I was admiring a friend's 2002 Toyota Celica yesterday, and I was surprised to see a considerable amount of corrosion on all of the alloy wheels. This is in the form of "bubbling" of the surface, very similar to rust patches on steel bodywork.
The Toyota dealer gave my friend the old "they all do that sir" story, but it doesn't sound right to me. My own car is 4 years old, and shows no signs of corrosion whatever on the alloy wheels.
What's the story here? Is it normal for alloy wheels to corrode badly, even on a car only 2 years old?
Clearly all 'raw' alloy will corrode - particularly when in contact with road salt, etc. The secret is in the protective coating applied to the alloy. This coating has been steadily improved over the years and now does a pretty good job of preventing corrosion for many years. It has to be remembered, however, that like the bodywork, if you suffer a scrape to your alloys you should paint it over with a clear laquer to avoid the corrosive substances getting at the alloy underneath. I'm very surprised to hear of such extensive corrosion on a 2002 car. Is your friend a careless parker and a rubbish maintainer?
I think it is fair to say that the car hasn't been washed very regularly.... there is definitely no evidence of kerbing damage (or any other scrapes to the wheels at all). In addition, the car is low mileage (around 10k) and hasn't been driven very much on salted roads.
Yes, it can become a bit acidic, and added to normal salt contamination in the winter can cause bad pitting.
However, it does seem to have become worse in the last few years. We get this a lot on Hondas too, but only on the UK produced models. Japanese built cars don't seem to suffer with this. It obviously depends on the manufacture quality of the wheels.
Certainly taking care of the wheels will make a difference. Very few alloy[1] wheels are raw aluminium, they would last more than a few days if they were. Even unpainted wheels will be lacquered.
Do not use washing up liquid either, as this contains salt. I use the AutoGlym wheel cleaner myself, and wash off with a spray from a cold hose, or *cold* pressure wash. You need to do this as soon as you see black brake dust building up in the summer, and weekly in the winter.
Also be careful which wheel cleaner you buy, there are two types. One for raw aluminium (which we know doesn't actually exist), and one for painted wheels (which most are anyway). Both types are available on the Halfords shelves, and you have to read the back of the container.
I am going to treat this with the same disdain as I would when it's used as an argument against washing paintwork with it. How much salt can there be in approx 1 teaspoon of w-u-l ? Dilute with 10l of water and leave a few % of that on the bodywork or wheels before rinsing off with clean water. Net result - zero salt. I also don't buy the "scratching" argument - again, the salt is in solution, and only the tiniest amount left to potentially crystallize out to something vaguely abrasive. Compared to the amount of dust and muck and road-salt that is coating the average vehicle between washes, a bit of Fairy Liquid is neither here nor there.
That apart, no arguments with your other points ;-) Oh, and the wheels on my 3-year old Honda are doing just fine (minor kerbing and doofus tyre fitter scratches aside).
If you want to go on believing that using a teaspoon of Fairy Liquid somehow leaves a kilo of salt behind, be my guest. I'll believe the amount pales into insignificance compares with the road-salt that I don't manage to wash off, particularly in the crevices where it lodges and does real harm.
Seriously, I actually tend to use some washing-up liquid more often in summer, as, in combination with hotter water, it helps shift the squished bugs. There is a place nearby that sells "road film remover" for tuppence a ton. (I forget the exact price.) But I'm wary of using something like that too often. Darned bugs really get into the paint surface, though.
Duncan, that is an interesting statement. Do you have any data to support this, or could you point me in the direction of any supporting evidence on the web?
Before I recommend my friend confronts the dealership, it would help if we could find some corroborating testimony from other disgruntled owners.
Can't say I've noticed this. Are you using boiling water or something ? I use a litle w-u-l as it is a fairly effective surfactant and helps to separate the grime from the paintwork.
Yep , apparently the quote from the Cambridge dealer was " Oh when they do that we normally just order you a whole new set as once one starts going so do the rest.". Anyway it's still under warranty, whether or not it's normal isn't an issue, you want it fixed.
That's the point though, it also dissolves the wax polish, and leaves a bare paint surface. If you do insist on using WUL, then at least consider reapplying polish after.
Yebbut, how much does a bottle of proper car shampoo cost? I've had a large bottle of Simoniz wash and wax stuff for about three years now, and it cost less than a tenner. Hardly worth arguing over really is it?
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