My 1990 420SEL needs some help on the appearance of the rims. I believe I read about a "kit" that was available that you could get. It came with silver paint and clear lacquer. You sanded the wheels down and repainted the silver and then applied a clear coat on the rims? Has anyone used this product and performed this "do it yourself" procedure with success? If so, where do you purchase? Thanks, Tony.

Tried something like that on some wheel covers for our Toyota Previa minivan. The van had rubbed to many curbs, and the paint was scratched off. So we power washed the covers, stripped almost all the paint of it, then sanded the rest. We bought the products from Pepboys, and it included a cleaner, adhesive, primer, Titanium spray paint (a little darker then silver, helps cover break dust alot more) and then a laquer finish, and clear coat. Spent about $60 in materials. I'd say the ultimate result was alright. But it looked tacky.

I don't know these kits are any better, but It seems to me like its a cheap way out, almost like buying spray paint to paint some of yor car, when manufacturers paint your wheels, they go through a process that no do it yourself kit can do. Also after all that work to make our wheel covers look good, the paint flaked of with a high pressure spray of water from the garden hose. O well, you live and learn.

__________________
Chirag (Charlie) Patel
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- 03 Mercedes S600 Sport TTV12
- 97 Acura NSX-T
- 99 BMW E36 M3 w/500+ HP
- 04 Lexus RX330
- 04 Dodge Dakota Quad 4x4 V8

4 Sale:
- 99 BMW M3 E36 Coup with Dinan SC, Upgraded to an RMS Stage 3 with Aftercooler, 12psi, and 500+hp @ flywheel.

If you are considering repainting your rims, you better have that done by a paint-shop.
Repainting the rims with any kind of low-budget DIY package will most probably end up with rims loosing the paint by just being used. A second repaint by a paint-shop will involve more labor removing the inferior paint first.

Just my opinion...greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Thanks guys for your comments, I really thought as much. There is a place near my home that will do the rims for $100.00 a piece. Capitol West sells new rims for $134.00 a piece. Has any one seen the quality of these rims from Capitol West? Thanks, Tony.

Try Griots Garage. I bought a kit from them and it worked great.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/search.jsp?searchtext=paint&searchtext=paint&Page=2

Good luck!

I had a set of four rims powdercoated in Oakland for $50 apeice. This included beadblasting and a light silver flake metallic with a clearcoat. It was a nice thick glossy baked finish. (A Wheel Works store subsequently jazzed them up with the air wrench... a long story.)

If you're near Oakland or want to ship them, I can give you the name&number of the powdercoat place.

When you get your tires mounted, get them done at the dealer and make darn sure they don't use pneumatic tools.

Justin
Oakland, CA
87 300D 201k

Thanks guys, I found a place about 10 miles from my house "Wheel Worx" they bead plast, strip, rebalance, prine, paint and clear coat for $100.00 per wheel. Two of my wheels are in pretty good shape, two are no good, I think I'll give them a try. Tony