updates?

 

sure
called the customer relations manager yesterday and i knew what was coming:

"i talked to my guys who do the detailing and the guy who took care of you with your repairs. i'm not gonna be able to do anything about it for you. they said the stuff we use would not cause damage like that. "

so i called Mackin today and talked to somebody who said the only thing used to clean these would be soap and water (i already know this but wanted his verification). he said the cleaner would have done this to my wheels. so i sent him the pics of the damaged lips and am waiting on a response from him and his recommendation on NOT to use any cleaning products on wheels to the dealership. i gotta go to the dealership today again and speak with the general manager and hopefully get a hold of the guy who works there. oh yeah did i mention.......... they still haven't found/replaced my key for the lugs they lost

if i don't get anywhere with this, i'm going to corporate

-chris

 

JUST got my response from the guy at Mackin stating the obvious.

 

whoops my bad. Just timed myself.

took me half an hour. It was cleaning the wheels and drying the door jams that takes the longest!!! dang. I lost!

 

go to a metal worker and get a quote. If the damage is not horrible, than your looking a cheap wetsanding job. Send the quote to the dealer. If it costs only like 60 bucks per wheel, I am sure the dealer will stop screwing around and pay up (versus if it cost 700 bucks a wheel to replace)

 

let me add it wasn't the service manager i've ben dealing with prior to today. he has been nothing less than helpful with me in the past. a good guy to deal with. rather it was the customer relations manager. sorry about that.

 

i had the dealer mess up one of my rims too. You know, its more like the techs in the back. My service rep even wrote in huge bold words "DO NOT WASH" and highlighted in yellow but what do u know, i come back and the damn car is wash.. with damage done. So yeah best way is to put stockers back on when u go to the dealer. I just dropped my car off today.. i didnt have time to put my stockers on.. i'm a little worried but we'll see...

 

so what was the final outcome?

 

final result:

i got my wheel locks key replaced but they aren't trying to budge with the wheels. they're trying to tell me whatever they used didn't ruin them. they said the whole wheel would have been ruined when i mentioned that when they were washed; whatever water and cleaner drained to the bottom of the lip, sat there and dried. there's also rainbow discoloration on the lip. yesterday i filed my complaint with infiniti corporate and they returned my call today saying there's nothing they can really do that it'd have to be something compromised between the dealership and i. i just told him that wasn't gonna happen because they don't wanna own up to their mistake and i don't even want to deal with them anymore. i e-mailed the guy and told my side of the story along with attaching pics of the damage.

To somewhat sum it all up (without geting into too much detail or dates)

-Go to dealership to test drive the car last year and have a horrible experience with the online sales guy
-Take car to dealership to get repaired (the start of all this)
-Car is fixed but has damage to wheels AND wheel locks is lost
-Call and speak to General Manager of dealership stating my problem and he quickly sends me to the Service Manager
-Talk to head of Consumer Relations and he mentions replacing or re-finishing the wheels. But writes my number down on a dollar bill (reeeeaaal responsible huh?)
-Wait a few days for his call......no call
-Leave message and a few days later he returns my call saying there not going to do anything about it basically clowning me.
-Go back to talk to the general manager (who was on vacation so i got the service manager again) a few days later with letter from Mackin Industries stating you only need soap and water to clean them and that whatever was used caused the damage.
- He was supposed to have a meeting with the service manager when he got back (a few days later) along with the head of Consumer Relations. Didn't call me back.
-I called and left messages a few days and they finally called me back yesterday to tell me my wheel locks key was in and that whatever they used on my wheels to clean them didn't cause the damage.

All in all......I'm pissed. Now I gotta figure a way to get my wheels cleaned.

 

Where are you located?


I'm sure Picus or I could find a reputable detailer in your area to *at least* take a look at the damage and give it a shot to repair.

 

I'm located in the Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton area of Pennsylvania. I'm gonna give a Meguirs or Mothers pruduct a shot.

 

I Would Have A Lawyer Send Them A Letter So It Can Scare Them A Bit.... Have Them Attach The Latter From Mackin And Also Investigate With Some Of The Workers To See What Kind Of Cleaning Agent They Normally Used And Also Mention That In The Letter... If You Get Them Right On, They Might Be Forced To At Least Pay The Repair Fees.

 

might be a good idea........

 

I'd have a freind talk with a few of the wash guys to see what they use as suggested here. Start it off with a leading 'hey man, I got some caked on brake dust that doesn't wash off easily, what do you guys use on dirty wheels?' See what they say.

I have an outstanding request of 'don't wash my car' when I go to the dealership. I also make sure it is written on my ticket. The first time I took my car in for an oil change I saw a guy washing a car in the garage with a friggin brush on a pole!!!!!!!! I had to look away.

 

Chances are the lawyer isnt going to scare them that much it will just make them not talk to you and also not touch your car ever and it might be passed on to other dealers that you got a lawyer... as far as getting your friend to trick the wash guys i think thats wrong because your asking your friend to put his job on the line