Please Help with Repair Recommendations for OEM 18's

slicer · 06-19-2009, 06:04 AM

My (former) car wash damaged one of my factory 18's puting the car on their track. Needless to say I'm pissed. They have agreed to repair it. It's about 2" of paint scratched off the lip edge. I'm looking for recommendations on the proper way to fix it. I know of a number of people here in Minneapolis who repair rims but I thought that some of you might have some insight. Should I demand a new wheel? Should I make sure the repaint the entire wheel? Other thoughts? TIA

ACZakka325i · 06-19-2009, 09:34 AM

IIRC, its tough to repair 18's because of the powder/painted color finish.... GL!

slicer · 06-19-2009, 09:56 AM

Is it actually powder coat?

slicer · 06-19-2009, 09:57 AM

Anyone know the best place to buy OEM wheels? Is there a supplier on-line that folks have used? I will also check with my local dealer.

Singletrack · 06-19-2009, 10:24 AM

I'd request a new wheel - it was new when you went there, and screwed up when you left. They have insurance, they will have to submit it and an adjuster will come out to look at the wheel. Tell him you want a new wheel, not to have it refinished. Don't compromise.

I don't do car washes period, but if you must, I would go touchless, then have a detailing shop detail it every few months to get all the crap off that the touchless doesn't get.

I've had wheels repainted by wheel collision in bath, pa, but I was not trying to match a factory finish - that could be more difficult on a gunmetal color like the stock 18s.

Good luck - wheel stuff is aggravating as hell.

Singletrack · 06-19-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicer

Anyone know the best place to buy OEM wheels? Is there a supplier on-line that folks have used? I will also check with my local dealer.

Tischer BMW is the online dealer that sells at discounted prices. There or Ebay, but everything on Ebay is going to be sets of wheels, not individual.

Good Luck.

slicer · 06-19-2009, 11:41 AM

Thanks for your help guys. I will check with Tischer. I agree that I should push for a replacement. Local dealer price is $533.

Still curious to know if it is a powder coat finish.

Singletrack · 06-22-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicer

Thanks for your help guys. I will check with Tischer. I agree that I should push for a replacement. Local dealer price is $533.

Still curious to know if it is a powder coat finish.

I think they are painted...but the OEM finishes tend to be extremely durable vs. an aftermarket which will not be as good.

vtm3 · 07-09-2009, 05:21 AM

I had all four wheels damaged by a tire shop. The manager offered to have his wheel guy fix it. He bought the paint from BMW and touched up the dings and scrapes. Now it looks like a painted ding and scrape. So based on this thread, I am guessing that's about as good as it's going to get? Can they be completely redone, or is it going to be too much trouble and still not look oem? I assume that in order to get them powder coated you have to remove the tire and take them to the shop or can you drive up to a wheel shop and they do everything?

Lemans_Blue_M · 07-09-2009, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtm3

I had all four wheels damaged by a tire shop. The manager offered to have his wheel guy fix it. He bought the paint from BMW and touched up the dings and scrapes. Now it looks like a painted ding and scrape. So based on this thread, I am guessing that's about as good as it's going to get? Can they be completely redone, or is it going to be too much trouble and still not look oem? I assume that in order to get them powder coated you have to remove the tire and take them to the shop or can you drive up to a wheel shop and they do everything?

You got it brother. Just live with it...

There is no way to get an exact color match on the OEM 18" wheel. That exterior color is a combination of different paint colors that are applied in layers, so recreating that outside of the factory is nearly impossible.

Diamond Black or Hyper Silver are two examples of difficult aftermarket wheel colors to repair.

That is why I always caution anyone who is thinking about getting a very complex wheel color. Once it gets scraped or chipped, repairing it becomes an issue.

06-19-2009, 06:04 AM	#1
slicer Major General 2738 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Please Help with Repair Recommendations for OEM 18's My (former) car wash damaged one of my factory 18's puting the car on their track. Needless to say I'm pissed. They have agreed to repair it. It's about 2" of paint scratched off the lip edge. I'm looking for recommendations on the proper way to fix it. I know of a number of people here in Minneapolis who repair rims but I thought that some of you might have some insight. Should I demand a new wheel? Should I make sure the repaint the entire wheel? Other thoughts? TIA
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06-19-2009, 09:34 AM	#2
ACZakka325i Colonel 277 Rep 2,008 Posts Drives: 2 stroke Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: CT iTrader: (2)	IIRC, its tough to repair 18's because of the powder/painted color finish.... GL! __________________ (Waitlist): #1 M2CSL (Current): 2016 F15 X5 3.5xdrive - 2010 997.2 C4S Coupe (Past): 2016 F30 340xi M-Sport -2013 535i xdrive 2008 E92 M3 - 2006 E90 325i 2002 E46 325xi - 1991 E30 325i
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06-19-2009, 09:56 AM	#3
slicer Major General 2738 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Is it actually powder coat?
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06-19-2009, 09:57 AM	#4
slicer Major General 2738 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Anyone know the best place to buy OEM wheels? Is there a supplier on-line that folks have used? I will also check with my local dealer.
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06-19-2009, 10:24 AM	#5
Singletrack 4th down; 4th quarter? Renegade. 87 Rep 3,850 Posts Drives: 09 SSII E92 M3; 19 FG M5C Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (3)	I'd request a new wheel - it was new when you went there, and screwed up when you left. They have insurance, they will have to submit it and an adjuster will come out to look at the wheel. Tell him you want a new wheel, not to have it refinished. Don't compromise. I don't do car washes period, but if you must, I would go touchless, then have a detailing shop detail it every few months to get all the crap off that the touchless doesn't get. I've had wheels repainted by wheel collision in bath, pa, but I was not trying to match a factory finish - that could be more difficult on a gunmetal color like the stock 18s. Good luck - wheel stuff is aggravating as hell.
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06-19-2009, 11:41 AM	#7
slicer Major General 2738 Rep 6,734 Posts Drives: 'E46 M3 Race Car, '23 X7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Wisconsin - Instagram - @slicer_m iTrader: (39)	Thanks for your help guys. I will check with Tischer. I agree that I should push for a replacement. Local dealer price is $533. Still curious to know if it is a powder coat finish.
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07-09-2009, 05:21 AM	#9
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	I had all four wheels damaged by a tire shop. The manager offered to have his wheel guy fix it. He bought the paint from BMW and touched up the dings and scrapes. Now it looks like a painted ding and scrape. So based on this thread, I am guessing that's about as good as it's going to get? Can they be completely redone, or is it going to be too much trouble and still not look oem? I assume that in order to get them powder coated you have to remove the tire and take them to the shop or can you drive up to a wheel shop and they do everything?
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