I just had a car wash lesson I thought would make a decent post. Watch out for the wheel cleaner at the car wash, it may be hazardous to your wheel’s health.
I just bought this 2004 Tahoe, so wanted to wash it to take home to wax. Figured I would get the super-duper wash that included wheel cleaning – WHAT A MISTAKE!
My shiny wheels were not shiny any more. They looked etched and had big drip marks on them where the cleaner was sprayed and ran down. I was pissed at myself for not knowing what could happen.
We got home and the internet search was on to find how to fix the problem – found some articles and some discouraging comments. I spoke to a wheel shop and was told they wanted $125.00 for a refinish. I didn’t want to do that – too rich for my blood.
I ran across an article
http://store.carcareonline.com/repairthefinishonwheels.aspx
“How to repair the finish on wheels that have been damaged by improper cleaning” and bought the products suggested by the article – 3M imperial hand glaze and P21 multi finish restorer polish.
When I got the stuff, I tried it by hand and made some progress, but after rubbing and rubbing on one spot for 15-20 minutes, decided to go to Harbor Freight and get buffer wheel attachments for my drill motor – this worked out quite well.
It still took me a while and they’re not perfect as if they were new, but I’m happy with the shine I was able to get back and don’t feel like such an idiot for messing them up in the first place! If anyone has wheel problems similar to mine, I advise you to check out this article and try what they say – it worked for me!!
Hope this might either help someone fix their screw up or keep from doing it at all!!
I just bought this 2004 Tahoe, so wanted to wash it to take home to wax. Figured I would get the super-duper wash that included wheel cleaning – WHAT A MISTAKE!
My shiny wheels were not shiny any more. They looked etched and had big drip marks on them where the cleaner was sprayed and ran down. I was pissed at myself for not knowing what could happen.
We got home and the internet search was on to find how to fix the problem – found some articles and some discouraging comments. I spoke to a wheel shop and was told they wanted $125.00 for a refinish. I didn’t want to do that – too rich for my blood.
I ran across an article
http://store.carcareonline.com/repairthefinishonwheels.aspx
“How to repair the finish on wheels that have been damaged by improper cleaning” and bought the products suggested by the article – 3M imperial hand glaze and P21 multi finish restorer polish.
When I got the stuff, I tried it by hand and made some progress, but after rubbing and rubbing on one spot for 15-20 minutes, decided to go to Harbor Freight and get buffer wheel attachments for my drill motor – this worked out quite well.
It still took me a while and they’re not perfect as if they were new, but I’m happy with the shine I was able to get back and don’t feel like such an idiot for messing them up in the first place! If anyone has wheel problems similar to mine, I advise you to check out this article and try what they say – it worked for me!!
Hope this might either help someone fix their screw up or keep from doing it at all!!
