Black Chrome Rims!!

[Urbalizer]

I need opinions, i sent my alloys off for refurbishment and chsoe the "Black Chrome" finish, they showed me an example of the finish in the showroom and it looked great, this is what the wheel finish should have looked like.




But when i went to pick them up they just looked they had been painted metalic grey, nice finish but not what i asked for, here are some pics below of what i actually got.



I took my wheel into the showroom and there was a clear difference, which the manager could not deny, mine just looked grey, he admitted that maybe they did not put enough coats of silver over the black and that the black was showing through. So i was a little upset, but in fairness i said to him i will see what they look like on the car, see pic below.








Personally i think they would have looked a lot nicer in the proper Black Chrome finish, i admitted to him he did a nice finish but just not the one that i asked for
I would like opinions please. Do i get him to powder coat them again? or shall i give him a break and leave them as is?

Edited by Urbalizer on Tuesday 20th October 23:00

[F.C.]

I'd say leave alone, the finish I suspect isn't powder coat but a plating process akin to Albrafin (TM), if it is albrafin type plate the finish will disintegrate at the first sign of salt.
Incidently have they painted over the plastic "bolts" or are they new items?
If painted that may be the reason they didn't plate the wheels for fear of the "bolts" melting during the plating process.
F.C.

[Metalman]

I would say leave them as they are, much more in keeping with the car. The mirror finish is a bit too 'pimp my noble' for my liking but it's your car so do what you think looks good.

[david.mt]

Did they replace the plastic bolts or just mask them over?

Who did them for you - I need to get my M400 alloys refurbished or replaced - if you don't like them drop me a PM and we can see if we can work out a deal to swap them.

[Urbalizer]

The plastic bolts were removed and replaced with dummy S/S heads, glued in, but like i say the pic makes them look lighter than they actually are, took in bad light, so the flash made them look even brighter and when flash is turned off it opens the shutter longer to capture more light, so it makes them look more silver, i need to really take a pic in natural light to show the true colour, but thanks for the opinions.

It is a powder coated finish, that's why they took out the false plastic bolts because they would have just melted in the oven, they get it often apparantly.

Edited by Urbalizer on Tuesday 20th October 22:08

[mrdemon]

whats ss style bolts did you buy to put back in.

I want mine done in anthracite, but with silverbolts

[Urbalizer]

mrdemon said:

whats ss style bolts did you buy to put back in.

I want mine done in anthracite, but with silverbolts

Just took the plastic ones down to "Bapp bolts" they matched them up to some S/S, then had to cut the shanks off 120 of the feckers and glue them in

[sjc]

Much prefer the finish on picture 2 compared with the blingy type No.1. You've had a result!

[Urbalizer]

That original was just "chrome effect" not "black chrome" i made a mistake, this is what black chrome should look like, a silver mirrored finish, eye catching but not too pimp style, i edited the original thread post to show the correct finish.

Edited by Urbalizer on Tuesday 20th October 23:02

[Urbalizer]

The wheels are going back tommorrow, the guy admits to making a mistake apparently they paint them black, then put silver over the top, and then they are powder coated with the clear finish, he says he did not put enough silver on, thanks for all your opinions but in RL they looked more grey, the final straw to take them back was when i got to PeterGuk workshop today found all the balancing weights hanging off. Got back home a load more had fallen off. So took the wheels off put them back in the BMW to take in the morning and noticed some more weights on the floor from when i brought them back from the alloy guy yesterday, some had fallen off before the wheels even got put on the car??

Oh well he is willing to put it all right so can't really ask for more than that.

[gaz 7404]

Gutted, all those bolt heads to remove and re-apply! doh

[Urbalizer]

gaz 7404 said:

Gutted, all those bolt heads to remove and re-apply! doh

Easily removed Gaz, i used the wrong glue, 15 have fallen out already , lol, you don't work there do you? I won't mention company name If you do work there i will re glue them back in so don't worry , only 120 of them

[gaz 7404]

LOL no i dont work there i just thought you had done the bolts and thought you would have to remove and re-fit all again. On a serious note make sure you put them back on with a very good quality glue/resin as if these fly out at speed they are a potential missile and could do some serious damage! something so simple replacing very light plastic items with a heavier s/steel item can be overlooked so easily but could be a disaster. Gaz

[AMG Merc]

Urbalizer said:

...they paint them black, then put silver over the top, and then they are powder coated with the clear finish, he says he did not put enough silver on...

Right, this is known as a Black Chrome "paint effect" not to be confused with chrome wheels - photo as was originally posted in this thread (subsequently replaced).

BTW, did your refurber tell you that you'll need to have both wheels (on the same side) re-painted even if you kerb just one as they cannot get the same hand-painted effect?!

Chrome wheels were all the rage in the US in the 90s and a couple of outlets here in the UK tried it without success. It costs a ransom if you kerb them (and they look awful when chipped) and the thick coating tended to peel off over time. Bloody easy to clean though!



Re the "cheap" looking faux bolts - I really don't know why anyone spends their time and money on these. Open sockets look fine (and from a distance you can't even tell if there's a bolt present!) IMHO.

[Urbalizer]

That is a very nice finish on your rims, i got mine back tonight but still not got the same quality of black chrome finish as on yours, but i have to wait a few days before i can polish them apparently. It is a vast improvement though, you can see the reflection on the faux nuts on the rims, they are eye catching but but too bling. We Glued the faux split rim nuts back in with super epoxy resin this time and they are not going to come back out without a fight.







Have not got a picture of them on the car yet, because i am waiting for my nuts to cook.




I think with the mirror effect, it makes them look as close as possible to the original finish with the polished rims, so i am happy with the finish.

[Urbalizer]

A pic of the alloys back on, can see the polished rim effect and i little bit of black chrome effect, won't be able to tell properly until i get them into daylight.