Alloy wheel refurbishment

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Alloy wheels are the rims that hold your tyres to the rest of the vehicle, that are then connected to the axle and braking system.

They are made with a combination of metals, most commonly being aluminium alloy in modern vehicles.

Alloy wheels are popular in automotive design due to their lighter weight, which can improve performance and fuel efficiency compared to traditional steel wheels.

Aesthetically, they are also more popular with drivers, and they also offer better heat conduction and enhance braking performance of the vehicle. Nowadays, the vast majority of new cars have alloys.

Although it isn’t the most important component of tyre safety, regular maintenance of your alloys and ensuring your whole wheel system is working perfectly is important for all drivers.

When it comes to the most likely damage you will see to alloy wheels, it will be a scratch, dent or chip to the outside of the alloy – often accompanied by damage to the tyre tread or sidewall.

These are often as a result of clipping a curb while driving or parking, hitting a pothole, or as the result of an incident with another vehicle.

It can also be as a result of debris or stones on the road.

A more uncommon reason for damage to your alloys, can be from using the wrong cleaning materials.

Alloys are often covered in a protective sealant to keen the tyre safe. Over time, using the wrong products will break down the shielding layer, and ruin your shiny wheels.

On average, refurbishing alloy wheels can cost anywhere between £80 and £120 per wheel

If you are looking to refurbish your alloy wheels, then you’ll need to consider how much damage they have suffered, the type of car you drive, how premium the model is, and several other factors.

The overall cost may or may not include the price to have your alloy wheels refitted. Check this with your mechanic.

You may also need to have your wheels rebalanced, if the incident that caused the damage the alloys impacted the steering.

Having high quality and well-maintained alloys will increase the value of your car when it comes to selling it.

Although it is more aesthetically pleasing to see a high-quality finish on an alloy wheel, it also increases the safety of the vehicle.

Diamond cut alloy wheels involve a type of finish that uses a lathe to cut very thin layers of metal from the wheel's surface.

This cutting process creates a distinctive shiny yet textured finish.

The reason for its name is due to what the alloys look like after the work has been carried out.

In many cases, the cut is in a pattern, and the remaining surface is often coated or painted for additional protection.

The vehicle owner will also likely have a say in the design of the finish.

Diamond cut alloys are more common in premium models and can be expensive to have – and repair.

As diamond cut alloy wheels are a higher quality and more desirable option, they come with a high price tag.

Prices start from £130, but this would be for smaller wheels (under 20 inches). For larger models, this price can increase exponentially. If you are having all four diamond cut alloy wheels refurbished, you could expect to see a bill of more than £1,000.

Powder coating alloy wheels is another option for drivers looking to have a nice finish on their alloy wheels.

The process to have this type of finish to an alloy wheel is different to most other options.

Once you have removed and cleaned the wheel, a mechanic will preheat the alloy wheels in an oven to remove any residual moisture and to prepare the surface for powder coating.

Following this they will spray the electrostatically charged powder onto the preheated wheels. The powder sticks to the metal due to the electrostatic charge.

The wheels are then put back in the over, where the powder melts to form the coating on the alloy.

They a then left to cool before being reattached to the vehicle.

In the vast majority of cases, powder coating your alloy wheels will not cost your extra - in fact it will likely be included within the original cost.

However, for higher spec models, there may be an additional cost of up to £100.