White Streaky Patches on Alloy Wheels

[V33DUB 0]

Hi Guys,

 

Today I treated my Dad and washed & polished his car. I have some alloy wheel cleaner (in a bottle, clear liquid, paint on with a brush. Can't remember the exact name but if important I'll go and find out) which I used to clean his alloys. I used the same bottle of cleaner to do his Volvo before and with good results. However, upon using it on his Mk4 golf (standard alloys that came on it) streaky white marks have appeared in patches. If you rub them with your finger, dry or wet, they disappear and then reappear again after a few seconds. I've rubbed hard with a damp cloth and the same happens. I've rewashed with soapy water only. Still the same and still patched in the same places i.e. its not residue from whatever I'm using last.

 

The front 2 wheels are worse but all 4 have come out in these patches. I never noticed them when we got the car. The wheels had become pretty dirty before I cleaned them so couldn't have seen the marks prior to this wash if they were there.

 

I'm totally at a loss with this.

 

Picture of wheel (ignore the pink circled mark as this is a scuff):

 

Photoshoped to try and show the patches better

 

Any ideas/help would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[bristolbaron 11]

its probably wonder wheels.. which is pretty horrible stuff but commonly used.

personally i'd try something like meguiars paint cleaner [step 1 of 3 step method] and see if it cleans it off..

[ADZ_VR6 0]

could be water getting in behind the laquer?

[V33DUB 0]

It is indeed bristolbaron! Will see what they look like in the morning and go from there. Will look into the Megs idea

 

Cheers ADZ will look into this as well. From the search I did on google the lacquer failing/being penetrated/in general need of re-doing came up quite a bit... some of the silver is actually flaking off behind the spokes/inner rim and there are scuffs/kerbing/general dents on all wheels so may suggest a refurb to my Dad.

[young dub 0]

the wheel cleaner was too harsh, polish them with a mild abrasive polish and give them a coat of wax, and never use wheel cleaners ever again, all you need is soapy water.

[Furkz 0]

or use some G10 than some wheel wax to protect... and never use wonder wheels again, its disgustingly harsh!