American Racing Equipment wheels rant (long w/ pics)
04-05-2006, 06:25 AM
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American Racing Equipment wheels rant (long w/ pics)
I've recently run into a problem with a set of American Racing Equipment wheels that I purchased for my wife's car a little less than a year ago. They were mounted and installed in April 2005, and removed in November 2005 and put into storage for the winter. At that time the finish on the wheels was perfect. Here is how they looked when I took them out of storage a few weeks ago and put them back on the car.
Right rear
Right front
Left rear
Left front
I sent my first email to the ARE warranty department. They stated that these wheels have a one year warranty for their finish and that the claim process needed to begin with the vendor where the wheels were purchased and they would take it up with their local ARE distributor.
Since my vendor is not local, I emailed him the above pictures and this was their response
So I did just that. A few days later, I got an update
My response was
This was their "offical" reason
Which really angered me and they got this response
At this point, it looks like ARE is going to do absoluetly nothing, and I don't know if I should bother to try to fix the wheels or replace them. To me these wheels have no resale value anymore so I'm basically left to foot the entire bill for a 2nd set of wheels. One thing is certain, if I do buy another set of wheels they will not be AREs.
Right rear
Right front
Left rear
Left front
I sent my first email to the ARE warranty department. They stated that these wheels have a one year warranty for their finish and that the claim process needed to begin with the vendor where the wheels were purchased and they would take it up with their local ARE distributor.
Since my vendor is not local, I emailed him the above pictures and this was their response
Originally Posted by vendor
thank you for the pictures. please forward me your email and response from American Racing.
I will give all info to our American Racing rep. we are on your side.
I will give all info to our American Racing rep. we are on your side.
Originally Posted by vendor
I have not got an official "no" (yet) but it looks like that is what is going to be said. I will have a definate answer by the end of today/tomorrow morning.
Originally Posted by me
Did they give an actual reason for denying their written warranty, or just "they don't feel like it"?
Originally Posted by vendor
they told me that the damage was due to poor road conditions in your area. according to them, there have been no other complaints or returns on that wheel for finish issues. another point was made that it looked strange that all 4 wheels were damaged the same. American Racing has a great reputation for quality and if they feel there is a problem with a wheel, they stand behind it. but to see 4 wheels do exactly the same thing in similar spots does not happen.
Originally Posted by me
I'm quite disappointed in how this is turning out. Did they not acknowledge the part about the wheels not being driven in the winter/salt? If I had driven the car with the wheels all winter, then I would understand why the wheel's finish failed. But the fact is that when these wheels were removed and put into winter storage, the finish was perfect. The first time I ever saw this defect was when I removed them from storage just over a week ago. Regardless, where is it written in their warranty that road conditions matter? These are wheels on a car. They are expected to be exposed to weather, brake dust, grease, road grime, etc. during their normal use. Where is it written in the warranty that a claim will be denied if all four wheels in a set exhibit the same defect?
I cannot stress enough that this is not damage. The aluminum Centerline wheels for my truck have been stored during the winter right along side the wheels in question and they are just fine. These were cared for using the method recommended by the manufacturer. Have others with these wheels experienced the same problems? Of course ARE says they haven't! That's the easy response. Maybe no one cares enough to complain. Just because, "there have been no other complaints or returns on that wheel for finish issues" does not mean that it cannot or has not happened.
If ARE really does have a great reputation for quality, then they should really care to protect it and ensure that their customers remain satisfied when a problem does arise. I am sure that I am not the only person in the northern half of this country that owns these wheels. That fact, along with ARE's logic "never happened before", means that it could not be road condition related. Otherwise they would have gotten the same complaint from other people who live in climates that are not sunny and dry all the time. From what I am seeing, they would rater sling generic "poor road conditions" and "never happened before" excuses. Leaving a dissatisfied customer with a set of almost brand new, but worthless, ugly wheels, than face up to the real issue.
I cannot stress enough that this is not damage. The aluminum Centerline wheels for my truck have been stored during the winter right along side the wheels in question and they are just fine. These were cared for using the method recommended by the manufacturer. Have others with these wheels experienced the same problems? Of course ARE says they haven't! That's the easy response. Maybe no one cares enough to complain. Just because, "there have been no other complaints or returns on that wheel for finish issues" does not mean that it cannot or has not happened.
If ARE really does have a great reputation for quality, then they should really care to protect it and ensure that their customers remain satisfied when a problem does arise. I am sure that I am not the only person in the northern half of this country that owns these wheels. That fact, along with ARE's logic "never happened before", means that it could not be road condition related. Otherwise they would have gotten the same complaint from other people who live in climates that are not sunny and dry all the time. From what I am seeing, they would rater sling generic "poor road conditions" and "never happened before" excuses. Leaving a dissatisfied customer with a set of almost brand new, but worthless, ugly wheels, than face up to the real issue.
04-05-2006, 07:55 AM
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well that sucks...
does the "warranty" say you can not drive these in salt and snow? I mean I would think a one year warranty would be just that regardless of conditions that is why it is only a year. I would understand if you curbed them or something...
good luck
Dave
does the "warranty" say you can not drive these in salt and snow? I mean I would think a one year warranty would be just that regardless of conditions that is why it is only a year. I would understand if you curbed them or something...
good luck
Dave
04-05-2006, 08:12 AM
#3
well aint that cute.
that warranty is garbage apparently. Who was repsonding to your vendor's emails? Not a CEO, probably just middle management... or thats at least where the "road condition" bull is coming from. I'll tell you what you should do is, attempt to speak to the CEO or someone as high as possible... you can make something up when your talking to a receptionisnt on the phone and they might page you through. Some company owed me money for a job a while back... they put me through to a higher up and I called for weeks and months straight (I had his extension... muh hahah). Eventually he changed his extension because of me, lol, and guess what, i got a big fat check in the mail. I had to threaten some other things like media coverage, etc... (it was a major bank that owned many apartments in Georgia, so I was able to use the Media ploy). But anyway... just see what you can do. Just be stern on the phone, not nasty, no cussing... show your intellegence and calmness and just be stern with whoever you're talking to. Those wheels look terrible. Ive seen this happen before to ARE wheels.. but it was a year after the original warrenty and it too happened in storage. I doubt i could get pictures since this was so long ago... but i saw it in person, looks like the coating is so thin. Looks like it almost dried out from being in storage, idk. I think ive heard ppl having terrible customer service from ARE as well before. But sorry about that, that sucks... good luck if you try to further your issue.
that warranty is garbage apparently. Who was repsonding to your vendor's emails? Not a CEO, probably just middle management... or thats at least where the "road condition" bull is coming from. I'll tell you what you should do is, attempt to speak to the CEO or someone as high as possible... you can make something up when your talking to a receptionisnt on the phone and they might page you through. Some company owed me money for a job a while back... they put me through to a higher up and I called for weeks and months straight (I had his extension... muh hahah). Eventually he changed his extension because of me, lol, and guess what, i got a big fat check in the mail. I had to threaten some other things like media coverage, etc... (it was a major bank that owned many apartments in Georgia, so I was able to use the Media ploy). But anyway... just see what you can do. Just be stern on the phone, not nasty, no cussing... show your intellegence and calmness and just be stern with whoever you're talking to. Those wheels look terrible. Ive seen this happen before to ARE wheels.. but it was a year after the original warrenty and it too happened in storage. I doubt i could get pictures since this was so long ago... but i saw it in person, looks like the coating is so thin. Looks like it almost dried out from being in storage, idk. I think ive heard ppl having terrible customer service from ARE as well before. But sorry about that, that sucks... good luck if you try to further your issue.
04-05-2006, 08:14 AM
#4
Ask the rep for ARE's D&B(Duns & Bradstreet) #, their FEIN(Federal Employer Identification Number) #, their local business license number and sales tax ID. Then ask them which county Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221 is in so that you can contact the local business licensing department to complain of fraud. Tell them, you obviously are a pea in a pea factor and can't seek damages for what is apparently ARE pushing their weight so you will just complain to the proper authorities. I promise you, the county won't take nice to companies not supporting their warranties. It might take time (what governemt agency doesn't), but they(ARE) will want to avoid it if the proper people are told of this instead of some manager who gets commissions on sales that are out of warranty.
04-05-2006, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by custom 68
well that sucks...
does the "warranty" say you can not drive these in salt and snow? I mean I would think a one year warranty would be just that regardless of conditions that is why it is only a year. I would understand if you curbed them or something...
good luck
Dave
does the "warranty" say you can not drive these in salt and snow? I mean I would think a one year warranty would be just that regardless of conditions that is why it is only a year. I would understand if you curbed them or something...
good luck
Dave
My contact with the vendor is the owner.
04-05-2006, 12:47 PM
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Looks like you might have used some kind of aluminum wheel cleaner that is not clear coat safe and then used a brush to clean it. The only reason I say that is because thats exactley what my mothers wheels looked like when I did that to them 5 years ago. Still sorry to hear they wont help you I mean its only the finish they have to repair.
04-05-2006, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Toaders
Looks like you might have used some kind of aluminum wheel cleaner that is not clear coat safe and then used a brush to clean it. The only reason I say that is because thats exactley what my mothers wheels looked like when I did that to them 5 years ago. Still sorry to hear they wont help you I mean its only the finish they have to repair.
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04-05-2006, 06:06 PM
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[/QUOTE]I have only washed them with regular car wash soap and waxed them with Meguairs (sp.) carnuba wax. This is the way that ARE recommends they be cleaned. I even cleaned and waxed them when I put them in storage.[QUOTE]
Has anyone else washed them? Maybe the car wash or did you use a pressure washer or something? If you truly feel like you have done nothing to effect the finish take them to small claims court. If they dont have a local rep they might not show and you will win. Just an idea
Has anyone else washed them? Maybe the car wash or did you use a pressure washer or something? If you truly feel like you have done nothing to effect the finish take them to small claims court. If they dont have a local rep they might not show and you will win. Just an idea
04-05-2006, 08:47 PM
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did you ever use any wheel cleaner or polish? or did you ever spray tire shine or wipe tire shine on the tires? b/c it looks to me like a chemical was sitting on the wheel eating the finish! Not saying thats what happend maybe ARE makes shitty *** wheels idk Ive never had a set but thats just my theory.
04-05-2006, 10:21 PM
#10
Man Tom, that's a sin. Like you said, it would be one thing if you left them on the car year round, but to go through the trouble to remove, prep, and store them and have them turn out like that is horrible. You would hope that a well known company like American Racing would stand behind their product better than that....least they can do is build a decent product. If the factory can manage to make an alloy wheel that'll last year round (been using my stockers since day 1 in 99), ARE should at least be able to make a wheel that will survive a controlled environment.