21” alloy refurb

[Killysprint]

Have been to see a potential car today.

Is a sport+ and has the 21” polished alloy / chrome ?? Finish wheels, the fronts are curbed and was wondering whether it is possible to refinish them to factory finish, or what have others done when they have curb rash???

thanks

[scudney]

Yes it's possible like with most wheels,the diamond cut ones just cost more to refurbish

[Spock66]

Should be possible, best to contact a refurbisher and get their opinion.

I have found diamond cut wheels do tend to corrode and you end up with unsightly white swirl marks, so powder coating may be a better long term solution.

[wendle]

These are not diamond cut wheels, and are a nightmare to get repaired, i believe that there are only a couple of places that can do them, when i looked into getting mine done it was around £700 to get it back to factory finish and they required the wheel for a good week, or they did a local repair which they said would look pretty invisible  from 1 meter away for £150 ( not sure how long they needed the wheel for this )sorry i can't remember the company name, i think they were up north somewhere, i was going to have to send them the wheel

I was lucky that my Local Dealership has a very good repair guy, I have used him for years, how he repaired it i dont know but he made a pretty good job, is it back to factory finish, no, but i think you would have to look very hard to see it. ( £95 ).

 

top 2 photos are the damage, bottom 2 the refurbishment.

[Killysprint]

@wendlethanks for your reply.

I had a feeling they’d be difficult to repair. 
The damage to the wheels on the car I looked at was much worse than yours. With gouges and curb damage on the fronts, not sure how well they’ll repair. 
the car itself had scraps on each corner and damage to the rear bumper just under the lc500 badge, as well as being filthy inside. In fairness the car hadn’t been prepped, but I’ve discounted it as it obviously has been unloved, and to compound this had 3 Pirelli’s, and one Michelin tyre, the Pirelli rear having a repair (thought you couldn’t repair runfalts!!). 
 

[wendle]

it sounds like they have hit the curb quite hard and blown a tyre, hence the odd tyre, i didn't think you could repair run flats either, possibly if you notice it flat and dont drive on it you may get away with a repair.

its a shame that a car like that has not been particularly well looked after.

it depends on the price, they should get the wheels and everything repaired before you buy it, unless your looking at a private buy, then you will need to allow for £700 for each wheel repair and for the rear bumper repair.

[SCB]

The 21 alloys are a total nightmare to get repaired/refinished. I bought my car from a Lexus dealer who eventually gave up trying to get the wheel repaired before i would accept the car, and just replaced the wheel with a new one. I think I remember there was someone on here who found a company in Milton Keynes that could do the refurb, but I don't have more details than that. Sorry, and good luck with the car search.

[rayaans]

I think Lepsons can do it. 

The problem is, its not worth the hassle or the cost and its easier just to reproduce the finish in diamond cut rather than the polished chrome 

[Brian R]

If it's any help, I had some BMW M wheels painted in a chrome finish. The paint did a very good job of giving the illusion they were chromed, additionally the wheel barrels were painted black. The whole effect and the finish was superb.

The problem as I see it with the 21 inch LC wheels is that they have a polished and a painted finish on the same wheel face. I dare say some wheel refurbers would be able/prepared to paint say a chrome finish and black where required. All a bit of a faff and I dare say expensive, and of course all four wheels would need to be done.

Out of interest, the car you described sounds very much like one I looked at over a year ago. Was it red and with a sport spec?

[eightk]

Very few wheel places will have the skills to repair this finish - that’s why there are cars for sale with sprayed silver or gold wheels instead.

I was told there’s a place in Trafford Park Manchester that can do them but it won’t be cheap.