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Author Topic: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?  (Read 7898 times)

Offline Pld118

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Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« on: 05 February 2016, 06:04 »
Our car has black and silver Diamond Cut 18" Monza Shadow alloy wheels.  They are a very nice style of wheel.

No kerbing but on close inspection, white worm is appearing in places on the diamond facings and some of the black gloss finish is deteriorating.  No good for the OCD!

Would you get the wheels fully refurb'd back to as new via diamond cutting or get them fully refurb'd, powder coated, colour code painted/ lacquered to look similar to they are now, albeit without the diamond cut finish?

I think the cost is about £35/wheel more for DC finish but so many stories about DC finish not lasting anyway.
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Offline barrym381

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #1 on: 05 February 2016, 08:57 »
diamond cut monzas look good  :smiley: mine were powder coated due to same issue as yours
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Offline joe6

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #2 on: 05 February 2016, 09:31 »
Quote from: barrym381 on 05 February 2016, 08:57
diamond cut monzas look good  :smiley: mine were powder coated due to same issue as yours

Agree they look great and really catch the eye. Mine are 6 years old now and still pristine - had one refurbed after curbing but no issues such as white worm since.
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Offline SRGTD

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #3 on: 05 February 2016, 10:29 »
Diamond cut alloys have great showroom appeal, but are quite 'fragile' and, as Pld118 has said, they're more expensive to refurbish that powder coated alloys. I think the only issue with getting them powder coated, is that it might put off some buyers when you come to sell the car, if they're expecting it to have a set of 'bling' diamond cut wheels.

I had the beginnings of whiteworm appearing on 2 of my 18" Charlestons around the centre caps when my car was approx 2 years old and the wheels were replaced under warranty. After that, I put them into storage and bought a set of 18" VW Rotary's which have an anthracite powder coated finish so are much more durable than the diamond cut finish. So I have a set of pretty much pristine diamond cut Charlestons that I'll put back on the car when I sell it, and will either sell the Rotary's if they don't fit whatever car I buy next, or I'll put them on my next car.
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Offline The ANT

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #4 on: 20 February 2016, 18:35 »
My monza shadows still look the part, but look close and they are silver and black so they are upto the British climate. Diamond cut wheels need pampering.
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Offline Pld118

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #5 on: 12 March 2016, 06:09 »
It will cost about £450 to get 4 Monza Shadow alloys properly Diamond Cut refurb'd, with no guarantee so within 12 months the finish could be degrading again. 

You can buy 4 MK7 equivalent Diamond Cut alloys second hand for about £800.  So you could sell your 'old' alloys for £300 to £400, buy 'new ones' and probably cheaper all in than getting refurb work done.   
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Offline The ANT

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #6 on: 12 March 2016, 09:49 »
Mine have been painted silver/black at some point, you can hardly tell them apart. It's what I'd do. My dad's old mk2 had diamond cut bbs wheels  when I was a kid and they got plenty of attention but they were just not up to the British climate and road conditions.
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Offline mwad gti

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #7 on: 13 March 2016, 19:44 »
Honestly, I'd pay the extra money and get the wheels properly diamond cut again
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Offline The ANT

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #8 on: 13 March 2016, 21:15 »
Quote from: mwad gti on 13 March 2016, 19:44
Honestly, I'd pay the extra money and get the wheels properly diamond cut again
I would but it would only need it again in the not too distant future, with my car being Used daily with the filthy and awful state that British roads are in these days.
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Offline Db4193

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Re: Do away with Diamond Cut finish?
« Reply #9 on: 13 March 2016, 23:27 »
The diamond cut alloys look the part but I just don't think they are built for a British winter with all the salt etc. I'd say get them done if you could run other wheels in winter, if not sell them and buy the 18" rotarys on sale in the classifieds :grin:
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