Wheel refurb. Powdercoat or paint?

[StuBeeDoo]

FOOTNOTE, but more tyre- than wheel-related:- The wheels may be going on the car sooner than my usual winter schedule of mid-November. We're planning on going to Scotland in a couple of weeks, if COVID restrictions allow. I've just watched a video of the drive to the accommodation from the nearest classified road. It looks to me that if the weather is any more than damp - ie normal for Scotland - the "road" is going to get decidedly muddy. Definitely not a good location for non-M+S tyres. One-up for CrossClimates.

[StuBeeDoo]

The wheels may be going on the car sooner than my usual winter schedule (etc, etc)

They did, and it was the right thing to do. It has been lashing-down here for days, and the access to the cottage is extremely muddy. No loss of grip with the CrossClimates. They are also excellent at cutting through standing water on A-roads and Motorways.

3 wheels now have 40g on, and one has 20g.

........And the balance is spot-on.

[StuBeeDoo]

Last Sunday, covered in 220 miles-worth of Motorway & A-road muck and 20 of B-road & farm track mud & animal s t...........

10 04 The Byre 1.JPG (197.24 KiB) Viewed 4110 times

I'm still not sure about the colour of the wheels, but I have to admit they don't look as bad with that amount of dirt on as silver ones would.

It has been lashing-down here for days, and the access to the cottage is extremely muddy. No loss of grip with the CrossClimates. They are also excellent at cutting through standing water on A-roads and Motorways.

A few more thoughts about the CrossClimate tyres, after nearly 1000 miles......... They are remarkably quiet - not "crashy" on un-repaired surfaces - and coarse tarmac or concrete surfaces are far less noticeable. When pushing-on, in the dry, the lack of ribs in the tread can become evident - but when I noticed it, I was taking a series of bends rather quickly. Aesthetically, they look a bit on the skinny side. Fuel consumption was 3-5% higher than I'd have thought - I got a true figure of 38mpg when I would have expected nearer 40. If they live-up to Michelin's claims when we get some snow and slush on the roads, I could be tempted to use them all year round and not bother with summer tyres.

[sapphireblack]

I quite like those wheels tbh.

At the risk of creating angst they have a brownish hue to them in my eyes.

[StuBeeDoo]

At the risk of creating angst they have a brownish hue to them in my eyes.

That'll be the coating of cow- and sheep-s t, then.

[StuBeeDoo]

Spent this morning cleaning all the poo off. By the time we got home it was a lot worse than the pic above, from this time last week. Below the window-line, the car was brown - and anywhere within a metre of the car, you could smell it.

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Autumn public 2.jpg (171.76 KiB) Viewed 4084 times

[sapphireblack]

I thought I'd add a footnote to this thread though the information may not apply universally.

In making enquiries about a BMW blue finish, i spoke to Wicked Wheels in Crawley. West Sussex. This business did my black 'Teflon' wheels, a semi matt black that looks like err, Teflon. These are powder coated wheels. I asked that they use powder for the proposed blue set and thats when i learned something new.

Silver and black would be powder finished as they're popular colours. Pretty much anything else would be a powder coated base with a wet colour, painted obviously, and laquer over! I had always believed that powder coating was homogeneous, it seems with this business anyway that is not necessarily the case, a real surprise to me.

What this means is my desire for blue wheels is somewhat compromised as powder coating is tougher in my experience. I dare say some anthracite shades could be powder too but i think i'll now have to revert to black gloss, though will have to check that would be a homogeneous powder finish anyway.

Disappointed

[StuBeeDoo]

Interesting.

I was given to believe by the last 2 firms who have done powder coating for me that the powder comes in many different colours.

See here....... https://www.ukpowdercoatings.com/colours-and-finishes/

The company I used in around 2015 quoted me 20% premium on their normal price for any colour they don't stock, and said they would be happy to get as close as they could to whatever colour I wanted. This is their website..... https://rsalloy.co.uk/custom-wheels/

[sapphireblack]

That's interesting and appreciated

Perhaps Wicked Wheels have supply issues or other criteria that stopped me in my tracks during the week. I've messaged to uk powder coatings and await their response.

Could be game (back) on after all

[StuBeeDoo]

I've messaged to uk powder coatings and await their response.

Let us know of any progress. Your blue wheels idea intrigues me. I think I posted before, somewhere, that I could be tempted to do it on one or other of my sets.

[sapphireblack]

I'll have to see what transpires now, kind of talked myself into gloss black again albeit from another business who only use powder, didn't enquire about the blue though. I will when 'legal' van hire and moving around permits

[sapphireblack]

Had one response today but not a good one

The process would be based on a powder undercoat, wet colour and powder laquer/top coat, apparently the normal process for all wheel refurbs, i am advised. The colour though is off enough to reject this option.

[StuBeeDoo]

powder undercoat, wet colour and powder laquer/top coat, apparently the normal process for all wheel refurbs, i am advised

Really?? The plot thickens............

[StuBeeDoo]

Really?? The plot thickens............

I've been thinking about this powdercoating malarky.
If powdercoting is as good as refurbers would like us to believe, why don't wheels come from the factory with it? What do refurbers know that vehicle and wheel manufacturers haven't realised??

[sapphireblack]

Good questions, probabaly logistics or cost or both?

I never heard from the powder company i emailed, twice. Sadly the members offer to do another photoshop didnt materialise and I've tired of this quite a bit.

Given the worlds in a mess right now and what was my principal car isnt even being used this really isnt a priority issue. If i do anything now they will probably be gloss black or possibly what i think Is BMW Ferric Grey, the colour of the type 435 wheels i regret i sold.

The wheels are also for sale now.