S3 Diamond Cut wheel corrosion

selleym

selleym

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So Diamond Cut Alloys....
Well all 4 wheels on my 2015 S3 are now looking like this :wtf:

Audi want nothing to do with it, even though it started to happen just 4 months after i bought it Used Approved.

Anyone successfully get alloys replaced by Audi under warranty?
Any other tips trick and costs to get these looking new again?
Also if i get them refurbed Diamond Cut Style how long will they last...

y4mg0pQw0d_I6tqz0WdAwJWXU2HCvH43WOoIk7K0qP_LE__2vXmeZsCsv9NPDzbujTbpce89liNdlTFZJgp7zhuOCIS720_Ep0r1qpLpZ4Zndu4lGIiRGwiwF5RkE48Uz_E4ePJy2tujQo2Cr0rp-qWceDya0WhFIg8Hb-7FZ4RIz7BSF_qa4ermRGpJr9ZqjJoYmBh4Hk0MdpFoO4O4_ncIg
 
Unfortunately it’s what happens to a lot of diamond cut wheels. The winter grit salt just kills them. I doubt on a 4 year old car you will get anything under warranty.
No easy fix I’m afraid. Will need refurbed. Strip wheel of paint and lacquer then cut metal back and repaint/lacquer.
 
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Once the clear-coat is chipped (only need the smallest of holes) the water and salt will get to the alloy and the corrosion will start. Only thing you can try is many coats of clear coat that will help.
 
AlS3BE said:
Unfortunately it’s what happens to a lot of diamond cut wheels. The winter grit salt just kills them. I doubt on a 4 year old car you will get anything under warranty.
No easy fix I’m afraid. Will need refurbed. Strip wheel of paint and lacquer then cut metal back and repaint/lacquer.
Click to expand...

That is the only fix......You state you bought the car 4 months ago with no visible damage. What are you using to clean your wheels, if it is a caustic cleaner, that can cause that damage as you have not driven the car during the winter, when salt and grit are on the roads.
 
Cost to do a smart repair would be small as they just take the surface off and refinish

As others state it’s sealing of the repair to ensure water does not get in that’s the hard part- had this with our 313 wheels from bmw

Best would be a full refurb but a lot of money
 
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They'll not need to dig deeply into the the diamond cut facets to remove the corrosion,bite the bullet and get them refurbished only way
 
audi upgrades
I had exactly same as you . It was an Audi used with an 1 years warrant (s3 2105) . I took it back and made a bit of a fuss and they repaired three of them under warranty!

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
Anyone got any ball park cost/recommendations for wheel refurbs in the north east?
 
I'm on my 3rd set of diamond cut alloys on various cars & not had any problems. Never used acid base wheel cleaners & touch wood never hit the curb. Looking after them with regular washing & wax & one of the ''new'' Hydrophobic sealers has kept mine in as new condition.
 
Flying Scotsman said:
That is the only fix......You state you bought the car 4 months ago with no visible damage. What are you using to clean your wheels, if it is a caustic cleaner, that can cause that damage as you have not driven the car during the winter, when salt and grit are on the roads.
Click to expand...

Sorry i meant to say that the corrosion started to occur after 4 months. That picture is taken at 14 months old, now getting bad enough to need to go get a refurb.

Only wash with soap and water. I have been very nice to them as i knew they can have issues
 
..............as above if you are keeping the car have them refurbished. Do you'r homework & find a place with good reviews & they will be fine. If you can leave the wheels/car for a few days (which if there done properley) that will be the time needed there is a good place in Harrrogate North Yorkshire.
 
If you get them refurbed, it wil happen again. Basically it's near impossible to get enough lacquer around the sharp edges to get long lasting protection. Indeed it looks like the sharp edge between paint and lacquer where the corrosion may have started on yours. Diamond cut is a terrible idea for car wheels, but it does help to sell cars...

I decided to have mine fully painted for better protection and longevity. Powder coated undercoat, Audi standard paint sprayed on top, powder coated lacquer on top. So the diamond cut area is now painted too. The design of your wheels will make them hard to look OEM doing that, so maybe consider some alternative paint job that you like. Mine were around £80 a corner.
 

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audi upgrades
I had the same wheels as yours refurbished under warranty. The refurb comes with its own 2yr warranty. So when mine start to go again i will take them back and get them done again.
 
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