[Waitforme]

All 4 wheels on my 18 month old Cayman are showing bubbling around the valve stem hole. I'm going to take the car to the dealer in the next couple of weeks to see what they can do about it.
If they offer to have the wheels refurbished do you think that's acceptable or should I be looking for new wheels?
I'm worried that if they get refurbed then the problem may recurr , I suppose it could recurr in new wheels too though .
What would you expect , 4 new wheels ?
This photo was taken a couple of months ago and they are worse now.

 

[BIC]

If you have a decent relationshiip with your dealer I would expect new wheels. See what they say.

 

[bretster]

Are those rubber valve stems? That does not look right to me at all.

 

[Waitforme]

Hi, yes rubber valve stems.
This was taken today ..

 

[hawc]

Those look weird. I certainly don't have rubber valve stems.

 

[shakeypics]

Get to the dealer and ask for new wheels, maybe should have gone few months back when you first noticed to start the ball rolling, good luck

 

[PistolPete]

I assume your car is a 2006 or 2007 before TPMS became standard. Can someone confirm that this is what the valves look like on a non-TPMS car of that vintage?

Did you buy this car new from the dealer? I asked because if this is a used car, who knows what the previous owner did. If the car was new, you certainly have a case for warranty work.

It bothers me that all 4 wheels are doing the same thing. I've never seen or heard of anything like this on this forum. Check my join date, I've been here a while.

Now I'm going to reach here and I may be completely wrong, but here goes. Is it possible that moisture or a corrosive wheel cleaning solution got in there and is breaking down the material?

 

[Brisco]

2006, no TPMS, rubber stems, NO corrosion.

Seems quite strange to see on an alloy wheel. I think you can make the case for new wheels based on the safety aspect (although I seriously doubt the wheels are structurally compromised.)

 

[Waitforme]

The car will be 2 years old Come November.
I bought it from Porsche UK, it was their Service Manager's car, I'm the first non Porsche owner on the registration docs so anything that was done to it prior to me getting it was carried out by the dealer.
I'll drop them an email today and take the car up at the weekend to see what they have to say.
Thanks.

 

[tyrrell]

Looks like they could have been refurbed before sale then

 

[Waitforme]

Well, took the car to the dealer and was told under no circumstances will the wheels be replaced.
Just waiting to hear back from Porsche UK as to whether they will pay for the refurbishment of the wheels.
I spoke to the dealer of my other car ( Volvo ) and he said Volvo would replace the wheels no question if it was one of their cars.

 

[BIC]

I would try another dealer if possible.

 

[Schwabe]

I would try another dealer if possible.

+1 the dealer is not the one replacing the wheels, Porsche is, some don't feel like dealing with the paperwork.