[P1rat3]

Okay, so I was in having a drive shaft replaced because it worked loose and lost all the grease out of the upper CV. I asked for them to look at my wheels while it was there. I also asked if VW/BBS had fixed the corrosion problem and he said 'Yes'. Apparently the wheels they had been getting recently were slightly darker, like a brushed finish would look. If they don't corrode, I am happy. They had the car two days and replaced the shaft and upper retaining bolts under warranty.

When I picked it up, I mentioned the wheels and he had totally forgot and they were getting ready to close. I said I will bring it back another day.

Went to my local dealer today after cleaning my wheels to have them inspected for replacement. They found the inevitable corrosion. They also saw my front left (was back left when it happened) was curbed slightly. He said he could not get the wheels replaced because of this. We said they could probably do 3, but because the colour is different it would not make sense to do just 3.

I said that I would go somewhere else because I am sure that other have had them replaced recently. He wished me luck, gave me his card and the number to VW Customer Care.

I live in Nuneaton and I might try Leamington or Towcester tomorrow.

I have taken many close looks at my wheels and they not only have white worms, they have spots where it has flaked off leaving a big black mark. The centre caps are also corroded, really.

http://www.the-fray.co.uk/vw-wheels/ for pics.

 

[NikB]

I've had the same problem. They won't replace one of mine cos it's kerbed.

 

[hornetrider]

Sounds like a cop out to me - if they are corroding they should be replaced surely. Sounds like VW are using kerbing (which lets face it, will be pretty damn common) as an excuse to limit their losses - Self Humiliationers

 

[P1rat3]

Nik, Are you still trying, or did you give up?

 

[NikB]

I've tried one dealer twice and another dealer who still haven't bothered to get back to me. Useless is what they are.

 

[RS GOLF]

How about letting VW change three of the alloys and pay yourself for the forth one... I know it would be nice if they replaced all of them, but if it is curbed then I guess they are justified in saying no.

 

[P1rat3]

The dealer says he agrees with me in that they should be replaced scuffed or not especially when the corrosion is not near the scuff. But he said that VW will not touch them, but other people on the forum said that they have had them replaced even with two wheels scuffed. Go figure.

I think that they destroy the wheels after insection anyway, and if the wheels are faulty they should be replaced. How major of a flaw does it have to be before they replace scuffed wheels? Peeling? Losing valve stems? colapsing? I think if they admit there is a flaw it should not matter if the wheels have been used or not.

If I can't get them all replaced, I might just do what you said about replacing 3 and paying for one. But saying that I could probably get them all refurbished for the same price.

 

[RS GOLF]

But saying that I could probably get them all refurbished for the same price.

I would not recommend gettting the alloys refurbished as you won't get a finish as good as they look when standard from the BBS production line.

I've had experience of trying to get a BBS CH alloy refurbed and after four trys at three different places, even with the correct paint from BBS, still could not get a good finish (always had an orange peel affect and a wash of colour finishes)

 

[EddyH]

There's a place in Wakefield that advertises to be able to refurb the anni wheels to OEM spec. They don't paint them they use a new 'special' method.

 

[Gray]

I'm having the problem with the same Nuneaton dealer. The warranty guy looked at mine ordered 4 new wheels and then rejected the claim due to some kerbing on them and said that they had been kerbed since he inspected them even though they had been kerbed since bought from another dealer.

Going to try another dealer in the next week or so.

 

[mnh]

keep trying different dealers . . . had mine replaced at a place down here (london) a couple of weeks ago and all 4 of the wheels were curbed. 1 wheel even had a small dent where i had bumped a curb head on.

initially the guy at the dealer said he was sure they wouldnt agree to the 'dented' wheel, and the other 3 were unlikely. he then said that when vw came back to him (after looking at the pics they took of my wheels) they said no, but he could send them in and see if they changed their mind. i didnt agree because it would mean me paying out for 4 new wheels and gambling on vw changing their minds in order for me to get a refund.

i then spoke to a decent bloke at vw customer service who said to go back to the dealer and ask them to speak to the warranty department (i think that maybe the dealer never asked anyone initially otherwise he would already have done this . . . ???). anyway, i had another chat with the dealer and he said they would put a fax together to vw warranty people and try to word it 'as best they could'. cant stress how helpful the bloke was - i was paying cash for some valences to be painted so whether that helped i dont know? anyway the final result is that i now have 4 new wheels.

i would try and be pleasant to anyone you speak to about it, but dont take no for an answer. this IS a warranty issue however you look at it and the curbing excuse that vw use is no defence in my opinion. i was fully prepared to take this as far as i had to to get them changed. put it this way, if you had known when you bought your car new from vw (if you did that is) that a couple of years down the line the wheels would look sh*t, and you would have no recourse to vw if you had put a single scratch on the wheels, would you have bought the car for the list price??? obviously, i like vw's, but its about time the company start treating their customers properly.

sorry for long reply!

 

[B15ETJ]

All 4 of my wheels were changed 2 month,s ago 2 were badly kerbed tryed a main dealer 70 miles away who agreed to change them when two others would not. The funny thing is when i went to my local dealer last week for something else under warranty on the computer it only showed the garage who supplied them being credited for two he could'nt understand how i managed to get the 4 done !!!!!!

 

[P1rat3]

Thanks for all the replies and presonal experiences. I think that I will keep persuing this.

B15ETJ, that delaer may have found they could only get the two non-kerbed ones replaced and had them returned. GOod thing you got them on your car before that happened. If this is true, they will not replace kerbed wheels again.

I will presue this like MNH above, because as he says this is a warranty issue. If they told me that the wheels were going to rot from under my car i would not have bought it. Also, if they stated that the wheels would rot, then they would not have to replce them under warranty, but they did not say anything.

Actually that makes me think. I bought my car used fromthe dealer. It had 6000 miles on it and I bought it from the original dealer that had sold if the first time. It did not have any curbed wheels, but they were not new. So that means they knew about the problem, the car had 4 un-kerbed wheels under it and they did not send them back before they sold me the car. Why?

 

[floaty]

Rye Mill VW in High Wycombe replaced all 4 of my wheels no problem even though 2 were kerbed (by previous owner)

The idea of buying one yourself is ok. However, even the warranty managers chin hit the floor when the parts guy tapped them into the computer for ordering.......?450 EACH + VAT!!![:O] That wasn't including the centre cap either

Good luck!

 

[atton]

I still dont understand why stealers say they wont replace kerbed wheels, you have obviously proved that the kerbing is not a factor in the corrosion because three un-kerbed rims are corroding in the same way, so they should replace the 4th wheel if its corroded, kerbed or not [!]

 

[asifR123]

i had all four of mine replaced on satday.

had to wait 4 months, and i'm sure all 4, at least three of them anyways, were kerbed, one had chunks taken out by a high rise kerb!!! but the bodyshop manager just looked them over and noticed to flaking and put my claim in straight away.

i did hear from the service guys that they are having problems with VW UK paying the dealership for warranty claims which could b a reason to the stubborn attitudes.....

jus remember if it gets done to get them to order the centre caps as well. i have 4 brand new wheels with 4 old caps with corrosion!!!!

 

[annidal72]

Quote: posted by asifR123 on 07/02/2005 14:38:20

jus remember if it gets done to get them to order the centre caps as well. i have 4 brand new wheels with 4 old caps with corrosion!!!!

Same here mate[]

 

[j11ajs]

had mine replaced and the front 2 were kerbed my friend had all 4 replaced when he got the car back they had scratched all 4 new wheels fitting the tyres and has had to have another set orded

 

[j11ajs]

Quote: posted by j11ajs on 08/02/2005 00:46:42

had mine replaced and the front 2 were kerbed my friend had all 4 replaced when he got the car back they had scratched all 4 new wheels fitting the tyres and has had to have another set ordered

 

[Gti Fly]

Quote: posted by atton on 04/02/2005 15:54:11

I still dont understand why stealers say they wont replace kerbed wheels, you have obviously proved that the kerbing is not a factor in the corrosion because three un-kerbed rims are corroding in the same way, so they should replace the 4th wheel if its corroded, kerbed or not [!]

I think it is becoming very apparent that it's not the DEALERS, but VW UK that is causing the problem here.

Dealers get PAID by VW UK to do warrenty work.

Dealers do the work first, then CLAIM THE MONEY BACK from VW UK later on.

I take it VW UK have been stinging un-suspecting dealers by not paying them back for any KERBED Anni wheels!!

So some of you have been very lucky in getting kerbed wheels changed before the dealers got stung.

If you are having difficulties getting kerbed wheels changed under warrenty, then I suggest you get a solicitor to argue you case to VW UK.

It's not gonna be hard to prove that the fault in the laquer is NOT linked to kerbing, and also therefore should not be the reason to which a warrenty claim is denied.