Fifth Year Service And Bubbling Alloys....

[shazzy81]

Hi everyone

Firstly just wondered what kind of prices any of you have paid for the fifth year service? I been given a price of £203 inc coolant change which apparently may need doing. My rav has only done 25000 miles.

Secondly i would like some advice: Bought my rav in march 2006, its a 2004 reg. After having it a month i noticed bubbling on the alloys, local toyota were great, got new set of alloys as still within 3 year warranty. However, yesterday i noticed my alloys are bubbling again!! They are now 3 years old and were only covered for a year when replaced. I rung toyota and she has marked it on file and when it goes for service next weekend they are going to speak to customer services and see what they can do. How likely is it that i will get something sorted free? I know that sounds cheeky but at the end of the day i expect alloys to last a lot longer than 3 years!!

thanks

[Hoovie]

Hi everyone

Firstly just wondered what kind of prices any of you have paid for the fifth year service? I been given a price of £203 inc coolant change which apparently may need doing. My rav has only done 25000 miles.

Secondly i would like some advice: Bought my rav in march 2006, its a 2004 reg. After having it a month i noticed bubbling on the alloys, local toyota were great, got new set of alloys as still within 3 year warranty. However, yesterday i noticed my alloys are bubbling again!! They are now 3 years old and were only covered for a year when replaced. I rung toyota and she has marked it on file and when it goes for service next weekend they are going to speak to customer services and see what they can do. How likely is it that i will get something sorted free? I know that sounds cheeky but at the end of the day i expect alloys to last a lot longer than 3 years!!

thanks

"How likely is it that i will get something sorted free?"  

If you get that sorted free, stick a bet on next years Grand National 100-1 shot and use the winnings at Monte Carlo and stick the lot on Red.

[bothwell_buyer]

one of lifes stories - alloys need looked after and I'm not being cheeky!! The old steel wheels would last years but alloys corrode as soon as a pinhole develops to let air in - especially those done with a clear lacquer. Unlike a cars paintwork, alloys are subject to more road dirt; much more variation in heat due to the heat from the brakes; and folk don't tend to polish them as much as the bodywork - I should know as I have several sets of alloys and I don't bother polishing them.

My old Humber Hawks wheels tho rusty are still intact and they are 46 years old !!!

If T won't do them, then you can get them cleaned and powder coated at a cost of around £40 a wheel. I've found with more recent alloys that they just don't hold up well to our climate and use.

[Plutus]

I had mine changed recently under the 3 year warranty.

Dealer said it was common because the road salt used in the UK was different to that used in Japan and this is why so many were bubbling. Didn't know whether to believe him or not.

[bothwell_buyer]

I had mine changed recently under the 3 year warranty.

Dealer said it was common because the road salt used in the UK was different to that used in Japan and this is why so many were bubbling. Didn't know whether to believe him or not.

did he look at you with a squint as if you were daft???

As I said above, few folk bother to wash and polish the wheels properly thinking alloys are indestructible. I'm one of them.

[Davrav]

I had mine changed recently under the 3 year warranty.

Dealer said it was common because the road salt used in the UK was different to that used in Japan and this is why so many were bubbling. Didn't know whether to believe him or not.

They'll be telling us next that tyres wear out quicker here 'cos the tarmac is different.

What a load of bull.

For this to happen so quickly it's down to poor quality control, most likely at the cleaning/priming stage. Aluminium alloy is a difficult surface to paint effectively and needs careful preparation. I understand the aviation industry use an 'etch primer' that eats into the metal surface when painting alloy so that the next layer has something to adhere to. No idea how alloy wheels are prepared but I'm betting that they don't go to that trouble.

That being said, if there is the slightest possibility of water getting under the paint, from wheel wrench damage or a stone chip say, the alloy will oxidise and blister the paint. Any road salt will accelerate the process if not washed off regularly.

[bitman]

it's just poor quality alloys toyota / lexus is using... look at other cars like honda they still have good alloys

both my toyota's alloys are corroded and sure i clean them very well... on my previous is200 they were that bad that lexus extended the warranty to 5 years.

[MarsKy]

My old Mazda6 4WD went through 4 sets of alloys under warranty in 4 years because of bubbling.

It needed a 5th set but I got fed up, so went to the Wheel Centre in Cambuslang and bought a new set, and got the old set refurbished and put snow tyres on them. The Wheel Centre said bubbling is typical of Japanese alloys because the protective coating they put on isn't as thick as it should be. Apparently European alloys last longer because they put a thicker layer on.

[Mereside]

To add my 2 pennarth.

My wifes original Prius '52' reg used to go in for a service every 6 months and each 12 months they replaced the wheels for the first 3 years. When it got the 4th set on she was told that Toyota had sorted it and they did at least last 2 yrs untill it was replaced by a new company Prius. The last one having done 93k and been hammered up and down the motorways with little regard for the car or economy and still got 52mpg and only ever had to visit the garage for service.

alloys were poor quality but couldn't fault the car!

[bitman]

Alloys were poor quality but couldn't fault the car!

that's why i don't understand mr T...

why not source better alloys

[shazzy81]

Hi everyone

Firstly id like to thank the people who gave me helpful replies.

Anyway thought id update the progress of the bubbly alloys. Took car for service saturday and the service guy said they would check wheels for same problem as they were replaced for initially, then contact customer services if the wheels were requiring action. He said wheels needed sorting but as customer services were shut sat he would call them monday. He rang me to say the new policy is for them to take photos of the damage and send them to cust services, who will then decide further action. So fingers crossed!! (so hoovie watch this space as i may be backing next yrs national horse at 100/1!! anyway it won this year)!!

[Hoovie]

sounding promising,. wish you luck :)