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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: EricM on 15 September 2016, 22:29
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My Santiago wheels were pretty scabby when I bought my car earlier this month. Each wheel was kerbed, had whiteworm and even lacquer flaking off so I decided to get them refurbished.
I thought long and hard about getting them refurbished to diamond cut so they looked the same as they would've when they left the factory but I just knew that the corrosion would come back in 6 to 12 months time especially with the amount of salt that gets put down on the roads here in North East Scotland over winter.
So I decided to get them powder coated in "smoked chrome" which means the whole wheel is first done in gloss black then the faces are done with a few passes of chrome.
Here's some before and after photos, what does everyone think?
(http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o445/Gorf_2008/IMG_0314.jpg)
(http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o445/Gorf_2008/14311285_10154366877300560_6748458183993502857_o.jpg)
(http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o445/Gorf_2008/14372418_10154366877305560_1556835924623650877_o.jpg)
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I really like them :cool:, and so much more durable than a diamond cut finish. I really don't like diamond cut alloys and your 'before' photo is the reason why. Given the choice of diamond cut alloys and powder coated, I'd always go for powder coated.
I've removed my diamond cut alloys, put them into storage and put a set of anthracite powder coated VW Motorsport alloys on my car. The diamond cut alloys are unlikely to see the light of day again until the time comes to sell my car, when I'll put them back on.
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I really like them too. The powder coating brings forward the parts of the design that are normally black and makes them look quite different. Nice job.
When it came time to get my R, I'd had enough of diamond cuts that mark at the drop of a hat. So went for powder coated Pretorias and don't miss diamond cuts at all.
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They look brilliant, better than original imo! The diamond cut wheels, especially with the gloss black inserts always look terrible when even slightly dirty too imo. Great job.
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Nice choice of colour. They look good on the car
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I think they look better than the diamond cut finish.
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I can't believe the previous owner did that much damage!
They look fantastic after their refurb :cool:
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They look really smart, I have a set of spare alloys with winter tyres that have a few marks on totally sold on that colour who did you get to do them !
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When I saw the thread title I clicked on it fully expecting to cringe.
It actually looks really really good in that colour and God help Cossieian when he sees this thread!
In fact I'm off to eBay right now to find a set of scabby wheels just so I can have some in this colour :whistle:
An inspired decision Eric :afro:
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I have the same wheels and I chose them because they looked so good, but I must say that I think yours may actually look better....ant chance of posting a few more pics?
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I got the wheels done at The Wheel Specialist in Aberdeen
Sure, I'll take some more photos in the daylight at different angles and post them up.
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What was the damage Eric?
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Looks 10x better.
Had some Dynamics Pro-Race 1's done in a similar colour on an orange Ginetta once.
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Hi Eric :smiley: I like the idea of what you've done and think in the circumstances it was the best thing for the wheels but I think they just look too fussy now with too much chrome and they have lost the look of the original wheel. I love the Santiagos but it is for the defined look of the spokes and for that to work all the originally black parts need to remain. Having said all that though, when I eventually get mine refurbed, I'll seriously consider what you've done as if the wheel looked factory spec then it'd be a winner. Thanks for posting these up :smiley:
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£419 for the powder coating which I realise is v expensive.
If I had shopped around I reckon I would've paid closer to £300 but I desperately needed to get two new rear tyres fitted so they were done at the same time.
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£419 for the powder coating which I realise is v expensive.
If I had shopped around I reckon I would've paid closer to £300 but I desperately needed to get two new rear tyres fitted so they were done at the same time.
That doesn't seem to bad with the work required to smooth them out beforehand, assuming they were all as badly damaged.
I'm not looking forward to the day my wheels look like you're before pictures which will inevitably happen :sad:
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£419 for the powder coating which I realise is v expensive.
If I had shopped around I reckon I would've paid closer to £300 but I desperately needed to get two new rear tyres fitted so they were done at the same time.
I think that's decent. I paid £150 to get one diamond cut refurbed after an argument with a curb at speed!
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My wheel refurber just goes on size, no extra for diamond cut from them.
Seem to remember its about £125 for an 18".
Don't think you were robbed at the price you paid.
I quite like what you've done actually - think it looks interesting - its OEM but not. Tasteful.
I might have gone with all black if it was me, but maybe only if the car was a light colour. On the other hand, the silver won't look filthy the second you drive away, which black will.
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Makes you realise how close the design is to the R8 V10
http://www.caricos.com/cars/a/audi/2013_audi_r8_v10_plus/images/97.html
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Yeah really like them. Brings out your callipers too.
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Good move, they look pretty damn good
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Really like the wheels but wtf was the previous owner on to ruin the wheels like that?
Actually painful to look at :cry:
Wonder what Austins would look like with a different finish?
Anyone seen any?
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The previous owner hadn't neglected them I don't think. Only two of the wheels were kerbed, once each, maybe it didn't get washed often enough in the winter.
I took the car to my local VW dealer at first to ask if the unkerbed wheels would be covered under warranty as the car is still under 3 years old and I was told the previous owner must have had "rim protectors" on the wheels and this caused the flaking lacquer.
To be honest I knew I would probably get fobbed off by the VW dealer because they didn't sell the car originally and I'd bought it privately.