My lug nuts are rusty. Is this something that should be covered or not? Is it excluded by the "bumper to bumper warranty" ? My wheels have never been removed and I only get the car wet when washing. I try to avoid the rain.

 

They should cover if you have a good relationship with the dealer, but why bother the new ones will rust again. I'd take them off and repaint myself with a good silver or black rustolium paint.

 

dep on how much rust is on there. if it's just a little surface rust, it's normal. if it's a lot of yellow and brown rust, i'd ask for replacement ones.

 

The previous service rep was great and would have done it. BUT they have a new guy who I have no relationship with, so I guess I may have to suck it up. I already asked him to replace them under warranty and he said for $100 he would exchange them for ones that have been "reconditioned".(Read, cleaned and repainted.) I still think they should be covered. This is a premium car I don't think it is too much to ask to have them not rust. My 5 year old Acura doesn't have any rusted lugs.

 

$19.95 for the plastic caps. Fit right over the stock lug nuts. come in Black or chrome.

 

I was gonna do that, but what about the security lug? The cap won't fit over that will it?

 

No it will not. I took my locking bolt off. I don't need it. I have stock rims, I park my car in my garage behind my gate and I live in a low crime neighborhood. I don't commute, and wouldn't leave the car anywhere risky enough to worry about some crack head staling my stock rims. I feel okay with no locking bolt. Everyone's case is different. If you don't want to do the plastic caps, Take your lug nuts off, tape the threads anssend them to the powdercoater. Only use a soft socket and you should be fine. The dealer will not absorbe the cost.

 

John, you are right. Lug caps it is, but I still don't think they should rust.

 

I agree!! But really, it is not the fault of the bolt Porsche chose. Perhaps you could argue that they should have coated them better, however, SS bolts would have been far too cost prohibitive. The real problem is that somewhere along the way, someone removed your wheel bolts using an air impact wrench. The socket marred the bolt's finish and it subsequently rusted. Porsche assumes that anyone removing their lug bolts is using a soft socket, manual wrench, and torquing the bolt to 96 - just like they do.

Order TWO sets of bolt caps and keep a couple from that spare set tied up in your tool pouch in the boot. I Just learnd that for whatever reason you're bound to lose a couple. I guess it is inevitable. Once it happens, you'll be reminded of just how crappy those bolts looked and you'll want to cover them up just as quick as you can.

 

Well, if my bolts were removed it was done by porsche. They have never been removed since I have owned the car.

 

Neil, my '01 996 had bolts replaced and brake rotors repainted under warranty because of rust. I don't know if it's covered under warranty but I thought it was a fantastic goodwill gesture. It definitely made me feel like I was an appreciated customer. It just goes to show that it's not the amount that counts, it's the gesture!

 

Since we are on the subject, the clear coat is peeling off both front brake calipers on mine, they look pink now, covered???

 

Mine was covered under warranty. I did not even ask for it, and they took care of it for me when I went in for my 30K service.

They said that it is important to do so because if rust stays on for too long, it may cause problems to remove the bolt later.

 

that is very cool!

If Porsche only took the bolts off, and htey are rusting, then they didi the right thing. It never hurts to ask.

 

I know that the service guy I had a good relationship with moved to Princeton Porsche, about 50 min away. Maybe I will call him for the heck of it and see what he says.