Refurbishing Alloys...

[cosmoschick]

Is it worth considering having original alloys professionally refurbished? In other words, is it a costly option to have them brought up to "as new" condition as opposed to simply purchasing a new set? Any recommendations where I can take them to be done or is it something I could tackle myself?

Help and advice needed please.

[shnozz]

plenty of recommended places that do excellant refurbishing and the results are an "as new" wheel. Generally be prepared to pay between £40 - £60 per wheel. You will have to courier the wheels and its usually between 1 week and 2 weeks before they are sent back.

I have been given details of someone local to me that comes to you and does them there and then so will be giving him a try. Unfortunately, I dont think he would travel as far as your neck of the woods but can always mail you the number if you want it. He also offers anthracite finish or black finish for another £10 per wheel so I am likely to head down the anthracite route

[UpTheIron]

Definitely worth doing IMHO.

Once refurbed a set myself, when times were hard. Never again - my hands took weeks to recover, and the end result wasn't quite as good as a pro-finish.

Somewhere like www.wickedwheels.co.uk aren't bad, but best bet is to ask around your area for which franchise is best...

[mustard]

Far cheaper to refurb, and also retains 'originality'

www.pristinealloywheels.co.uk/ (in Milton Keynes)

or

www.wickedwheels.co.uk/

Wicked Wheels
Local Franchisee
Areas covered:
GATWICK
BRIGHTON
LONDON SOUTH
ASHINGTON
WEST SUSSEX
Telephone:
07798 830415

[julianhj]

I understand there's a firm in Ditchling that does full refurbs for £60+VAT with a five day turnaround. I can track down the name if you're interested. Had good reports IIRC.

[chim_girl]

I can recommend Wicked Wheels, £50+vat per wheel. Great stuff, mine looked like new when they had finished with them.

[edited] because I AM stupid.

>> Edited by chim_girl on Sunday 26th September 19:06

[cosmoschick]

CharlieAlpha66 said:

(as the alloys on MY Chim are unmarked).

So are mine!

Ok. I popped into Elite today.

They charge £42 plus VAT per corner for wheel refurbishment only.

But it costs £66.98 (incl. VAT) per corner for removal, refurbishment, refitting and balancing.

I might try E-Bay!

[CharlieAlpha66]

Strewth!!

Either 1) they did the "let's take this girl for a ride (no pun intended), as she's a woman, so what does she know about it" routine or 2) they were giving me a great price for having bought a paid of Eagle F1's or 3) they have put their prices up A LOT.

Sorry if I sent you on a wild goose chase.

Whilst passing through Cowfold on Saturday morning, I noticed a small sign on a wall opposite the car park to the playing fields - something about wheels. I will check it out myself before posting any (more) potentially misleading info.

[powerlord]

pristine are great. they have franchises all over (well.. not really franchises.. they are just front end tyre places you drop the wheels off at and then they send them to pristine).

they have hundreds of finishes so you can get the exact match or go for something more glitzy if you wish.

when they did my 17" yoko imports on my 300zx there was a delay as they had to do one of them 3 times (Stripping back each time) before they were totally happy with the finish.

that's the sort of commitment to quality I like.

results were awesome (and they were very difficult rims to do). spiders would be a peice of p*ss.

stu

[JonRB]

Just thinking out loud, but I have some wheels I bought on eBay that I want to refurbish and which came with some crappy tyres I have no interest in keeping.

I wonder what my local tyre fitter would charge for removeal and disposal only?

And then, how much a refurbisher would charge for JUST refurbishment?

Seems to me that many seem to quote for removal, refurb, refitting and balacing, which obviously is of no interest to me.

[cosmoschick]

CharlieAlpha66 said:

Either 1) they did the "let's take this girl for a ride (no pun intended), as she's a woman, so what does she know about it"

Hmm...possibly! But then again I did have a 6'3" 15 stone bloke in tow!!! And I could "have them" if they were trying to take me for a ride (no pun intended!). I shall look into this further.

Perhaps they charged you for refurbishment only since you also had some new tyres from them and they can't really charge you twice for removal/refitting!

[wokkadriver]

Can strongly recommend:

www.wheelrefurbishing.com

Had my centre caps done, wheels refurbed and all scuffs/chips dealt with.

The man came and picked them up on Monday, dropped them off on Friday, and included tyre removal, refitting and balancing. Awesome job, ask me nicely and I will send some photos of their work!

[wokkadriver]

sorry, forgot to mention it was all done for £150, ahem, cash.

[TVRinBFG]

Don'y forget you have to borrow or buy axle stands for when the wheels are away being refurb'd?

[cosmoschick]

wokkadriver said:

Can strongly recommend: www.wheelrefurbishing.com

Contacted them this morning. Nice chap! I shall take the alloys up there in the next few days (I'm outside their catchment area) - not a problem since I still have a company car at the mo.

I've got a deal for cash

Thanks wokkadriver I'm a happy bunny

[trooper1212]

cosmoschick said:

wokkadriver said: Can strongly recommend: <a href="http://www.wheelrefurbishing.com">www.wheelrefurbishing.com</a> Contacted them this morning. Nice chap! I shall take the alloys up there in the next few days (I'm outside their catchment area) - not a problem since I still have a company car at the mo. I've got a deal for cash Thanks wokkadriver I'm a happy bunny

Let us know how it goes, I'm getting my wheels refurbed in the near future and it looks like a toss up between these guys and Pristine.

[zumbruk]

I've used Pristine for three sets, so far, and have been more than happy with the results.

[gbbird]

Does anyone know a place where you can take you car, complete with wheels, and leave it there, rather than take the wheels seperately?

[RichardR]

cosmoschick said:

wokkadriver said: Can strongly recommend:www.wheelrefurbishing.com</a> Contacted them this morning. Nice chap! I shall take the alloys up there in the next few days (I'm outside their catchment area) - not a problem since I still have a company car at the mo.

I'd always recommend these guys as well. They did my wheels on the S; the finish was fantastic, and they looked as good after 2 years as they did when originally done.