Worth complaining - mechanic scratched my rims

[kpop]

on saturday i took my car to the workshop at the dealer where i bought it from, to have a wheel balancing done. when i got home, i noticed that the edges around the wheel nuts were scratched, some of them more than others, and in one area some of the chrome had actually been chipped away - about 4mm worth.

Is it worth calling them and letting them know about this, or is it not worth it. there not noticible from a distance, but can be noticed up close, and with the rims bieng just over 2 weeks old, and costing me $2000, it really annoyed me.

my other main concern is the small chip in chrome peeling and becoming worse - can this happen ?

and last night didnt help either - had a dream where i went to my car, and all the chrome on all 4 wheels had stripped of and they looked like cardboard rims :(

[GMMAD]

s@#t yeah i would go back and demand they replace or fix them to how they where when you bought them in,if they are only 2 weeks old they cant say they where like that all ready ,I would be pissed if it was mine

[bermudablue]

Is it worth calling them and letting them know about this

had a dream where i went to my car, and all the chrome on all 4 wheels had stripped of and they looked like cardboard rims :(


I wouldn't be calling them.I'd be going round in person.

The dream means you are going to lose all your teeth i think:p

[GODSMACK]

Based on the fact that you noticed it after u left, u will be hard pressed to prove they did it. Im not doubting they did damage your rims, but they will ask you to prove that they did, they will not be admitting liability.. I had a similar issue with a scratch on the passenger door, only noticed it AFTER i left, my pleas fell on deaf ears...

[gasguz]

Yeah, rock up there in person & keep a cool head while you show the service manager the problem. Let them know that work carried out on the car while it was in their care (even if it was taken to a 3rd party, which it probably was) has resulted in damage that you would like fixed. Seems as if the old rattle gun strikes again.

Good luck dude

[Vulture]

If it is only two weeks old then it shouldn't be too hard to convince them that they did it since how many times would a two week old car/wheels have had them removed and replaced? Especially if it was around the holes.
I've managed to find a local place that takes car of rims and won't go anywhere else solely for that reason.

[Grommz]

This is why i..

1. stand there watching what there doing if its my wheels that need to be taken off etc..

2. always check them before i leave so that they cant claim its happened on my trip from there workshop to my home.


Definatly take it back there mate its bullsh*t to think that they can treat your pride and joy with such dissrespect.

[bermudablue]

They should be using those rubber coated sockets.

[ssgirl2]

I'd telephone the Service Manager and make a time with him for you to go down and show him the damage.

Be calm and polite without laying blame anywhere and give him your rego number so he can pull out the Job Card with the details of work carried out and the mechanics number/name before you turn up.

Put your case forward in person (rims only 2 weeks old, haven't been touched since then, etc) and put the ball in his court.

A good outcome will have alot to do with your attitude and reactions to his :)

[kpop]

yes i was very dissapointed with the mechanic being so lazy and uncarefull with my rims. the tyre shop that put them on, did so very carefully, and not one rim had a scratch on it, but this mechanic managed to scratch nearly every single nut surround :flipoff:

also sucks that ive nearly lost my voice due to a sore throat / cold so i wont be very effective at calling them

[Avalanche]

I had a suspension place, do a bit of scroll work with the impact gun on a wheel on the avalanche. Actually they did it with one wheel nut then did it again with another one. Nothing like making sure you get right the second time:bawl: The thing that pissed me off was, that on my previous visit the owner accidently backed into another car with mine & cracked the rear bar. I was in the waiting room & all the young blokes were laughing and paying out on the owner. At least the owner came straight up to me & told me what had happened. I got a new rear bar under insurance, & they got the bill. But with the scroll work on my wheel, the prick that did it didnt even have the balls to own up to it. I found it when i got home. The business owner offered to fix the wheel, but that , to me , was not the point. I have had other minor stuff done on the ava, but unless i see it happen, or it is owned up to, i cant really go blaming some one.

[VX2VESS]

happen when they let the wheel hang and use the gun to pull the wheel on. the angle scratches the sides around the holes. lazy....

[kpop]

so i just called them up, and told them (in a calm manner) that while i appreciated they tried to help with my wheel balancing, i was dissapointed with the lack of care the mechanic showed to my rims. as i expected, she said there was nothing that they could do about it, but would tell the mechanic. im just glad i got it off my chest now, and you live and learn - anything in regards to removing my rims from now on im only taking it to places that actually show care to expensive car parts. thanks for the support fellas.

[WH_IKID]

I'd be complaining. They have to take due care of your car.

[ssgirl2]

so i just called them up, and told them (in a calm manner) that while i appreciated they tried to help with my wheel balancing, i was dissapointed with the lack of care the mechanic showed to my rims. as i expected, she said there was nothing that they could do about it, but would tell the mechanic. im just glad i got it off my chest now, and you live and learn - anything in regards to removing my rims from now on im only taking it to places that actually show care to expensive car parts. thanks for the support fellas.

Was she the Service Manager?

Have you worked out how much it will cost to rectify the damage?

Sounds like they are hoping you'll brush it off. If I was in your situation, I would take it further :yup:

[bermudablue]

I think you need to be a bit harder mate.

[kpop]

after going out and having another look, i noticed that both rims have chrome patches missing. the more i think about it, the more pissed off im getting actually. the lady i spoke to before was just the receptionist, this time ill actually speak to the owner of the caryard, who is a good friend of my dads.

here are some pictures i just went out and took:

. chrome chip on right front wheel:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/kpopaustralia/25022008156.jpg

. chrome chip on left front wheel:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/kpopaustralia/25022008159.jpg

. scratch under nut:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/kpopaustralia/25022008157.jpg

. and a non close up - the chrome chip is on the nut at the 7 o'clock position
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/kpopaustralia/25022008161.jpg

for the 3rd pic - scratchs under the nut - this applies to every nut on the 2 front wheels.

[ssgirl2]

Just an observation, but when people ask for help and they're given it, why don't they take advantage of that knowledge and experience - and use it?

Good luck with it :)

[Avalanche]

The same reason that people come into the office & pay to have business figures looked at . They are then told that the said business is in no way worth having even if they paid you to take it. Then the client goes out & tells friends that you told them it was a good buy & they should go halves, only to buy & then lose a couple of hundred $K:doh:

[kpop]

Just an observation, but when people ask for help and they're given it, why don't they take advantage of that knowledge and experience - and use it?

Good luck with it :)

like i said, i only spoke to the receptionist, so it was no point me making my case, the owner wasnt in at the time, but will be shortly, so im saving my energy for that phone call :)

[mustanger]

like i said, i only spoke to the receptionist, so it was no point me making my case, the owner wasnt in at the time, but will be shortly, so im saving my energy for that phone call :)

Take my advice and go and see them in person. It is a lot easier to brush someone off over the phone. Try and do it in front of other witness`s and you might get a better result...Cheers John

[WH_IKID]

Mate, they are shadow chrome, not chrome plated. Chipping of paint can be a common problem if too larger socket is used to undo wheel nuts.

Hope it gets sorted out,

[kpop]

a question for those who know about chrome/shadow chrome: since they have been chipped, will this chipping spread? if it will, then i will bring this up with them as ive found out its not cheap to have chrome rims repaired - around $240 per rim, and i certainly am not going to pay for this.

[hypdupvx]

I've had my old shadow chrome rims scratched while mechanics takin tyres on/off.. i noticed. went back. they said sorry.. matched up paint to touch em up even thou paint match wasnt good it still covered in the marks and at least they tried.. some places are decent others im sure will just fob u off.. goodluck with it thou.

[Tron2004]

Rims are by nature of design prone to scratching.
Whether that be by driving too close to the curb,
or removing / replacing wheel nuts.
Just the nature of the beast.

But what would have helped would have been this....

Talk to workshop owner when you dropped your car off and
explain that your rims are brand new and to please treat them as such.

Then, when you pick your ride up, visually inspect the rims
and that way, if you find some scratches, you are there on the
spot to point it out to the workshop owner and remind him of
your earlier conversation.

But you MUST do this prior to driving away!!

[kpop]

well, a pretty good ending to this story...

went to the place, and spoke to the manager in person, as usual he was very helpful. gave me touch up paint for the rims and for the car, both for free. got a bit going on at the moment so i really didnt want to get fired up over this. ill just know next time where i need to go if i want my rims taken care of

[mustanger]

As long as you are happy with the end result, that is all that really matters :cheers:

[VFast]

well, a pretty good ending to this story...

went to the place, and spoke to the manager in person, as usual he was very helpful. gave me touch up paint for the rims and for the car, both for free. got a bit going on at the moment so i really didnt want to get fired up over this. ill just know next time where i need to go if i want my rims taken care of
I wouldn't be gloating that they gave you the touch-up paint for free, because afterall they did cause the damage in the first place.

If they took some care and didn't rush the job then the damage wouldn't have been caused in the first place.

All that matters is that YOU are happy with the outcome and will be able to sleep at night without having nightmares or undue stress. You want to be able to walk out to your car and not think about the wheel marks every time.

[shrapss]

I had this happen to me while having my rear tires changed. Only noticed it the next day and called them up straight away. It's probably already been said but the best piece of advice is to just keep calm and be as polite as possible and you will see the best results, I did =]

[VNV8]

i had this happen after getting a wheel alignment once, one of the rims had a gouge from the alignment machine prong (not sure on the technical name for it), and ive regretted not taking it up with the mob ever since. although knowing this place they wouldve just said it was already there when i took the car in. still, its worth a try.

[Vulture]

Yep, it's just one of life's little lessons I think. Once something like this has happened you will put into place a strategy to ward it off before it happens. What I do is get the service bloke at the tyre place to come with me briefly to the car to get his confirmation that there are no scratches on the wheels, then I check them thoroughly when picking up. That way, if there is damage you can say "Look mate, we both confirmed that there was no damage before it went on the tyre machine or wheel alignment machine etc". Hard for them to back out then.

I did this with the local Bob Jane (quick inspect prior, only takes a second) and they take great care of my wheels and have also got a heap of business from me since. Luckily they also seem like the kind of place that takes care anyway.

[Supa]

That must really sux mate, I all ways get them to check my mags before doing any work. Plus now I make sure the use the colour coded extension (to your make I Think) that fits on the rattle gun which acts like a toque wranch, after I couldn't get my flat tyre off once!!!