[ChilledBud]

I'm off to The Wheel Specialist in a few weeks time to get my 17" v1 refurbished, and I can't for the life of me pick a colour, I'm tempted by a few of their finishes. The only problem I'm having is trying to imagine them on my RNB. I've a set of winter 16s on in black and they look nice, but I don't think the 17s will put black off so well.

Current favourites are : http://www.thewheels...ishes/standard/

Smoked or Black chrome

The Charcoal / Anthracite always seem a little too dark in photos I've seen.

I'd be tempted by the gold, if only it was a little more bronze it might look a little less of a scoobie colour copy, but they would look good on the RNB. MB had some bronze iirc?

Definably don't want silver, it's a chance to make her look just a little more unique.

Any views, more so if anyone has seen the finished in the flesh. Pitty the yanks don't have the RNB for looking through.

[blue monster]

Rhodri, I will be interested to see what you go for as I had mine refurbished 2 years ago back to the OEM finish after clipping a kerb and they have started to corrode.

The black chrome finish does look nice

Glad some one else with a RNB has voluteered to be the guinea pig

[ChilledBud]

blue monster, on 22 February 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

Rhodri, I will be interested to see what you go for as I had mine refurbished 2 years ago back to the OEM finish after clipping a kerb and they have started to corrode.

Glad some one else with a RNB has volunteered to be the guinea pig

Just given Dixon a poke to get the 65Pro delivered for Friday and Saturday is the last day I can get it fitted in about a month I think he's getting it sent tomorrow!

I'm tempted to pop-in in uniform and the Ambulance outside to see if they give a extra good discount over the normal 15%, would you like me to try and secure an extra good deal if we both get them done not too far apart? Looking at about £300 for a set of four with just the 15% at the moment, at what price would you be interested?

[blue monster]

I paid around £300 to have mine done but I am guessing from the pics on the webiste that the wheels are a powder coated finish rather than just bare metal like OEM?

[ChilledBud]

From their blurb

"The wheels are then prepared, dressed and filled to deal with any damage to the rim edges and the face. (We do not deal with buckled or badly dented wheels as these are safety related structural repairs and wheels should be written off and replaced).

Next the wheels are gently heat treated to remove any air from the alloy and a first stage powder coat finish is applied and then cured for a set time period .After this if the wheel is having a “special” or “bespoke” finish the wet-in-wet procedure takes place (e.g. special paint and clear-coat finish). The wheels are also automatically subjected to a further thermal treatment .The lacquer coat is not only applied to enhance the finish but to protect the alloy wheel against environmental influences (UV radiation, salt, moisture, dirt, etc.) at all points."

Since I want a different look it's the only way to go. A load of the guys in work and on other forums have used them, and there fine 2 years down the line if looked after, even the BMW guys in work who take it to the local hand wash still have a good finish to them.

[NineBolts]

I've seen some versions of that wheel done very nicely in two tones, I've also seen the same wheel almost ruined doing that.

My CE28s are Smoked Chrome, Mikey K had them coated that colour with the inside of the wheel black. I have to put up a picture because the are



Adrian (Mug3n or STiVi) used to have some of the same MY04-05 wheels and had them painted with the front face silver (or diamond cut) and the spoke sides were Moonrock or close to moonrock. they looked very good, other have painted them silver with black spoke sides and I think that makes them look too thin.

MY04 wheel in 2-tone

[mr-pitts]

I know it's a different style wheel but these seem to go with anything, ignore the rim tape

[Suits]

I had mine done in gunmetal.



Hardly the best pic as the car is filth and a Silverstone, but I'm happy with them.

[ChilledBud]

Well as I was passing TWS in Manchester today I popped in for a look in person at the colours, and I think I have a favourite. It's between these two ( I've not resized so it retains as much of the real look as possible ) at the moment, which do people prefer? I got the 15% off for a S2KUK even though it doesn't exist on their system, but I must admit I was hoping for a slightly better deal since I've heard of people getting 20% off without too much hassle. The tactic now since I have at least 4 weeks until I'm free is too wait for them to call and try and get a reduction.

The price was £313.20 and £20 extra for centre caps.

[Suits]

ChilledBud, on 27 February 2012 - 05:13 PM, said:

The price was £313.20 and £20 extra for centre caps.

I paid £270 for the lot, with caps and tyres re-fitted and balanced.

Your price seems a little expensive.

[Russy01]

I'm in the same boat. Royal navy blue and dont know what to do.

[ChilledBud]

Had a look at other sites and I'm pretty much decided on smoked chrome, it's the only one dark enough for the dark blue shade that the car has. They jokingly said they would refuse to do them in gold as it's subarued to death.

[ChilledBud]

Well I've had a surprise day off next Friday, so a little bantering later and the car's booked in on the 9th of March 8am.

The only slight problem I have is I put the 17" back on today and put the winter 16" away, and the silver colour actually looks quite nice on the car, but I'm sure I'll be bored of silver within a week

[ChilledBud]

Well any last thoughts before she heads for TWS Friday 8am?

I've been liking seeing with the OEM silver wheels on, and have thought about going for the lighter black chrome over the smoked chrome, but then I keep thinking the RNB darkness would suit the darker wheel

[simundo777]

Personally i'd go with a very bright silver, I think it suits the RNB so well. I've had wheels refurbed in smoked on my previous black 350z and they did look good but they look so much smaller when you go darker and I did miss the silver wheels on it.

Its up to you but I do think silver looks the most stylish on RNB.

If you are anywhere near Cheshire you can try on my my anthracite wheels on the car to see what it looks like but guessing it will be too late by then.

Smoked chrome:


A shade darker than Silverstone:

[ChilledBud]

Well she's been dropped off and being picked up around 5pm.

After a chat with the guys we decided to play it a little safe and go for the lighter black chrome over my initial smoked chrome. They said the black chrome tends to work on all styles of wheels when the smoked can be hit and miss, even if it does look a little better when pulled off.

[ChilledBud]

Picked them up, and apart from the fact they had a nightmare with the metal removed centre caps, everything went nice and smooth.

I'm going to have to see them when the Sun's out for a proper look as it was getting dark, part of me thinks I should have either bitten the darker colour bullet, or the proper silver bullet, but time will tell.

If you excuse the camera phone picture with a finger smudge, taken overcast with fading light it would be much obliged. Will get some proper ones in the near future.

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[simundo777]

They look silver though?

Look great

[ChilledBud]

Yeah, but no, but yeah!

From what I remember the process involves powdercoating the wheel black, and then adding layers of a chrome silver, so when the light catches it at different angels it changes depth and colour. It defiantly needs the Sun out to get a better picture of what it looks like, these finishes are notoriously hard to picture as they don't catch what the eye can see very well. What the finish does do it make the outside of the alloy look silver while the inner parts of the spokes have a darker look, all the while changing shades as you look from a different angle.

[ChilledBud]

As a side note I did tell them the fact that smoked chrome is a fair bit darker than black chrome is a little confusing in the name department. Flash chrome being a shades darker again doesn't help either.