Newbie here, just wanting to moan (sorry).

Had my beautiful Fiat 500 less than a month, got pretty bad kerb rash on at least one of the alloy wheels (can't be sure the scratches on the other wheels weren't from the previous owner, they're pretty small though so not that bothered).

I'm a new driver and live on a street in the centre of a city where parallel parking is an art form.

I'm p****d off with myself and frustrated. Words of reassurance? Please? Tell me I'm not the only one

Juno9 said:

I'm p****d off with myself and frustrated. Words of reassurance? Please? Tell me I'm not the only one

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Hello and welcome :wave:.

And condolences :hug:.

You're certainly not the only one. Most of us have done it, at one time or another.

When you have to parallel park, always reverse in; never drive in forwards. Use the mirror nearest the kerb to see where the rear wheel is going. If you need to, adjust it so that you can see the wheel clearly. Aim to be on full lock as the car comes parallel. Once you're within about a foot of the kerb, keep the lock on and don't turn the steering wheel at all. When leaving the parking space, reverse the process. Pull forward, don't let the steering wheel turn and keep the lock on until you're once again about a foot from the kerb.

Turning the steering wheel when you are very close to the kerb is the commonest cause of wheel scuffing. On a power steered car, you can do a lot of damage and not even feel it.

If you're doing a u-turn and you think there's even a tiny chance you might not clear the kerb, stop and 3 point it. A glancing contact in this scenario can do a huge amount of damage.

Don't even think about driving over a kerb.

Unless you're Paul Swift .

Parallel Parking, Paul Swift style

Thanks for the reply (and the welcome), useful advice.

I have attached some angle adjustable spot mirrors to my wing mirrors this evening, hopefully this will help. I was fine in the car I learnt in, so this whole thing has really ticked me off. I guess it's just getting used the spatial awareness in my new car...

On a power steered car, you can do a lot of damage and not even feel it.

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Yeah, I think this has definitely been a factor

Hoping that Paul Swift vid will be me in a few months!

Juno9 said:

I was fine in the car I learnt in, so this whole thing has really ticked me off. I guess it's just getting used the spatial awareness in my new car.

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Don't be too hard on yourself; the 500 isn't the easiest of cars to park. Rear visibility isn't great, so you need to learn to trust your mirrors.

Juno9 said:

Hoping that Paul Swift vid will be me in a few months!

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I've seen him live; he's pretty awesome!

But I'll bet he's scuffed more than a few wheels on the way...

How much (roughly) does it cost to get scratches repaired on alloys? Or is that a case of how long's a piece if string?

Juno9 said:

How much (roughly) does it cost to get scratches repaired on alloys? Or is that a case of how long's a piece of string?

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And what quality the string is, what it's made from, and how well it's tied.

You can get them refurbished cheaply, or you can get them refurbished well. It's unlikely you'll get both at the same time. Beware mobile repairers who'll come and do it in situ; unless the damage is very light, you'll probably not get a result you'll be happy with.

Have a look at this to get some idea of what's involved to do it properly.

Diamond cut alloys are generally more demanding than powder coated ones. If you post a picture of the damage, we may be able to advise you better.

Juno9 said:

Newbie here, just wanting to moan (sorry).

Had my beautiful Fiat 500 less than a month, got pretty bad kerb rash on at least one of the alloy wheels (can't be sure the scratches on the other wheels weren't from the previous owner, they're pretty small though so not that bothered).

I'm a new driver and live on a street in the centre of a city where parallel parking is an art form.

I'm p****d off with myself and frustrated. Words of reassurance? Please? Tell me I'm not the only one

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I feel your pain, when i had my Abarth in 2013 i did same thing. It was 2 months old?

It's one of those things - it can't be helped. Do what other's have suggested - I adjust my mirror every single time I parallel park.

I thankfully haven't scuffed my new alloys on a kerb - did on a log down a lane though (ugh), but that's mostly because I park a foot away from the kerb.

Put up a picture if possible - someone here might know whether it's "bad" damage. I'd recommend finding a reputable coachworks or someone they know local or something to do it. As has been mentioned. Very cheap ≠ quality work. Also you'll soon get a pretty good feel for where the car starts/ends, and where your wheels are!

On my vans I use stick on blindspot mirrors, stuck on the furthest edge of the mirror and angled down towards the wheels. That way I can actually see part way UNDER my van.

Pics attached of the two back wheels - thought damage was only on one but it's on both

I was thinking I could get the damage repaired when I take the car in for a service in case I do anymore damage over the course of the year (please no). I guess they can repair cosmetic damage as part of a service?

Juno9 said:

Pics attached of the two back wheels.

I was thinking I could get the damage repaired when I take the car in for a service in case I do anymore damage over the course of the year (please no). I guess they can repair cosmetic damage as part of a service?

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Not unless you've got massively deep pockets? I'm assuming you mean letting Fiat do the damage repair? With stuff like this, they're likely to get some outside contractor in, a man with a van doing mobile repairs. If you really want a proper repair doing, I personally, and I have for two cars I own(ed), have used The Wheel Specialist: https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/

I've had alloy wheels completely stripped and colour changed, and a diamond cut wheel repaired too. They won't be the cheapest, but they are very good at what they do.

Thanks for this - was the damage on your car(s) comparable?

Juno9 said:

Thanks for this - was the damage on your car(s) comparable?

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I severely kerb rashed one of the wheels on my Saab 9-3 just after midnight in the pouring rain at Sutton Scotney services a few years ago, I was almost in tears! Anyway, as a result of that, I ended up having all four wheels colour changed and obviously the kerb rashed wheel was repaired during the job and my local The Wheel Specialist franchise did a fantastic job. The whole lot cost me £350, but I got the colour I wanted and a wheel that was professionally repaired.

Second job, my wife's Hyundai i10, one of her diamond cut wheels took a high impact from a stone kicked up by a passing car on the motorway gouging quite deeply into the metal. Wheel Specialist did a 'spot' repair on it, cost £80, but to look at the wheel, you'd never notice it had ever been damaged.

Just had these done, chemical strip, flat, and hot powder coat 50 pounds per wheel, so it can't be much to have yours done for a 15 inch wheel it seems to be around 40/50 pounds currently

Juno9 said:

Pics attached of the two back wheels - thought damage was only on one but it's on both

I was thinking I could get the damage repaired when I take the car in for a service in case I do anymore damage over the course of the year (please no). I guess they can repair cosmetic damage as part of a service?

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They look like diamond cut wheels which need specialist machinery to refinish, would need to be sent to a specialists, not something the local fiat dealer could do, not even something your average wheel refurbisher could do

Wheel Specialist did a 'spot' repair on it, cost £80, but to look at the wheel, you'd never notice it had ever been damaged.

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Although I'm sure my repairs would cost a bit more than that, that doesn't sound too bad. I'd rather pay a bit more for good quality work than risk something shoddy for the sake of £20 or so. I will look them up, thanks

My old ByDiesel had 16" wheels and they were a kerb magnet - I got them refurbished before I sold it for £50 a wheel and they looked good as new (even though the rivets were plastic and glued in) but it made the csr look scruffy throughout the time we had it.

On my latest one I stuck with the standard 15" ones so the tyres get the scuff, not the alloy.