1996 850R Wheel/Rim Coating/Paint Peeling

[wackenhut]

Hi,

I have the factory original rims on my Volvo 850R. I have noticed that a large area of the rim coating is peeling off. Has anyone experienced this? Any recommendations?

Aaron

[scot850]

I know it is not 'original', but I have my wheels powder coated when they need sorting. My family members have cars that seem to magically get curbing damage but no one knows how. With all the liquid salt and small rocks they put on the roads up here (not something you need to worry about!) I have found re-painting the wheels as in-effective and more expensive than powder coating. Powder coating also gives you lots of color choices. One thing you can't replicate is the polished areas that some wheels have powder coating them.

Up here I pay about $80-85/wheel to have them coated, but if you have serious curb damage, you need to check how they will remedy them. The coating company I use here will 100% strip the old finish off and rub down light damage, but one time I had to take them to another company first to fix more serious damage before taking them for coating. Cost about another $25/wheel.

Problem always is the age of the wheels. and the chances of finding better used ones. Either that or changing away from that style. Now-a-days, you can often buy after-market alloys for cheaper than repairing old originals.

I have found to my cost that buying used wheels needing work is a false economy as it will normally cost more than buying good after market wheels new.

I like the coating also, because here we have to swap wheels in the winter if you have any sense, and so I have 2 sets of wheels for each car. I find the powder coating on the backs of the wheels make them a relative breeze to clean in the spring over the original painted versions.

Neil.