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Plastic Wheel Covers!


John 316

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:rant2: I just purchased a new 2015 F-350 King Ranch on 8-15 that I ordered on 6-18. When I ordered the truck I ordered the chrome package that forced the option of "chrome clad wheels." This was a $1195.00 option in addition to the $695.00 chrome package option. I was shocked to find out that the "chrome clad" aluminum wheels were nothing more than chrome plated "plastic" wheel covers! No one in their right mind would order "plastic" wheel covers for $1195.00 when the standard KR wheels are polished aluminum with painted pockets. This is a "downgrade" that cost $1195.00! Your description of "chrome clad" wheels is inaccurate and totally misleading. I have a GMC Denali that has "chrome clad" aluminum wheels that are actual chrome plated aluminum wheels, which is what I was expecting from Ford, according to your description. If you look up the definition of "clad" as I have, according to Webster's, when referring to metal, "clad is the bonding of one metal to another metal." I do not think that a chrome plated plastic wheel cover meets that definition! I am the owner of a $70,000.00 truck that has plastic wheel covers that I paid $1195.00 extra for! To say the least, I am totally dissatisfied. I asked the Dealer to install the standard KR wheels and refund the difference and he refused. I then called Ford and got no where. My next call will be to my Attorney if you refuse to make this "right!" :banghead:

Edited by John 316
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"Chrome Clad" has been the standard description with Ford for some time. It's always been a plastic cover. That is the one reason I would not take the 17" wheel option on my last Escapes , not take a Limited version. Significantly more money for wheels that look ok in tne showroom but don't last. I'd buy aftermarket before taking Ford's idea of a top level product.

 

But as far as legal action I wouldn't expect much. The wheel type is used throughout the industry and is similar to that used on Dodge trucks. I'm surprised you were caught off guard as the wheel has been used by Ford since 2008. While complaints all over automotive web sites are numerous, they haven't changed them yet.

 

They stopped using them on the Escape line last year.

Edited by rscalzo
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"Chrome Clad" has been the standard description with Ford for some time. It's always been a plastic cover. That is the one reason I would not take the 17" wheel option on my last Escapes , not take a Limited version. Significantly more money for wheels that look ok in tne showroom but don't last. I'd buy aftermarket before taking Ford's idea of a top level product.

 

But as far as legal action I wouldn't expect much. The wheel type is used throughout the industry and is similar to that used on Dodge trucks. I'm surprised you were caught off guard as the wheel has been used by Ford since 2008. While complaints all over automotive web sites are numerous, they haven't changed them yet.

 

They stopped using them on the Escape line last year.

I have not owned a new Ford since 2001, It was a F-350 with aluminum wheels. I have owned three GMC Denali's and their "chrome clad" wheels are chrome over aluminum, as the term implies. Ford needs to change their description to "chrome plated wheel covers." If Ford does not make this right, I probably won't own another one for fifteen more years. look up the definition for "clad" and you will see that Ford's description is misleading and false. Even though you say that they have been doing this for years, still doesn't make it right. It is not used throughout the industry. I have never had plastic wheel covers on any of the 31 new vehicles that I have bought. I guess that is why I was caught off guard, as you say.

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I don't like the wheels so that's the reason I didn't order the car with them. Simply doing so quick research and I knew what they are constructed out of and how they were made. That was on a 28k Escape. If I was paying that much, I'd surely either look at the truck in the showroom or do some research. It's FAR from a well kept secret.

 

If it bothered you that much, sell them and buy aftermarket which look better anyway.Kegal recourse? An option that has been in the field that long? Little to no chance.

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If you paid $70,000, you paid too much.

 

PS - your attorney?? LMAO, good luck with that. Hahahaha

 

:spiteful: Well I must admit you are good at " blowing" smoke! I hate to break it to all you Kool Aide drinkers who obviously know more than this poor ole country boy, I will however be receiving a new set of standard KR wheels and tires this Thursday! Sorry I have to put an end to your name-calling and the sharing of your great "wealth" of knowledge and "legal advice," however I am sure you will be able to share it with someone else - maybe each other? :victory:

Edited by John 316
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:spiteful: Well I must admit you are good at " blowing" smoke! I hate to break it to all you Kool Aide drinkers who obviously know more than this poor ole country boy, I will however be receiving a new set of standard KR wheels and tires this Thursday! Sorry I have to put an end to your name-calling and the sharing of your great "wealth" of knowledge and "legal advice," however I am sure you will be able to share it with someone else - maybe each other? :victory:

Not one person called you any names on here in ANY post in this thread.

 

May want to stop drinking that "kool aide" you so like to mention.

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All you had to say was "I don't like them and nobody would have argued with you.

Exactly but instead, he threatens a lawyer over something that is HIS mistake in not knowing or researching. Upset with a product he purchased and Im going to get an attorney because I regret my purchase. lol

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:spiteful: Well I must admit you are good at " blowing" smoke! I hate to break it to all you Kool Aide drinkers who obviously know more than this poor ole country boy, I will however be receiving a new set of standard KR wheels and tires this Thursday! Sorry I have to put an end to your name-calling and the sharing of your great "wealth" of knowledge and "legal advice," however I am sure you will be able to share it with someone else - maybe each other? :victory:

 

I hope you like your new wheels!! Post your pics when you get them on :camera::shift:

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Because no one thought your tact of a legal suit was going anywhere you take it as an attack? No I know why when buying a vehicle that expensive you never took the time to see what the options looked like. As an available option for quite some time, Odd that when the new alloy wheels are one of the selling features you'd go for the clad.

 

One reason I checked here before buying the last Escape and why I took a trip to the dealer spifically to see the wheels.

 

Quite frankly I'm surprised Ford's still using them. They are no longer available on the new Escapes.

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Because no one thought your tact of a legal suit was going anywhere you take it as an attack? No I know why when buying a vehicle that expensive you never took the time to see what the options looked like. As an available option for quite some time, Odd that when the new alloy wheels are one of the selling features you'd go for the clad.

 

One reason I checked here before buying the last Escape and why I took a trip to the dealer spifically to see the wheels.

 

Quite frankly I'm surprised Ford's still using them. They are no longer available on the new Escapes.

I didn't "go for the clad!" It is a forced option when you get the chrome package on a KR. If you get a Platinum which includes all the features in the KR chrome package, you get the aluminum wheels that are the same as the standard KR wheel, with the only difference being that the pockets are painted black versus brown on the KR. Makes a lot of sense? I could have ordered a Platinum with the same options and it would have cost $2000.00 less. I wanted the two-tone paint, wheel lip mouldings and the lighter interior option is the reason I paid more for the KR.

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Chrome wheels coming with the chrome package? Umm....actually that makes perfect sense.

Not if you "think" about it! If you read my post I stated that the platinum comes with all the chrome that is in the KR chrome package as standard and they do not even offer the "chrome clad" wheel as an option. If the platinum gets the aluminum wheels and the KR with the same chrome pieces doesn't, how does that make sense?

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Not if you "think" about it! If you read my post I stated that the platinum comes with all the chrome that is in the KR chrome package as standard and they do not even offer the "chrome clad" wheel as an option. If the platinum gets the aluminum wheels and the KR with the same chrome pieces doesn't, how does that make sense?

 

Umm, because the KR is a 'chrome package', whereas the Platinum is not. They are different trims with different options and different standard equipment. Why is that so hard to understand? And what does that have to do with the fact that you are mad because the rims are not what you thought they were? If you are trying to justify your pissedoffedness, it ain't working.

 

BTW, I would have traded you the 20" wheels off my '08 for those chromies. I personally love them!

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  • 6 months later...

I agree- the 'chrome clad' name is intentionally misleading... maybe most folks just need to be more wary before purchasing, but still, you see a nice shiny chrome aluminum wheel, bet 90 out of 100 general car shoppers wouldnt guess they would be getting a chromed plastic hubcap glued permanently to a aluminum wheel.

 

we made clad wheels for a while, some were actually a beautiful forged wheel underneath- just cheeper to glue a plastic hubcap on than invest all the time in polishing.

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You do understand that the chrome is real, so chrome clad is entirely accurate. It's just that the substrate is plastic. It will never pit or corrode like chrome clad steel. Ours were 6 years old and still looked as good as new when we traded our Edge. The only downside is they're downright impossible to repair if you mess up the chrome.

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You do understand that the chrome is real, so chrome clad is entirely accurate. It's just that the substrate is plastic. It will never pit or corrode like chrome clad steel. Ours were 6 years old and still looked as good as new when we traded our Edge. The only downside is they're downright impossible to repair if you mess up the chrome.

but the chrome cladding is on the plastic, the plastic is glued on the wheel :)

'glue clad aluminum wheels' or 'chrome clad wheel covers' would be more accurate. I have seen some with the lips corroded, but its not THAT visible- and they require about zero maintenance, compared to polished aluminum...

 

I know they are that way as a durable/inexpensive option to aluminum wheels, but also know a few guys that bought what they thought were all aluminum wheels, didnt realize they were plastic till pointed out...there was a srt chrysler wheel that was a 100% machined gorgeous cold forged/durabrited aluminum, got replaced by what looks identical- but its a chrome plastic wheelcover glued to a far, far cheaper cast wheel...most buyers will never know the difference, long as its shiny... truth be told, bet that 5 axis machined, cold forged wheel cost at least ten times more to produce, yet bet the option price probably didnt drop more than a few percent... its all good unless somebody wrecks one- cast breaks, forged bends... but they all look shiny

 

if folks knew the difference between forged and cast wheels, I truly think many would pay the extra... but as long as they dont know, and manufacturers can sell 'premium' hyped wheels of the lesser material at or near the same cost, the cast/clad wheels will keep coming.

 

seriously, I bet a cast/clad wheel could be made/delivered profitably for under 30 bucks, and a similar looking fully machined forged wheel would barely break even at 300... and a dealer might retail 500 for either. but say a driver hits a curb at speed, the forged aluminum wheel will bend like a steel one would, where the cast one might look like this:16799170235_d7fba50368_z.jpgAMfront1 by ford4v429, on Flickr

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