Well… this happened already.

[TheCarGuyNJ]

Hey all!

So, I took delivery of my 2022 Kia Stinger GT Scorpion last weekend, and while I was super excited to join the forum, I was not expecting this to be my first post (other than my intro post)…

So, I decided to give my Stinger her first wash this evening before it got dark. It wasn’t too dirty, but definitely needed a bath. I actually settled on getting Turtle Wax hybrid solutions ceramic spray (don’t keep cars very long typically, so I’m skipping an actual ceramic coat - still on the fence about PPF), but haven’t gotten it yet, so I decided to just give it a regular wash with what I have. I used some Cemical Guys Citrus Wash that I had, and while I’ve just used one bucket and sprayed the sponge between each new dunk in the bucket, I’ve decided that I’m committed to keeping this car in tip top shape (since it’s one of the few cars I’ve bought brand new), so I tried out the two bucket method. I didn’t have my no scrub wheel spray, so I picked up some CG Diablo Wheel Cleaner, which turned out to not be no scrub at all (didn’t really do anything - and I didn’t have my wheel brushes - a trend I’m starting to really regret).

Getting to the point, I somehow manage to put a fairly large scratch in one of my Scorpion package matte black wheels. I have no idea how, but I’m so upset/frustrated. At first I thought maybe it came that way and I somehow missed it, or maybe a rock chip, but I’m pretty sure I looked at every wheel pretty closely while dousing them with a good amount of the Diablo spray (they were pretty dirty somehow), and I didn’t recall seeing it. As I mentioned above, the Diablo spray was definitely not a no scrub, and didn’t really do anything, so I wound up just rinsing it off, and washing the rest of the car, then moved to the wheels and used my wash mitt to hit the wheels with the regular car wash soap. I would imagine that the scratch happened with the mitt while washing, or while drying, but I just don’t know how I didn’t feel or hear that big of a scratch happening.

I’m just so disappointed, as I didn’t even have a chance to coat the paint/wheels with something yet. I’m just praying that the paint is okay, as if I managed to scratch the wheel that bad.. I’m honestly worried for what I may have done to the paint. I’m normally pretty good while washing my cars, but I’m sure I may see something else tomorrow morning once the sun is out…

Is there anything I can do here, short of buying a new rim (which I can’t even find any info about part number for the new scorpion wheels, or even a paint color code), or paying to have the rim refinished.. which after a bad experience with my girlfriends car’s wheel getting refinished, I really don’t want someone doing some quick job and the wheel looking worse than before. I had a Camaro with the same style matte/low gloss black rims (That I curbed right after i bought it - I was younger lol), and I just hit that with a sharpie, to be honest. This is so much less damage, she the rim itself isn’t rough, just a nice deep scratch somehow on the face of the rim Should I try touching this up with some matte black touch up paint, or a sharpie? Or any other suggestions?

I appreciate any advice I get here! I’ll attach some photos of the rim, and apologize for how filthy the barrel is, as well as the massive amount of brake dust already covering the wheel…starting to regret the wheel choice here.. that if the brakes on the stinger are very brake dust happy. These pics were taken right after I was done washing it and drove it back over to our place (our complex has a car wash station - just a hose in a little car bay lol). Note: some of the marks you see on the photos are actually tacky/some kind of adhesive. I really need to re-clean the wheels, as all of the wheels have some adhesive on them for some reason, and those little yellow/orange circle stickers that were on each rim left a nice mark/residue when the dealer ripped them off while prepping the car.. I do see some light marring only on this wheel, so I guess I definitely managed the botch this one up some how… :’(

-TheCarGuyNJ

 

[Deviate]

Welcome and sorry that happened. Just brain dripping here so bear with me. My guess is the adhesive is from a wheel protection for transport and obviously it wasnt removed totaly. So i would bitch at the dealer about that. To much cash dropped to have that. At the same time id bring up the scratch. Maybe you actually did miss it in the normal excitement of getting a new car. Dont know if warranty will do anything but it does not hurt to try/ask. Personally I would push on the dealer for a "repair". Pretty hard to scratch a wheel with a mitt. And yes the diablo is unimpressive, smells pretty though.

 

[cncBilly]

Don’t jump!! It will be ok. Any decent wheel man can fix that in a jiffy. Nonetheless I feel your pain.

 

[BadTrainDriver]

If you love the car, get all the wheels professionally powdercoated. Choose a color that you love and that goes with the car. An excellent powdercoater should be able to refinish all wheels for less than $6-700 dollars. The finish will be much more durable, just don't do a flat color. Flat black(or any color really) wheels suck.

 

[BadTrainDriver]

These are my winter wheels. Stock G70 square 18" setup, powdercoated a metallic bronze with black inner barrels. It cost me $550 to have them done, but no tires where on the wheels. I installed the tires myself afterward. Figure the cost of tire removal and installation to be around $100.

 

[TheCarGuyNJ]

Don’t jump!! It will be ok. Any decent wheel man can fix that in a jiffy. Nonetheless I feel your pain.

That’s what I’m thinking. It just sucks to have them done right after getting the car… Also, we had a dealer refinish a wheel on my girlfriend’s after they somehow managed to cut the wheel and tire doing an oil change (they said tire was fine, and claimed it wasn’t them), and it looked like a pretty terrible job (black with machined edged), and now, 3 months later, the clear coat is completely peeling off. They did it free of charge (after telling me we’d have to pay and me doing a BBB complaint against the dealership lol), so there isn’t anything we can really do. When you pay to have it done, is there generally some kind of guarantee/warranty?

 

[TheCarGuyNJ]

These are my winter wheels. Stock G70 square 18" setup, powdercoated a metallic bronze with black inner barrels. It cost me $550 to have them done, but no tires where on the wheels. I installed the tires myself afterward. Figure the cost of tire removal and installation to be around $100.

Wow, don’t mean to derail the thread, but those look fantastic! I’m not a bronze wheel fan really at all, but wow do those pop and look great with that paint color! That’s not bad at all for the powdercoat cost… hmm

 

[BadTrainDriver]

Wow, don’t mean to derail the thread, but those look fantastic! I’m not a bronze wheel fan really at all, but wow do those pop and look great with that paint color! That’s not bad at all for the powdercoat cost… hmm

They're actually a little more "gold" than what I wanted, and are currently back at the shop for a redo...but they did a fantastic job overall. They are like glass, so smooth.

 

[cncBilly]

That’s what I’m thinking. It just sucks to have them done right after getting the car… Also, we had a dealer refinish a wheel on my girlfriend’s after they somehow managed to cut the wheel and tire doing an oil change (they said tire was fine, and claimed it wasn’t them), and it looked like a pretty terrible job (black with machined edged), and now, 3 months later, the clear coat is completely peeling off. They did it free of charge (after telling me we’d have to pay and me doing a BBB complaint against the dealership lol), so there isn’t anything we can really do. When you pay to have it done, is there generally some kind of guarantee/warranty?

Not sure about warranty probably depend on the particular wheel. I gouged a couple of mine pretty good early in ownership. I was fortunate and had Global Warranty thrown in from my Dealer but the price was $150 per. Yours might not be that much as its not a deep gouge. That was close to a couple years now and you wouldn’t be able to tell were the damage was or that there were even damaged. There is guys that do it mobile as well.

 

[MerlintheMad]

just a nice deep scratch somehow on the face of the rim

You didn't put a "deep" scratch in the wheel with a mitt. That was there already. The reason why you didn't see it when taking possession is because the direction of the scratch almost matches where a reflection would be on the edge of the spoke. That damage was already there before you got the car.

Now, as to the choice of color: I've gone all black myself, and although I haven't used a Sharpie yet (and probably won't since I keep matt and gloss black paint kits in my hatch at all times), it was the ease of repair, a la Sharpie, that made me change from metal, two-tone wheels to black ones. So, just get a matt/satin touchup kit and lay some paint on that scratch. It should be good from c. six feet away. Also remember, "nothing in life has any business being perfect", and that is especially true with wheels.

Welcome again.

 

[TheCarGuyNJ]

You didn't put a "deep" scratch in the wheel with a mitt. That was there already. The reason why you didn't see it when taking possession is because the direction of the scratch almost matches where a reflection would be on the edge of the spoke. That damage was already there before you got the car.

Now, as to the choice of color: I've gone all black myself, and although I haven't used a Sharpie yet (and probably won't since I keep matt and gloss black paint kits in my hatch at all times), it was the ease of repair, a la Sharpie, that made me change from metal, two-tone wheels to black ones. So, just get a matt/satin touchup kit and lay some paint on that scratch. It should be good from c. six feet away. Also remember, "nothing in life has any business being perfect", and that is especially true with wheels.

Welcome again.

Thanks for the tips! To your original point, I wish I could say you were right. I have a picture of the side of my car from the day of delivery.. and while it’s not a close up, it definitely doesn’t look like it was there in that picture lol. I just don’t get how I did it. But there appears to be light marring on that same wheel too, so either my wash mitt or a towel must have had something on it.. I think I’ll try finding a satin paint pen/kit though!

 

[MerlintheMad]

I hear what you are saying. But really, a towel or mitt marred ONE wheel? If the mitt/towel had something abrasive enough to mar one wheel, the damage would show up elsewhere. Besides, Kia's wheel finishes are strong, really strong. You can test this: a weak finish would show up in obvious ways on the other wheels. If you only have one marred wheel, then in transit it got damaged.

 

[TheCarGuyNJ]

I hear what you are saying. But really, a towel or mitt marred ONE wheel? If the mitt/towel had something abrasive enough to mar one wheel, the damage would show up elsewhere. Besides, Kia's wheel finishes are strong, really strong. You can test this: a weak finish would show up in obvious ways on the other wheels. If you only have one marred wheel, then in transit it got damaged.

That’s a fair point. There was a number of other issues with the car (Kia’s QC apparently isn’t the best), so I’m actually bringing the car back on Wednesday to have them fix the other issues (black chrome trim price with rubber strings/prices hanging off the car, dent in the back leather seat, etc). Maybe I’ll bring it up and see if they’d be willing to do anything about it. The car also had a scratch in the paint, and they tried buffing it out but couldn’t, so they told me they could repaint the door. I said absolutely not, and we settled on two free full synthetic oil changes lol.

 

[Transmetal]

Wow, don’t mean to derail the thread, but those look fantastic! I’m not a bronze wheel fan really at all, but wow do those pop and look great with that paint color! That’s not bad at all for the powdercoat cost… hmm

I like em too, I went with the dark grey version for my winter wheels this year. Will be running 18x8 so I can have some more rubber for the winter.