Wheel Rims Coating Problem

Originally Posted by kfscoll

It's possible they used a metal polish or cleaner wax to detail your wheels thinking that they were simply polished aluminum. Metal polish will very quickly take the top layer of paint off of the wheel exposing the black basecoat underneath. It is very, very easy to remove the top layer of paint from the RAYS wheels. Having learned my lesson, I now don't clean them with anything but a very plush microfiber towel and detailing spray.

When one of my wheels was damaged by cleaner wax (and before the dealer agreed to warranty it) I took it to a local wheel refinisher and they said (as was mentioned above) that the wheels had a "ghost chrome" finish. They quoted me $120 per wheel for a refinish which seems reasonable to me.