Alloy wheel refurbishing

[slag]

Plastidip huh.... interesting....

In theory, but every plasti koted or plastidipped car I've seen looks like shit. Looks like a bad primer job.

 

[JCH13]

In theory, but every plasti koted or plastidipped car I've seen looks like shit. Looks like a bad primer job.

But when done right...

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...by-Herblenny&p=6250960&viewfull=1#post6250960

 

[Mark R]

Most cheap wheels look cheap....good aftermarket is not $125 each typically.

Very true. I looked carefully at getting a whole new set of wheels.

Anything below about $220 per wheel at 17" (at least where I am) looks cheap, and inelegant. The quality is also less good, they tend to be gravity cast and of a lower quality alloy (if you are even able to find out).

By contrast RRP on the OEM wheels is over $500 each. Of course, if you're paying this price, then you get good choice of aftermarket rims of good quality.

The other issue is insurance, most insurers here will charge extra for non-OEM wheels, so that's an additional recurring cost that has to be added.

I'm feeling a bit sore on this point, because my brake rotors wore out, so I put some branded aftermarket slotted rotors on, because the OEM ones were so expensive. I thought I'd better run it past the insurer, thinking it would be just a formality. Their answer was "we cannot continue your policy. You will need to cancel." And so I had to cancel, pay their admin and cancellation fees and find another insurer.

 

[NutBucket]

Wow, cancelled policy over aftermarket wheels? That's wild.

I kept getting mail to switch insurance as a by-product of buying a GMC. So I said what the heck and called. When they asked if our WRX was modified I answered truthfully. They would not insure me. Most insurance companies just cover replacement value for OEM parts unless you add a rider for aftermarket stuff. But to simply cancel a policy seems ridiculous.

 

[Mark R]

Wow, cancelled policy over aftermarket wheels? That's wild.

Just to clarify, the insurance issue was brake rotors. Most will cover alloy wheels, but may charge a premium, but some insurance companies are weird.

I was also smart enough to tell them that I hadn't put them on yet. Technically, they also didn't cancel, I cancelled - but even so. The conversation went something like this:
Me: Would it affect the policy if I put slotted brake rotors on?
Ins: We would not be able to continue your cover. You would need to cancel.
Me: Oh OK Then. I'll cancel.
Ins: There is a $100 cancellation fee. The remainder of your premium will be refunded.

Those brake rotors worked out a lot more expensive that I had planned for.

 

[cbrsurfr]

What country do you live in? Can't be the US.

 

[NutBucket]

Why not? Insurance companies can do what they want. If they can stay in business why should it matter?

 

[kitatech]

Yes Mark....there are indeed a lot of cheap aftermarket rims...but....

...OEM wheel suppliers to high-end marquees like Porsche and Audi also make rims that fit other cars, so one car's OEM is another's aftermarket rim...I found 5 such rims on Craigslist...by Fondmetal, an Italian Formula 1 wheel supplier as well....

 

[Midwayman]

What country do you live in? Can't be the US.

No kidding. I've never heard such a thing in the US. Do you have some weird insurance issues like sr-22 insurance, DUI convictions, etc? Most companies I've heard of just put a dollar value on aftermarket equipment they will cover. I can't imagine any that I've been with that would even blink over different rotors.

 

[JCH13]

It's not *that* hard to imagine an insurance company not covering a car with slotted aftermarket brake rotors. My impression is that many aftermarket slotted and/or drilled rotors love to crack and fail, at least at a much higher rate than your average plain rotor.

 

[cbrsurfr]

I thought slotted just blew through pads quicker. I know drilled cracks as they are weakened, I saw that happen to an R32 at Road America.

 

[Midwayman]

It's not *that* hard to imagine an insurance company not covering a car with slotted aftermarket brake rotors. My impression is that many aftermarket slotted and/or drilled rotors love to crack and fail, at least at a much higher rate than your average plain rotor.

You could say the same of bargain bin standard rotors that aren't OEM. Hell, what about people who put 'dog brand' tires on their car instead of something a sane person would use? Those are probably way more dangerous and probably way more common.

FWIW I googled this and turned up some results that this stuff is happening in Canada in response to a recent law change that is driving premiums up. The insurance companies are using any excuse to drop people who show any increased risk at all. These same companies have zero problems with the same mods in the US.

 

[JCH13]

You could say the same of bargain bin standard rotors that aren't OEM. Hell, what about people who put 'dog brand' tires on their car instead of something a sane person would use? Those are probably way more dangerous and probably way more common.

FWIW I googled this and turned up some results that this stuff is happening in Canada in response to a recent law change that is driving premiums up. The insurance companies are using any excuse to drop people who show any increased risk at all. These same companies have zero problems with the same mods in the US.

I don't disagree with any of that.