel finish which really lifts them, and adds sparkle where the OEM finish is a bit flat and grey. JMHO

I did think about the Black Chrome finish first, but then had second thoughts, because the brakes produce so much dust the'd alway look kinda grubby which is why I opted for the Nickle Finish.

Regards
Matt

 

[Matt32AMG]

Good result! Your patience paid off.

Hi Peter,
yes it was a good result. Finally someone saw the errors in their ways, but it’s a shame I had to really kick up at the top level before anyone took notice. In my view three strikes and lining up for the fourth attempt by the same outfit on the same job was simply not an option for me. Clearly someone is dropping the ball and it isn't good enough on two counts.
1) The standard of work being carried out on a prestige car, (or any car for that matter), has to be 100%, anything less is unacceptable.
2) Treating customers like third class citizens, it’s totally insulting and absolutely unnecessary and totally unacceptable.

 

[N7OGP]

I mean I have spent over £100,000 in that establishment in one way or another, both on cars, servicing, and goods. Potentially their loss and someone elses gain. DOH
What chance do we have with any kind of good service when you have spent so much money and get that treatment. You exspect that from Arthur Daily.

 

[Matt32AMG]

I mean I have spent over £100,000 in that establishment in one way or another, both on cars, servicing, and goods. Potentially their loss and someone elses gain. DOH
What chance do we have with any kind of good service when you have spent so much money and get that treatment. You exspect that from Arthur Daily.

Well my point exactly, but it shouldn't be the case, it is totally unacceptable regardless of whether you spend a one pound, £10,000 pounds or whatever. Nor should it be the case at Arthur Daley's. A poor job is a poor job, but to do the same job three times poorly is scandalous, and that followed by a bad attitude? It simply shouldn't happen, period.

I will take my custom elsewhere if I am subject to this kind of treatment again, make no mistake.

 

[Rory]

I couldn't agree more with you and my point exactly, however they are saying because one wheel was damaged and had been refurbed prior to me taking delivery of the car, the warranty is void. I disagree as I knew nothing of this, and it was not made clear at point of purchase, and some weeks after when issues first became apparant.

This seems to be a significant issue for buyers of used MB's.

If a repair has been done well it could be some time before any issues show up and then if MB determine that the repair was done other than at an authorised repairer they void the warranty.

That seems unacceptable to me and buyers of used MBs should seek a guarantee that the warranty that applies to the body and wheels will be honoured in full, or at least a note made of any exclusions and that can be allowed for in the price.

MB officially stopped refurbing wheels several years ago as it was causing too many repeat issues.

 

[markjay]

I bought my car while still under the original MB 36-months warranty.

I did NOT buy it from an MB dealer though.

The wheel bolts were rusty, and when taking the wheels off the hubs were very badly rusted. And I am not talking just about the vertical mating areas with the wheel, but the actual horizontal tubular metal thing inside and out.

Took the car to the MB local dealer, they were great and replaced all bolts including the locking ones FOC under warranty, even though they said it was probably due to use of harsh wheel cleaners in the past.

They however claimed that whole rust issue is superficial and cosmetic, so while they were happy to replace the bolts, they wouldn't do anything about the hubs because these could not be seen from the outside.

They may be right, but I still think that, harsh wheel cleaner or not, a car that is less than 3 years old should not have badly rusted hubs... these areas are not bare metal and are usually treated e.g. painted. I changed wheels on many cars before, and it usually taken 5-6 years before you start getting some light rusting on the hubs... again, the actual metal tubes, not just the mating areas.

Anyway, I recently received a letter from MB that 'in order to improve customer service' (?) the nearby dealer was closing down and that I can have my car serviced from now on at a much bigger dealership.... on the other side of town


So after travelling the distance to this 'much bigger dealership', I found out that they were total crap....

 

[markjay]

So after travelling the distance to this 'much bigger dealership', I found out that they were total crap....

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/75108-dealer-service.html

Apologies for the hijack....

 

[markjay]

And good luck with your claim, Matt32AMG.

 

[Matt32AMG]

And good luck with your claim, Matt32AMG.

Thanks, no reason to suppose there will be any issues, should be plain sailing now

 

[Matt32AMG]

This seems to be a significant issue for buyers of used MB's.

If a repair has been done well it could be some time before any issues show up and then if MB determine that the repair was done other than at an authorised repairer they void the warranty.

That seems unacceptable to me and buyers of used MBs should seek a guarantee that the warranty that applies to the body and wheels will be honoured in full, or at least a note made of any exclusions and that can be allowed for in the price.

MB officially stopped refurbing wheels several years ago as it was causing too many repeat issues.

Sad but true as I nearly found to my cost. However I simply wasn't prepared to to get fobbed off or just let this go, so I stuck to my guns and escalated the situation.

It in my book should have been disclosed at point of sale that one wheel was refurbed, in which case had I known, I would have insisted that there was no sale if the wheels are not covered fully, which means new wheels. If not I'd've walked away...
Hey where there is one car there is always another to be found somewhere.

 

[crockers]

No Matt not a GOOD result at all -- it was the RIGHT result and the least that should be expected..well done,