[Jcol]

Actually, my wife parked too close to a curb and ended up putting several deep circular swirl marks on a single spoke of the rim. The marks might buff out however there also appears to be some sort of protective film over the surface which would also have be be replaced in order to get it to look right. Before I just go to the dealer and order another rim has anyone ever attempted to fix this kind of damage? Would a body shop be able to deal with it or is it ruined?

Thanks

 

[Silver LTZ]

DO NOT buy another. There are many places that can fix wheels. I had one fixed on a Corvette I bought years back. It was curbed bad, the place fixed it like new. Cost maybe $75. Google "wheel repair" and you can find a local place. The guy that did mine even came to my house.

 

[Plague]

Wanting to replace your entire wheel because of some scratches???? Thats going a tad overkill on the problem. As SilverLTZ said, you can easily take the wheel and have it sent off to be repaired for much cheaper than you could ever buy a new wheel for.

BUT why would you? Your car is a daily driver, isn't it? What will you do when you get a ding or dent? Replace the entire panel where the damage is? what about a scratch in the paint? Would you have your entire car repainted then? If your car is a daily driver this is just part of your cars life. If you try and protect it from every little thing out there you'll never truly enjoy your vehicle. It's just my opinion but things like a little road rash on your wheels is part of daily life, you'll spend a fortune trying to keep your car pristine.

 

[Silver LTZ]

Wanting to replace your entire wheel because of some scratches???? Thats going a tad overkill on the problem. As SilverLTZ said, you can easily take the wheel and have it sent off to be repaired for much cheaper than you could ever buy a new wheel for.

BUT why would you? Your car is a daily driver, isn't it? What will you do when you get a ding or dent? Replace the entire panel where the damage is? what about a scratch in the paint? Would you have your entire car repainted then? If your car is a daily driver this is just part of your cars life. If you try and protect it from every little thing out there you'll never truly enjoy your vehicle. It's just my opinion but things like a little road rash on your wheels is part of daily life, you'll spend a fortune trying to keep your car pristine.

I can see him wanting to fix it, daily driver or not I would too.

 

[Jcol]

Thanks for the tip about the rim repair option SilverSLT. I'll look for a local repair option.

Thank you for your comments as well Plague but I disagree. The marks on this rim are deep and I DO plan to keep this car a pristine as possible. I'm sure there are many other car owns who strive to keep their cars as free of road rash as possible and just because it is a daily driver does not mean that it can't look as good as the day it was purchased. I have already had a door panel repainted as a result of some idiot who opened his/her door and hit mine so hard it chipped the paint down to the metal and put a small dent in the door. I also have a touch up paint kit and have fixed several small chips myself. I agree that road rash is a fact of live and I don't have a melt down or anything whenever they occur, but I'll still do my best the minimize the damage whenever possible. If I can get the rim fixed for under $100 I'll do that in a second.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Thanks for the tip about the rim repair option SilverSLT. I'll look for a local repair option.

Thank you for your comments as well Plague but I disagree. The marks on this rim are deep and I DO plan to keep this car a pristine as possible. I'm sure there are many other car owns who strive to keep their cars as free of road rash as possible and just because it is a daily driver does not mean that it can't look as good as the day it was purchased. I have already had a door panel repainted as a result of some idiot who opened his/her door and hit mine so hard it chipped the paint down to the metal and put a small dent in the door. I also have a touch up paint kit and have fixed several small chips myself. I agree that road rash is a fact of live and I don't have a melt down or anything whenever they occur, but I'll still do my best the minimize the damage whenever possible. If I can get the rim fixed for under $100 I'll do that in a second.

I second your desire to fix it and to keep it looking as good as possible. My daily driver is my only car, period. It's the largest purchase in my life (I rent) so I'm enjoying having a decent car. If road rash claims a portion of it I'm certainly going to do my best to restore it and be proud once again of the car I drive.

Driving around in a beater is not what I'm paying for, and a little preventive action (maintenance, avoidance, and/or repair) pays dividends.

When ya get it fixed post up some pics of before and after so we can see the results, okay?

 

[Jcol]

Well, there is lots of info on the web so I've decided to fix it myself. I took the wheel off yesterday and hand sanded away the marks. Started with 180 sand paper, then 240 and finally wetsanding at 1200. Area is now smooth and shiney again. Off to Napa today to try and find a paint match for the clear coat spray that covers the rim. This is my biggests concern - getting a clear coat that will cover the sanded area and blend in with the original. I tried taking a cell phone before picture but it didn't turn out however if my finished turns out I'll dig out the good camera and post. Thanks.

 

[my1stlt]

I'd do the same thing. I've done it before for my aftermarket wheels on my tuner car.
Jcol, +1 to you on keeping your ride brand new as the first day you took it home.

 

[jerrymoen]

this is the place i use. They come in a huge truck and do it mobile. Awesome work! rim repair