Clear coat failure on new wheels

[DSMRacing]

I installed a new set of wheels I had purchased for my BMW on 1/28/2010. While cleaning the car on 3/13/2010 I noticed that the clear coat was failing in several areas. I contacted the company where I purchased them and was basically told that they provided no warranty for finish. Furthermore they suggested that I had used a product on the wheels that had caused the clear to fail. First of all, this was only the second time the wheels were cleaned in the six weeks that I owned them, and second, I am very familiar with proper automotive care. I never use anything to clean my wheels except the same Meguiar's Deep Crystal Car Wash that I use on the car. Can some of you who are knowlegable on the subject take a look at these pictures and see if this is a common failure due to poor quality control / process as I suspect that it is?

http://community.webshots.com/album/563494252qIVrYM?vhost=community

[tguil]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

You flat out got bad wheels. Hope the company will make it right. Sounds like you are in for a hard time.

Tom

[Tuck91]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

Not suprised at all,

One of my customers put new wheels on his F-250 and they started peeling about a month later, no warranty either.

The only thing I used to clean them with was Gold Class Car Wash and a soft wheel brush.

[roushstage2]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

Are those real BMW wheels? --> You bought them through someone besides the dealer? Did you use your credit card for the purchase?

[DSMRacing]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

They are M6 replicas. I purchased them from a sight called modbargains.com which seemed to have a good reputation on the BMW forums. I bought them with a cc, but the cc company told me that they can't help me on the warranty; only if I hadn't recieved the product.

[StadiumDetail]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

If the company refuses to help you out and if the wheels are still in good shape (no curb rash), contact a local body shop and see what it will cost for a scuff and paint. I just recently contacted a shop here to do paint some stock Menz wheels black/clear and the price quoted, granted I'm good friends with the owner, was $200 for the set. Even if your shop charges double it's better than getting stuck with a set of brand new wheels that look like ****.

Moral of the story this story is, don't buy from any company that has "bargain" on the website address.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clear coat failure on new wheels

Furthermore they suggested that I had used a product on the wheels that had caused the clear to fail.

When they suggested this, did they have any clue what you had used? Did you ask why it was then, that the same soap has not compromised the clear on the car itself?

Honestly, if that is their idea of customer service, it sounds like you're on your own here, especially if their website states that there is no warranty on the finish. There are plenty of good wheel reconditioning services out there, some even mobile, that can do an outstanding job for you. Google is going to be your friend here for a while, but in the end you'll probably have an even better finish than when you first received the wheels.