Hi all,
So today I purchased a 2015 Sahara Unlimited from a local dealer. I have been looking at this vehicle for a few days with my dad and we picked up the car today. The car was spotless when we purchased it and all the vehicles are kept in a climate controlled showroom indoors. I drove it home today maybe 10-15 miles and when I got home I noticed my back right rim looked like this in the middle (refer to picture below). The front left rim also has a similar pattern but is not as noticeable.
What I want to know is, what is even happening to the rim and how could this happen after driving the car for less than 20 miles off the dealers lot. I didn't buy this Jeep for the rims as I plan to upgrade wheels and rims sooner rather than later, but it is disappointing to see this after less than 4 hours with the car. I need to save a little for wheel upgrades so I would like to ride on these for a little bit.

 

I can't really see what it is from the pic, what is the texture of it? Is it scratches/gouges in the finish? Or maybe something like white grease spitting out from under the cap and spreading as the tire rotates?

 

It has almost a smooth-ish finish to it. I took my key and scratched it just a little bit and it was scratching away whatever this white substance is and is coming off powdery.
I wouldn't say they are gouges because they definitely feel sort of smooth. I mean the rims were perfect before and after like 10 miles of driving home these appeared. This is the most on any rim, but there are varying amounts of it on every rim.

 

that is completely strange

 

Damn I was hoping someone would have seen this and maybe knew what was going on. I've tried to look it up but can't find anything that looks like this at all. I am in the Northeast so I'm thinking it possibly could be because of salt, but it hasn't been that cold or even snowing so I'm not sure what to think.

 

Yeah, just a guess, but since it is easily scratching off for you, the dealer just used too much of whatever type of fluid/grease (or the wrong type?) when they were prepping it for sale, and it is spitting out and hardening as the tires turn.

Maybe pull a wheel off and see if you can tell where it's coming from? Or you aren't too far from the place you bought it, so just take it back to them and let them clean it up? But I don't think I'd scratch it all off myself, try some type of cleaning products rather than risking damage to the underlying surface. (for resale purposes when you upgrade, if nothing else)

 

It's probably corrosion under the clear coat. They pull the center caps to balance the wheels and then snap them back in with no regard. I had it happen on a previous set of Rubicon wheels when they were a machined aluminum with clear coat. It's unlikely that they covered it up though, that would be tough to hide.

 

Are you sure it wasn't there while at the dealer? I know me and the wife just purchased a jeep and I felt the same way, on the lot it looked a hell of a lot better then it did when we got it home. when we got it home I noticed so many more scratches, dings, etc. then I did at the dealer, and I spent a good time looking over the jeep while there.

Good luck with whatever it is, like mentioned it could be some sort of cleaning solution the dealer used while detailing the vehicle, and it got stuck in the center cap, and while driving it came out and dried.

 

This may sound silly, but since it just came from the dealer's climate controlled room... And I see that you are in NY, where i'm assuming it's freezing? Could it be soapy water that came out from the center cap and froze? Try taking a warm, wet cloth and see if it wipes off.

 

Did you ever figure out what this was? Don't leave us hanging.