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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:56 pm Post subject: Chrome EMPI |
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Bought some chromed 5 spoke EMPI rims last year at the end of April. Sat in my shop for a month and a half before I put tires on them. Drove the car until the end of October then parked it....in a dry shop with a car cover on it. The car is the wife's pride n joy and maybe got 800miles on it with the new bling. Beginning of May I go to roll out the car and notice the rims are completely ruined. The outsides are pitted and the insides of the rim looks like someone sandblasted them. All 4 ruined. The car gets washed by hand, towelled dry and any hard to get spots get blown with compressed air. It's driven on nice days only. Anyone else had this issue?
On the "that's what you get" side, the company I bought them from has and won't do anything for me except sell me some new rims at his cost (so he says)
And our repeated attempts to the EMPI office and sales reps have have resulted in nothing but a run around. No return calls or "he's out for lunch right now".
Nice customer service. |
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Q-Dog Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8688 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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I'm surprised you got a year out of them. Cheap chrome parts typically don't last a month in the humidity we have here.
Maybe you can have them powder coated? There are some nice silver colors available now. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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EmpiGT Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 2597
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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You say chromed and 5 spokes, are these chrome plated aluminum? so they aren't rusting the aluminum is corroding under the chrome plating? |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Sorry for the confusion... Chrome plated aluminum. |
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EmpiGT Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 2597
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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That's what I figured. I would not buy any aluminum wheel that is plated. If not done correctly they will peel and prematurely pit the aluminum. always buy fully polished then have plated by a good shop. The costs will be higher but a better lasting chrome job. If you're wheels have developed a white powder under the chrome they are garbage, not worth trying to rechrome now, if just peeling you could have them replated by a good shop if you want to spend that much |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Ya. It's just a let down that there hasn't been any return call from EMPI and the fact that the retailer I bought them off of pretty much wiped his hands of the situation. When I asked what he would be willing to do for compensation, he says he'll sell me some new rims. I would think that he would have more leverage with the sales rep. But he then tells me "well I'm not going to loose any money over this" it rather pissed me off. Have spent thousands at his shop in the past. Time to find a new go to guy I guess. |
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slalombuggy Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2010 Posts: 9131 Location: Canada
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 5:22 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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The big 3 can't even get chrome wheels to last longer than a few years before they start peeling and pitting especially if they have sharp edges anywhere. Chrome does not stick on an edge. I don't know how many times I cut myself on peeling chrome wheels doing tires. And, Empi isn't the only aftermarket company to have piss poor quality chrome wheels most of them do.
brad |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2016 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Still a piss off no matter how ya look at it. Now I'm second guessing the next set that il buy....how long before they shit the bed? I should have sent them back right from the start, one rim (that I did send back and got replaced) had such rough cuts from the lathe that I just couldn't stand to look at it if put on the car. I settled for the other 3. Mr Nice Guy won't be as easy to please next time.....if there is a next time.
And I also want to say thanks. Nobody has said anything like "what'd ya expect from EMPI". LOL
I'm sure it's coming. |
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jason Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002 Posts: 3443 Location: Garage
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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I had a set of the American eagle's chromed around 94. They are still nice. My buddy also got a set at the same time. His went bad quick. There was a cat that kept pissing on them, attacked the chrome.
I personally like polished now. Bust out the semi chrome and look brand new.
Not trying to be a dick but why would you expect the vendor to loose money on them? If he did that he won't be a vendor very long. |
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EmpiGT Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 2597
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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the epa has put a lot of regulations chrome and paint shops since 1994. Did you buy them chromed or have them chromed in the us? I'm sure china chrome has lots of rules as well so the plating isn't near as good as anything in the past. same with paint. How many new cars painted now are you going to be able to polish them out in 50 years and say look at that original paint. none unless they are garaged kept and never seen rain, sun or heat. |
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jason Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002 Posts: 3443 Location: Garage
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 6:36 am Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Mine were done here. Started as black ones, polished then chromed. |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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I didn't and wouldn't expect the vendor to lose money. I would expect him to exchange them for new ones and give them back to the rep and say "hey. There is something wrong with these". Just like he did with the first one that was flawed right out of the box.
They were bought chromed. |
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jason Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002 Posts: 3443 Location: Garage
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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They would see them if they are as bad as you say and make him pay. Once a tire is mounted, good luck trying to return them. Post a pic. |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 6:58 am Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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I am unable to post pics on the forum...but have sent pics via email to the vendor. Going on over a month now of empi not returning calls or "he's out of the office now, can I take a message" BS |
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jason Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002 Posts: 3443 Location: Garage
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:36 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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FWIW, I was at So Cal Imports today and the guy there said they are not going to sell Empi wheels anymore. Said they never had any issues with quality. The chrome looked really good to me, thick, not flash chromed. The issue is they send them with caps and things missing. He said they wont send the missing parts, have to buy. They move $100000 worth a year and they still wont send what's missing. Good luck having the wheels replaced. |
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ps2375 Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2014 Posts: 2471 Location: Meridian,ID
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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And now that they have Bugpack out of the way, I wouldn't count on EMPI getting any better. I'll support my local vendor and if EMPI is all that they have for what I need, so be it, but I won't go out of my way to buy EMPI. |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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I've washed my hands of it all.........now the wife is on the rampage!!!
We may not get any kind of compensation or warranty or what ever. But I know this, she'll be using a few words that probably aren't heard very often.
LOL |
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ps2375 Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2014 Posts: 2471 Location: Meridian,ID
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Good for her, I hope she gets some enjoyment out of it. |
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twigman Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2011 Posts: 47
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Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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Update. The wife has used every word that should never come out of a ladies mouth after getting nowhere with EMPI. In the mean time, I've gone and ordered some polished 5spokes from cip1.ca. With a little elbow grease they have shined up very well. Went to mount them on the car (62 beetle) and the centre of the rim is not machined big enough to fit over the "nipple" of the drums. The machine shops aren't open for another couple days. Has anyone else come across this? Is there enough meat on the rims to have them opened up to fit? Should I just get out of the VW game and buy a Chevy? |
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stale air Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2007 Posts: 5148 Location: Senoia Ga, formally NorCal
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Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 12:26 pm Post subject: Re: Chrome EMPI |
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twigman wrote: |
Update. The wife has used every word that should never come out of a ladies mouth after getting nowhere with EMPI. In the mean time, I've gone and ordered some polished 5spokes from cip1.ca. With a little elbow grease they have shined up very well. Went to mount them on the car (62 beetle) and the centre of the rim is not machined big enough to fit over the "nipple" of the drums. The machine shops aren't open for another couple days. Has anyone else come across this? Is there enough meat on the rims to have them opened up to fit? Should I just get out of the VW game and buy a Chevy? |
Yeah, I have an old set of polished 5s on my rag. The original german bearing covers are to long, and will hit on the center caps. If you find some aftermarket bearing covers they are shallower, allowing the caps to fit.
_________________ WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames
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