Shop Nicked Wheel, what would you do?
11-13-03, 03:41 PM
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Shop Nicked Wheel, what would you do?
I picked up my 19" staggered wheels from the shop today after having my tires mounted and road force balanced. I should also add that I was prepared to pay $200 for this service because I was assured there would be NO marks on my wheels and the balance would be optimized. Upon inspection, there was a nick in one of the wheels, right in the middle of the lip. It looks like a tool may have fell on it, and is about the size of a stone chip, although much uglier, because the metal is deformed a bit. It's not too noticable, but if you were looking at or cleaning the wheel, you would see it. Not something you want on a $4000 set of wheels/tires.
I was pretty bummed about it, but I realize there's nothing that can be done about it now. The shop owner was really cool too, and offered to compensate me for it. I think he should take something off for the blem, but I don't want to be a ****, nor do I want to make the guy work for free. So, I'm trying to assess the situation.
Here's my question to all of you with staggered setups- Will I get stone chips in my rear lips regardless? They are Rays wheels with a pretty tough anodize finish on the lip, but I suppose if a stone was big enough, it might chip it.
If they are going to get chipped up anyway, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it, but if not, then I think he owes me something.
BTW, as we were loading them in my truck, I noticed the rear tires weren't mounted directionally correctly either, so I had to leave one behind and will pick it up in the am. I gotta say though, the guy is pretty cool, cuz he was going to let me leave with all my wheels without paying and think about the compensation.
I've had sooo many problems with wheels and tires, I could write a book. No kidding. Sometimes the more you love cars, the more you hate them.
I was pretty bummed about it, but I realize there's nothing that can be done about it now. The shop owner was really cool too, and offered to compensate me for it. I think he should take something off for the blem, but I don't want to be a ****, nor do I want to make the guy work for free. So, I'm trying to assess the situation.
Here's my question to all of you with staggered setups- Will I get stone chips in my rear lips regardless? They are Rays wheels with a pretty tough anodize finish on the lip, but I suppose if a stone was big enough, it might chip it.
If they are going to get chipped up anyway, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it, but if not, then I think he owes me something.
BTW, as we were loading them in my truck, I noticed the rear tires weren't mounted directionally correctly either, so I had to leave one behind and will pick it up in the am. I gotta say though, the guy is pretty cool, cuz he was going to let me leave with all my wheels without paying and think about the compensation.
I've had sooo many problems with wheels and tires, I could write a book. No kidding. Sometimes the more you love cars, the more you hate them.
Last edited by cyclemax; 11-14-03 at 08:28 AM.
11-13-03, 08:44 PM
#2
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Others will disagree, but IMO you can spend all your time worrying about this type of stuff with nothing gained. Given that rims are close to the ground and come in contact with lot's of road crap, they will get nicked, scraped, gouged, dented and scratched. My tires pick up and kick up rocks and they get caught in the rim -- I can sometimes hear them spinning in the lip as I'm driving.
Having said that, your rims were pristine when brought to the shop and you have a right to expect pristine when delivered to you -- especially if you paid a premium for extra special service. I would negotiate some sort of compensation. Good luck.
Having said that, your rims were pristine when brought to the shop and you have a right to expect pristine when delivered to you -- especially if you paid a premium for extra special service. I would negotiate some sort of compensation. Good luck.
11-13-03, 10:30 PM
#3
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CM,
truly sorry to hear that; and this is NOT the first time i hear of "stories" relating to car mods, esp expensive wheels+tyres. here is my take on the situation:
anything could happen to either front or rear of the lips as you drive. as far as stone chips on the lips, it is not too common. for now, i would simply ask/negotiate some sort of compensation so you would feel and sleep better at night(and everday when you look at the set up that took time and $$$ to get them from the other side of this planet).
each person's tolerance is different, so i will let you be the judge
truly sorry to hear that; and this is NOT the first time i hear of "stories" relating to car mods, esp expensive wheels+tyres. here is my take on the situation:
anything could happen to either front or rear of the lips as you drive. as far as stone chips on the lips, it is not too common. for now, i would simply ask/negotiate some sort of compensation so you would feel and sleep better at night(and everday when you look at the set up that took time and $$$ to get them from the other side of this planet).
each person's tolerance is different, so i will let you be the judge
11-13-03, 10:47 PM
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Honestly...
Being as **** as I am about things such as this, I would of probably of blown a fuse in the head at the shop. Not neccesarily at the guy directly but I would of been just a little pissed off after spending 4K and having them mess it up, along with not doing one of the tires correctly. I think you deserve a few things:
A) Formal Apology
B) Some sort of financial compensation for the nick... Whatever you see fit.
C) Future Discount(s) for the neglect of the tire and lip of your wheels.
I dont believe any of this is asking too much at all. But that's just me.
-ANthony
Being as **** as I am about things such as this, I would of probably of blown a fuse in the head at the shop. Not neccesarily at the guy directly but I would of been just a little pissed off after spending 4K and having them mess it up, along with not doing one of the tires correctly. I think you deserve a few things:
A) Formal Apology
B) Some sort of financial compensation for the nick... Whatever you see fit.
C) Future Discount(s) for the neglect of the tire and lip of your wheels.
I dont believe any of this is asking too much at all. But that's just me.
-ANthony
11-14-03, 06:36 AM
#5
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Imo
I think $100 sounds about right, assuming you are sure the nick wasn't there before you brought the wheels in. Many of the Japanese wheels don't have clear coating on the lip to protect them anyway. I'm not sure about this Ray's wheel. But most likely, like RedGS4 said, you can worry too much about something that is going to get nicks over time anyway. Good luck!
11-14-03, 08:40 AM
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Originally posted by Brandon@TR
I think $100 sounds about right, assuming you are sure the nick wasn't there before you brought the wheels in. Many of the Japanese wheels don't have clear coating on the lip to protect them anyway. I'm not sure about this Ray's wheel. But most likely, like RedGS4 said, you can worry too much about something that is going to get nicks over time anyway. Good luck!
I think $100 sounds about right, assuming you are sure the nick wasn't there before you brought the wheels in. Many of the Japanese wheels don't have clear coating on the lip to protect them anyway. I'm not sure about this Ray's wheel. But most likely, like RedGS4 said, you can worry too much about something that is going to get nicks over time anyway. Good luck!
Another thing that annoyed me and was likely to contribute to the problem, was that they had the wheels placed in harm's way in the shop. Pretty much in the middle of a work bay. So I guess it's not too surprising that something hit it.
BTW, I believe the Rays wheels have an anodic coating (kind of like an electroplate) which strengthens the surface and prevents oxidation. Makes it easy to care for but won't chip like chrome or clear coat.
I'm headed over there now. Maybe I'll feel better once they are finally mounted up on the GS.
11-14-03, 07:44 PM
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Gone from bad to worse....
So I go back to the shop to pick up my 4th wheel after they corrected the direction mistake. They guy looks at me like an ER doctor that has to break the news of a death to a parent. He says "We really scratched your wheel this time, we're going to buy you a new one." I was like "are you kidding me?"
He takes me out back and sure enough, they scratched the face of the wheel this time. Turns out they have to mount it upside-down on a spindle, since they are reverse mount wheels. They are supposed to use an attachment to support it by the lug holes, but instead they just set it on a plastic platform. Nice.
The scratches aren't too bad, but certainly not acceptable to me. When he found out the cost of the wheel, he suggested trying to have it re-finished, but I looked at him and said "Paint matching isn't what I had in mind when I spent $4000 on wheels and tires". He understood.
You would think that is it, but there's more......
He agrees to buy me a new wheel, so I take the scratched one home and put them all on so at least I can try out the Teins and new hoops before it snows. After I carefully bolt everything up I decide to check the tire pressures, just to be sure. 20-25 psi all around. Awesome. My compressor runs on 220, and I still haven't had a chance to wire it, so now I have to crawl to the gas station up the street. After crouching in numbing 40mph winds while the POS tire filler takes forever to fill all 4 to the max 42psi, I'm finally on my way.
The car rides harsher, as expected, but the Tiens do a nice job of keeping things tolerable. It also handles much better, and of course, looks like a different car, especially with the 285's in the rear. My joy is shortlived, however, because once I get on the hiway, the car begins vibrating from the rear. As my trip continues on and off the hiway, the problem is getting progressively worse. This exact thing has happened before, and I think I know what it is.
They use this paste type lubricant to mount the tires. If they use too much, then guess what?. Yep, the tire slips on the rim when you accelerate or brake hard. Kiss you balance and road force goodbye. In fact, you can be worse off than if you never balanced in the first place, depending on where the tire ends up on the wheel. This ***** was showing thru the beads when I took them home, and I cleaned it off as part of the pre-installation.
So my car looks great, but rides like the biggest POS you can imagine. It's unusable for anything over 55mph. Just what I always wanted.
I'm going back there tomorrow morning like a house of fire. No more Mr Nice Guy. I want blood.
He takes me out back and sure enough, they scratched the face of the wheel this time. Turns out they have to mount it upside-down on a spindle, since they are reverse mount wheels. They are supposed to use an attachment to support it by the lug holes, but instead they just set it on a plastic platform. Nice.
The scratches aren't too bad, but certainly not acceptable to me. When he found out the cost of the wheel, he suggested trying to have it re-finished, but I looked at him and said "Paint matching isn't what I had in mind when I spent $4000 on wheels and tires". He understood.
You would think that is it, but there's more......
He agrees to buy me a new wheel, so I take the scratched one home and put them all on so at least I can try out the Teins and new hoops before it snows. After I carefully bolt everything up I decide to check the tire pressures, just to be sure. 20-25 psi all around. Awesome. My compressor runs on 220, and I still haven't had a chance to wire it, so now I have to crawl to the gas station up the street. After crouching in numbing 40mph winds while the POS tire filler takes forever to fill all 4 to the max 42psi, I'm finally on my way.
The car rides harsher, as expected, but the Tiens do a nice job of keeping things tolerable. It also handles much better, and of course, looks like a different car, especially with the 285's in the rear. My joy is shortlived, however, because once I get on the hiway, the car begins vibrating from the rear. As my trip continues on and off the hiway, the problem is getting progressively worse. This exact thing has happened before, and I think I know what it is.
They use this paste type lubricant to mount the tires. If they use too much, then guess what?. Yep, the tire slips on the rim when you accelerate or brake hard. Kiss you balance and road force goodbye. In fact, you can be worse off than if you never balanced in the first place, depending on where the tire ends up on the wheel. This ***** was showing thru the beads when I took them home, and I cleaned it off as part of the pre-installation.
So my car looks great, but rides like the biggest POS you can imagine. It's unusable for anything over 55mph. Just what I always wanted.
I'm going back there tomorrow morning like a house of fire. No more Mr Nice Guy. I want blood.
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11-14-03, 07:57 PM
#8
Havn't you learned the lesson? Before you've gone to the after market rims and tires, you need to have a trusty wheel shop that can handle your rims and tires properly. You have to understand once you go after market, dealer is useless for any wheel problems.
I have been thu 3 sets of after market wheels, I've learned all those pains of scratching rims and un-balanced wheel. Once you have your JDM rims fixed, they never look so good as before.
You need to find a trusty wheel shop with Hunter machines and try building some good relationship with them and stick with them. Otherwise you can not even afford a flat tire
With my current relation with my tire shop, every time I drop my wheels at the shop, they went thru all rims with me to document any existing scratches, if they put any more scratches, they'll pay for the fix. Keep this in mind, they always put their top guys to handle my wheels.
I have been thu 3 sets of after market wheels, I've learned all those pains of scratching rims and un-balanced wheel. Once you have your JDM rims fixed, they never look so good as before.
You need to find a trusty wheel shop with Hunter machines and try building some good relationship with them and stick with them. Otherwise you can not even afford a flat tire
With my current relation with my tire shop, every time I drop my wheels at the shop, they went thru all rims with me to document any existing scratches, if they put any more scratches, they'll pay for the fix. Keep this in mind, they always put their top guys to handle my wheels.
Last edited by JacobT; 11-14-03 at 08:06 PM.
11-14-03, 08:51 PM
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Originally posted by JacobT
Havn't you learned the lesson? Before you've gone to the after market rims and tires, you need to have a trusty wheel shop that can handle your rims and tires properly. You have to understand once you go after market, dealer is useless for any wheel problems.
I have been thu 3 sets of after market wheels, I've learned all those pains of scratching rims and un-balanced wheel. Once you have your JDM rims fixed, they never look so good as before.
You need to find a trusty wheel shop with Hunter machines and try building some good relationship with them and stick with them. Otherwise you can not even afford a flat tire
Havn't you learned the lesson? Before you've gone to the after market rims and tires, you need to have a trusty wheel shop that can handle your rims and tires properly. You have to understand once you go after market, dealer is useless for any wheel problems.
I have been thu 3 sets of after market wheels, I've learned all those pains of scratching rims and un-balanced wheel. Once you have your JDM rims fixed, they never look so good as before.
You need to find a trusty wheel shop with Hunter machines and try building some good relationship with them and stick with them. Otherwise you can not even afford a flat tire
Learned my lesson? Are you trying to rub salt in my wounds, man?
Actually, you reminded me of something I wanted to put in my last post.
Yes, I know how to spot a good tire shop. I've had 5 sets of aftermarket wheels in the last 4 years and put myself thru school working at what i would call a "poor" tire shop. Choices are somewhat limited here in RI, however.
The place I went to specializes in European automobiles. The shop is brand new, and there is frequently semi-exotic vehicles in for repair. I met with the owner beforehand, who gave me a tour of the facility and showed me the $16,000 tire changing machine, and the Hunter GSP9000 road force balancer. He explained that he was an auto enthusiast, and he understood my concerns, and guaranteed I would be satisfied with the results, but it wasn't going to be cheap. I was pretty sure I had it nailed.
They had the right shop, equipment, and attitude, but they apparently were lacking experience. The owner even admitted that to me today. He does over $1 million a year in gross receipts, so he said it is a "learning experience" for them. I suppose I'm fortunate that he is very cooperative and understanding. I just wish I could have identified the experience level as easily as the other important factors when I chose them.
Actually, I'm beginning to wish I never even started modding this car. You pay thousands of dollars for what? Wasted time and endless aggravation. I'm going to start collecting lunchboxes or something.
Last edited by cyclemax; 11-14-03 at 08:53 PM.
11-14-03, 08:59 PM
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These pics are pretty crappy. The lighting was poor and the camera was on the lowest setting. Looks much, much better in person. I'll try to get better pics tomorrow.
11-14-03, 11:53 PM
#12
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CM,
again truly sorry to hear that..esp with/from a shop who has such nice machine set up, and yet, still mess up the install..YES, i perhaps hsould get you the WHOLE pkg from japan, with tyres ON the rims, ready to go..btw, forget trying to re-finish" the rims, they WILL NOT match the rest..just make the shop pay for it
funny, even some of the Costco warehouse tyre shop here in LA knows what they are doing, and install my 18s Work rims no problem..for only $40/set of four
again truly sorry to hear that..esp with/from a shop who has such nice machine set up, and yet, still mess up the install..YES, i perhaps hsould get you the WHOLE pkg from japan, with tyres ON the rims, ready to go..btw, forget trying to re-finish" the rims, they WILL NOT match the rest..just make the shop pay for it
funny, even some of the Costco warehouse tyre shop here in LA knows what they are doing, and install my 18s Work rims no problem..for only $40/set of four
11-15-03, 06:38 AM
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No, I won't allow them to refinish the wheel. I know where that will end up going. As it stands, including the stress and time involved, the guy owes me a new wheel, and he can forget about me paying for any labor. And after what is going on now with the vibration and low pressure, I think he owes me more. I'm going to see if he'll replace the leaking coolant fitting on my g/f's VW. That's probably a better job for him.
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