Dealership removed wheelweights with screwdriver..

[SpatiallyAware]

So, I just washed my car for the first time since I had rear tires put on and noticed the dealership damaged my wheels removing the old weights. Rust looking stuff etc is just dirt, the wheels are otherwise 100% perfect.

This'll be fun to deal with.. The gouges aren't down to the wheel material, I'm guessing this is a touchup/refinish? I'll be tracking down the exact person that did this and having a discussion with them and the service manager.

http://imageshack.us/f/855/img0909h.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/709/img0905gt.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/691/img0907wn.jpg/


Edit:

Updates in post 92 and 106

 

[Eli]

I would probably just off myself if I cared about stuff like this.

I like the idea of having a daily driver that is in show room condition, but it's an exercise in futility.

 

[MikeMike]

How do you want them to remove the wheel weights? with levitation holmes?

 

[Doppel]

I would probably just off myself if I cared about stuff like this.

I like the idea of having a daily driver that is in show room condition, but it's an exercise in futility.

Although I see how the OP could be annoyed at it I agree with you 100%.

OP is truly and absolutely the only person on the planet who ever would know about this, other than those who see the pics in this thread.

I must say when I clean my car and it looks nice I don't even bother with this area of the wheel. Too much effort, it _never_ gets cleaned.

I bought a new car, brand new off the lot, three weeks back. Gave it a wash after two weeks and found really, really subtle scratches in the paint here and there. I don't think it was me washing it improperly, but it was either that or the guys (my belief is this) who cleaned it before delivery used dirty sponges. I took it in, the dealership was very receptive to them detailing it again, polishing it, but even the detailer said he didn't really want to do that to a brand new car on its top coat this early but would if I wanted to. And you know what, I basically said F it, the only person who's ever going to know is me because it's only visible after a fresh clean, in bright sun, from the proper angles. You can't even see it in those conditions unless you're within 24" of the paint.

Sitting on toilet at work, was reading in a muscle mag about a guy who finally after years of maintaining muscle cars and detailing the hell out of them he realized that a lot of people come to the point with their cars that they are so anal over any imperfection that they hold it to a nearly impossible standard and don't even enjoy their vehicles anymore.

 

[Howard]

How do you want them to remove the wheel weights? with levitation holmes?

Dental floss works depending on what the adhesive is.

 

[MikeMike]

Dental floss works depending on what the adhesive is.

I want to say the wheel weights he had on there were pinched on and around the edge...

 

[Howard]

I want to say the wheel weights he had on there were pinched on and around the edge...

Nope. You can see the outline of the "strip" of weights.

 

[RiDE]

Ouch. That's why I take the weights off myself when I'm having new tires put on.

Don't worry, if you're using the oem BMW pads the insane amount of brake dust will cover those after 50 miles. :awe:

 

[Bartman39]

Give it a few days & miles and the brake dust will take care of everything...

If the car is a daily driver then uh dood chill... I`d bet there are more flaws and crap like rock chips that will make you go into convulsions about your ride...

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Maybe I am over reacting, but the car is otherwise 100% mint. To me it's a bit disrespectful when I'm paying so much for tires and install. If it were my truck at some roadside tire shop then maybe, but not when they want $120/hr for any work done

It's not really my DD, I drive it about half the time

http://imageshack.us/f/542/img0911j.jpg/

 

[SpatiallyAware]

And you can see it walking up to the car... One side isn't bad because it's behind the 'spoke', the other side is blatantly obvious


I'm admittedly a bit OCD, but still.. They have special tool to pry these things off, they aren't supposed to be using screwdrivers.



IMO blowing it off is accepting someone basically being an asshole and taking shortcuts where the results are obvious.

 

[Eli]

How do you want them to remove the wheel weights? with levitation holmes?

And I didn't mean to not lay blame on the idiot tire guy. There's no reason to use a screwdriver. If you grab them with a pair of pliers, they'll pop right off with no harm to the wheel.

 

[MikeMike]

Maybe I am over reacting, but the car is otherwise 100% mint. To me it's a bit disrespectful when I'm paying so much for tires and install. If it were my truck at some roadside tire shop then maybe, but not when they want $120/hr for any work done

It's not really my DD, I drive it about half the time

http://imageshack.us/f/542/img0911j.jpg/

LOL at driving a black car and being anal about the wheels...

That car probably has more hairline scratches than that wheel... pictures do no justice for black cars unless they are up close...

BTW, i was looking only at the first picture, and for some reason was thinking stupidly about the wheel weights... still... anal... do you get pissed when a bird poops on your car? because that probably does as much damage unless you wipe it up immediately...

Why not just get some silver paint and cover that area, its NOT noticeable...

 

[Howard]

BTW, i was looking only at the first picture, and for some reason was thinking stupidly about the wheel weights... still... anal... do you get pissed when a bird poops on your car? because that probably does as much damage unless you wipe it up immediately...

Whatever imaginary argument you're trying to win, you're not.

 

[JackBurton]

Maybe I am over reacting, but the car is otherwise 100% mint. To me it's a bit disrespectful when I'm paying so much for tires and install. If it were my truck at some roadside tire shop then maybe, but not when they want $120/hr for any work done

It's not really my DD, I drive it about half the time

http://imageshack.us/f/542/img0911j.jpg/

I don't think you are overreacting. I'd be pissed too. You have a nice car and I understand wanting to keep it nice. Yes, things may happen over time to your car, but I'm not going to excuse a person if they key my car. People that say they wouldn't care, most likely have a shitty car. And no, just because you have a new car doesn't mean it is not shitty.

 

[LTC8K6]

I would call them gouges, and I'd be mad too.

 

[MikeMike]

Whatever imaginary argument you're trying to win, you're not.

I'm not trying to win an argument... that should have been like two seperate paragraphs...

the first about how i fucked up where the wheel weight was (I thought the wheel weight mark was the orange looking scratch)

the second about how you can NEVER be anal about a black car... it requires ONE drive down the road to become dirty, scratches if you look at it wrong.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I'm not trying to win an argument... that should have been like two seperate paragraphs...

the first about how i fucked up where the wheel weight was (I thought the wheel weight mark was the orange looking scratch)

the second about how you can NEVER be anal about a black car... it requires ONE drive down the road to become dirty, scratches if you look at it wrong.

I can't believe that your justification of the dealership scratching my wheels is that since I have black paint I just shouldn't care anyway.


With your logic, I guess I shouldn't care about door dings, dents, etc since the paint is black? What a stupid argument. As long as you know how to take care of it black paint isn't that bad. It looks dirty quick, but obvious 'micro scratches' are definitely avoidable - especially as a second car. I'm not super OCD about it either, it gets washed once a month and waxed every other.


You do realize there is a specific tool that all tires shops have to remove these weights, which don't touch the wheel -at all-? There's a lip that hooks under the weight, and a lever that pushed on the back of the weight. I would expect a BMW dealer to use said tool.

My OEM rear tires lasted ~25k miles. At this rate my wheels would be horrible looking after just a few tire changes.

 

[BUTCH1]

I'd bring it up with the dealer as well, maybe they can use a scotch-pad to buff those out, IDK. Nice ride there and they should have been more careful but try not to get too worked up, eventually every car accumulates minor things though I understand why your kinda pissed, this was totally preventable..

 

[DaTT]

I'd be pissed.

 

[alfa147x]

I would be pissed.

 

[KentState]

I would be pissed too. I had this happen to me and made the shop by a new rim. I see nothing wrong with taking pride in something you own.

 

[SparkyJJO]

What is it with people saying it isn't a big deal and who cares? If someone came by and scratched your paint or your wheels with a screwdriver, would you be irritated? This isn't that much different.

Maybe you wouldn't care. That's fine. But others do. Heck, my old car wasn't a show car, far from it, but it still ticked me off when someone left a door ding on the side. Sure, it had a bunch of marks and scratches from the previous owner driving it through a bush or something (no idea really) but I didn't want any more marks in it from other people's carelessness.

 

[thescreensavers]

People tell me the same shit, I care too much about the little things.

Perfection, is attention to details.

OP like me has Attention to details. Sure their are somethings just going to have to live with which is fine, but if someone dealer, repair shop anyone, shortcuts and damages something even if brake dust will cover it. Just puts a sour taste in my mouth, and if it was the dealer, I for sure would bring it up.

At the dealer you expect tip top care, that's the reason you bring it there. Not for Grease monkey to scratch it up.

 

[Pariah]

What is it with people saying it isn't a big deal and who cares? If someone came by and scratched your paint or your wheels with a screwdriver, would you be irritated? This isn't that much different.

Location, location, location. If someone scratched the paint on my hood, I'd be hugely pissed. Gouged the lip of my wheels? Yes. The inside of my wheels behind the spokes? Not really. What next? You going to blow up because someone keyed your muffler? Being mad about a scratch in that location of your wheels is seriously OCD.

As others have mentioned, within a few days that area will be covered by dirt anyway. You can tell by the different color of the wheel where the weights were that either the original poster isn't cleaning that area anyway, or there is permanent discoloration. I can't even clean that area of my wheel without taking it off since my hand won't fit between the spokes, I sure as hell am not spending my time looking at that area nor is anyone else who sees my car.