Alloy wheels are damaged

I have an 02 Stilo with 16" alloys as standard, when I cleaned my car on Sunday I noticed the lacquer appears to be bubbling on the wheels, a couple of the wheels are slightly scratched on the rims but this is on the middle of the wheels, I've had cars with alloys before and have never had this problem on a 2 year old car before, if I don't get the wheels re-lacquered will they start to rust and peel badly, has anyone else experienced this?

Just remembered two of the wheels were refurbished before I bought the car, I wonder if they damaged them.

if they are fiat wheels get them replaced ubder warranty.

Yes they are the standard Fiat wheels fitted to a Dynamic but I doubt very much the warranty will cover this, I'll call my local Fiat and ask them but I didn't buy the car from them so they are usually unhelpful. I just wondered if anybody else had experienced this kind of problem?

The can't be "unhelpful"! Your warranty is with FIAT so any issues you have, have to be dealt with through any of their dealers, it's their obligation, if they give you a hard time because you didn't buy it from that particular dealership, phone FIAT UK who will give them a b*ll*cking for you, I assure you they'll be nice to you after that.

FIAT Stilo Sport. Pretty Much Bog Standard Really. Rear Roof Spoiler,
Sill Protectors, Aluminium Foot Pedals, Eibach 30mm Drop Springs.

You'll probably find that Alloys ain't covered, as there is a high chance of you damaging them yourself, so why should Fiat fix them if you kerb them!

But regardless of this fact, its worth asking your dealer! Whats the worst that can happen!

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

I will ask the dealer, but I'm already the customer from hell because every time I go I have to moan about something that they should have done or have done wrong, so I bet they are unhelpful, they don't understand that I don't like moaning, but I have to!

When I've spoke to the dealer I'll post the reply on here.

The wheels will not rust ever, alloy don't rust;)

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Alloys don't rust, they react with moisture and fall to bits, worse that rust!

Dealers on function in life is to listen to folk whinge, so don't feel bad!

Although i think they should act more scared, considering this day and age where fork just axe murder anyone who lets them down! [}:)]

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

Sorry for being a dumb woman, I know alloys don't rust, I meant they will deteriorate and eventually look like s**t, still not got round to asking the dealer if they will have a look yet, I'm sure they will be unhelpful as usual, I honestly think they don't know what they are talking about.

I have a similar problem on one of my wheels, and my car is only 4months old! Believe the dealer WILL sort it out[}:)]

All my other wheels are perfect, its just this one, and its inbetween the spokes (the narrow gap), so no way it could have been caused my kerbing

Stilo TURBO!!!!(diesel)

Alloys do not rust but they do Oxidise.
That is corrode, worse if near salt water.
Hence the Laquer to protect them and make them
look smart.

Fiat Stillo MW. 1.9JTD
Met. Blue. all Electric. Skywindow..SatNav+
17" 7 spoke alloys.
Rear Parking sensor and Puddle Lights.


......Ham............

Tashy,

I washed my car yesterday (for the first time in six months)and I have exactly the same bubbling on my alloys. My Stilo is an 02 Dynamic with the 16" alloys.

I'm going in to the dealers next Saturday for a new steering column fitted so I'll ask them if they're likely to drop to bits in the not too distant future...

jdcotr - can you let me know what your dealer says, I haven't asked mine yet, haven't had chance, I've had it with my Stilo and I'm going to look at a Honda Civic tonight, but if its not what I want then I want my wheels fixing, I've had alloys on other cars and never experienced this, probably another crappy Fiat problem, just to add to all the others. Sorry to rant on.

Tashy, been onto a dealer, they basically said it was due to stone chips, which is b*ll*x, as for one wheel to pick up so many (and in such hard to reach places) while the rest are un marked is not realistic.

However the will be refurbing my wheel as a 'goodwill gesture as my car is so new'. I'm not really happy with this, it is abviously a defective wheel and should be replaced, but its better than nothing.

So how you getting on with yours? Or did you decide to go to with the Civic? If you want to move away from Fiat, personally I would take a look at the new Astra, I'm not a big GM fan but they reckon this is very good, plus you get something that is new out as apposed to the civic which has been around a while now.

Stilo TURBO!!!!(diesel)

Hi James M
That is a load of crap about stone chips, two of my wheels were like that, and its funny how two of them were refurbished before I bought it, basically they don't know what they are doing, I had a wheel refurbished on my Clio and it was like brand new it never chipped peeled or anything. Anyway I bought the Civic, its 1.6 VTech S and its much faster than my old 1.6 Dynamic Stilo, I think its much lighter. Oh and I don't like Vauxhalls!
I hope your wheels turn out ok.