Curb rash repair?

Anyone had any experience with the companies that refinish alloy wheels
to remove curb rash? All four of the 5-spoke alloys on my 99 Accord V6
have curb rash to varying degrees (mostly around the edges of the wheel,
but one of them has a 1" spot on the spoke itself), and I'm wondering
how much it would cost to have them refinished vs. just looking for a
used replacement set in good condition.

And before it's suggested that I learn to drive better, the wheels were
like that when I bought the car, and I haven't even come close to adding
any additional rash to them since I've owned it.

Dave

 

-------------------

You might want to mention where you are. There's a big outfit in
Montreal (Canada) that does it. Are they the ones with silver laquer
paint on top of a thick undercoat, or just laquered metal?

'Curly'

 

Sorry, I'm in Texas. They're identical to this one (lacquered metal):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7958651720

Dave

 

Try Wheel Collision Service in Bath, PA. Far from you, but they do excellent
work at very reasonable prices. Try the website and see if they have some
already finished and ready to go - they used to "trade" refinished wheels
for old + money. I've used them for a number of Corvettes, Cadillac's,
Volvos and Saabs, both mine and other customers.

www.wheelcollision.com

 

What's the name of the place in Montreal? Do they have a site I can
check out their prices or something?

 

Most major cities have at least one of these shops. Houston has six.
(Look under 'wheels' in the Yellow Pages.)

Some will make the wheel look good standing 10 feet away; others
will return it to an OEM or even show car finish. The first group
rely on wheel paint to make the wheel look good. The second group
use wheel refinishing equipment, including lathes, to produce a
new finish. As your wheels shouldn't need any welding or plating,
they should be easy to do, and make like new again. $100 per wheel
is a rough guide.

Dan

(This account is not used for email.)

 

I had a pair of alloy wheels done on a '91 240SX after an incident that
involved scraping them against a high curb at about 40 MPH. They were very
deeply gouged. Repair was a flat $125 per wheel, sight unseen, at Star Tire
in Dallas (on Harry Hines). They came back good as new.

 

In my book a proper parking job is when the wheels whack the side of the
curb (assuming the curb is free of debris). So, you can image the condition
of my Konig Tuner aluminum rims. I figure, all the scrapes and bruises may
deter the thieves and send them off for better pickings. They still look
good from 10 feet away and that's good enough for me.

Pars