Silver E46 M3: Black Wheels yes or no?

[JimboM3]

So after 70,000 miles in 3 years and I have decided to pamper the M3 and get her back up to scratch. The first thing on the to do list is a desperately needed wheel refurbishment. I will probably go with the Wheel Specialist in Fareham as I've used them before (unless someone can recommend anyone good nearer Salisbury!) but cannot decide the finish to go for. I have always liked the look of black wheels (especially the reduced cleaning requirements), but I'm not sure about them on a silver car. Has anyone got any pics of an E46 on black original 19's, or have any thoughts on alternatives?

There is a small chance I may be looking to change over the next year so how do you think black wheels would effect resale?

Any thoughts welcome.

Jim

[mat205125]

I like my black 18" rims (see profile), but the 19" rims I've seen in black do not look good IMO. I've also never seen them on a silver car.

"Reduced cleaning requirements?"

[Big E 118]

How about a gunmetal grey/anthracite rather than black? IMO (and imagination) that would look better than black and less likely to show brake dust

[tjw110]

I've got shadow chrome CSL reps, and like the look


E46 M3 low 2011 by tyrone163mph, on Flickr

[JimboM3]

Mat: They look good on yours! But then its a dark car.

Big E: Like that idea - off to google image search anthracite on silver.

[DennisCooper]

I voted other

Reason is places like the Wheel specialist where I also had my wheels done can do various combinations of finishes. I opted for painted centres and a polished to bare metal lip on my Hartge Nova 5's.

Silver or original wheels can of course look excellent as they are, so that'd be my next choice.

Personally I'm not a fan of black wheels although in the metal they can look good, to me you might as well just put 17 inch steel wheels on as the tyre and wheel just become one big black circle, especially in pictures. They do look better if the lip of the wheel is left polished/silver so as to define the wheel from the tyre. However, I understand others love the look !

Cheers, Dennis!

[Bumble SV]

I have a similar dilemma and am very tempted with the antracite especially given the refurb to bare metal option is likely to be tatty again within a short space of time.

[gareth h]

JimboM3 said:

So after 70,000 miles in 3 years and I have decided to pamper the M3 and get her back up to scratch. The first thing on the to do list is a desperately needed wheel refurbishment. I will probably go with the Wheel Specialist in Fareham as I've used them before (unless someone can recommend anyone good nearer Salisbury!) but cannot decide the finish to go for. I have always liked the look of black wheels (especially the reduced cleaning requirements), but I'm not sure about them on a silver car. Has anyone got any pics of an E46 on black original 19's, or have any thoughts on alternatives?

There is a small chance I may be looking to change over the next year so how do you think black wheels would effect resale?

Any thoughts welcome.

Jim

Jim I had mine done anthracite (although nearly black) which looks great (in my opinion) on silver grey, they were powder coated by Myalloys in Basingstoke who have done 3 sets of rims for me now and have been decent people to deal with.

[_Neal_]

A vote for shadow chrome/light anthracite from me.

[Nords]

Original, is the safe option. Go to Leptons in Swindon, no used them myself but will do with the road alloys (CSL) after all the good reports on their work.

I had some std 18" in black on my SG and didn't think they suited the car...

[AngryApples]

Nords said:

Original, is the safe option. Go to Leptons in Swindon, no used them myself but will do with the road alloys (CSL) after all the good reports on their work.

I had some std 18" in black on my SG and didn't think they suited the car...

Used Lepsons on my OEM 19's, highly recommend them

[Jam Rock]

shadow chrome for me too, had my sunflowers done in them, look fantastic!

[MattOz]

+1 for Lepsons. Wouldn't entertain any other finish on M3 19's.

[Cemesis]

Lepsons are a joke. Paid £300 for them to do my 19's, after 8-10 weeks 3 of them were stained under the lacquer where water seemed to have gotten in. Called them up and they said they wanted another £300 to do them again as "sometimes these things happen". I pointed out that they cannot possible refurb wheels to this state and not cover them by a guarentee. They wern't interested.

I had them done again and they lasted a couple of months before the same thing happened. I make it a point to steer everyone away from that awful company.

Theres a place up North that is recommended on M5board.com and the finish is truley stunning. Can't remember the name though.

[Pork]

Cemesis said:

Lepsons are a joke. Paid £300 for them to do my 19's, after 8-10 weeks 3 of them were stained under the lacquer where water seemed to have gotten in. Called them up and they said they wanted another £300 to do them again as "sometimes these things happen". I pointed out that they cannot possible refurb wheels to this state and not cover them by a guarentee. They wern't interested.

I had them done again and they lasted a couple of months before the same thing happened. I make it a point to steer everyone away from that awful company.

Theres a place up North that is recommended on M5board.com and the finish is truley stunning. Can't remember the name though.

I had mine done by one of their competitors and they too didnt have much longevity.

Apparently, they're very difficult to refurb. If you know of a place which comes very highly recommended, then shout about it! Can you find the name and post it on here for others?

[billzeebub]

just not black!..

[benzito]

black alloys will look superb on a silver e46 m3, I never would have expected this until I saw a picture: there was a guy on another forum (think it was M3 cutters) who did this and the contrast against the silver was nice, he also added the dark smoked indicators with chrome indicator bulbs along with black chrome coloured m3 badges on both wings instead of the standard silver,

i reckon black wheels look a hell of a lot better on a lighter coloured car like silver/white/yellow then dark grey or black cars

saying that it will affect resale because it won't be to everyone's taste but not significantly I don't think. When I refurbed my 19" alloys I went for smoked chrome on my old steel grey M3 but I wasn't that pleased with the results

[bramley]

Cemesis said:

Theres a place up North that is recommended on M5board.com and the finish is truley stunning. Can't remember the name though.

Rimfurbish are often mentioned on the m5board. I'm getting my M5 wheels done at www.reinventingthewheel.co.uk in a couple of weeks. I saw a set of M5 wheels they'd just done in shadow chrome finish and they looked really really good. Not cheap, but they seem to be well respected and were mentioned in the SW forum some time ago.

[zebi]

ive had gloss black 19" on my silver m3 e46 convertible they looked amazing BUT i took them off after a month and put original polished rims back keeps the original muscle look lol

[Jw Vw]

I would have to say keep the originals. Black ones would stand out though.