Porsche 911UK Forum

Welcome to the @Porsche911UK website. Register a free account today to become a member! Sign up is quick and easy, then you can view, participate in topics and posts across the site that covers all things Porsche.

Already registered and looking to recovery your account, select 'login in' and then the 'forget your password' option.

Laser cut / diamond polished alloy wheels

k3bab

Well-known member
Joined
30 Jul 2011
Messages
81
My new 911 turbo has completely unmarked, pristine alloy wheels. Having done just under 900 miles I got a puncture on one of the rear wheels.

Now I am thinking of taking out tyre Insurance, but also want to get the alloys covered as well. Have discussed this with a specialist and told that there isn't a company which will cover laser cut / diamond polished wheels.

So here's a question: Is it really impossible to refurb a laser cut / diamond polished wheel? If so, do OPCs get new wheels put on their approved used cars prior to re-sale if the alloys are curbed?

I find it a bit hard to believe that no one out there insures those types of wheels let alone no one will even refurb them.

Does anyone have any experience with this?
 
More knowledgeable people will be along shortly I'm sure, but I can relate to your question. I have Carrera Sport wheels originally in GT silver, diamond cut/polished rims. When it was time to tidy them up I had Chris of Excel Wheels organise changing them to painted black and the polished rims were skimmed and polished and the whole wheel was glossy lacquered. Two of the wheels were out of true, so were straightened, so quite a lot can be done with polished wheels.

However, a few months later I dinged one of the rears, very slight, hardly any depth to it. I assumed this could be easily repaired (as a normal painted alloy could be) but was told by Chris, the smart repairer my OPC uses and the body shop I use that it couldn't. Even for the slightest of damage, polished rims need to be stripped back, painted, skimmed and polished again. This can only be done so many times although I believe more damaged wheels can have their surface built up (through weld I think, not sure) before a skim.

That might be what you are being told about polished wheels not being refurb/repairable, they are, but it's more involved compared to what you can do with a normal painted alloy. I paid £150 for that little ding via my OPC while the car was in for a service, pricey but made sense as they they kept the car while I drive round in a loaner for the few days the wheel was away.
 
Yes they can be refurbed but its expensive kit and only a few places have made this investment. sadly those that havent wont direct you to someone that has , they just say it cant be done and talk you into getting them refurbed using paint.
Not sure of your location but our local place that charges £105 per wheel to refurb diamond cut is

http://www.motura.co.uk/#home

I have used them to refurb my headlights and was very pleased so would recommend them.
A few days on the beach in Bournemouth while the car gets sorted, sounds good to me :thumb:
 
That's interesting insight. Thank you. I am based in Reading.
 
k3bab said:
That's interesting insight. Thank you. I am based in Reading.

Not far away at all mate. push the sport button be here in under an hour :floor:
 
I just had all 4 diamond cut 19's refurbed on my 997 turbo, I paid a little less than £500 for the lot and they now look like new again..
 
RJW1881 said:
I just had all 4 diamond cut 19's refurbed on my 997 turbo, I paid a little less than £500 for the lot and they now look like new again..

Where from?
 
Phil 997 said:
k3bab said:
That's interesting insight. Thank you. I am based in Reading.

Not far away at all mate. push the sport button be here in under an hour :floor:

Mine does not have a sport button. There is a manettino style switch on the steering wheel instead. :thumb:
 
k3bab said:
Phil 997 said:
k3bab said:
That's interesting insight. Thank you. I am based in Reading.

Not far away at all mate. push the sport button be here in under an hour :floor:

Mine does not have a sport button. There is a manettino style switch on the steering wheel instead. :thumb:

Aha yes just seen a picture ,nice so I can see what 0, S, S+ do but what does "I" do or is that an " L" for launch :?:
 
The price of vanity & valour hey :D

I wonder if my alloy Insurance covers the £690 cost option I've paid for full colour painted porsche crest in the wheel centres :thumb: :floor:
 
k3bab said:
RJW1881 said:
I just had all 4 diamond cut 19's refurbed on my 997 turbo, I paid a little less than £500 for the lot and they now look like new again..

Where from?

Good question, I'll find out. I just asked our local tyre bay that looks after the company fleet and tha owner said he would sort it out for me!!!
 
Yes it is possible, I've just had a set a set of 991 Turbo alloys done. New metal was welded onto the wheel to bring kerbed areas up to a level to where it was able to be re-cut. It's not cheap but it can be done!
 
RJW1881 said:
k3bab said:
RJW1881 said:
I just had all 4 diamond cut 19's refurbed on my 997 turbo, I paid a little less than £500 for the lot and they now look like new again..

Where from?

Good question, I'll find out. I just asked our local tyre bay that looks after the company fleet and tha owner said he would sort it out for me!!!

These were the guys, there in Milton Keynes http://www.pristinealloywheels.co.uk/
 
Hello
On a related topic i have a question: Would it be easy to repaint a Carrera S wheels from the regular standard colour to say satin black? What kind of painting should i try to find? I heard of powder coating being used by some wheels specialist here. Would that do the trick? Can anyone share knowledge on that?
 

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
124,350
Messages
1,439,432
Members
48,707
Latest member
race911turbo
Back
Top