[VisualEcho]

I purchased my '18 OG M2 LCI used with 9,400 miles on it, and it had been treated fantastically, one owner (an older lady), never tracked, just damn near perfect condition.

But during the first wash I noticed that on the inside lip of all the wheels, as well as the barrel on some, there were some scratches. The wheel faces are flawless, it's just the inside lip and the barrel where the scratches are found. In fact, you can't even see them from a few feet away, but up close you can.

My first thought was that someone was cleaning the wheels with a wheel-cleaning tool and scratched them that way, but now I'm not so sure, so I thought I'd ask you guys if your wheels have the scratches as well. Like maybe rocks get trapped in that lip and scratch it that way? Just guessing.

Any responses will be appreciated.

[PLF69]

Got the same on some wheels (I have 8 m437 wheels) I think it's comon for wheels to get these but you see it a lot more with a black barrel.

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by PLF69

Got the same on some wheels (I have 8 m437 wheels) I think it's comon for wheels to get these but you see it a lot more with a black barrel.

Oh awesome. Thanks for the reply. Maybe someone else can reply with the same to confirm.

[FrozenGT]

That my friend is from improper washing methods people not taking their time to use the correct process

You can always purchase a nano polisher or pay a shop to polish them out

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by FrozenGT

That my friend is from improper washing methods people not taking their time to use the correct process

You can always purchase a nano polisher or pay a shop to polish them out

Oh I'm sure I can get them out, I just wanted to know their origin.

Once my Ferric Grey 437's get here in a few weeks, I'll spend some time making these flawless before I sell them.

[OzWoz]

Yep, they're on mine. Did a total wheels-off decontamination and ceramic coat the other day and noticed it for the first time. My LCI also had a first owner and I suspect that either crappy commercial car washes, or just using a heavy bristled brush on painted wheels is the culprit.

I bought some Scratch-X to see if I can improve it, but I'm not too fussed as they'll get beaten up again I'm sure.

nb: Also had an Exige, but sadly had to sell it before I got the M2.

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by OzWoz

Yep, they're on mine. Did a total wheels-off decontamination and ceramic coat the other day and noticed it for the first time. My LCI also had a first owner and I suspect that either crappy commercial car washes, or just using a heavy bristled brush on painted wheels is the culprit.

I bought some Scratch-X to see if I can improve it, but I'm not too fussed as they'll get beaten up again I'm sure.

nb: Also had an Exige, but sadly had to sell it before I got the M2.

Thanks for the confirmation!

I've got a multitude of buffing compounds here, I'll see what I can come up with.

Sorry to hear you had to sell the Exige. Please post a pic!

[Mosely]

nothing like that on my 437's. They have about 10K miles on them. Must be washing technique from previous owner.

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by Mosely

nothing like that on my 437's. They have about 10K miles on them. Must be washing technique from previous owner.

That's what I thought in the beginning, but now that I think about it, it'd be very hard to put scratches there and there alone, especially the way they are angled. Someone would need to have the wheel off, and very small hands to get that angle. I've also had several responses via PM that this is absolutely normal.

Maybe it has to do with the speed and surfaces driven on, but it's most certainly a naturally occurring thing, not from cleaning.

[Mosely]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

That's what I thought in the beginning, but now that I think about it, it'd be very hard to put scratches there and there alone, especially the way they are angled. Someone would need to have the wheel off, and very small hands to get that angle. I've also had several responses via PM that this is absolutely normal.

Maybe it has to do with the speed and surfaces driven on, but it's most certainly a naturally occurring thing, not from cleaning.

I use a wash mitt and also a longer stick cloth thing for cleaning the barrels and if you got a pebble or something on one it would easily make similar scratches to those. Like others have mentioned even small scratches show up on the black. I don't see how those could happen while driving. There was a post somewhere where someone got a pebble between the CCB disc and wheel on an M2C and it put a deep circumferential groove in the wheel. Unless the previous owner was driving through brush or offroading I don't see how it's naturally occurring but happy for something to prove otherwise.

[eeyang92]

What many people don't realize when cleaning their wheels is that you need to almost treat it like car paint if you want to prevent damage to the surface. You definitely need to make sure there isn't any debris (rinse the rim and carefully remove any large particles) before going over the surface with any cloth. Otherwise, you're literally dragging sandpaper over the surface.

[VisualEcho]

Originally Posted by Mosely

Unless the previous owner was driving through brush or offroading I don't see how it's naturally occurring but happy for something to prove otherwise.

I don't guess it really matters in the end, as long as they will buff out. My car never even sees gravel, and rarely highway speeds (it's my daily), so I'm not likely to find the cause myself. It's just the fact that it's such an odd angle for cleaning, even going behind the spokes. Weird overall.