Scirocco Central

Hi folks,

Last week I needed some new tyres on the R from a local well known tyre fitter. All seemed well when I left, until the next morning I noticed a gouge 3-4 mm deep / 60-70 mm long on my front driver's side alloy and some smaller dents and black marks on the passenger's side, to which also had a broken hub cap on to add insult to injury.

*Cue lots of swearing/ tears etc*

I took it back to the tyre fitter, who the regional manager has since refunded me for the tyres (£140 quid a corner). They have also agreed to re-furb the alloys too. Even though I'm still seriously peed off that they've damaged my wheels, am I right to have them re-furbed?

A good mate of mine is a mechanic, and he suggested getting them to replace rather than repair, as the methods some alloy wheel refurb companies use are inferior to others i.e heat lamps instead of ovens, powder coatings etc. He has also said that my refund may go so far as to say they've basically admitted liability, so they should in theory have to cough up for new ones.

Anybody else unfortunate enough to have had a similar experience? Or know where I stand?

Cheers

Had the same experience about 3 months ago, when a run-flat got a puncture write-off, just 200 odd miles after having picked up a brand new pre-reg! However, the damage on mine was much less than yours - a dink about 1-2 mm deep, about 20mm long.

This was at a main dealers. The service manager offered a refurb but was candid enough to admit that it might not be the best route to go down, since issues can reveal themselves sometime down the line (though I've had refurbs on my last car and couldn't see any issues when I'd sold it two years later). Probably in part depends on whether it's just a rub down and fill of the affected area and respray or instead a full shot blast of the entire wheel. Either way, I didn't famcy it on a brand new alloy, and as it's not on the outside rim.

Now, I did think I should be within my rights to ask for a new alloy, but didn't think it worth the hassle of an argument or risking the relationship with my local main dealer, so I decided to let it go.

But I have to say that the damage you describe sounds quite severe, and if it looks as bad as it sounds I'd be going for a replacement IF the alloys were pretty new. Otherwise, I might settle on a full, but not partial refurb.

Sorry, probably not a lot of help, especially from a legal point of view.

No worries, any feedback is welcome.

The alloys themselves are stock R alloys that are 3 years old now. You've quite rightly said about refurbs probably not being the right route to go down- one of my main concerns is the depth of the gouge and whether they're just going to bung welding material in it and spray it over.

The alloys were mint before they did this, so if any potential issues do surface in the future I'd sooner not have to fork out for yet another refurb out of my own pocket.

Needless to say, they've caused a headache for me and I won't ever be returning there!

They will probably argue with you, based on the fact that your alloys are 3 years old SO they shouldn't have to fork out for a brand new set. They are sneaky when they have made a c*ck-up and have to pay.

Good luck with your claim, I do hope they turn out to be reasonable

Sadly mate I would say you are very lucky they've admitted anything. Got my old GT back from quick fit after a quick wheel alignment and they had lost one of my locking wheel nuts. As I had driven home and then noticed, they denied all.

philjay92 wrote:Sadly mate I would say you are very lucky they've admitted anything. Got my old GT back from quick fit after a quick wheel alignment and they had lost one of my locking wheel nuts. As I had driven home and then noticed, they denied all.

Quick fit!!!

CleanDiesel wrote:

philjay92 wrote:Sadly mate I would say you are very lucky they've admitted anything. Got my old GT back from quick fit after a quick wheel alignment and they had lost one of my locking wheel nuts. As I had driven home and then noticed, they denied all.

Quick fit!!!

I shall not be returning haha.

I had a local tyre fitter damage two BBS wheels on my old Focus ST. I said to them there and then and they denied all knowledge a stated how did he know they weren't there before he started. Cost me a good bit to get them sorted.

Consider yourself lucky as you'd driven home on them that they admitted anything could have very easily denied all and you'd never be able to prove it was them. Assuming the tyres are still good a refurb will be cheaper than they were so I don't know why they would have refunded you for them.