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My wife's 2015 E400 has 18" AMG wheels (8.5" fronts, 9.5" rears), now with 22,500 miles, has lots of road rash & pothole run-ins.
Front right wheel has a half inch hairline crack on inside lip, which causes a slow leak of a few psi from the tire.
Can it be safely repaired?
Replacement OEM AMG wheel is approx $1100 new or $900 used.
Discount Tires recommended a full set replacement of 4 aftermarket wheels (so MB emblem can be salvaged onto new wheels) at $232 each ($1050 after all install, tmps, etc...)
So should I buy new wheels & try to sell the 3 old wheels (approx values)?
My wife's 2015 E400 has 18" AMG wheels (8.5" fronts, 9.5" rears), now with 22,500 miles, has lots of road rash & pothole run-ins.
Front right wheel has a half inch hairline crack on inside lip, which causes a slow leak of a few psi from the tire.
Can it be safely repaired?
Replacement OEM AMG wheel is approx $1100 new or $900 used.
Discount Tires recommended a full set replacement of 4 aftermarket wheels (so MB emblem can be salvaged onto new wheels) at $232 each ($1050 after all install, tmps, etc...)
So should I buy new wheels & try to sell the 3 old wheels (approx values)?
Thanks,
If you decide to fix them-these guys do exc work-$110 a wheel-get there before 9 and they have you ready that eve. http://www.rimrepairhouston.com/
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!
This is what pothole vs tirerack wheel looks like:
Buy the OEM wheel and live freely, not wondering what road will make your wheel explode like my Axis wheel did.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!
Honestly the OEM rims are pretty weak as well. There are a plethora of stories on this forum of people with bent AMG rims. I personally can attest to how easily they seem to bend and crack especially the 18 or 19 inch versions.
I just had to replace two of them and opted to get older AMG rims that appear to be a little sturdier then the newer versions.
... did a great job fixing a crack in a 19" wheel of mine. The first thing they check is for out of round, which is was. I was told if not round, the harmonics will cause the crack to come back. Welded and straightened plus remount and balance was about $225.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!
This is what pothole vs tirerack wheel looks like:
Buy the OEM wheel and live freely, not wondering what road will make your wheel explode like my Axis wheel did.
Aftermarket wheels are not universally bad, and many are superior to factory wheels. Granted, at the price point given in the initial post of this thread, the wheels are likely junk, but you're painting with too broad a brush when you condemn all aftermarket wheels.
Nothing wrong with aftermarket unless you are paying $250 per wheel. Then you better be prepared for a short wheel life. OEM MB are not always great either, and I have damaged many over the years on potholes.
Update:
Went to a tire/wheel shop a block from office, $100 & 2 hrs later, they welded the half inch hairline crack & guarrantied the repair (at that spot) for life.
My wife's extremely happy to get to keep the AMG wheels...
Update:
Went to a tire/wheel shop a block from office, $100 & 2 hrs later, they welded the half inch hairline crack & guarrantied the repair (at that spot) for life.
My wife's extremely happy to get to keep the AMG wheels...
Great outcome and good to hear that your wife is happy with the repairs.
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