Golf SE Atlanta Alloy corrosion - Warranty claim??

[cdgthreesalmons]

Advice requested . . . . . . .

Cleaning my Atlanta alloy wheels yesterday, as fitted to my 2009 Golf Tsi SE, I noticed some very minor corrosion/pitting appearing on the alloy around the central plastic VW roundel. My Golf is my pride and joy, is washed/waxed regularly, as are the wheels, which have been waxed regularly since new. This is my first experience of a car with alloys - and I have been determined to keep them in tip-top condition. Until now they have all remained immaculate. To some the corrosion I am talking about is trivial but surely that is not the point.

My question is whether anyone has had experience of warranty claims/dealer dealings with corrosion on alloy wheels?? As mentioned the corrosion is VERY minor but it should still not be happening - and sadly it can only get worse. I covered the area in wax for now. My cars 3yr warranty expires in September so I want to make the dealer aware of this soon - but do I stand a chance of any dealer sympathy??? or a new wheel????????

[Keithuk]

This does happen on VW wheels they call it white worm, vw golf wheels white worm.

[HHGTTG]

Advice requested . . . . . . .

Cleaning my Atlanta alloy wheels yesterday, as fitted to my 2009 Golf Tsi SE, I noticed some very minor corrosion/pitting appearing on the alloy around the central plastic VW roundel. My Golf is my pride and joy, is washed/waxed regularly, as are the wheels, which have been waxed regularly since new. This is my first experience of a car with alloys - and I have been determined to keep them in tip-top condition. Until now they have all remained immaculate. To some the corrosion I am talking about is trivial but surely that is not the point.

My question is whether anyone has had experience of warranty claims/dealer dealings with corrosion on alloy wheels?? As mentioned the corrosion is VERY minor but it should still not be happening - and sadly it can only get worse. I covered the area in wax for now. My cars 3yr warranty expires in September so I want to make the dealer aware of this soon - but do I stand a chance of any dealer sympathy??? or a new wheel????????

My plastic 'roundels' as you call them, suffered from white worm or corrosion and I went to my dealer to get some from the spares. I told them what had happened and why I wanted new ones and they got the works dept. to fit new ones there and then under warranty. That was last year, after two years of ownership.
Still, you say that your actual wheels are showing signs of corrosion, which is a more serious matter and you should be covered under the 3 year warranty, I would have thought.

[SRGTD]

Do Atlanta alloys have the diamond cut, highly polished finish? If they do, they can be susceptible to 'whiteworm' corrosion, which happens when lacquered finish lifts and water gets beneath the lacquer and 'creeps' under the lacquered surface. This problem isn't specific to VW; I've seen BMW's and Volvo's with diamond cut, lacquered alloys that are suffering badly from whiteworm.

VW seem to be fitting alloys with diamond cut / lacquered finish to lots of their current models. Most owners don't seem to have issues getting them changed under warranty (see link below), provided there hasn't been other 'self-inflicted' damage, such as kerbing.

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index....495#msg1976495

If your usual dealer isn't receptive to replacing the corroding wheel(s) under warranty, it'd be worth trying another dealer. Good luck.

[vwcabriolet1971]

The diamond machining and clear laquer finish on the Atlanta wheels is not as robust or long lasting as the normal silver colour painted finish as on the earlier models. The diamond cut /clear laquer on my 2009 MK6 model was marked the first time I used a car wash in the first few weeks of ownership. I had been using the same car wash for years with my previous MK4 golf (145K) and with my wife's current Polo (90K) with the ordinary silver paint finish without any problems. Such is the mark of progress ! I am resigned to the fact that I'll probably have to have the MK6 Atlanta wheels re-painted at some time in the future as I doubt whether they will be sufficiently corroded before the 3 year warranty is up to get any VW action to re-paint them.

[percymon]

Mine have held up pretty well - car now 30 months old, 45k miles.

I wax mine 3 times a year, but the main reason they're OK is because i dont use them November through April (winter steel wheels), when there is far more loose stone and grit on the roads. A combination of minute stone chips and road salt will have diamond cut / lacquered alloys corroding in no time at all. Ask anyone with split rim wheels.

Many years ago Audi advised coating with Vaseline ! - i couldn't quite believe reading that in the owners manual.


Good luck with a warranty claim - you'll have to have a very understanding (and persuasive with VW) to get a new set of wheels.

[HHGTTG]

Mine have held up pretty well - car now 30 months old, 45k miles.

I wax mine 3 times a year, but the main reason they're OK is because i dont use them November through April (winter steel wheels), when there is far more loose stone and grit on the roads. A combination of minute stone chips and road salt will have diamond cut / lacquered alloys corroding in no time at all. Ask anyone with split rim wheels.

Many years ago Audi advised coating with Vaseline ! - i couldn't quite believe reading that in the owners manual.


Good luck with a warranty claim - you'll have to have a very understanding (and persuasive with VW) to get a new set of wheels.

In the late '50s/'60' people were often advised to put Vaseline on their Chrome plated bumpers which, unless they were of high quality plating, used to become pitted and looked awful.

[garboy1]

No problem with warranty claim. Had corrosion around the centre of the Atlanta alloy about 5mm dia replaced without any hassle
replaced it without me even asking !

Golf 1.6 SE Pearl black 2009

[Rorry]

I know this is an old thread but other people may find it on searching.

We've got the diamond cut Atlanta wheels on our Golf Twist and when it was in for service just before 3yrs old I asked them to look at the wheels, which are all showing very early signs of corrosion around the centre caps, with one being much worse. Although I'm absolutely certain the bad one hasn't been physically chipped, it does look like the lacquer has chipped off in several places around the centre hole. Wheels are otherwise in good nick and unkerbed.

I got completely fobbed off by the dealer, so I contacted VW UK who were initially very supportive, but now are saying leave it another year and we'll work with the dealer to consider goodwill payment towards a refurb. All a bit vague and I don't think diamond cut wheels refurb very easily, or will last long.

[discobarry]

Just get them refurbed and stop trying to get something for nothing.