Hello,

So...bought the car brand new in Bristol TN (rough initial transaction from callous sales people). Within first few months, visiting bro-in-law notices excessive road noise at higher speeds (around 55-60mph). We disregard his comments. Shortly over 1 year old, ALL 4 tires are worn strangely and require replacement! Vibration is noticed at 60-65mph. We atke car to local Mazda dealer and they identity 3 "bent" rims, but it's at 40Kmiles, warranty won't cover. Then a few months aklter the transmission needs to be replaced (warranty covered that). WTH!?!!? Another auto place rotates/aligns; reports that all 4 rims are "bent." WTH?!?!? Vibration now has changed to 65-75mph. What can cause at least 3 rims to to be bent? We did not drop the car over a retaining wall, nor hit a curb on 3 wheels going 60+mph. If we had, our tires would've blown out, right? We don't live in the Midwest where potholes are as common as corn fields...but then again, are people in the Midwest replacing their rims annually from potholes?
I have strong reasons to believe that we bought the car with bad rims. I should have had them checked out when my bro-in-law noticed the road noise.
I'm asking Mazda (corporate customer service) for 4 new rims and 4 new tires, but they aren't budging past their script, "It's out of warranty."
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT WE WOULD KNOW IF WE HAD CAUSED 3 RIMS TO BEND. WHATEVER INCIDENT THAT MAY BE.
Please advise with your experience/knowledge. I am ready to battle Mazda for this.

 

With 18" + rim sizes, calling for thinner profile tires, bent rims is what you get.
Yes, Potholes should be avoided, at all cost (cost being rims, tires, suspension). If you follow too close, these cannot be avoided, so practice following a normal respectable distance.

40K miles is more than enough for tranny failure with an automatic. Fluid needs to be changed sooner than that-------I don't care what Mazda says, this is reality!
I suggest you install an aftermarket tranny cooler.
READ: Transmission Fluid Flush Tips | Trucks Plus
and: Flush it or Forget it |*MotorWeek
the latter article suggest changing @ 24,000 - 30,000 miles.
My automatic tranny failed @ 24,000 km. I then got smart an added an external tranny cooler. I am currently @ 70,000 km. I had tranny fluid changed @ around 40,000 km with a synthetic and warranty from tranny shop!

 

Noggin already told you...

You just don't have a way to proof their misdeed. Shop for a used set of wheels, an inch smaller with the tires a bit higher in aspect ratio. (-1 sizing).

Those rims could have been bent when they dropped the car off the transporter or the car hop hit a curb while driving on the sales lot.

 

Just curious on how you drive your car? Having 1 rim bent could be accident, but getting other 3 rims bent would be very strange. If I were you just buy a aftermarket wheels or rims and make sure take care of them. I doubt that Mazda would replace them for such case. I bought a advanti rims with tires combo from 4wheelonline for a affordable price with a good warranty coverage. Check them out and I hope it helps.

 

Good point. And that's my point! (no disrespect to my wife, because she'd admit it as well)...it's my wife's car and she drives like an old lady, not reckless; slow, extra careful!!! And we live where there are good roads, very few potholes! I do not plan on letting this go with Mazda. I will keep pushing them. I've been through two levels of customer service reps, but plan on reaching above those levels. I'm sure that I will eventually reach a person who can break script, and authorize something; because the guys so far keep repeating "It's out of warranty, etc." (reading from their script)
If it were 1 or 2 bent rims...IDK. But 3 definitely...AND another auto place said all 4 are bent! AND the transmission is replaced at 1yr 7 months!?!? There are just too many red flags flying here.

 

In my opinion this car experienced abuse of some form. Probably one single event. Maybe it jumped a curb and landed in the ditch. Beyond tire noise there should (could) be other symptoms. Even with new wheels the car may pull to one side. The wheel alignment may be off in several angles: toe in, camber, caster. To have that checked you need (temporarily) wheels mounted that are true.
There could be evidence of such an event on the under body: bent hangers, grass, gravel stuck somewhere, scratches. Stuff like that.

All the best, and keep us posted. Nothing harder than fighting one of these: