Alloy Wheel Corrosion

[G7UHF]

I wonder if someone could explain to me why it is that when you return to the dealer with "the wheel problem" under warranty, you are offered "refurbished wheels"and not brand new replacements, second set now showing signs of corrosion. Im thinking that we are been short changed here, after all if you go to the dealer with other problems you get a brand new replacement and not a refurb. If your wheels are not up to the job Lexus dont ask me to make allowances for your problems. I'll be back.

Gold member now, where do i get the logo from.

[Scorpion]

I think the reason is they dont do new wheels

more cost effective about 1/4 of the price of new i guess

i'm surprised you are unhappy with refurbs as many peeps

say its a better finish(more lacquer)

My mate had his done and were ten times better than the original

I had mine powder coated/polished look in gallery page 73(i think)

[bobblejones]

When I took mine back they just lacquered all 4 wheels. They now look much better than new ones and it didn't cost me a penny !!!

[ricky_is200]

Yep I agree, the refurb wheels look much better and are easier to clean.

[Zee007]

Yep I agree, the refurb wheels look much better and are easier to clean.

Thirded...... :D

[Brian Berry]

Replaced alloys under warranty for my IS200 are first class, much easier to clean and looking better than the originals.

[james2210]

I was talking with one of the techies from Lexus Swindon who said that the OEM wheels are designed for the Japanese climate and don't do so well on British roads. He also told me that the place where they send their wheels to be refurbished actually grind down the harsh angles as this is where the lacquer is likely to start flaking off first. I've had the original wheels off my GS done and they look pretty good. If you look really hard, they do look slightly different from the normal OEM finish, but certainly look 200% better than before they were done.

[Monster-Mat]

the reason the wheels corrode so easily is,(other than a sub standerd coating) in japan the scrap metal recycling laws are so strick they are not allowed to use virgin alloys in wheel manufacture

so the wheels are made from low grade aluminium which inevitably has many impuritys within.......this is what corrodes the wheel.

last year Toyota/Lexus GB sent back to japan 1 complete cargo plane worth of alloy wheels

[kev dood]

Lexus Customer Relations told me - when I asked about the brake calipers etc and compared with wheel replacement - that under the warrenty conditions, Lexus are not required to replace the alloys as its cosmetic.

However they do so because its such a wide spread issue and if very obvious. Hence they use refurbished wheels. I did argue that because of the design of the wheels it also makes the calipers visible, why can't they do them too, but didn't want to go for that.

They suggest painting - which may put some peoples minds at rest about invalidation of warrenty. I'm gonna do mine, after the wheel get replaced on friday.

Looking at black calipers with silver stickers. Must order them actually -- off to gold in a mo then!

Save cash - join gold!

[leedsunited]

As i am not very good at painting ect, can anybody reccomend somewhere that will carry out the painting if the calipers.

[rhaines]

Leedsunited, I have to be one of the worst painters, most scared of techincal/mechanical people around and even I managed to paint my Calipers, it really is a piece of p!ss....

Try jack the car up support it and have a look, there really is nothinig to it :)

[leedsunited]

rhaines

Cheers mate, by the way whats a jack, only joking, ill have a look at the weekend.

Thanks

[PQuist]

Is there any particular paint that anyone can recommend?

[Claire G]

I think most peeps use Hammerite...

[kev dood]

I have heard Hammerite Smooth being bantered about a lot. Thats what I am going for.