Austin Wheel chipped when tyre was changed!

[Exonian]

Brenbo, I feel your pain.

Give Bob a ring at South West Wheel Repairs in Marsh Barton as he will be able to get it refurbed I reckon.
They subcontract diamond cut wheels and might even be able to loan you a wheel while they send yours off.
Failing that I'll lend you an Austin (and tyre) for a few days while they turn it around.

In future order your tyres online and get Jon at SWWR to fit them. He's a VW enthusiast and one of the very few people I trust with my wheels and tyres. I got him to change the tyres off my old BBS alloys and put them on my current wheels.

Buying your own gear isn't really an option as it's very expensive for the number of times you use the equipment and the sidewalls on the low profile tyres we have are incredibly stiff. Hence the damage you suffered.

[Brenbo]

Was waiting to see if you see my thread Exonian as you know the local area around Exeter.  Many thanks for the heads up.  Have emailed SWWR already on your recommendation.  Hopefully if he can loan an alloy it would be great.  Limping around on a half size spare wheel is not an option as I have to drive 40+ miles to get home from Exeter.  I was hoping there would be someone in Exeter who cares about Alloys enough to protect them as they change the tyres.  If he is as good as you say he is I will use him to fit tyres from now on.  Taking wheel to have a new tyre in the local area is like finding cro-magnon man and asking him to change your tyres. 

As to getting equipment myself, this was never a serious consideration, but it does make you feel like it if you want something done right then do it yourself.  Will keep you posted as to how I get on.  I have to go Exeter next friday to get my headlight sensor replaced.  May see if I can go round and see Bob at South West Wheel Repair as well if I have time and check out the place.  I am sure if you go there Exonian then it will be sound. 

It's times like this I am glad to be part of the GolfGTIForum community. 

[Mr Savage]

Buying a spare single Austin alloy wheel would be very difficult. Most people that are selling them privately and cheaply will want to sell them as a set of 4.

That means your only hope would be buying one through the dealer and that wouldn't be cheap. Infact you'd be better off buying a cheap set of 17" alloys and fitting them with winter tyres which you could also use in emergency situations. You'd just have to change the whole set. But atleast then you have the benefits of owning a summer set and a winter set, especially if you have a garage to store them in,

[barrym381]

I know of a set of golf r wheels for sale brand new will only be on car a few hours 

[Brenbo]

How much are the Golf R wheels and what condition are they in? 

[barrym381]

How much are the Golf R wheels and what condition are they in?

you have a pm 

[Exonian]

Was waiting to see if you see my thread Exonian as you know the local area around Exeter.  Many thanks for the heads up.  Have emailed SWWR already on your recommendation.  Hopefully if he can loan an alloy it would be great.  Limping around on a half size spare wheel is not an option as I have to drive 40+ miles to get home from Exeter.  I was hoping there would be someone in Exeter who cares about Alloys enough to protect them as they change the tyres.  If he is as good as you say he is I will use him to fit tyres from now on.  Taking wheel to have a new tyre in the local area is like finding cro-magnon man and asking him to change your tyres. 

As to getting equipment myself, this was never a serious consideration, but it does make you feel like it if you want something done right then do it yourself.  Will keep you posted as to how I get on.  I have to go Exeter next friday to get my headlight sensor replaced.  May see if I can go round and see Bob at South West Wheel Repair as well if I have time and check out the place.  I am sure if you go there Exonian then it will be sound. 

It's times like this I am glad to be part of the GolfGTIForum community. 

They've refinished a few wheels and repaired a few punctures for me over the years.
I think they have the contracts with most of the main dealers for wheel repairs but can only powdercoat in house. Diamond cut is a bit more specialised so they send them off.
Jon is one of very few people I'd trust with my alloys!

Let me know what Bob suggests. As said, you can borrow one of my alloys if you're stuck.

[Brenbo]

I thought seeing as I am out in the sticks with few places to get tyres changed without the high chance of having my prized wheels damaged, I would buy a spare alloy and tyre.  Which I have done now.  This way I can get to a decent tyre fitter further away at South West Wheel Repairs in Exeter form now on rather than the abismal fitters in my local area.  Also I can even leave wheels to be refurbished without the hassle of finding a wheel to drive around on while it is being done.

@ Barrym381:  Many thanks for your kind offer.  If the price is right I may still be interested as I could use them as summer/winter wheels alongside my Austins or even on future cars?   

[p3asa]

To the OP, you must go back and tell them about the damage. If not they will sadly just continue to mistreat folks property.
I don't expect them to remedy the damage but they must at least know they caused it.

My local tyre shop whom I had used for years decided to take the weights off my 2 wheels with a chisel. The result was a dozen or so gouges around where the weights were. Granted they were inside the wheel but you could clearly see the damage just looking at the wheels. Totally unacceptable.

There is definitely a market for someone to advertise how much they would take care of your wheels while changing the tyres. With digital cameras nowadays there should be no dubiety on whether the damage was there previously. I would happily pay more for a service like this.

I too looked at getting equipment for changing / balancing tyres. Its dear but not that dear especially if you factor in you could then buy your tyres cheaper on line and fit them yourself, change family and friends and avoid any costly damage that others may make.

[Brenbo]

I will be telling the tyre centre about the damage sooner rather than later.  However as others have said I am expecting the usual answer of "how do you know we caused that damage".  But like you said it does have to be mentioned, so other peoples alloys are saved.  I have been toying with the idea of a full size spare for ages anyway.  this scenario just confirmed I needed to get one.  Life will be so much more relaxed and easier having the wheel.  Now I don't to get a nail in a tyre immediately addressed just so I can remain being able to use the car.  I am also not going to be restricted to a handful of places where I am unsure about going to get tyres fitted.  I know a new alloy and tyre can be expensive on the initial outlay.  But after that things will be a whole lot cheaper if a wheel gets damaged, as i can now leave wheels to be refurbished at a fraction of the price, should I wish.

Also I should mention the wheel will be stored at home not in the car.  I remember being part of a similar thread a while ago and some other posters were mentioning about weight and losing performance if the wheel was stored in the boot.