Kerbed alloy

[gr1nch]

Thanks for all the replies, it's great info and a help. £120 of a lot of money, bit seems a fair rate for such a wheel in these parts. List it's about £700 new. I'd thought the damage was noticeable and deep, but even on the shallow outer rim part, another look today when I was cleaning the car and I can barely see it! I'll share a photo in the morning. Must have been the initial adrenaline rush of dread at the time of damage that made it seem ginormous!

Seems better to put on some protective coating for now and cancel the refurb, as I don't fancy having the entire rim cut and wheel repainted for, what is probably a minor issue. May as well wait for if/when it's a bad one. Also I'm not happy about rearranging my day before Benz on the Green, missing out on meeting up with friends because Mercedes cant guarantee when they'll get the car back to me.

Had anyone had their wheel refurb company, or Mercedes, loan you a wheel while yours is being worked on? Mercedes wanted the car for 4 days (Tue - Fri), kept in the back on 3 wheels and an (axle?) stand. Mercedes have tones of wheels, I'm surprised they don't offer that as a differentiating service.

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* 2017 W222 S350d SWB AMG Line Premium Plus
* Ashford, Kent & Mons, Belgium
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[MancMike]

Mate you've got one of the best cars in the world. Just don't worry about it and enjoy it. Only you knows about that blemish, everyone else looks and goes "wow".

 

[Teflonso]

I paid just north of £100 all-in for a diamond cut AMG 18" on my E-Class. But I do live up north where things are cheaper and the beer is better.

I got several lower quotes from bodgers with a van who were going to tickle it then spray then polish it again (one of whom I sent away when he had a good story on the phone but just an angle grinder and a tin of paint in his van). Most of the rest needed to send the wheel away for re-cutting.

But in the end I had it done by the only people in the area who could sort it properly without sending it away. They had the in-house turning machine which knows all the possible wheel configurations and could cut a perfect repair. It took three hours and when it came back there was no way to tell it from the originals on the other 3 corners.

Incidentally, they reckoned that they are getting loads of BMW wheels to fix lately. Apparently, they've change supplier from Germany to some outfit in Italy and the wheels are now so rubbish they get bent by the British standard pothole. Even the criminally expensive options you can get fitted.


.

 

[mat8n]

I've recently kerbed 3 of my 19"alloys on my s class, not diamond cut so no major drama, 1 is quite bad. They'll be getting left for now.
I'll get all 4 refurbished at some point.
It's a bummer but they are just alloy colour so I'll be able to make them respectable for now.

 

[Graeme_m]

Just checking how wide the Eurotunnel carriages are, to avoid the same thing happening with a wide car, low profile tyres and metal 'kerbs'

Apologies if slightly off topic, but Eurotunnel confirm that if you book a car over 1.85m high, (at no extra cost), this will allow you to travel on the single deck carriage where the loading space is wider.

Good to know that I can preserve my wheels (and sanity) at the expense of allegedly driving a truck!

 

[gr1nch]

Mate you've got one of the best cars in the world. Just don't worry about it and enjoy it. Only you knows about that blemish, everyone else looks and goes "wow".

You're right i-CONICA, I'll wait and I'm enjoying the car every day. Couldn't be happier, really.

I paid just north of £100 all-in for a diamond cut AMG 18" on my E-Class. But I do live up north where things are cheaper and the beer is better.
...
Incidentally, they reckoned that they are getting loads of BMW wheels to fix lately. Apparently, they've change supplier from Germany to some outfit in Italy and the wheels are now so rubbish they get bent by the British standard pothole.

Teflonso, I'd query your claim the beer is better up north as you clearly haven't been fortunate enough to taste a pint of Harveys Sussex Best! . Belgium, where I'm coming to the end of a 3 year stint, has stunning beer as you probably know, where there is a taste and strength for everyone.
The Belgians also have the worst potholes in Wallonie where I am and way more companies that do pothole alloy refurb than kerbing damage. A lot of them won't even do cosmetic work, just bending back, welding etc.

I've recently kerbed 3 of my 19"alloys on my s class, not diamond cut so no major drama, 1 is quite bad. They'll be getting left for now.
I'll get all 4 refurbished at some point.
It's a bummer but they are just alloy colour so I'll be able to make them respectable for now.

3! That's very unfortunate Mat, must have been horrible. Hope they're not to bad. Unless you've got a spare car, would be good if they loaned you a set of 4 whilst they're away at the menders, but I guess that's a hassle for them with tyres etc. MB Ashford said they leave the car in their locked compound, jacked up, but what would they do with yours and all for wheels off?

Apologies if slightly off topic, but Eurotunnel confirm that if you book a car over 1.85m high, (at no extra cost), this will allow you to travel on the single deck carriage where the loading space is wider

Good to know, thanks! I'm heading back on Sunday and will see if I can get my booking changed.



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* 2017 W222 S350d SWB AMG Line Premium Plus
* Ashford, Kent & Mons, Belgium
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[David404]

Feel for you, bet you were gutted.

 

[Peterr_ibg]

I kerbed my diamond cut 20" wheel on my S class about 3 months into owning it from new. I had the same problem, the refurb company needed the wheel for a few days and they were about 30 miles from my home.

I spoke to my MB dealer that supplied the car. They were very helpful

I delivered my car to the dealership , the alloy company then went there and removed the wheel to be repaired and whilst it was away the dealership kept my car in their workshop and they lent me their new E class demonstrator for a week whilst it was sorted

Might be worth asking your dealer if they can do similar

 

[219]

It seems crazy that none of you have a spare wheel .

I know that many cars come without them in a desperate Volkswagen-esque attempt to lower emission figures , but you can BUY a spare steel wheel for circa £50 and put a budget tyre on which would suffice for an emergency such as this or , heaven forbid , should you get a flat tyre .

I can't believe people end up with their car off the road for the lack of a spare wheel !

 

[theclass]

It seems crazy that none of you have a spare wheel .

I know that many cars come without them in a desperate Volkswagen-esque attempt to lower emission figures , but you can BUY a spare steel wheel for circa £50 and put a budget tyre on which would suffice for an emergency such as this or , heaven forbid , should you get a flat tyre .

I can't believe people end up with their car off the road for the lack of a spare wheel !

My W212 has a spare, wonder if it's an option now on newer mercs..

 

[markjay]

My W204 came with a space-saver spare. And a kerbed alloy.

I bought a second-hand as-new alloy wheel off eBay, replaced the kerbed wheel then used the kerbed wheel as full-size spare.

The space saver is in storage. The full size spare also gives me more flexibly if a wheel needs refurbishing

 

[Peterr_ibg]

yes I had a space saver spare, but given I drive up to 700 miles in a week ,mainly on motorway. that didn't seem sensible -

As for buying a spare alloy . Following that logic I should also buy a spare cooling system, engine and gearbox just in case?

Plus - My S Class has wider tyres at the rear than the front . So now I would need two different alloys as spares.

Just to give you the full story, I had two kerbed alloys ( Underground multi story and long wheel base do not mix!).

All I'm saying, is that don't be too quick to judge us all as being crazy

 

[markjay]

yes I had a space saver spare, but given I drive up to 700 miles in a week ,mainly on motorway. that didn't seem sensible -

As for buying a spare alloy . Following that logic I should also buy a spare cooling system, engine and gearbox just in case?

Plus - My S Class has wider tyres at the rear than the front . So now I would need two different alloys as spares.

Just to give you the full story, I had two kerbed alloys ( Underground multi story and long wheel base do not mix!).

All I'm saying, is that don't be too quick to judge us all as being crazy

The logic behind carrying a spare tyre is two-fold.

Firstly, it's something you can actually replace yourself at the roadside .

Then, tyres may get a puncture at any time regardless of their condition and age, unlike with other system where there's some correlation between age/maintenance/condition and reliability .

As for staggered wheels... in this case the full size spare wheel should be of the same size as the narrower (front) wheels.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

yes I had a space saver spare, but given I drive up to 700 miles in a week ,mainly on motorway. that didn't seem sensible -

As for buying a spare alloy . Following that logic I should also buy a spare cooling system, engine and gearbox just in case?

Plus - My S Class has wider tyres at the rear than the front . So now I would need two different alloys as spares.

Just to give you the full story, I had two kerbed alloys ( Underground multi story and long wheel base do not mix!).

All I'm saying, is that don't be too quick to judge us all as being crazy

You don't need two spares. Usually the front wheel/tyre dimensions are used as a full size spare if the car uses a staggered set up.

 

[Peterr_ibg]

I understand the logic of having a spare wheel - But mine was a space saver - fine for emergencies , but not suggested to be used for a week whilst an alloy was repaired

I thought you were suggesting buying a second hand cheap wheel to use whilst the alloy was being repaired?

The place for the space saver wheel is just big enough for that . A 20" rim just wouldnt fit anyway.

 

[markjay]

I understand the logic of having a spare wheel - But mine was a space saver - fine for emergencies , but not suggested to be used for a week whilst an alloy was repaired

I thought you were suggesting buying a second hand cheap wheel to use whilst the alloy was being repaired?

The place for the space saver wheel is just big enough for that . A 20" rim just wouldnt fit anyway.

I bought the fifth alloy wheel because I wanted a full size spare and because I had a kerbed alloy, so I solved both problems in one go.

But if you go by the book then the full size spare is usually a simple steel wheel, not alloy wheel. The idea is that as long as it has the same rolling radius and a 'legit' tyre fitted to it then it is fine as full size spare because it does not have the range and speed restrictions that space savers do. I.e. you can continue and drive at motorway speeds for as long as you need in order to get to a tyre fitter who can repair the puncture.

 

[gr1nch]

I kerbed my diamond cut 20" wheel on my S class about 3 months into owning it from new. I had the same problem, the refurb company needed the wheel for a few days and they were about 30 miles from my home.

I spoke to my MB dealer that supplied the car. They were very helpful

I delivered my car to the dealership , the alloy company then went there and removed the wheel to be repaired and whilst it was away the dealership kept my car in their workshop and they lent me their new E class demonstrator for a week whilst it was sorted

Might be worth asking your dealer if they can do similar

Commiserations! Thanks for the suggestion. MB Ashford did offer me a car if I'd pay the insurance (although I'm fully comp with MB Insurance and covered, so can't see why their courtesy car needs to be insured twice by me. Coincidentally on their wheel pickup day, I was due to pickup up a rental van for a part-home move north and didn't need a hire car. It turned out the kerbing is relatively minor and I'll protect the damage rather than have the entire wheel painted and cut to look as new (with the chance, Lepsons say, that it may not match. They would recommend, if so). I can't afford the time for all that, at the moment and will get it done of I kerb it again or there is corrosion etc.

It seems crazy that none of you have a spare wheel .

I know that many cars come without them in a desperate Volkswagen-esque attempt to lower emission figures , but you can BUY a spare steel wheel for circa £50 and put a budget tyre on which would suffice for an emergency such as this or , heaven forbid , should you get a flat tyre .

I can't believe people end up with their car off the road for the lack of a spare wheel !

That's a great idea, but I've only had the car a couple of months and didn't think of it, but have been considering getting a set of winter wheels, which would accompany the same thing you are suggesting. I'd keep them in the garage as there is no space in the boot for a wheel (technically yes, but it would take up the space for luggage). For those that say a front wheel would work on a staggered back for daily use during a wheel refurb: really? An 145/40 R20 could safely pair up with a 175/35 R20 on the other end of the axle !?
I'd rather keep the tyrekit solution, as is, in the boot for punctures, but a spare wheel or four in the garage for wheel swapouts.

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[Bobby Dazzler]

For those that say a front wheel would work on a staggered back for daily use during a wheel refurb: really? An 145/40 R20 could safely pair up with a 175/35 R20 on the other end of the axle !?
I'd rather keep the tyrekit solution, as is, in the boot for punctures

A front wheel with the same rolling radius as the rear (as will be the case with mainstream Mercedes models) is fine for emergency use, to use as a spare, to limp home or to a garage. I would prefer that than a space saver.

Personally I wouldn't use a spare for normal non-emergency driving though. Either don't use the car, or get the right size wheel for that. Driving your car as normal for a week is completely different to limping home in an emergency.