Buckled LHF and LHR Wheels

[kennyc]

Hi guys,

Took my car in for service the other day and I mentioned that I get a vibration/loud noise from the front of the car when I'm on the freeway.
The service guy took it for a road test and and could hear/feel the noise/vibration.
They have come back to me saying the LHF and LHR wheels are buckled and also the front tyres are gone. Initially they called me saying that the front tyres need replacing, that's it. But when I picked up the car the report says the LHF and LHR wheels are buckled and need to be replaced. $1100 each.
I haven't changed the tyres yet.

Can bucked wheels be fixed, anyone know where to take it for a second opinion? Bob Jane, beaurepaires?

I have mk7 GTI with the standard 18" rims.

Thanks

[Umai Naa!!]

Generally buckled cast alloy wheels can't be repaired.

You'd need to speak to a specialist wheel repairer about it.

[dylan8]

You can have them repaired. Not sure the legalities of it in vic though.
Depending on where it is in the wheel. How bad it is. And if the wheel is worth repairing (value/rarity )

As above. Take it to a specilist not just bob janes etc
Where in vic are you?

[JustCruisn]

Cheapest option - keep an eye on the classified and pickup a set when someone is going aftermarket.
I got a nice set of OEM wheels for $100. add new tyres and $900 all done.

Also some tyre shops actually have stock of OEM wheels as people upgrade and sell the wheels to the tyre shop, would take some phoning around.

[kennyc]

Thanks guys, I'm in Glen Waverley area in Melbourne.
I read about the Wheel Specialist in Richmond on another thread, might give them a call in the morning.
The wheels must have been buckled from about at least 4-5 months ago. Car still drives well. Do I even need to change them?

[brad]

Car still drives well. Do I even need to change them?

Car doesn't drive well - it has a vibration. You said so yourself.

Get a 2nd opinion from an alloy wheel repair specialist. Your buckle may well be the start of a crack in the alloy.

[kennyc]

I'm taking them to Advanced Alloy Wheel Repair to check them out when I can

[dylan8]

Interested to see what advanced charge

[kennyc]

Interested to see what advanced charge

I'm going there in the morning so will let you know but over the phone they said about $150-$200 a wheel if they can fix it.

[kennyc]

So they have confirmed that left hand side wheels are bucked/bent but can be fixed. $120 a wheel. Getting it done now. Lucky someone canceled so they had time to fit me in today!

[LONGROD]

Would you be able to post pics of the buckled wheels to give an idea of how bent they were?

[kennyc]

Would you be able to post pics of the buckled wheels to give an idea of how bent they were?

I don't have photos of them, sorry. They have the wheels now. I couldn't actually see anything bent on the rims when they took them off the car (like couldn't see any physical bends with the tyre still on), but they did put it on the machine which turns the wheels and they were wobbling quite servilely. They definitely where not OK.
One of the guys was quite concerned over the state of the front wheel and called the engineer for another opinion. The engineer was confident he can fix it.

[kennyc]

Also, as they didn't have any spare tyres they put just a regular Wheel on the back and my space saver wheel on the front. I'm a bit concerned driving with the space saver and especially on the front.
I'm going to go to a tyre shop and see if they can move my back right wheel to the front and move the saver to the back.