Should I have these wheels powder coated?

[tsklan]

I'm trying to put a 98 M Roadster back into respectable shape after about ten years of neglect. It's hard to know where to start, but making the wheels look good again might keep me motivated. Besides discoloration which I was unable to remove with ordinary cleaning, I noticed peeling clear coat on at least one wheel. Also there's a bit of curb rash on another.

Is powder coating the best answer?

To be honest, I'd never heard of powder-coating until a few months ago. There are some shops in town that specialize in wheel repair and powder coating, but I thought I would ask here before I make that decision. At this point, I have prices that range from $340 to $550 for all four wheels.

I'd like to hear opinions on any aspect of this topic.

Is powder the best way, or can paint be better? If the wheels are powder-coated, what prep work is needed for a good job? What should I see or hear at the shop to feel confident? What questions should I ask?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

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[Mr Bingley]

Yes. Also new center caps.

[pine1000]

The style 40 wheels on the M Roadsters had a special 2 step paint process that is hard to replicate. I think Prince Wheel in Charlotte, NC is the shop that most people recommend if you want to match the paint.

[BimmerBreaker]

The style 40 wheels on the M Roadsters had a special 2 step paint process that is hard to replicate. I think Prince Wheel in Charlotte, NC is the shop that most people recommend if you want to match the paint.

That is only true for the 01-02 "Shadow chrome" wheels

98-00 were "hypersilver" which is a pretty standard silver wheel finish

[Hoyt Clagwell]

'just my opinion but the shadow chrome looks awesome on certain colors of cars. I'm not sure I like it on Arctic Silver (like mine), if the Ms even came in that color.

[pine1000]

That is only true for the 01-02 "Shadow chrome" wheels

98-00 were "hypersilver" which is a pretty standard silver wheel finish

I'm pretty sure the hypersilver is also a multi-step paint process. It definitely looks different than other BMW silver rims and the DIY wheel refinish paints (like wurth) are not even close.

https://www.liveabout.com/wheel-fini...silver-3234507

[tsklan]

I'm pretty sure the hypersilver is also a multi-step paint process. It definitely looks different than other BMW silver rims and the DIY wheel refinish paints (like wurth) are not even close.

https://www.liveabout.com/wheel-fini...silver-3234507

Whoa. I didn't realize it was this complex. It sounds like wheel refinishing is yet another thing on this car that will soak up another month's worth of gross salary. I'm in Texas. Putting the car on blocks and shipping four wheels to NC seems like a millionaire thing to do.

Rather than refinishing the wheels with something more standard, would you just glue on a center cap and leave them as they are?

[Pima Roadster]

You can probably find someone in The Lone Star State to do the work. I had the multi-piece style 42 wheels redone last year & yes, what a difference. When a wheel shop does the work properly, they are trued as well as repaired (kerb rash) & refinished. Highly recommend it & imo worth the expense!

[mpire]

I've had both the 2 stage painting process and the powder-coat done, and honestly its just about what you want. Powder coat is fine, but its not really any better or more durable than having them repainted.

I wouldn't pay extra money for the chrome shadow two stage process if you actually drive the car, just get something close that looks good to you.

I've seen wheels that were done by guys in their own garage with rattle can silver that looked really good.

The difference was they sanded the whole face of the wheels, filled in any cracks, did a primer coat, several color coats, then hit it with clear.

I would say they put in dramatically more time than any professional would have done, and if they didn't like it, they could sand and repaint.

2k clear in the rattle can makes everything look great.

[BimmerBreaker]

I'm pretty sure the hypersilver is also a multi-step paint process. It definitely looks different than other BMW silver rims and the DIY wheel refinish paints (like wurth) are not even close.

https://www.liveabout.com/wheel-fini...silver-3234507

The wheel pictured in that article is an E39 M5 Style 65 and the "smoked hypersilver" finish they describe is what is more often known as "shadow chrome". I've never heard of the earlier "hypersilver" wheels being a multi-stage process, and looking at them in person, they don't have anywhere close to the same depth as shadow chrome so I don't think it's actually the case that they had a multi-stage finish. I could be wrong there, but I've seen standard silver painted finishes that match hypersilver dead-on so never suspected they were anything unique. It's just a matter of finding the right paint for those. Shadow chrome on the other hand is almost impossible to match via DIY methods or at most wheel shops. I have had a shop powdercoat a gloss black base then paint a translucent silver mix on top which was I would say 85% the same as the original finish, the main difference being if you got up really close to it you could see the "specks" of metallic paint flake, whereas the real shadow chrome finish is "smooth"

- - - Updated - - -

'just my opinion but the shadow chrome looks awesome on certain colors of cars. I'm not sure I like it on Arctic Silver (like mine), if the Ms even came in that color.

Yeah the M's were available in Arctic Silver until replaced by Titanium Silver around the time the non-M's received a facelift. 99/00.

[Mr Bingley]

I just has two sets powder coated hypersilver and properly done it is indeed a two step process--the local shop had to ship them to a place in Indiana--there are very few that can replicate it. All told with mounting, balancing and disposal it came to about $1,200.00 a set.

[TexaZ3]

Powder is just fine. Hypersilver is very close to shadow chrome to untrained eye, tbh.
Most BMW dealers will powdercoat and balance these for you for $150 a wheel.

[tsklan]

The different opinions are interesting and I'm learning from everyone's post. Thank you.

The shop I'm thinking of using says he "clicked" the article that Pine1000 linked above. The shop owner states:

I clicked on the link it had some very valuable information but it’s nothing that I don’t already know. Hyper silver is more of a process than it is an actual color. You can make the hyper extremely bright or you can make the hyper extremely dark. Call hyper silver finishes start with a black basecoat and the more hyper you spray the brighter it gets in the less hyper you spray the darker it gets. So your BMW wheels we could make them bright hyper or we can make them dark hyper or anything in between. Often times there are color and shade differences depending on what batch of wheels you get. Example I had a customer order a brand-new set of Lexus wheels. Three of them were the same color and shade but one of them was completely different even though it was still hyper. This is because three of the wheels came out of the same batch at the factory and the fourth one came out of a completely different batch. As far as samples go my office is very small and we do not have a lot of samples up for display. Basically if you want to bring the wheels here you’ll just have to decide on whether you want a bright hyper a dark hyper or something in between and then just trust the process.

Thoughts?

He only does powder coating, not regular painting. This particular shop wants $500 including balance and mounting afterwards, and he says they do it in 24 hours.

[KeysCoupe]

I would recommend powder coating. If you ever really work your brakes, a basecoat/clearcout paint finish will have heated brake dust/iron burn into the paint. The powder coat is much more resistant to this.
I had Prince Wheel refinish my wheels in hypersilver many years ago. It was a single coat process and ended up slightly darker than original. Their shadow chrome is a two stage process beginning with a black base, then multiple silver coats to duplicate the original color very well. The shadow chrome finish was nearly twice the price back then.
For your hypersilver wheels, find a local podwercoater with a bright fine finish that suits your eye and budget.
-Donny

[TexaZ3]

$500 is a decent price to powder a set of wheels. In fact, this is cheaper than I can get that done right now at any places I used before. Most are up to $150-160 a wheel.

[cyberman]

+1

$500 is a decent price to powder a set of wheels

I'm retired and on a mostly fixed income. My car, with nearly 100k miles will never be a collector's car, at least not in my lifetime. So, I take the approach that improvements can be "good enough" rather than "perfect" or "original". Once I realized this, the car became my project toy with any customization fair game as long as I like it. So, my question would be, why try to keep it original? Will it or can it be a collector's car?

I sanded my wheels and rattle can sprayed them gloss black and then a few coats of clear. If you look closely, there are flaws, but they're "good enough" for me. In the picture below, you'll see some other customizations (white interior, black rockers, speakers in the rollbar). It gets a lot of compliments. Now, if only I could put a V8 in it...

car22.jpg

[mpire]

I find it rather ridiculous that people will pay insane amounts for wheel refinishing but then refuse to replace old hard rubber bushings that make the car handle like shit.

[ProductUser]

I find it rather ridiculous that people will pay insane amounts for wheel refinishing but then refuse to replace old hard rubber bushings that make the car handle like shit.

Presentation is everything to most people.

[cyberman]

I find it rather ridiculous that people will pay insane amounts for wheel refinishing but then refuse to replace old hard rubber bushings that make the car handle like shit.

I think most of the people here are concerned about taking care of their cars and getting ahead of maintenance. Out in the rest of the world, well appearance is everything, but most don't really "know" how to drive, so good handling is wasted on them anyway.

[Randy Forbes]

Powder is just fine. Hypersilver is very close to shadow chrome to untrained eye, tbh.
Most BMW dealers will powdercoat and balance these for you for $150 a wheel.

For comparison, Chrome Shadow & Hypersilver. These are untouched factory original finishes (picture taken in Sue's condo basement, so it dates back to about 2002-2003?).

[Mr Bingley]

I find it rather ridiculous that people will pay insane amounts for wheel refinishing but then refuse to replace old hard rubber bushings that make the car handle like shit.

I think most of the people here are concerned about taking care of their cars and getting ahead of maintenance. Out in the rest of the world, well appearance is everything, but most don't really "know" how to drive, so good handling is wasted on them anyway.

For my part, and I have two, all the maintenance has been done; all the bushings and suspension replaced; the cooling systems done (one with Zionsville); the paintwork completely redone, one interior completely redone and the other low mile stock with no wear; one I supercharged, the other is bone stock; the stereos are done (ok, one is HK original but as perfect as that can be, and the other is highly modified); one's subframe is done and the other's welds are perfect; the drivelines are done--everything's been done. For me there is simply nothing left to do, so I had the wheels powder coated--they needed new rubber anyway--it was a good time for it. I have this OCD thing about making/keeping them perfect--like they just rolled off the line--I know its silly and futile, but it's fun to try. I know how to drive them and have great fun doing so (though admittedly I don't dive much more than a couple of thousand a year between the two them, anymore). Of course, it depends upon what else should be done first, and how you are situated, but the wheels do look fantastic.

[Lago86]

Soooo...I picked up a used set of Type 40 wheels to replace the aftermarket set that were on the car when I purchased it. I intend to get them refurbished, but was wondering if anyone had pictures of the Chrome Shadow wheels on a BLACK colored M Roadster? Not sure if they would look meh or awesome...

[TexaZ3]

For comparison, Chrome Shadow & Hypersilver. These are untouched factory original finishes (picture taken in Sue's condo basement, so it dates back to about 2002-2003?).

Nice! Good comparison - thanks!

Soooo...I picked up a used set of Type 40 wheels to replace the aftermarket set that were on the car when I purchased it. I intend to get them refurbished, but was wondering if anyone had pictures of the Chrome Shadow wheels on a BLACK colored M Roadster? Not sure if they would look meh or awesome...

Only coupe, but you get the idea.

[Lago86]

Very cool! Thanks.

[DonM3Z]

Inquire with your local dealer. I looked far and wide for someone that could refinish the hyper silver wheels on my 99 M Coupe. Got many responses that the grey color was a BMW proprietary color and hard to replicate and was a lot of work.

Feeling defeated I inquired w my BMW parts guy about buying new wheels. Thats when he informed me that they refinish the wheels on site for $175/ wheel.

Went to the back and sure enough thereÂ’s a guy there that refinishes BMW hyper silver wheels all day everyday for $175 a wheel or $600 for all four.