Can minor Rim Rash be fixed?

[kingleonidas]

I have a 2018 Model S 75D, with 19" silver slipstreams. I'm a camper, festival-goer, and general outdoor enthusiast... so needless to say, I've had this brand new car in a few off-the-beaten-path locations already. I've sustained a couple of small scratches on the wheels, one of which seems to have gone through the finish on the wheel. Barely noticeable at a glance, but she's definitely scratched (I can see black underneath).

I have the car scheduled to get a LDC-9H clear coating in a few weeks, and this will include the wheels. I would like to have the rim rash fixed up nicely before I get the clear coat applied.

Does anyone have advice for me? Can I have a body shop fix this? Can I fix it myself? Has anyone themselves repaired and re-finished rim rash before, or gotten it repaired by a shop?

So again, while I am the kind of person who uses his car to it's full potential... it is still a brand new car (6K mi) and I would really like these wheels to be tip-top before the LDC gets done.

Thanks in advance all!

 

[commasign]

Google “mobile wheel repair” in your area or ask your local Tesla service center who they recommend. Curbrash is pretty easy to fix. Expect to pay between $100 and $150 per wheel.

 

[azred]

I did the mobile fix for minor rash. I doubt anyone notices -- except the Discount Tire guys when I had tires rotated. They couldn't figure out why two rims on passenger side looked very slightly out of round to their trained eyes until I told them.

The better alternative to repair by adding material will probably cost $250-$300 per wheel and I don't think it's worth it since these wheels are so easy to scratch. The good old days of having lots of rubber to touch curbs first doesn't apply to these cars. Luckily, I seldom need to parallel park.

 

[Owner]

My 21" had a lot of curb rash. fixed it once. super careful afterwards but now on 19" and it is much easier to avoid. I wouldn't pay to get it fixed again...

 

[PhilDavid]

Google “mobile wheel repair” in your area or ask your local Tesla service center who they recommend. Curbrash is pretty easy to fix. Expect to pay between $100 and $150 per wheel.

Would fixing curb rash affect wheel balance in any way?

 

[commasign]

Would fixing curb rash affect wheel balance in any way?

Hmmm. Good question. It’s such a small % of the wheel that it’s unlikely to have a significant effect. But you could always rebalance your wheel if you’re worried about it.

 

[PhilDavid]

I know Tesla includes alignment check/fix with the service visits, do they also check wheel balance?

If the wheel refurbishment is extensive I think it makes sense to also check wheel balance.

 

[croman]

Why care? I've put 30k+ miles and I PPF'd the full front but I could care less. I took my car all over, through a corn field even (during harrowing hours long escape from Eclipse 2017 traffic). Its a car. It goes fast and it still looks super sexy.

Just drive it like you own it.

 

[PhilDavid]

Why care? I've put 30k+ miles and I PPF'd the full front but I could care less. I took my car all over, through a corn field even (during harrowing hours long escape from Eclipse 2017 traffic). Its a car. It goes fast and it still looks super sexy.

Just drive it like you own it.

Different people enjoy their cars in different ways.

I would not drive ours through a corn field but each of ours cars look like they are new and we prefer to keep it that way as that's how we enjoy car ownership. No right or wrong way here.

 

[commasign]

I know Tesla includes alignment check/fix with the service visits, do they also check wheel balance?

If the wheel refurbishment is extensive I think it makes sense to also check wheel balance.

Good point. May vary at each service center but at my local service center they’ll do free rotate and balance upon request.

 

[project880]

I was traveling recently and the hotel valet had scratched my wheel. My wheel was ceramic coated prior to the damage. After contacting my local Service Center for a vendor recommendation, the cost came out to be $250 for the repair (performed by SC) and $200 to have the wheel ceramic coated again (not performed by SC). The Service Center performed complimentary wheel alignment and balancing.

 

[azred]

Why care? I've put 30k+ miles and I PPF'd the full front but I could care less. I took my car all over, through a corn field even (during harrowing hours long escape from Eclipse 2017 traffic). Its a car. It goes fast and it still looks super sexy.

Just drive it like you own it.

We are discussing curb rash and you are talking sexy. I suppose you think your significant other would be awesome with a giant oozing boil on the end of his/her pert nose.

 

[croman]

We are discussing curb rash and you are talking sexy. I suppose you think your significant other would be awesome with a giant oozing boil on the end of his/her pert nose.

I always will think my wife is awesome. Sickness or health. But I married my wife and we're talking about a car.

Also curb rash isn't at all equivalent to that.

I'm not sure why my comment touched such a nerve. I'm just suggesting putting this in perspective.

 

[MelaniainLA]

My 21" had a lot of curb rash. fixed it once. super careful afterwards but now on 19" and it is much easier to avoid. I wouldn't pay to get it fixed again...

21” are more rash prone?? Ugh! Because of tire profile being lower? getting arachnid wheels soon and now I donno!

 

[Astraviel]

21” are more rash prone?? Ugh! Because of tire profile being lower? getting arachnid wheels soon and now I donno!

They're more susceptible to damage from pot holes and there's less sidewall, meaning it's lower down, meaning more susceptible to damage from objects on the ground.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I don't know why there is so much concern about curb rash.

Just park too far out into the street away from the curb...like me. Tickets are cheaper than getting a rim fixed. LOL


Just kidding.

 

[Owner]

21” are more rash prone?? Ugh! Because of tire profile being lower? getting arachnid wheels soon and now I donno!

Yes much more likely. the rims just stick out more than on the 19" and are lower to the ground.

If your super careful its less of a problem. The very early version of the car the mirrors did not tilt down in reverse, so the right side was very hard to parallel park. so that was the main source of my curb rash.

The 19" also just last a lot longer. how often do you want to replace tires? both cost and hassle... I'm very glad I switched.

 

[kingleonidas]

Why care? I've put 30k+ miles and I PPF'd the full front but I could care less. I took my car all over, through a corn field even (during harrowing hours long escape from Eclipse 2017 traffic). Its a car. It goes fast and it still looks super sexy.

Just drive it like you own it.

I couldn't agree more. With only 6K miles on it, I've already had the car at two rural music festivals (with people approaching me to say "you have balls bringing that car into this lot!"), three long camping trips, a road trip from Wisconsin to the North Carolina seaside and back, and at least five trips to overnight camp down two-track dirt and gravel dead-end roads in the backwoods of nowhere. The curb/rock rash I have, could and should be much worse.

To answer your question... I don't make 6 figures (just over half that), so spending 80K on a car is an incredible achievement for me... and one that I have been working to accomplish since the day I fell in love with a Tesla roadster parked on the west side of Chicago 11 years ago. Where I come from, that personal investment is not to be taken for granted.

Because I'm going to ceramic coat the wheels, I want them in the best possible condition before that work gets done. I do not naively think that I will never sustain another scratch, ding, dent, rash or whatever... but the car is still brand new, and anything worth doing is worth doing right.

I also have the Xpel Ultimate film on the front and mirrors. Aside from the hilarious fact that insects stick to that stuff like glue... I'm so glad that I had that done. It takes the flying debris like a champ, and looks beautifully glossy and clean all the time.

 

[kingleonidas]

I know Tesla includes alignment check/fix with the service visits, do they also check wheel balance?

If the wheel refurbishment is extensive I think it makes sense to also check wheel balance.

Good point. May vary at each service center but at my local service center they’ll do free rotate and balance upon request.

Thanks both, very helpful. After doing extensive homework about the options near my Chicago service center, as well as various mobile repair services... I was able to connect with Precision Mobile Wheel Repair. Certified and recommended by Tesla, and a better price than anyone else I found. My car is actually going back to Tesla in a few days so they can repair/replace some manufacturing defect parts, so Precision will come to Tesla to take care of the wheel work on site. Lucky me... I'll have a loaner the whole time (fingers crossed for a 3 to rip around)!

Although I doubt that the damage on my wheels is significant enough to warrant it, I will definitely make sure to bring up the balance and alignment.

Really appreciate everyone's valuable feedback here!

 

[kingleonidas]

I was traveling recently and the hotel valet had scratched my wheel. My wheel was ceramic coated prior to the damage. After contacting my local Service Center for a vendor recommendation, the cost came out to be $250 for the repair (performed by SC) and $200 to have the wheel ceramic coated again (not performed by SC). The Service Center performed complimentary wheel alignment and balancing.

Oof! Too bad Valet Mode doesn't activate the steering actuator in the event of vendor ineptitude...