[Em135eye]

What an absolute tool - just misjudged a very hard and very rough granite kerb in a tight spot yesterday and heard the horrible grinding noise then got "stuck" - about a 3" gouge then a much lighter 2" one. Going to get it sorted.

The car is going in for a couple of minor bits next week - should I book it in with BMW for sorting or use an independent one? They are a wee but thin on the ground here (best one is 20 miles away) so BMW would be a lot handier.

[Dr Dave]

All you can do is ask; you might be met with blank looks etc from your Stealer.

Otherwise, you could be without a wheel for a period, not ideal.

You might have to tie it in with a visit from their wheel-repairer, they won't be doing it themselves.

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

You might have to tie it in with a visit from their wheel-repairer, they won't be doing it themselves.

This I think. The dealers I've spoken too in the past always had a man that came round every so often to do the wheel prep work on the second handers.

[chris330D]

I have had mine done by a dealer, Vines. Car had to be there for the day but the result was good. Could not see the repair at all. Only lasted about 12 months though.

[Tunna_uk]

Be careful. Even at the dealers they will get a guy comes round and basically bodges the wheel repair. He will rub it down, put a bit of filler in and then spray it, if he doesn't take the wheel off and tyre off, it will be a poor repair, the dirt on the inside of the wheel will get over painted and worse still he might even end up letting overspray go on your paintwork.
The only way is to have the wheel and tyre seperated and a full respray of the wheel inside and out and new laquer on...

[Em135eye]

Had been recommended someone by a good mate of mine - he details cars and says the guy is top notch. Will check him out and see. It's not actually too bad now I've fully cleaned the wheel but still bad enough to need sorting.

I have never EVER kerbed an alloy before - always super careful. I swore rather a lot all my own fault.

[Tunna_uk]

Yes its very annoying, especially when the wife does it

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

The car is going in for a couple of minor bits next week - should I book it in with BMW for sorting or use an independent one? They are a wee but thin on the ground here (best one is 20 miles away) so BMW would be a lot handier.

BMW dealer will just use a local repairer anyway and add 50% on top. They don't have their own facilities.

There are lots of good mobile repairers, well maybe not in cornwall, mentioned on here before, who remove the wheel, push the tyre bead off the rim and do a damn good job of cleaning, filling, repairing and painting all in a van.

Never heard of anyhone painting a wheel in situ - that's a proper bodgit and scarper!!

I've had a few done - BUT its almost impossible to get a perfect factory colour match without a factory type repair (bead blast, spray, laquer and oven bake) so its often best to have 2 on a side done IMO. c£50 ea.

Wicked Wheels mobile (wickedwheels.co.uk) are vey good and cover a lot of the UK.

If you know a good indy then give him a try, the worst is that you'll have to get it done again somewhere.

[Em135eye]

Well I've done some checking out - BMW were very unhelpful (no offer to lend me a car or even a wheel, £300 for a new wheel!!) , one independent repairer sounded a bit iffy and one very good sounding one (do all work for Audi, BMW, etc) is 25 miles away - the dilemma being it takes at least 24 hours and as the car has no spare, I can't drop the wheel off! It would mean going in two cars (with Mrs Matt) and a lot of faffing. So going to leave it for a bit and make a plan at some stage - my folks live near them so might borrow a car or something. It's only about £50 but the faffing could easily end up costing (in lost work charging time) a lot more!

It doesn't actually look that bad now the wheel is clean. Will get it done at some stage.

[pjs]

I'm just on my way to the Wakefield Stealer for two fronts refurbing, £58+vat each. Similar price to local mobile services. Will let you know how I GET ON.

[doughboy]

No mobile repairers in that there Kernow?

ooooh aaarr.

[Em135eye]

I need educating TBH -the "proper" repairers (AFAIK) strip the wheel, grind it, coat it, add laquer, cure it, etc - which AFAIK can't be done "mobile." If I get it done, it has to be done properly - and that seems to mean leaving the car for a day or two 20+ miles away - not handy! Oh well - let me know how you get on pjs!

[pjs]

Originally Posted by pjs

I'm just on my way to the Wakefield Stealer for two fronts refurbing, £58+vat each. Similar price to local mobile services. Will let you know how I GET ON.

no drama, looks like new, even washed and vacced the car. nothing to rant or complain about for a change!

[crazybones]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

I need educating TBH -the "proper" repairers (AFAIK) strip the wheel, grind it, coat it, add laquer, cure it, etc - which AFAIK can't be done "mobile." If I get it done, it has to be done properly - and that seems to mean leaving the car for a day or two 20+ miles away - not handy! Oh well - let me know how you get on pjs!

Agree totally. In my experience, mobile repairs do not make a satisfactory long term solution. After a few months, the lacquer used starts to flake due to brake dust, temperature fluctuations etc and don't even go near them with a pressure washer! It has to be done properly - you know it makes sense

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by crazybones

Agree totally. In my experience, mobile repairs do not make a satisfactory long term solution. After a few months, the lacquer used starts to flake due to brake dust, temperature fluctuations etc and don't even go near them with a pressure washer! It has to be done properly - you know it makes sense

Maybe, but it depends on the quality of the mobile workshop.

Prestige Wheels in manchester (and wicked wheels etc) have tyre removal machine, bead blaster, wheel lathe, degreasing tank, spray booth, and heat lamps ALL IN EACH VAN!

Their mobile work for minor kerb repairs is second to none and mine lasted 50K+ and were still perfect even with nasty TFR & pressure washes evey week or so

If I had old wheels with a major corrosion or damage issue then i'd go for the full re-work and oven bake, but not for a tiny kerb mark....

You'll probaly clunk another one in a few weeks... sods law.

[Em135eye]

doughboy - that does sound rather useful if they do it properly. Will see if anything like that exists down here - I think they only do tractor wheel repairs using a crowbar down these 'ere parts.

[crazybones]

Originally Posted by doughboy

You'll probaly clunk another one in a few weeks... sods law.

Oh so true! My 09 330D with 5000 miles - the local petrol station has each pump on it's own "island" where the curb juts out by a foot and has a metal edge to protect it! I pull up close to the petrol pump and add a nice 2" scratch to the NSF alloy. My own stupid fault!

335diesel - I've decided to use the wheel specialist (www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk). They're not the cheapest, but do appear to receive consistently good reports. As doughboy suggests, they refurbish the wheel fully, but unfortunately do not appear to have a location near you.

[Em135eye]

I have two options - one does spot repairs the other does the whole wheel.

http://www.thepolishedwheelcompany.com/

A 20 miles drive and they need it for 24 hours.

or:

http://www.wheel-wizards.com

They need it for about four hours (spot repair) and 18 miles away - I could stick the road bike on the roof and cycle home then pick it up later...

[Em135eye]

Spotted a Wheel Wizards van in my village - they were refurbing all the alloys on a neighbours Merc SL, so asked if they could fit my wheel into their schedule. They could and it now looks new.

Splendid!

[JLR1969]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

Spotted a Wheel Wizards van in my village - they were refurbing all the alloys on a neighbours Merc SL, so asked if they could fit my wheel into their schedule. They could and it now looks new.

Splendid!

What a result, very covenient.

[charliesum]

i tend to use wicked wheels every 6 months on the wifes tt
not because they are crap refurbers
just she hasnt learnt how to park a car!!!!!!!!
always been good for me and cheap too
stealers just want to make money
out of interest if you have an audi that needs an mot most dealers are doing them free at the mo

[Em135eye]

JLR - indeed. Made life a lot easier!

Charlie - every six months?! This is my first ever kerbing - wife has never kerbed any of our cars either.

Possibly daft question - our other car is a little Suzuki Jimy:



Yes it looks silly but it's very handy around town, can tow our little speedboat and is VERY good off road (even a Defender would struggle to get up that slope).

Anyway this has been heavily green laned and is rarely washed yet the alloys almost never get dirty - and if they do they are SO easy to clean! With the Beemer I only need to drive down the road and the wheels look dirty - is it the wheels, the tyres or something else?!