kgardnez

I just got back from getting new tires on my Mini, and I'm hoping you guys can help me with evidence.

Has anyone else had the face of their wheels damages during the installation of tires? Here are two examples, I have these same marks on all 4 rims.

1. What is it caused by?
2. What type of painting should I insist on?
3. As further evidence, I think the original Dunlops were on there. Would it have been original Dunlops at 34K miles?

The tire shop won't take immediate ownership (and I can't get myself to be really mean the day before Christman), but I'm 99% sure this wasn't there before I drove in as I just cleaned the wheels last week (but quite honestly I just bought the car this month, so I could have missed it... but i very much doubt it).

Thanks for the help on a non-B5 item!

<img src="http://xs122.xs.to/xs122/07521/wheel1.JPG">
<img src="http://xs122.xs.to/xs122/07521/wheel2.JPG">

Pelican Pete

Sometimes what happens is the tech leaves the lever between the tire and the rim and then spins the machine. THe lever would scrape the rim and the finish would flake off -- very similar to curb rash.

Those pock marks are very different, and quite rare. It is possible that the tech was careless and poked the rim with the tire lever. But to do that on all four wheels would be really careless -- if that were indeed the case, I would hope that he would be more careful after the first one.

More likely, the damage could have been caused by rocks hitting into the wheel.

If you are 100% certain that the wheels did not have the damage before you brought the car in, then insist that they compensate you for refinishing the wheels. But if you are in doubt you might not be able to get them for anything.


Good luck!
--Peter

kgardnez

These same exact marks are on all rims, so I'm positive it is not curb rash or from rocks.

I know they use some tool to pull the entire valve stem out, could they have leveraged this off the rim?

starting ...

i agree with pelican pete that it does not look like damage from the wheel being mounted. You can see in the first picture the same mark not on the outside lip of the wheel.

kgardnez

No damage on the insife of the wheel, just dirt/lighting

kgardnez

I measured, all 4 marks are 1-1/2" apart. The same tool did this. Also paint is still coming off..

Mr. Mom

Ouch, that sucks, but tis the season and unless you want to get ugly with the tire shop, chalk this up to experience and don't sweat it......


go elsewhere next time and be sure to state "be careful with the rims (but they're already scratched so no need.....


Mine are 100x worse, life goes on.....

Pelican Pete

Looking at only one pic it looks like it could be rock damage. But if you have the exact same mark on all four wheels -- in the same locations on all 4 wheels, then it is definitely from the wheel mounting machine.

As I said in my first response, the most common damage to wheels is user error -- the moron tech leaves the lever between the rim and tire, and it scrapes along the outer rim of the wheel. But there is also the machine which comes down and breaks the seal -- maybe that machine has some low hanging bolts which came into contact with the wheels. I'd go back to the shop and look at that machine -- and see if there are any pins or bolts which hang down, which could dent the wheels like you are describing.

Good luck!
--Peter

Reggie

making good on these kind of issues -and did so with me.

The fact that the marks are the same on all the wheels indicates it is the tire mounting equipment.

If you want you could take them to small claims court if they refuse to help

kgardnez

Funny enough, it is Discount tire!