Unfinished aluminum wheels like Fikses

[imported_Indy YZF]

My M3 has a new set of Fikse Fm-10s. These wheels have rims which are completely unfinished, but highly polished. Yesterday, after a dealer srvc, they washed the car as they always do....And they did an ok job on the body of the car...But I have no idea what they did to the wheels, but they almost ruined them...At $3500 for the set, I wasnt too thrilled...Luckily, I had my tube of P21S Multi Finish restorer, and with alot of effort I was able to remove most of the damage.



I have no idea what they could have done to the wheels to make them look like this...Weve all seen water spots on rims like this. Well, it almost looked as though they had let soapy water dry on hot wheels....There was white residue both in the shape of water spots, and streaks, all over the rims. Rubbing with a milder product like a cleaner wax, or even a mild polish didnt touch it...this stuff was really etched on there...But thankfully, the P21S product, with alot of pressure, removed it all. Why are these unfinished rims so damn hard to keep clean and shiny? The centers are supposed to be clearcoated, and Ive never had a problem with them..But the rim portions are tough.

 

[BradE]

My guess would be they used an acid based wheel cleaner on your wheels. These cleaners contain amount of acid ranging from 2% all the way up to 5%, they are very harsh and can destroy the finish of a wheel over time. They make uncoated wheels look really horrible.



Polish the wheels and then seal them with a polymer sealant to protect them from the elements. This will help protect them from oxidation and other things and will add time between polish jobs. :up

 

[imported_capspackle]

My M3 has a new set of Fikse Fm-10s. These wheels have rims which are completely unfinished, but highly polished. Yesterday, after a dealer srvc, they washed the car as they always do....And they did an ok job on the body of the car...But I have no idea what they did to the wheels, but they almost ruined them...At $3500 for the set, I wasnt too thrilled...Luckily, I had my tube of P21S Multi Finish restorer, and with alot of effort I was able to remove most of the damage.

:shocked

You let the dealer WASH THE CAR!?! That was your first mistake right there.. Everytime you bring the car in for service, ALWAYS tell them NOT to wash the car.. If you have to, make a sign, and put it inside the car.. and before hand, make the dealer sign a paper, forcing them NOT to wash the car..

Otherwise, all your hard work on the car will be ruined.



Just my .02

 

[imported_BretFraz]

In the Autopia Guide to Detailing David deals with this issue. No question the dealer used a harsh cleaner on the wheels. With uncoated alloys you have to be especially vigilant in cleaning and caring for them.



IIRC, David does a full remove/polish/install on his wheels at least twice a year. Can't recall what he uses. Some of the products out there that'll work are Mothers, Eagle One, and Luster Lace, in addition to your P21S which I use as well.



The amount of $$ you spent on wheels and tires would make for a nice down pymt on a starter home here in the South. Hopefully you'll impress upon the dealer to take better care of your car when servicing.