Wheel Refurbishment Disaster

[marinabrian]

Well where do we go with this one.

I dropped off four 11 spoke wheels for refurbishment four weeks back, at a company I have used previously and been very happy with the workmanship.

I explained that I was not in a hurry, and arranged to pick them up the following week as their workshop is 55 miles from home.

All good or so I thought, three wheels were excellent, one was very poor (lots of sandblast media inclusion in the finish)

So I rang up the company explaining I wasn't happy with the finish on one wheel, with a suggestion that my full sized spare was refurbished, and the tyre from the poor wheel fitted.....no problem was their reply.

Fast forward a fortnight, I drop off the two wheels and again explain what I want doing in terms of rectification, ie, refurbish the spare wheel, and fit the new tyre to that wheel, and fit the tyre removed from the spare to the wheel I wasn't happy with.

Again as it's a 110 mile round trip, I leave it a week to tie collection of the wheels in with a local job.

Imagine my chagrin when collecting the wheels, to find they had not only refurbished the spare, but also the defective wheel, and wanted to charge for two refurbishments

Again I carefully explained the situation, and while I wasn't happy with paying for two, I would pay for one.

Much grumbling abounded on their behalf, so the tyres were fitted and balanced I paid and left to do the local job I had arranged.

What I discovered next left me gobsmacked, and absolutely foaming

The brand new Uniroyal tyre is making a hissing noise, thinking it may not be seated on the bead I lift it out of the boot to have a closer look........blow me if there isn't a tiny hole in the perforating the central tread area

So what do we do now... well the wheel has been dropped off somewhere else to have the puncture repaired, as there is now way in God's creation I will be making yet another 110 mile round trip to complain, or to deal with these complete idiots


This has left a nasty taste in my mouth to say the least, and as to a brand new tyre with the sticker still on it....it will become a spare, and I shall purchase another new one, so five refurbished wheels, and five brand new matching tyres, 450 miles traveled and two days of my life I can never get back.

So if you live in the North East and thinking of having your wheels refurbished, I cannot stress highly enough the poor customer service, and standards of workmanship provided by ROMAX Engineering of Ross Road Stockton.

Brian

[stemorty]

I emailed a local firm via their site that does all the refurbs etc about having mine all done, and to fit new tyres same time, they mustnt need the business as heard absolutely nothing back, wont bother there then, new alloys it is

[A19_Graham]

I'm gonna say nothing more than RS Alloys Brian.

And surely closer too.

Ave a cuppa and a couple of Biskwits, cheer yourself up

[barney bear]

Originally Posted by marinabrian

Well where do we go with this one.

I dropped off four 11 spoke wheels for refurbishment four weeks back, at a company I have used previously and been very happy with the workmanship.

I explained that I was not in a hurry, and arranged to pick them up the following week as their workshop is 55 miles from home.

All good or so I thought, three wheels were excellent, one was very poor (lots of sandblast media inclusion in the finish)

So I rang up the company explaining I wasn't happy with the finish on one wheel, with a suggestion that my full sized spare was refurbished, and the tyre from the poor wheel fitted.....no problem was their reply.

Fast forward a fortnight, I drop off the two wheels and again explain what I want doing in terms of rectification, ie, refurbish the spare wheel, and fit the new tyre to that wheel, and fit the tyre removed from the spare to the wheel I wasn't happy with.

Again as it's a 110 mile round trip, I leave it a week to tie collection of the wheels in with a local job.

Imagine my chagrin when collecting the wheels, to find they had not only refurbished the spare, but also the defective wheel, and wanted to charge for two refurbishments

Again I carefully explained the situation, and while I wasn't happy with paying for two, I would pay for one.

Much grumbling abounded on their behalf, so the tyres were fitted and balanced I paid and left to do the local job I had arranged.

What I discovered next left me gobsmacked, and absolutely foaming

The brand new Uniroyal tyre is making a hissing noise, thinking it may not be seated on the bead I lift it out of the boot to have a closer look........blow me if there isn't a tiny hole in the perforating the central tread area

So what do we do now... well the wheel has been dropped off somewhere else to have the puncture repaired, as there is now way in God's creation I will be making yet another 110 mile round trip to complain, or to deal with these complete idiots


This has left a nasty taste in my mouth to say the least, and as to a brand new tyre with the sticker still on it....it will become a spare, and I shall purchase another new one, so five refurbished wheels, and five brand new matching tyres, 450 miles traveled and two days of my life I can never get back.

So if you live in the North East and thinking of having your wheels refurbished, I cannot stress highly enough the poor customer service, and standards of workmanship provided by ROMAX Engineering of Ross Road Stockton.

Brian

That sounds like a properly awful company Brian. The time lost would have been bad enough but to have that kind of mileage as well as the cost of the refurb Well I'd have been like a raving lunatic in those circumstances, well done for not powder coating the manager

[Seafrost]

Oh Dear Brian... that has to be the worse.....

You now have me paranoid, as I have left my alloys with a local'ish company for them to be refurbed and not cheap either....thankfully I had the tyres removed at a local tyre depot, who will be putting them back on, IF the wheels come back OK.. I will now be worried on the day I get the call.. and will be on Hyper Inspect Mode....

I cannot imagine how you must feel..... I only know I would be bouncing around like a frog on hot coals.

Was the end finish ( final ) what you wanted? albeit a drawn out one.

Brian.

[cazemi]

i saw the workmanship on the dodgy wheel, looked just like blast media to me. apparently it was the powder "gassing" . my expensive new glasses must be defective, cos how a gas turns into a solid that looks exactly like shot blast has got me baffled.

As a painter i've never been keen on coating, & after seeing this little lot, the excuses, the sleight of hand loading them into the car etc, i'll stick to base & lacquer ta very much!

[suzublu]

They've been getting bad reviews for a while now Bri, I know you weren't pleased when you showed me them as Graham said, RS Alloys just round the corner from me Stu's had loads done by him

[cazemi]

powdercoat is really really great

















on industrial stuff like table legs & filing cabinets, but i told you that anyway Brian!

[trikey]

Originally Posted by cazemi

i'll stick to base & lacquer ta very much!

Want to do a set of starspokes then


Not good Brian, I reckon they will lose a lot of business on the strength of this, customer service goes a long way these days.

[HarryM1BYT]

I emailed a few locals for a price, around 2 years ago and got no replies - I gave up and did my own for under £20.

I rang a Plumbcentre today for a price for a couple of parts, explaining I would expect them trade - how much?. I was given a price and told they would knock some off that, if I went in. Sorry, I don't play those games - I rang for an actual price - I gave up and bought them via ebay, free delivery and likely less than what PC might want, without having to burn fuel.

If you go in, you have already invested time and money, so perhaps more likely to pay a bit more than you would.

Some companies just do not deserve customers wishing to spend.