Need Advice: Issue with Coker/Specialty Magnum 500's

[stripedelete]

About a month ago I ordered a set of Magnum 500's through Coker Tire (owns Specialty).   Two 15x6 and two 15x8.  The 15x6's were perfect, however the 15x8's had, to the best of my description, sanding swirls or sanding marks under the chrome on the spokes.  It looked like they knocked down some burrs before chrome, but didn't smooth out the repairs.  So, I sent them back.  

Friday I received the replacement 15x8's.  No more issue with grinding marks, but, these seem to have another issue.  If you run your finger around the outermost face of the rim, much of it feels like sand paper.  In the first picture I'm just pointing out the edge/surface in question, the other two shots show some of the rough area.

While this has no impact on how they will look on the car, I am concerned about shortening the life of the chrome or immediate rust, etc.

Taking into consideration the 15x6's are perfect, am I being too picky or should I send them back?

Are all magnum 500s the same?  If so, I could drive down to Summit in Akron and pull theirs out of the box (and let Coker/Specialty have these).    

Any thoughts?

[Mopar Nut]

You're not being picking at all, send those back too. I've seen Specialty Magnum wheels, all four were perfect. Call Jesse at Specialty Wheel, i'm sure he'll make it right.

[charger Downunder]

I bet some other bugger will get your returns, send them back, why cant they make things right in the first place.

[Ghoste]

Its the modern manufacturing "ethic".

[JN488]

I too just received a full set of 15x8 chrome magnums and the quallity is only fair.  Poor prep before paint, mediocre welding, and they were too cheap to even include the bolts to attach to the backing plates with the new centers.  I had new tires mounted this past weekend, one wheel required 5 oz to balance out, and that was after rotating the tire to match the wheel as well as possble (started out wanting 7 oz on first attempt).  The wheels are very disappointing given the cost, but not really bad enough to go through all the pain of sending back and having to remount tires.  It is a shame that quality is getting so hard to come by.

But hey, the wheels look great on the car and are a definite improvement over the 14" road wheels.  For anyone considering, I find it very hard to believe Specialty has anything on quality over the slightly cheaper Vintiques from Summit.

[stripedelete]

Charger DownUnder, I figured I was getting someone else's return or maybe when Coker bought  Speciality, Speciality "cleaned" their shelves.   BUT, I drove down to Summit today.   After examining 4 wheels I decided to try and work thinkgs out with Coker.  Summit carries Wheel Vintiques and they were pretty shabby.  If the chrome was marginal the paint was poor and vice verse.  (FYI, paint seems to be Vintiques challenge.)

Which brings us to Ghoste's comment.   The15x6's arrived in thicker more yellowed boxes.   My guess is the 15x6's are slower movers and have occupied the warehouse shelves for some time.   Quite possibly, before manufacturing was sent offshore.  Likely, had I not ordered the 6's I probably would have figured it-is-what-it-is.

Since, this issue has pretty much blown up my schedule, I'm just going to swing through Chattanooga next week and return them in person.  Maybe they can find two on the shelves that will work.

Thanks for the input.

[stripedelete]

I too just received a full set of 15x8 chrome magnums and the quallity is only fair.  Poor prep before paint, mediocre welding, and they were too cheap to even include the bolts to attach to the backing plates with the new centers.  I had new tires mounted this past weekend, one wheel required 5 oz to balance out, and that was after rotating the tire to match the wheel as well as possble (started out wanting 7 oz on first attempt).  The wheels are very disappointing given the cost, but not really bad enough to go through all the pain of sending back and having to remount tires.  It is a shame that quality is getting so hard to come by.

But hey, the wheels look great on the car and are a definite improvement over the 14" road wheels.  For anyone considering, I find it very hard to believe Specialty has anything on quality over the slightly cheaper Vintiques from Summit.

Specialty or Vintiques?

[charger Downunder]

(FYI, paint seems to be Vintiques challenge.) Paint is easy to fix but bad chrome that's another story.

[JN488]

Stripe delete, mine are from Specialty.  It appears their quality has gone downhill significantly based on all the earlier happy customers.

[Mopar Nut]

Get the ones from YearOne, here in the last post.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,13886.msg1106676.html#msg1106676

[Dino]

When ordering parts make sure you tell the sales rep that you are the worst customer he'll ever meet and you're going over every part with a magnifying glass and you will return them when they are anything less than perfect.  MOST sellers will go through their stock to find the best possible parts so they don't have to deal with your returns and if the seller says they all have some issues then you can stop wasting your time with them.

We're living in a Walmart world people.  Quality as we (used to) know it ain't happening no more.

What ticks me off is that they still charge Us made prices for mediocre Chinese made parts.

[stripedelete]

When ordering parts make sure you tell the sales rep that you are the worst customer he'll ever meet and you're going over every part with a magnifying glass and you will return them when they are anything less than perfect.  MOST sellers will go through their stock to find the best possible parts so they don't have to deal with your returns and if the seller says they all have some issues then you can stop wasting your time with them.

We're living in a Walmart world people.  Quality as we (used to) know it ain't happening no more.

What ticks me off is that they still charge Us made prices for mediocre Chinese made parts.

agreed.  I would have thought they would have recieved that message with hte first set I sent back.