# 3weeks and counting wheel refurb hell



## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Well after lots of research and looking at others completed wheel refurbs,
I called in to my local company before Xmas , I was shown examples of work and assured of the quality to expect.
I dropped the wheels off on the 10th of Jan,
I waited till the 15th to be told they were ready for collection, I called in to be presented with 4 of the shoddiest wheels I have encountered, sadly as I was on route from work in lunch break I did not have a camera,or phone with me.
There was overspray,when I pointed this out, I was told I would not see this when wheels were on, contamination in powder coat and lacquer you could clearly see and feel.
The proprietor said if I stood back they looked ok!
He then went on to say:
I was the first customer to complain
They were not as good as he hoped for
That new wheels would not be as good as this
To get perfection would mean millions in equipment
That factory finish would need to go back to factory
The colour choice made it difficult
I was being picky
That no company within 100 miles could do such a good job.

After this load of BS he concluded they must be done again.
Fast forward to the 21st, I called to see if wheels were ready yet he said they nearly were so I set off from west somerset , arrived around 1700 to be presented with 2 wheels looking say 95%with some small blemishes, but the other two with blistered finish and contamination again, he assures me he can sort these easily, I left the wheels there, called again on the net day around 1600 to be told the wheels were in a state and I should come and collect them as he wanted to get on with other work and could spend no more time and effort on these.
Now you may think "what the hell wheels were these" they are Jaguar wheels from a car covering 27k needing some attention due to a minor kerb rash and previous spruce up from dent master style company when car purchased.
We tried to get to the company on the Tuesday night ended up 4 hrs stuck in snow caused traffic chaos,
Finally we collected them Wednesday as I put the seats down to load the wheels and tyres I hear a wheel on concrete noise behind me to see my wheel being plonked on the concrete and the door to the shop closing.

We left the shop and drove to Platinum wheel solutions in Swindon, dropped the wheels in, the tech pointed out acid on the inside of the wheel and further contamination in the finish, along with painted hub faces.
As we stand we are awaiting a call to collect the wheels from Swindon.
I fully expect them to be A1 , only if I had not tried to keep spending local and trusted a firm that obviously churn out work for dealers where the end customer isn't to bothered about decent finish, I could see no other reason that they can keep in business treating customers and their work as they do.
Names left out so as no to upset the fine forums mods / owners.

Pics to follow when I collect the wheels some time this week.


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## wookey (Jul 13, 2007)

Platinum are good, I've had a few sets done by them now.


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

Sorry, did I miss the company name or is it there? If not.... Name and shame!!


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

Be careful with this one at the mo

Op has only made this one and only post

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but one post ...


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## mnrjohn (Jan 22, 2012)

It always amazes me what people will be told to fob them off..... My personal fav from the list above "The proprietor said if I stood back they looked ok" on what grounds is this an acceptable response and or attitude to take. Also could someone tell me what the colour choice would make on the quality of the finish re the clear coat issues above. Surely this is a prep error???? 
Hopefully second times a charm


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## talisman (Nov 20, 2006)

Bristle Hound said:


> Be careful with this one at the mo
> 
> Op has only made this one and only post
> 
> If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but one post ...


yes not the first post you would expect.....


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Mmmmm i wouldnt really expect a 27k odo jag to have scuffed rims either maybe OP should get a fiesta if he desnt know the width of a jag


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Well first post it was, but I have been a member here a while,
Also on lots of other forums for years starting up and running the LR4x4.com website
When I had land rovers.
The wheel scuff was a front near side front by the good lady wife taking kids to school.
Thanks for the driving advice though 
All the above is fact as it happened no BS or exaggeration at all.
I only wish I had seen a thread on this company before I used them instead of Lepsons, platinum etc.
The wheels are BBS Barcelona, the shop wanted £5 extra making it £60+vat each as the silver was darker than the normal wheel silver used.
I spend plenty of time here reading the good advice and use the companies that advertise here, having purchased geteqniq c5 for the wheels when they return.
Wheel woollies etc,
I am not a spammer and not after anything, this is was my real experience of this company.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

picture


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## durmz (Nov 2, 2010)

Paragraphs. That is all.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

IPAD typing,
Apologies for non perfect composition.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

durmz said:


> Paragraphs. That is all.


Thought I'd logged onto Pistonheads for a minute,give the guy a break


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## CleanCar99 (Dec 30, 2011)

Did you get your wheels sorted in the end?

Who was the original company that messed them up?


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

durmz said:


> Paragraphs. That is all.


Just when I thought DW did not have grammar police one arrives this is not an English test session:thumb:


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Nice Jag :thumb:

At the end of the day you are parting with your cash, if you are not happy with the wheel refurb they have to do it again simple as that, the company may not like this and will pull the stops fully to divert yourself, but at the end of the day you are a paying customer again and customers do expect a decent job for their money.
Anyway I hope you get this sorted out very soon, when wheels are done they should really be 100% perfect, no blemishes or defects; sounds to me the company is diverting you and syaing the wheels are perfect when you are fully aware they are not, and to get a proper job done is by the factory they say, that is complete utter Bulls**** buddie :doublesho and I'm sure you know this.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

kybert said:


> Did you get your wheels sorted in the end?
> 
> Who was the original company that messed them up?


 I am waiting on the call to collect from Platinium in Swindon.
The company whom messed me about are in Exeter.
He went as far as to say he would blow them over silver as he did not want them to leave his place looking like they did.
After all he had done previous I told him not to touch them any more.


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## CleanCar99 (Dec 30, 2011)

I have 3 on my car to get done, and 4 on her car. None of them are my fault. gerr.


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

To be fair i think this would have been best posted in the "off topic" section, all be it the op is new and am sure we don't have to remind him that this is a detailing forum.
However posted under here it will generate a little more interest so grin and bear and take with a pinch of salt!

Secondly... name and shame or it hasn't happened


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Could be another case for judge member "KEMPE":lol:


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

k9vnd said:


> Could be another case for judge member "KEMPE":lol:


POOOOOF and he appears

All rise :lol:


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

kempe said:


> POOOOOF and he appears
> 
> All rise :lol:


"Lord kempe".. under *section 6* of the dw rule's it appear's we have a new op posting "agony aunt syndrome" and withholding the appropriate information to name and shame.


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

withholding the appropriate information to name and shame a company isnt mandatory Im afraid. 

But if the op stated a company that offered below than standard work should be named and shamed so that his fellow detailing world brothers and sisters wont fall under the same and be out of pocket


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

SWWR was the Company.


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

*Case adjourned*


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

white90 said:


> SWWR was the Company.


You are joking a friend of mine had same treatment I think he dealt with a gentleman by the name of bob would I be right


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

k9vnd said:


> *Case adjourned*


:thumb:


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Don't let damaged or shabby alloy wheels spoil the appearance and value of your car
Just bring them to us to refurb them to a worse factory finish!!...

To be fair if it were me then no payment would have been processed,very simple they didn't complete what was required or to any standard so i would be demanding cash back or it would be worth a trading standard enquiry.End of day it's come out your pocket.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

No money was paid,
the proprietor was called Bob.
He promised much delivered nothing.
I went armed with Supply of goods act information
in case he expected ££ for this work, he did not, so I left and drove to Swindon..


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

white90 said:


> No money was paid,
> the proprietor was called Bob.
> He promised much delivered nothing.
> I went armed with Supply of goods act information
> in case he expected ££ for this work, he did not, so I left and drove to Swindon..


Well glad it got sorted and you dealt with it with a level head and you hit the books instead of hitting the roof :thumb:


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## mikeydee (May 4, 2010)

I hope you get what you want buddy. can you put some pictures of them up when they are finished please?:thumb:


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

Man alive!! I would have thought just the website would have been enough to start alarm bells ringing...


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Hindsight I agree you are correct, but I was shown examples that looked good,
I wanted to use local businesses.
My mistakes I Learn from I guess.


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## cleancar (Sep 21, 2006)

Porkypig said:


> Man alive!! I would have thought just the website would have been enough to start alarm bells ringing...


+1 that's what I thought lol


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Well I have:
Gtecniq C5
Wheel Woolies
AG wheel seal
very cherry Wheel cleaner
buckets with grit guards
Micro fibre towels
snow foam

But still no wheels 

Awtg on a call from the company dealing
it will be a month on Tuesday with no car after the initial debacle'

With RFL at £450+ a year, no joke.. 
Nigh on £40 lost sat there.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Well I now have the wheels back here at last 
Platinum have done a great job all bar 1 small mark from tyre fitting on the inside of one of the front wheels, so the alternative was to wait again and travel West Somerset to Swindon again another day, or put up with the small 2mm-3mm mark that I won't see unless I take a wheel off to look at it.
They supplied a touch up paint pot when I spotted the mark.
Overall I am happy with the results the wheels look as they should have done weeks ago.
Turn around was longer than expected due to the wheels needing to be redone due to small mark on a spoke when they were first done at Platinum, the difference is they just did it rather than try to palm me off.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tbh5ogm02s589jp/Photo 04-02-2013 23 58 47.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ey6nysspn93k5d2/Photo 05-02-2013 00 13 58.jpg


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## minty-e46 (Jan 15, 2013)

Glad it got sorted in the end


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## SWWR (Feb 5, 2013)

Right, not going to start any arguments, huge discussions or annoy any of the moderators of this forum, but there is always 2 sides to every story.......

Luckily we were fortunate enough to photograph the wheels in question, i will just leave these here and let you make up your own minds.

Couple of items i also need to square up:

Website:
After being messed about and let down by 2 companies to build us a website, we are still left with the DIY template one we started over 4years ago. Being only a small business, and limited staff......haven't really had the time to input into the website, but luckily enough we having something done about it as we speak.

Painted mounting face:

This gets buffed with a surface finishing disc before wheels leave, is just "white90" said he was taking elsewhere so we didn't bother

Acid mark:

This if i'm not mistaken was a dried on wet flating dribble down inside of wheel, again normally cleaned off, but customer was taking elsewhere.

PICS: (taken with camera phone)


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## Philb1965 (Jun 29, 2010)

Have to say they look pretty good to my eye from the photos.


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## avit88 (Mar 19, 2012)

^^ they look ok to me. my only personal gripe would be they are on the concrete! Doesnt take much to buy a nice mat to lay them gently down on?


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Then Bob
Explain why you asked me to take them away and get them done elsewhere!
Where are the pictures of your first attempt with all the contamination.
why have you shown none of the Defects in your pictures.
explain why you had the wheels three weeks to complete a 2 day turn around.

The only pity is I did not bring a camera to the first attempt you made
where every single wheel was defective.
as above I stated the wheels on your last attempt were 95% ok still with some defects on the rear faces.

Also why did you want to "blow them over" before I collected them?
so the defects never left your place is why.

you attempted to rectify the defects on the front and failed and gave up, 

I took the Wheels to platinum when I left your place
they commented on the Acid on the insides from the stripping process
and the fact you have coated the wheel to hub faces.

Selective pictures of the wheels that were as I quoted acceptable does not explain the rest of the complete aggravation I had.

As above every word is factual no elaboration. 

Sad thing is I tried to use local business this cost me 3 weeks and 3 80mile round trips.

If the finish had been true of the selective pictures (not showing any paint defects)
then I would have had these wheels on the car two weeks ago.

Were these pics from 2nd or 3rd attempt? as they certainly weren't the first offerings you presented.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

They don't look as bad as I had imagined but the pictures are not very high quality.

I can see what looks like a few bits of contamination.

This wheel looks like it has some poor finishing towards the bottom right as we look at it.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Finally what the hell were you thinking plonking the wheels on a concrete floor!
The rest, well others can make their own minds up.
These pictures of your last attempt(minus the defective shots)
Show as I explained what I had hoped for weeks before, the fact the defect repairs failed meant I had to go elsewhere as total confidence was lost.
I should of cut and run after attempt 1 when you said people aren't normally that fussy.

Wheels as they stand now
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gb4wurgun5rqk2v/Photo 06-02-2013 22 30 39.jpg


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## Keir (Aug 31, 2010)

white90 said:


> Then Bob
> _snip_
> Were these pics from 2nd or 3rd attempt? as they certainly weren't the first offerings you presented.





http://regex.info/exif.cgi?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fi1292.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb572%2FSWWR%2F2013-01-22161240_zps64882c6d.jpg said:


> Basic Image Information
> Camera:	*Samsung GT-I9100*
> Lens:	4 mm
> (Max aperture f/2.6)
> ...


Seems ligit, fit's in with your story.


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## V40TC (May 5, 2011)

Thank you for that, this confirms the time and date of the picture was 10mins after I called to say I was going to collect them by mutual agreement, nice that they were presented to me the day before on my tyres rather than being put on the floor, but as soon as the wheels were due for collection they were taken outside put on rough concrete to have selective pictures taken.

I have nothing more to add to this thread that has not been said already.


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