Wheel protection (aaaagh!)

[senwar]

Had the car 3 weeks, and yesterday, I scraped an alloy for the second time (21" CT wheels). This was the exact same wheel I had repaired only last Thursday (scraped it the previous week after 8 days of ownership!).

Worst bit - same car park. However, this was on exit, that I was fine getting out of last week (I found a new entrance avoiding the damaging area of the previous week). Its just outer rim scrape and repairable.

When I scraped the first time I was distraught. Proper down. Got it repaired (great job for £50). However, I'm so angry this time. I even had the cameras on. I use the car park frequently and really need to so am at a bit of a loss. Yes I know I know, be more careful, alert etc but still. I have alloy wheel insurance although the first scrape I didn't claim as was within the initial 14 days. Now I've had the policy 17 days, although may still use the same guy and save that insurance for something worse god forbid.

So, any ideas on how to protect the wheels? I've discounted rim blades etc but is there anything else I can do (again other than be more careful!)

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[Dilpo]

Best protection is to accept that low profile wheels will have a few scrapes here and there. 50£ repair sounds like the damage was minimal, I understand the car is new and you want everything to be top notch but in the end they are consumable products that are used outdoors so they will wear out and get scraped.

Would someone notice the damage who does not know that there is damage? Its quite eye-opening to ask dealers to point out all the damages of a 2nd hand showroom car: most of the stuff youll never notice before someone points them out.

 

[kempez]

Just accept a few scrapes if they're minor and repair them after a decent period - 2-3 years. I've had a couple due to our awful roads and I simply couldn't avoid it but not worth worrying about, even though it's hella frustrating. I've found putting my winter set on means: A - more rubber and therefore protection and B - I find it less likely to get scrapes in summer. Thus my summer set are preserved

 

[senwar]

I have thought about not bothering to have repaired this time. I've done this previously on other cars, and only had repaired when selling (except my Velar that I had 2 repairs due to insurance).

Must be honest the transition from big SUV's to the Taycan is taking a bit of getting used to. Its still sickening though isn't it

 

[WuffvonTrips]

It looks from your thumbnail pic that you don't have them, but if you had diamond-cut faces on your wheel rims, they apparently can only be "fixed" (by skimming on a lathe) a few times, then it's either live with the imperfection or pay for a new wheel. So it could be worse! ?

 

[Murph7355]

Other than driving better, no - dinked one of mine the other day, so feel your pain.

The real problem is the car is so bloody wide. Combine that with shitty car parks here that seem to have a need for massive "kerbs" as you approach barriers on a turn, or wind down into a car park, and the local wheel refurb places will make a fortune!

(I have satin black wheels, so for now will just touch up over it!).

 

[kempez]

It looks from your thumbnail pic that you don't have them, but if you had diamond-cut faces on your wheel rims, they apparently can only be "fixed" (by skimming on a lathe) a few times, then it's either live with the imperfection or pay for a new wheel. So it could be worse! ?

My local wheel repair company have said they would fully (and properly), repair my Turbo Aero rims as/when I want them done. They strip them down totally, build them up with new material, then lazer cut them back to shape. Incredibly professional job they do, too

 

[WuffvonTrips]

My local wheel repair company have said they would fully (and properly), repair my Turbo Aero rims as/when I want them done. They strip them down totally, build them up with new material, then lazer cut them back to shape. Incredibly professional job they do, too

Impressive...any idea what they'd charge for that?
Presumably they could also follow a similar process to refinish such wheel types, for example to repaint both the gloss black painted and cut areas in a single overall black satin finish? I'd have preferred my Tequipment Design style winter wheels to have been finished like that (imagining it would go better with the CT plastic arch trims).

 

[kempez]

Impressive...any idea what they'd charge for that?
Presumably they could also follow a similar process to refinish such wheel types, for example to repaint both the gloss black painted and cut areas in a single overall black satin finish? I'd have preferred my Tequipment Design style winter wheels to have been finished like that (imagining it would go better with the CT plastic arch trims).

Yep they will do all that, they have a good choice of colour options too. If my memory serves, it ends up at about £150 per wheel but that was a couple of years ago.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

Yep they will do all that, they have a good choice of colour options too. If my memory serves, it ends up at about £150 per wheel but that was a couple of years ago.

Anything in that region seems very reasonable (about the same as a couple of Porsche own brand cleaning products ? ).

 

[allroadusa]

I feel you pain and future anxiety as I ruined one of my Mission-E in the second week of ownership. I had it refurbished and tend to try to forget about it... until next time.
A friend of mine went to the Alloygator route for his CT and seems pleased with his first "rubbing experience".

 

[Deleted member 7514]

I took alloy wheel insurance out when i got my car (not from the dealer)... cost me £230 for 3 years for alloys and small dings. Five claims a year with a £10 excess.

I've made 6 claims in 16 months...(4 in first year and then 2 last month) all good at the moment but i expect to ding another wheel in the near future and it's why i got the insurance!!

 

[senwar]

Other than driving better, no - dinked one of mine the other day, so feel your pain.

The real problem is the car is so bloody wide. Combine that with shitty car parks here that seem to have a need for massive "kerbs" as you approach barriers on a turn, or wind down into a car park, and the local wheel refurb places will make a fortune!

(I have satin black wheels, so for now will just touch up over it!).

What will you use for touch up? Mine are same, satin.

And yes, the width of the car has caught me a few times - knew it was big but its only when trying to come out of a car park, albeit on a totally straight path, I've noticed (even more so last night!)

 

[senwar]

I took alloy wheel insurance out when i got my car (not from the dealer)... cost me £230 for 3 years for alloys and small dings. Five claims a year with a £10 excess.

I've made 6 claims in 16 months...(4 in first year and then 2 last month) all good at the moment but i expect to ding another wheel in the near future and it's why i got the insurance!!

I took similar - £240 for tyre/wheel insurance, max of 5 claims over the 2yrs though for wheels (no excess)

It is worth it for piece of mind - and bet you're glad you have it given that!

 

[Racer_Ex]

I feel your pain. I did it yesterday while using my “extremely careful” approach to not curbing wheels. I’ve had it less than two weeks. So much for the extremely careful method. These wheels are incredibly easy to ding. The tires have the section width of a rubber band.

It is a small and hard to see mark so I dabbed some black paint on and I think I’m the only one that sees it. I’ll wait for a more substantial ding before repairing it.

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