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BRAND NEW RAYS - BUT NO BLUE SPOTS!!


JIMSON

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Hi,

 

I got my Black 350z in June, and have been enjoying it ever since. It is a Jan 2007 56 plate, so the manufacturer's warranty is up in Jan 2010. I had a few issues which I thought I would bring to my local Nissan dealer's attention - 1. Peeling on button of cubby door, 2. Peeling on side door duct, and 3. Small bubble of corrosion on every wheel (otherwise they were in mint condition).

 

Anyway, I was amazed that they agreed to replace both interior parts there and then, and would take photos of the wheels to send off to Nissan GB, or whatever it is called. They did however say something like "I'm pretty sure they will only refurb the alloys, and not replace them - if they were only a year old, then you would probably get replacements".

 

I called up a week later for an update on all items I had previously reported, and to my astonishment they informed me that 4 brand new rays had been authorised, and that they would be in the following week - at a cost of £3340 for all four !!!! I nearly dropped the phone in shock - I thought I was going to have a battle on my hands, and at the best they were only going to refurbish them - something I insisted that I didn't want, as it was clearly a defect on each wheel.

 

I've since been back to have one interior part fitted, and all the wheels - they typically ordered the wrong part for the door duct, so I'll have to go back for the last part.

 

When I inspected the car outside the dealership I noticed that the blue dot which was on each of the original wheels, was not now on the new replacement wheels. I then went back into the dealership and asked them to confirm that they weren't someone elses refurbed wheels, to which they replied "I shouldn't think so at £800 odd quid each". Also I looked at the 370z wheels in the showroom, and they didn't have blue dots, or any other colour dots on them - so I left convinced that they were indeed brand new wheels, and that they don't now put a blue dot on these wheels.

 

I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of any brand new rays not having a blue dot on them - maybe it is something they don't do anymore?? Thinking about it, I am going to go back to the dealer and request some documentation confirming that they are new wheels, just in case anything should go wrong with them in the future, or even if someone questions me when I eventually come to sell the car.

 

So in summary I was really pleased with the service provided by Toomey Nissan, Southend, Essex, but have a few lingering doubts about the wheels being brand new - although I'm sure that they can't get away with saying they are new, when they aren't - can they?? :teeth:

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Can't help with your "dotty" question :lol: , but at least your dealer SEEMS to be looking after you pretty well.

Good service makes such a difference and is so rare YOU can't believe your ears :blink: .

I'm sure it's all legit and hope you're happy in the end.

£800 per ray alloy :scare:

Seems so sad then that they fetch so little when sold 2nd hand.

 

:wave:

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Thanks for your responses so far. What do you think the sure signs of a refurbed wheel are?, because they all look exactly like the old ones, minus dots and corrosion !!!

 

As stated in the original post, when I go back to get the other part fitted, I'll ask for some documentation to confirm they were brand new, and hopefully that will list the price as well. The people who work at the dealership gave me a blank expression when I mentioned the blue dots last time, which I would have hoped they might have had an opinion on - maybe they don't see many 350z's being worked on.

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The service department were adamant that they weren't refurbs though - I think I'll get a case number or something from them, then give Nissan GB Customer Services a ring to see what they say.

 

I suppose it's possible that a particular batch of wheels didn't have the blue spot treatment! - Well that's what I'm hoping anyway - just not sure how I can prove that they are brand new or someone elses refurbed wheels.

 

As I said in the original post, the 370z wheels don't have the dots on them, so maybe it's something they don't do anymore - I'll let you know what Nissan GB says after I give them a call. :yawn:

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i asked today at work which gave me no new information

 

the dots which are on steel wheels mark the high/low spot on the wheel and there is a dot on the tire which marks the high/low spot on the tire the dots are matched to reduce the amount of weight which need adding after the balancing. Alloys dont usually have this problem because they are usually pretty spot on unlike steel wheels which are just lashed together and then welded so alloys dont usually have high/ low spots on them.

 

the alloys they put on the cars at work dont have any marks on them so i am unsure what the blue dots you had on your old alloys meant.

 

if you really want to check i would just do what you said and ask for the job number and check with nissan GB they should be able to tell you

 

hope they are new and they havent tried to fob you off with some refurbed ones

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Thanks for the information lamby - I'm waiting for Nissan GB to come back to me...... I also had the car professionally detailed today, and the detailer thought they were new and not refurbs.

 

After reading the post from loafer77, I'm thinking they are new, and that the guy who paints the blue dots just had a day off that day. :lol:

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if they have been properly refurbed in the uk, would they not be better than a new set.

 

my reasoning is jap paint on wheels is crap in the UK, your only going to do a couple of winters before the bubbling reappears and you'll be out of warranty and this time you'll have to pay to have them refurbed yourself. and so would be straight back to where you are now.

 

uk paint is generally better wearing on our very salty roads in winter.

 

if all your missing is 4 blue dots but the wheels are well finished and look emaculate and you haven't had to pay as its all warranty work just get a marker pen and put them back on yourself ;)

 

just my opinion,

 

personally if the wheels look spot on what to complain about? you haven't had to pay anything so its all free anyway

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My Z was new 20th Feb this year all wheels have blue dots, But this may be a factory thing as they are supplying wheels and tyres on a new car, so if the blue dot is a balance mark the your new wheel wouldn't have a dot as they arrived without tyres.

 

Does that sound logical.... :dry: Or what... :wacko:

 

We need 1 of the forum veterans to confirm this really. :thumbs:

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