My Wheels - hmmm

[timskemp]

Put a claim in through my dealer due to the wheels having some corrosion around the centre and MB have agreed a 50% goodwill claim. This leaves me with a dilemma.

Do I really want to lay out 850 quid (!) to get a new set of the same wheels I don't really like all that much?? I suppose they'll come with fresh warranty but the only thing I like about these wheels is the AMG badging, they're too bright and shiny and have the wrong number of spokes

All thoughts and opinions welcome.

 

[renault12ts]

It would cost less than £850 to have them refurbished how you like.

 

[Dieselman]

Very generous of MB, I bet a new set cost hem significantly less than £850 anyway.

Just get them refurbed.

 

[timskemp]

New set is about 1700 quid - problem with them is they're the polished finish so a refurb isn't going to be cheap either (or convenient for that matter!) - if I had them refurbed I'd want them doing a shade darker, but then they'll still be 6 spoke wheels on 5 studs, and always look just a bit wrong every time I see them.

Can't find a set of 5 spokes I like in 17", don't really want to go to 18 or 19 (even though they look great) after then number of 18s the roads destroyed on my E. So considering the Mercedes Prosperino alloys (5 spoke, staggered 17) but then I lose the AMG badging (decision decisions...)

If there was a twin 5 spoke AMG 17" to fit mine it would be pretty much perfect...

 

[SL300-24]

Makes me smile when I see these offers by MB. The wheels may well be £1700 but that is the retail price.
The trade price to them must be a whole lot lower. If the mark up is say 50% then effectively you have bought the wheels at the wholesale price, meaning in effect that MB have contributed hardly anything.
I have also been down this route with them, I paid the 50% and picked my car up. Went down the road and there was a strange noise. Checked the tyres and the fitter had stretched the tire and put a carbunkle in it.
They replaced the tyre with a new one the next day.

 

[timskemp]

I wonder if they'd let me have a set of prosperinas a 50% and keep the AMGs as well

 

[aka$h]

I could sell you a set fully refurbished for £650, and you'd still have your old ones left.

 

[Haris]

I don't understand why you are looking at buying a new set of wheels from MB?

Simply buy the type of Mercedes wheels you like second hand and have them refurbished for £200 ish and they'll be like new.

Then you can either keep your current ones as spare wheels or sell them and have a bit of spare money.

 

[gunning]

depends what your after mate, look on ebay and see what you can find that suits your taste and the car.

 

[ringway]

Not a generous offer at all.

Would you get to keep the old wheels? I doubt it.

MB will send them to Rimfurbish/Rimstock who have the contract to repair/refurbish all (at least UK) MB wheels.

Theres nothing to say the wheels you are being offered haven't been refurbished in any case, so good is the finish produced by Rimfurbish.

Get them refurbed to the colour you prefer. Circa £75 per wheel at Rimfurbish. They do hire slave wheels to run on whilst yours are in the factory.

 

[Aoraki]

Makes me smile when I see these offers by MB. The wheels may well be £1700 but that is the retail price.
The trade price to them must be a whole lot lower. If the mark up is say 50% then effectively you have bought the wheels at the wholesale price, meaning in effect that MB have contributed hardly anything.

Maybe so, BUT he wouldn't be paying £1700 would he?

Not a generous offer at all.

Would you get to keep the old wheels? I doubt it.

And why should he? If you had a replacement TV due to a fault for example, would you get to keep the old one? I doubt it.

 

[renault12ts]

Maybe so, BUT he wouldn't be paying £1700 would he?

Correct, he wouldn't b paying £1700, he'd be paying £850, and MB would be paying nothing. Still think this is fair?

 

[davidjpowell]

Harsh offer from MB I feel. Is your car out of warranty altogether?

I had a couple of corroded wheels on my previous W203 just before it came out of warranty. One had a minor amount of kerbing well away from the corrosion, but MB knocked the claim back.

The Directors office agreed an 85% contribution from MB. Is it worth escalating?

 

[timskemp]

Harsh offer from MB I feel. Is your car out of warranty altogether?

I had a couple of corroded wheels on my previous W203 just before it came out of warranty. One had a minor amount of kerbing well away from the corrosion, but MB knocked the claim back.

The Directors office agreed an 85% contribution from MB. Is it worth escalating?

Car is over 3 yrs old, but is only one month in my possession. Car is covered with a Tier 1 warranty and only done 38k miles.

 

[ringway]

Maybe so, BUT he wouldn't be paying £1700 would he?




And why should he? If you had a replacement TV due to a fault for example, would you get to keep the old one? I doubt it.

Okay, agreed. But if it is commonplace for the wheels to corrode there will be a chain of wheels coming in - going out, and possibly some customers thinking they are having new wheels at a bargain price of £850 when in fact some of the wheels have been refurbed with MB paying a lot less than £75 per wheel.

So, win-win for the dealership with a tidy mark-up on the "goodwill" gesture.

The dealers seldom give much away unless they are up against it big time.
Look at Corned's tailgate. It wouldn't cost them that much to remedy that problem but...

 

[Dieselman]

They do hire slave wheels to run on whilst yours are in the factory.

Sod slave wheels, do they do slaves?

 

[ringway]

Sod slave wheels, do they do slaves?

You been talkin' to Bennesspipers then?

 

[Dieselman]

You been talkin' to Bennesspipers then?

Does he do talking with that gag in?

 

[renault12ts]

Has he got that machine working?

 

[ringway]

Does he do talking with that gag in?

Every time I call him he's either tied up, or right in the middle of.. someone.

He should change his forum name to Master Slave Cylinder.