Hi all,

I have an '08 Justacooper with stock 15" six spoke wheels (painted aluminum). I was out washing my car this afternoon and noticed that the clear coat is failing on each of my wheels. Actually, it seems like more than just the clear, as patches of the paint were chipping and peeling off (???). I never use harsh cleaners on the wheels, just car wash soap and water with a sponge.

Has this happened to anyone else? What are the chances that I'll get this covered under warranty?

I have 42K miles on the car, so I have 6 months and 8K miles till my warranty expires.

Thanks,
Tony

 

Well if it is still under warranty call the dealership and start there. Other then that paint them again.

 

Have you curbed or scratched the wheels, even a little bit? My experience with the clear coat on the OEM MINI wheels is that any sort of small defect will quickly lead to large sections of the clear chipping/peeling away. In fact, I have a set of R98 Webspokes that need to be refinished for just that reason.

 

I have never scratched the wheels (not once). Very careful parking, especially parallel parking.

 

But rocks, sand and other road debris have probably caused your problem. Just the slightest ding and water can get into the metal surface below and cause oxidation of the metal and cause the paint to start peeling.

If under warranty you may be able to get them fixed or replaced, but if not then repainting is your best bet.

 

I've had rock chips on my previous alloys too. Annoying but not easily avoidable. Definitely try the warranty route first.

 

I made the mistake that Enkei would stand behind there Wheel Warranty...I was wrong!!


No scrubbing, just a simple chip...they said they saw signs of scraping on the interior of the wheel...HOW could they see that??!!

Anyway, just thought I'd give you an idea of what someone in your position is going through...hope things work out for you!!

BTW...these wheels were purchased from TireRack and just installed in April '11.