Faulty VW alloys

Author
Discussion

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
VW Polo.
Mileage 2040 (Yes)
3 years old
Had 3 VW services
The car has done 20 miles since the last service.


One week after last service (that was carried out within the warranty period) I noticed all four alloys are corroded (Not scratched or kerbed) – so one week out of warranty. The VW dealer say tough sort it out yourself! VW customer relations are useless and wont step in.

I know I should have spotted the problem when it went in for its last 3 year service – but didn’t (It is my daughters car and garaged while she is at Uni)

This is obviously a fault that should/would have been covered under warranty.

I thought I would make others aware how VW are prepared to treat their customers.

SteBrown91

2,573 posts

136 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Are they diamond cut? TADTS

Likelyhood is if they are diamond cut and the cars barely been used the car would have been used at some car washes with strong chemicals which has ruined the finish. Either that or they are kerbed.


andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
SteBrown91 said:
Are they diamond cut? TADTS

Likelyhood is if they are diamond cut and the cars barely been used the car would have been used at some car washes with strong chemicals which has ruined the finish. Either that or they are kerbed.
No you are wrong. Its never been through a car wash and as stated not a scratch or kerb mark on them.

Drive Blind

5,253 posts

184 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
would any car manufacturer cover a cosmetic wheel issue outside the warranty period ?

I assume the wheels are diamond cut?

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Yes they are diamond cut.

My point is that this obviously occurred in the warranty period

Mark V GTD

2,438 posts

131 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
It may well have - but sadly your duty is to report the issues within the warranty period. I have recently had similar issues with a new home warranty. One week out of it and the developer is not interested.

Paynewright

659 posts

84 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
I won’t buy a car with diamond cut wheels or if I did I’d expect to get them powdercoated and not bother with redoing the diamond cut.


City Wheel Refurbishment in Brum - £25 a wheel + £10 to take tyre off and on again (<18” dia).

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Mark V GTD said:
It may well have - but sadly your duty is to report the issues within the warranty period. I have recently had similar issues with a new home warranty. One week out of it and the developer is not interested.
Yes I realize it was my error not to have noticed the fault and reported within the 3 years, but this does not alter the fact it is an issue/fault that happened during the warranty period.

A good will gesture would have cost VW virtually nothing, but they would rather have a disgruntled customer that will badmouth them and their faulty product and never again purchase another VW product.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Paynewright said:
I won’t buy a car with diamond cut wheels or if I did I’d expect to get them powdercoated and not bother with redoing the diamond cut.


City Wheel Refurbishment in Brum - £25 a wheel + £10 to take tyre off and on again (<18” dia).
Yes – having had them before I totally agree, but this car was pre-registered and specced. I may get them powder coated at some stage, but am just as likely to sell it and leave the brand.

Paynewright

659 posts

84 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
A bit of an over-reaction.

Generally, all diamond cut wheels do this and I’m not convinced they’d have done anything in warranty either - they’d just say they’ve had some harsh chemicals on them which would be difficult to disprove.

We had a trim problem on one of SWMBOs cars and apparently (in the small print) this is only covered for 12 months.

Treat as a lesson learned and move on. Whilst very annoying there are more serious things in life to fret over.

thebraketester

14,715 posts

145 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
andyxxx said:
Yes they are diamond cut.

My point is that this obviously occurred in the warranty period
The problem is that the get tiny stone chips on them and boom,,,, destroyed.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Paynewright said:
A bit of an over-reaction.

Generally, all diamond cut wheels do this and I’m not convinced they’d have done anything in warranty either - they’d just say they’ve had some harsh chemicals on them which would be difficult to disprove.

We had a trim problem on one of SWMBOs cars and apparently (in the small print) this is only covered for 12 months.

Treat as a lesson learned and move on. Whilst very annoying there are more serious things in life to fret over.
Yes they could have lied about chemicals to wriggle out of their obligation, which would have made me ‘over-react’ in exactly the same way.

You are correct that there are plenty of more serious things in life. I am not short of money and wont fret or have any sleepless nights over it, but that doesn’t make me feel any less indignant.

There are plenty of alternative brands for me to easily delete VW as a consideration.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
andyxxx said:
Yes they are diamond cut.

My point is that this obviously occurred in the warranty period
The problem is that the get tiny stone chips on them and boom,,,, destroyed.
No - as previously stated, There are no chips, scratches or Kurb marks on any of the alloys

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all


Hard to capture - but every wheel has this to some degree

Sheepshanks

35,059 posts

126 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
I got nowhere with a VW diamond alloy whiteworm and that was on a car in warranty.

After much escalation, Service manager glanced at them, said "external forces" (which was nonsense) and walked off.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
I got nowhere with a VW diamond alloy whiteworm and that was on a car in warranty.

After much escalation, Service manager glanced at them, said "external forces" (which was nonsense) and walked off.
These are things that need bringing into the public eye - it is not acceptable and makes VW look bad.

zedx19

2,899 posts

147 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
You'd have got nowhere in warranty, this happens with all diamond cut alloys eventually. Could be a tiny chip you can't see, which has allowed moisture to get behind the clear coat and the white worm has set in. Could have been chemicals from cleaning. Could have been salt over winter being left on and not cleaned off. The wheels aren't faulty, the clearcoat has become damaged. As others have said, powder coat them instead.

thebraketester

14,715 posts

145 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
andyxxx said:
thebraketester said:
andyxxx said:
Yes they are diamond cut.

My point is that this obviously occurred in the warranty period
The problem is that the get tiny stone chips on them and boom,,,, destroyed.
No - as previously stated, There are no chips, scratches or Kurb marks on any of the alloys
Have you looked at them with a microscope? Water gets in the tinniest of holes as I am sure you realise.

Diamond cut alloys are prone to fail but they rarely fail as a result of a manufacturing defect, there is usually an external factor.


Sheepshanks

35,059 posts

126 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
andyxxx said:
These are things that need bringing into the public eye - it is not acceptable and makes VW look bad.
I resolved to leave them and talk about them to anyone who asked. Then car got written off!


What was also very annoying was VW UK sounding very sympathetic, but then leaving it entirely to the dealer. AIUI, the dealer has to make the decision - there's no pre-authorisation type thing. So if VW reject the claim when they get the wheels back then the dealer is stuffed. So, of course, dealers default to saying 'no'.

andyxxx

Original Poster:

1,211 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd March 2022
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
andyxxx said:
thebraketester said:
andyxxx said:
Yes they are diamond cut.

My point is that this obviously occurred in the warranty period
The problem is that the get tiny stone chips on them and boom,,,, destroyed.
No - as previously stated, There are no chips, scratches or Kurb marks on any of the alloys
Have you looked at them with a microscope? Water gets in the tinniest of holes as I am sure you realise.

Diamond cut alloys are prone to fail but they rarely fail as a result of a manufacturing defect, there is usually an external factor.
No microscope used by me or VW.
If there are hundreds of microscopic holes on a 2000 mile car I would suggest a manufacturing defect.