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Bought a nice BMW 320d from auction this week, but the alloys on the nearside have slight kerbing damage; a scrape on the rim to each wheel and a light scuff to one of the spokes on the rear wheel. It's nothing too bad, but a bit unsightly and I'd like to get it fixed. Has anyone any experience of getting alloys refurbished? I've no doubt that I can send them away and get them back refinished and resprayed having spent lots of money, but it is now possible to have them done at home by a mobile service and I wonder what they do? I'm not sure I want the rim to be ground down till the damaged part disappears and then polished, the rim is surely there to prevent worse damage when close to a kerb? And aren't the wheels sprayed silver from new, not polished? Surely the mobile service isn't going to grind down the edge, repaint and relacquer? Pleased to hear from anyone who has had this problem fixed and how you got on. I'm near Cambridge by the way. Thanks in anticipation. Regards, Steve
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im near cambridge too, i worked at a dealer that used a mobile outfit, the do grind out the damage, but they use a rather cheap n nasty paint that wont last like original
you say you want the lip polished...do you realise that will corrode in days once you drive in the winter, and laquered ones peel off after a while
sending them away isnt too bad if you can run a spare ...costs about £40 for a standard silver wheel...split rims are more
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Perhaps your local BMW dealer could offer advice? They must get a lot of them done.
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Send them away for proper cleaning, filling and powder coating. Otherwise you'll be doing it again in 6 months time.
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I had mine refurbished for £20 each. Thats for a set of 15" alloys. Very happy with the result. Look at the FAQ on this site, there are contact details of various firms who do this in the UK. I used lap-tab in birmingham (as mentioned on the FAQ). The 'standard silver' they used was slightly darker than the original colour, but as I had all four done that wasn't a problem.
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I'm about to get two sets done at:
www.wheelrefurbishing.co.uk/
who are about an hour from Cambridge. Prices very reasonable and reputation excellent, as confirmed by my Porsche-dealer neighbour.
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Thanks for the link Roger. They are just 20 miles from me in Aylesbury - and therefore inside the 40 mile free pickup radius - and the service seems pukka and above board. Will give them a try the next time the V70 is due new tyres; I have one kerbed alloy from when the car was but a few days old (the first time I encountered the huge turning circle, with no room to reverse and take another bite) and two that are scuffed along the face from OEM wheel weights that moved their way around the rim over time (I now use stick on ones).
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Thanks to all for the advice. I contacted Lab Tap who would do the wheels within the day if I arrived at 8am (useful quick turnround) but it was a bit pricey at £45+vat per wheel (and £15+vat to their local garage for removing and refitting the tyres) making £282 all paid. So thanks to Roger for mentioning wheelrefurbishing.co who I have just spoken to and am going to try out at £34+vat per wheel, £159.80 all paid. They seem to have a wider range of colours too, the only problem is I now have to find enough bricks to put the car on while the wheels are away!
Regards, Steve
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>>only problem is I now have to find enough bricks to put the car on while the wheels are away!
I think you're joking... but just in case you're not, don't put the car on bricks. Bricks are brittle and may fracture under compressive load. Don't do it... otherwise your £159 will be cheap compared to the damage you do!
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Yes, beware of bricks, even engineering bricks. Axle stands aren't expensive, and putting some solid wood between them and the support points may give added comfort (that's what my mechanic always does, with blocks at least an inch thick and about 6+ inches square. Check the handbook or ask a dealer to ensure that you know exactly where the support points are; they are not necessarily at the jacking points.
Glad the link is helpful. Hope you get good results.
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I think you're joking
I was, but thanks anyway for a timely warning. The car is now sitting on axle stands at the front and metal ramps (on their sides) at the back, with wooden blocks inserted in each location. Can't wait to see how the wheels look when they're done - I'll report back.
Steve
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