I knew I was going to get the car dinged. I didn't think it would be this bad (picture attached). Don't ask me how I did it, it is way too complicated. Just say it was something I could not do again, even if I tried. I am thinking of changing my name to Professor Disaster.

There is a place in Houston, TX named Wheel Crafters (in business since 1994). They, after seeing the picture, say that they can repair it for $125 and it will take 1 day. So it may not be so bad after all, but I am suspicious.

Any words of wisdom from the forum?

 

Your call on repairing, but odds are it won't be the last ding. Depends if you are a perfectionist or can overlook the usual things that happen to a car until, perhaps, at some point you may get them all attended to.

 

That's not bad. The price sounds about right. I had nightmares with 22s and I still roll around on them. I have cracked, bent and scraped alot of expensive wheels. 22s really look awesome on a Bentley Gt. As for performance, I am comfortable with them on 20s. More meat on the bones.

 

Sorry to hear that gr.

My cars are magnetically attracted to curbs (kerbs). I've asked my repair guy to remove the magnet but he just smiles and shrugs his shoulders. I'm sure I saw him take something from his pocket on one repair... can't be certain.

It happens less now, maybe once every 2 years, and I never see them coming. It's the problem of owning and driving several cars of different widths because you always think you're in another smaller model. Soon after I got the CGT I swept into the curb to pick up my wife from her hairdressers on the main street.

She said, "That was an interesting noise." And I had to quell my rising tide of panic all the way home until I could confirm that despite owning a cup for high speed slalom in a Porsche, I was indeed the world's worst judge of curb distance.

The point of the story ... as the result of my years of curb abuse I have a tame wheel guy of a quality that will astound even mealy-mouthed concours judges. His repairs cannot be picked against a new wheel. Do your utmost to acquire one of these experts and pay whatever is needed, more if necessary, even a retainer. They are worth their weight in gold.

And the final maxim, do not deal with a company... track down the best individual within that business, because skills vary widely.

I'm sure none of this is new, but what it does is make you failsafe. As I wisecracked to my wheel guy a couple of years back, "I now no longer have to worry about curbing - it will always be brought back to new!"

He smiled again, and fingered something in his jacket pocket...

 

Thank you very much for your post. It makes me feel much better as I was pretty much suicidal after it happened. It took me 6 days after the incident to post this thread. I am going to have it fixed Wednesday, the day I have the 1,000 mile service done. Bentley has a company they work with and they have scheduled it for me.

Maybe the solution is to purchase some curb feelers. Any thoughts?

 

The $1.99 metal wire ones from Wal-Mart that plays Greensleeves full volume over your car speakers whenever you touch the curb? I say go for it.

We will all chip in for a bulk buy if they work well enough

 

Please, pretty please, just say no to curb feelers. We are all human and make mistakes such as the rare wheel ding. Glad you have an easy solution and all will be perfect once again soon

 

I did not end the curb feeler post with a icon just to see if anyone would take me seriously. Sorry for any misguided anxiety that this may have caused, especially you enjoythemusic. I was merely trying to get Dr. Disaster into orbit with this one. Collateral damage is always a *****.

BTW, this last weekend I not only scuffed the wheel, I scraped the front underbody thrice and lost my front license plate from one of the scrapes. I plan a new thread regarding refining the front license plate install as soon as I get out of intensive care.

Does anyone know of something that you can put on the front underbody to protect it from driveways with steep slopes?

 

Does anyone know of something that you can put on the front underbody to protect it from driveways with steep slopes? Maybe, some of plastic/rubber tool dip sprayed on under the front bumper? I used to bottom out on front end alot because my Bentley has a lowering module and it's lowered. How you would approached those pesky steep drives way is to raise your ride and angle the old girl to give her some extra clearance.

 

Am using mobile to reply... Lol nice one on the feelers . As for curb protection, someone can cut a sheet of plexi or the like and attatch it underneith. Gave up long ago and took out two Ferrari and yes one CGT bumper (using it now, New one in basement waiting for current one to get too bad to keep using... Not that its bad, just that cracks in lower bumper is kinda normal here).

 

Plexiglass is a good idea also. Perhaps rivet it on the underside of the front bumper. I have destroyed my front bumper because of of a pothole on some 22s.

 

What does it cost to fix a destroyed front bumper?

 

Factory bumper is around $1700... plus paint and install.

 

The way things are going, I might as well go ahead and order my 1st replacement Wednesday when I go in for my 1,000 mile service.

 

You're a Bentley owner, above rank and privilege. Of course we took you seriously! (Undecided whether to add smiley here)