Our first product review took place on Monday 9th May 2011 at The Wheel Specialist. As alloy wheel refurbishing is very popular among car lovers, we thought it would be an excellent thing to review.
- Loose wheels or Vehicle in
They either loose wheels or the wheels are brought into the branch. In our situation the wheels and tyres were professionally removed.
- Preparation of the wheels
Following assessment each wheel was carefully shot-blasted by hand to remove previous layers of lacquer and paint to obtain a clear metal surface in preparation for coating. If the wheels are in a particularly poor condition (which mine were not) they are chemically stripped prior to blasting. The wheels are then carefully prepped, sanded and any damage repaired in preparation for the finish application. It was noted our wheels were in quite good condition, although some work was still needed.
- Finish Application
The wheels were then thermo treated to remove any air from the alloy and a powder coat finish was electro statically applied. The wheels were then cured for a set period of time. As our wheels were having a “special” finish a wet paint layer was applied at this stage. Powder coating is the most durable finish for your wheels, not only will they look fantastic but they will last for years to come, no flaking or peeling.
- The Finishing Touch
A clear lacquer coat was applied and then fully cured, thus enhancing and protecting the alloy wheels.
- Tyres and wheels replaced
The wheels were rebalanced, tyres fitted and replaced on to the vehicle.
I got back to the site at 4pm, and relaxed with a cup of tea, which was much needed after a day wondering around Birmingham.
Apart from the great finish, the rust and pitting on the alloy had totally gone. In the morning, they did actually say they will be good, but they are reconditioning them, so you must allow for some imperfections. To be totally honest all the imperfections had gone…maybe there were some still, but we could not find any.
Overall we would totally recommend The Wheel Specialist, they clearly appeared to know what they were doing, and the range of some of their work was quite remarkable! I was impressed with the black chrome finish, and although maybe a little darker than I thought, I could not fault them for that, as it was my decision…But for finish and quality I have no problems.
The Wheel Specialist:
The Wheel Specialist is the UK’s leading alloy wheel refurbishment specialist delivering a complete service of top quality, best in class customer care and a same day turn around at a price that presents fantastic value to car owners and the auto trade.
The company has redefined the traditional wheel refurbishment service in order to provide the level of customer care, choice of finishes and colours, quality and durability that car owners have longed for. Customers can now access a professional and complete service, delivered locally and to the highest quality and customer care standards by a growing franchise network.
The Wheel Specialist has over 20 years of experience in specialist alloy wheel refurbishment and over 40 years technical know-how and development in leading powder coat technologies and techniques. With thousands of happy customers and hundreds more being added each week there is growing demand for The Wheel Specialist’s own unique brand of specialist alloy wheel refurbishment. For more information and to get a fast, easy online quote go to: www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk or call 0845 465 4865
