Went through an Automatic car wash and the wheels came out like this...
HRE said the wheels will be safe going through an automatic car wash. Picked the basic one I could get.

Please someone tell me I can save these wheels. These are not wet spots and it looks like it is embedded in the wheel.... So much for 6 grand in wheels...





edit:
Problem solved!

 

Looks like they were etched to me. Maybe the automatic car wash that you went through used some type of alkaline or acidic wheel cleaner.

Are the polished or chrome?

Depending on what they are, I would try the appropriate wheel polish for that material. Hopefully that will remove the etching.

I would also take this as a sign that you are probably supposed to wash the car yourself from now on. If you are able to remove it, I would take great care in cleaning the wheels yourself next time.

Get a pH balanced wheel cleaner, something like the Zymol wheel cleaning gel, or the excellent P21S. Either would be safe for your wheel finish. Just remember to wet the entire wheel first with water to make sure you have a cool surface temperature.

Hope that helps. Let us know how it turns out.

J

 

Thanks for the fast reply. I am going to try to get a chrome wheel cleaner from Autozone and see if it works.

 

I would recommend the Mothers Chrome and Aluminum polish. It is pretty decent as far as consumer level polishes go.

Just put it on sparingly at first using a clean MF towel. Don't be afraid to work it in. After you have worked it in for a bit, use another clean MF towel to buff the surface, and hopefully that will remove your etching.

Be prepared for this to be a time consuming, and extremity numbing process. Polishing wheels by hands sucks...sorry. But... if anything this will serve a really good lesson on why some things need to be done yourself. You can keep this from happening, just takes a little time and a little prep. We are here to help though, so you aren't alone.

 

2nd on that one use some metal polish and stay away from automatic car washes.

 

why would you go through an automatic car wash in the first place with expensive wheels?

 

I was lazy

Definetly learned my lesson here. Spent 4 hours polishing the wheels.

 

Ouch...I have those same wheels. They are NO FUN to polish.

 

So how did the polishing turn out?

 

Polishing turned out really well. The stains are gone and the wheels look better than before I went through the car wash

P.S. these wheels DO SUCK to polish

 

Use the mothers powerball and then hand polish, it makes the job alot quicker and easier!

 

polished wheels suck to polish!!!