ItzFilyO

It's a damn shame for Lexus to use crap like this on a $60K car!

Paint chipped and rubbed off very easily with a scratch remover and I barely rubbed it. I know some of u guys were having stain issues with these wheels. I don't think they put any clear coat at all!



My old Camry wheels and the cheap MRRs didn't have this problem. They withstand metal polish without losing any paint!

I had to touch it up now.

DaSyce

iTrader: (3)

The paint on the entire car is worthless.. Thank god I have clear-plastic on most of it.

RyanC

iTrader: (1)

First - sorry to hear what happened that really sucks.

Like you mentioned - there was a thread about spots on the F-Sport wheels and someone said it is from putting a cleaner on the wheels that was causing the issue. I would think using scratch X or similar polish compound would be worse and unfortunately it looks like you're showing that to be true.

I believe (but I'm not positive) there is no paint on silver finish wheels on cars like a Camry - it is usually a metal finish while our wheels are painted hence the problem. You may already know this but polish like you used is designed to wipe away some of the clear coat finish which will remove scratches - although you're left with a surface that has less clear coast than before which is why it is not recommended you polish your car very often as eventually you will have no clear coat.

Anyway - the recommendation out of the thread about spots was to only wash the wheels with soap and water -- and possibly wax the wheels to add some extra protection like you do to the rest of the car and owners seemed to have no issues with that.

The other option is you can powder coat the wheels which will provide better protection versus the paint.

SW17LS

That is certainly very strange. I've used Scratch X on my wheels with no issues. For some reason its almost like the paint wasn't bonded to that wheel properly.

I would have taken it to Lexus instead of touching it up and requested a new wheel. it may happen elsewhere over time.

FYI, all wheels are painted, Camry wheels, these wheels, my wheels. They're just painted and clearcoated like the rest of the car. Unless they are higher dollar polished wheels or the like, which we don't have.

RyanC

iTrader: (1)

You don't have the F-Sport wheels though right? Assuming since you have the Luxury Package.

There seems to be a lot of people that have damaged their F-Sport wheels doing something innocent sounding like using a wheel cleaner on the F-Sport wheels and had spotting / stains on the wheel from the cleaner.

Reading that cleaners were damaging F-Sport wheels, it just seems like something harsh like a polish would definitely damage the F-Sport wheels.

ItzFilyO

And Scratch X is supposed to be clear coat safe and yea that's what I used. lol

I decided to experiment it a little more and rubbed some more on the same spot and sure enough the black coat came out and the bare metal is exposed. I don't know if it's metal or aluminum but u guys get the idea.

The metal polish I used for my old wheels was a lot stronger and not clear coat safe but those wheels came out just like new. But this, don't even think about rubbing it. lol

I'm gonna take it to the dealer on my next service and see if they can replace this wheel. It's funny cause it's just this one wheel that seems to be so fragile. It's the only one that got lots of chips and now this. It's the driver side rear wheel btw, the other 3 are flawless.

SW17LS

I don't have the FSport wheels but there should be no difference. It's just a different color paint and the same clear coat.

dseag2

Based on my experience they will send the wheel out to have it repainted. I have the wheel/tire package and everytime I have curb rash I take it back in and they repaint it. I can tell the difference from the other wheels, but no one else would be able to tell.

ItzFilyO

I have the wheel n tire pack plus but I don't want an off-colored wheel on a 2 month old car.

moose66

Agreed. A repair/re-paint is considerably less expensive than a wheel replace. And it will probably be a touch up and not a complete refinish. Something only the owner, looking for the fixed area, will be able to spot. Good luck!

ItzFilyO

If they're just gonna touch it up, well I already touched it up and u can't see it unless ur looking for it.

I think I'm just gonna leave it until it gets worse then I'll just buy one wheel from Sewell and keep this one as a spare. I just don't like refinished wheel, especially if it's just one. Plus it's not bent or anything, it's just cosmetic.

Afrosheen

Your touch up job looks ace, I'd just leave it like that after clear coating it. Got any clear fingernail polish handy?

ItzFilyO

Now that will strip all the paint for sure. lol

Even clear coating took some of the paint off. This thing is so fragile!!!

RyanC

iTrader: (1)

Did you use scratch remover on all of the wheels and only one had the problem or just the one wheel?

Just curious if the problem was specific to the one wheel or if this is something that should be avoided in general.

ItzFilyO

I didn't try it on the other wheels and not going to now, this is enough problem for me already. lol

But like I said earlier, this particular wheel has more rock chips than the others (they have zero chips), and now this. So maybe the paint is a little soft on this one or wasn't cured properly.