How much would it cost to get these wheels fixed?

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SecondMonkey

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I got my brakes fixed last month, and the %#@!^@! idiot totally gouged up my aluminum wheels around each lug nut. I finally met with the manager today to discuss compensation, and he took pictures and is supposed to call me tomarrow. I'm pretty sure he's going to try and weasel out of it and give me as little money as possible.

Anyway, can anyone give me a ballpark of what it would cost to have a professional (where?) polish these gouges out? I'll probably do it myself, but I want an idea of what these doofuses owe me.

wheel.jpg

(wheel is kinda dirty in the pic, but they were in perfect shape before I took them in)
 
I don't know why you're talking about polishing out the scratches when I would expect the place to replace the wheels. That's terrible.
 
Well, they aren't THAT bad. The center caps and lug nuts will have to be replaced. The wheels themselves aren't terribly damaged, just those gouges, but they're in a flat area so I don't think it would be too difficult to sand/polish out. I do expect to be well compensated for this, but I think new wheels is a bit excessive and I'm pretty sure they won't do that.

Anyway, does anybody have a ballpark of what it would cost a professional to fix those gouges? $25 per wheel? $50? $100? I need some numbers to haggle with.
 
Since some of what I do involves situations like this, allow me to offer some points:

1) The basic principle in law is to "make you whole". That means, if you started off with a used peice of equipment and it gets damaged and even though you have to buy a new one, then all you need to "make you whole" is: the value of the used object or the repair whichever is less.

For example: If you got 6 years out of a washing machine that is expected to last 10 years, then you owned a machine worth 40% of a new one. Please note there are other ways this can be calculated, and these are frequently employed to set a "reasonable" value.

2) It looks to me that the lug nuts and the center cap are a bit rusty and that ought to factor into the compensation equation.

3) It appears the damage does not harm the function of the rim - or the lug nuts - just the appearance.

So if I were in management of the brake place, I'd offer you about $25 per rim - and probably be willing to settle for about $50 per rim - $50 per rim being what I would spend to get used rims at a junkyard....er...auto recycling center.

Sorry, but that's the way I see it.
 
Always have vandals damage your stuff after it's become a valuable antique.
wink.gif


This thread shows why I don't let anybody touch my car without standing next to them all the time.
 
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
It looks to me that the lug nuts and the center cap are a bit rusty and that ought to factor into the compensation equation.

The rust is a result of them. I don't know what they did, considering aluminum doesn't rust, but it wasn't like that when I took it in. The wheels were a bit dirty, but other than that, they were in perfect shape.

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
It appears the damage does not harm the function of the rim - or the lug nuts - just the appearance.
It did, actually. Two of the lugs were MISSING when I got home, 3 more were loose. They already gave me a new set of lugs, but I'm not happy with those either - they're much lower quality than I had.

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
$50 per rim being what I would spend to get used rims at a junkyard....er...auto recycling center.

I seriously doubt you could get aftermarket aluminum wheels in perfect condition like mine were for $50 anywhere. If I could I would have bought them there in the first place.
wink.gif
 
SecondMonkey, you need to quit messing around and file a claim with your local small claims court. Get an estimate for a new set of wheels and get all your information together.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
SecondMonkey, you need to quit messing around and file a claim with your local small claims court. Get an estimate for a new set of wheels and get all your information together.


Well, it all depends on what they offer me. As CapriRacer pointed out, they don't really owe me new wheels, but they do need to make them exactly as they were before I came in. New lugs, center caps, and a professional polish job would do that.

On the other hand, I just looked up some prices for wheel refinishing online, and it seems like most places want about $200 per wheel.
crazy2.gif
 
We used to have a wheel polishing business.
Those wheels are not bad at all, but will require more work than initially appears to fix. Then, they have to be recoated.
Raw aluminum won't last without corrosion.
Who is really going to do the work?
When you talk to the Mgr., have these facts on your side.
New wheels could be in your future. Let's face it, the shop damaged yours.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Who is really going to do the work?

I will, but I don't work cheap.
grin2.gif
 
You have stated they were in "perfect" condition (no rust, etc.etc.) before they changed the pads. If that is the case, request a new set. But, in your picture, caps are rusted, the alum. is oxidized making they look old and not been cleaned or polished for awhile. That process just doesn't happen in 2-4 hours. They will probably will compensate with a small cash settlement since the only actual damage looks like the socket grooved around the wheel stud.
 
Originally Posted By: mazduh30
But, in your picture, caps are rusted, the alum. is oxidized making they look old and not been cleaned or polished for awhile. That process just doesn't happen in 2-4 hours. They will probably will compensate with a small cash settlement since the only actual damage looks like the socket grooved around the wheel stud.


Like I said, the rust is from them. It wasn't like that when I took it in. They aren't oxidized either, all they needed was a little soap and water. Yes, the "only" damage is "the socket grooved around the wheel stud", but that in fact ruins the whole wheel. Apparently it would cost around $200 to have that fixed, which is more than the wheels cost. As someone else said their obligation is to "make me whole", and the only way to do that is replace or refinish.

BTW - the doofus never called me back or answered his phone yesterday, he better be there tomarrow.
smirk2.gif
I'll try to take a better pic tomarrow.
 
Originally Posted By: another Todd
As neglected as those wheels look, I wouldn't worry about it, although that is a cheesy looking replacement lug nut.


For the last time, the wheels are NOT neglected! Everything you see in the pic is a result of the idiots at the brake shop. And yes, I think you would worry about it, if someone gouged up some nice wheels you just spent $500 on. The wheels are simply dirty, not neglected. This is Oregon in late fall, everybody's wheels are dirty.

For those that wanted it, here is a better picture. The damage barely shows up here, but I can assure you, it's there, and it's easy enough to see for anyone who looks at it.

DSCF0041.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: ted s
nothing the shop did caused the center caps to rust, the lug nuts to rust and the wheels to pit.


[censored].
smirk2.gif


The center caps did not rust, as they are chrome plated plastic, and it is impossible for either of those things to rust. The rust in the picture is from something they got on the wheel. I have no idea what. They also ruined the caps by chipping off a lot of the chrome. The lug nuts had a tiny bit of surface rust, nothing a wire brush couldn't fix, but they rounded them off, and some were missing. And the wheels are NOT pitted.
 
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