Clearcoat problem: Please Help!

[Limit]

My rims look like crap! I bought them somebody must have used a chrome polish on them by mistake or did something wrong. I've got 7 pictures to try and show you what they look like.

What's the most cost effective way to fix this? I don't want new rims, at least I can't really afford them right now. Is there a way to make them look better without taking them off the car/tire?

I appreciate all the help guys, this is biggest flaw and I always get comments like, "You've got to clean those rims"

[Newport Viper]

http://topoftheline.com/wheelmotpolk.html

[RaceDeck]

depending on how deep the scratches are ( not down into the base color coat) you should be able to make them look a lot better. If it were me I would first try and see if an aggressive compound ( like http://www.jorgensgarage.com/home.php?cat=22&catexp=22 ) and work my way up with less aggressive ones, followed a glaze, sealant and wax. If the compound is not enough I would wet sand the rims with starting with 600 grit, then 1000, then to the steps I mentioned above...
If all of that fails you could always powder coat them...good Luck

[Newport Viper]

I went with semi gloss black powder coat a long time ago.

I know they make powder coats that almost give the wheels a polished metal look....



Can you name the plant in the background?

[dave6666]

Originally Posted by Newport Viper

I went with semi gloss black powder coat a long time ago.

I know they make powder coats that almost give the wheels a polished metal look....



Can you name the plant in the background?

Dried cannabis?

[usaf0016]

Originally Posted by Newport Viper

I went with semi gloss black powder coat a long time ago.

I know they make powder coats that almost give the wheels a polished metal look....



Can you name the plant in the background?

I cant name the plant but, i do have to say, you have my favorite color combo ever, yellow with cognac, i love it! though i looked oh the site here and it said no bumblebee/cognac ACR's were made... thats truly my dream

[WildWing]

you might be screwed. That would be a time when I would consider chroming or a re-do. We have wheel wizard down here in Atlanta that does a decent job.

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

FYI those are cast Al wheels used in 96. You may be able to improve the clear cost but not the semi-gloss typical of cast wheels.

[Vipers9500]

In the past, some Dallas area owners actually have the clearcoat stripped off that style of wheels. The raw aluminum surface can then be highly polished and rival chrome in terms of appearance. Just another option.

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

The cast wheels on 96s will not polish as well as the fordged wheels on 97s.

[XLR8SN]

Originally Posted by Newport Viper

I went with semi gloss black powder coat a long time ago.

I know they make powder coats that almost give the wheels a polished metal look....



Can you name the plant in the background?

LOL......just to bring back an old thread. Its a Silver Sword on top of Haleakala in Maui. Cool.

[Newport Viper]

The side exhaust knocked it over when I left. Opps!

[ViperGTS]

How old are your tires?

[jamie furman]

Originally Posted by Vipers9500

In the past, some Dallas area owners actually have the clearcoat stripped off that style of wheels. The raw aluminum surface can then be highly polished and rival chrome in terms of appearance. Just another option.

That is definately the cheapest way to go and they will look brand new to boot, you will just have to polish them every 6 months or so depending on how much you drive it.

[Vipuronr]

I have the same tires - Pilot SX's - and they have dry rot on the front ones. They are the original tire and not sure they are made anymore. I have already ordered PS2's and my car will soon have new "shoes."

Peter
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