Help! Newly powder coated wheels care

[greasykid]

Had my oem wheels (2018 20") powder coated glossy black a week ago. They didn't come out quite right so supplier is going to redo them next week. My real concern-- a few days ago I carefully polished the " new " wheels. I first applied detailer using a soft mcrofiber cloth to wipe dry. Then applied my regular liquid polish;which is excellent on my paint,with a foam pad & again wiped with a microfiber. Everything looked great until I got out in bright sunlight. Then I could see tiny scratches on the wheels. I thought from what I have heard that powder coating was supposed to be a hard surface,not easily scratched.
Do not want this to happen on my redo coating. (Done by a highly regarded source).
Have read a lot on the net re PC wheel care the last few days. While there seems to be many products made for PC wheel care there are also some who recommend either only cleaning with mild soap & water & wiping dry or,if anything, using only detailer. Will also chk w/PC guy.

Need your input,or experience. Thx.

PS oem wheels look MUCH better black.

[fR3ZNO]

Not really sure why you went crazy polishing them right after, all of mine that I've done look great without any need for polishing. I think your issue may have been that the coating was still slightly soft and needed some additional time to harden. I've had a few sets of my wheels powdercoated due to the durability, and like you said typically it can be treated like paint for the most part. On my last set of wheels that were PC'd I simply used some cquartz ceramic coating on them and called it a day.

[choppstixxx]

I believe any "gloss" powdercoats have a clearcoat, so you should be able to correct/protect it like body paint. I don't know if powdercoated items go by the same rule, but with newly painted surfaces your not suppose to apply any wax or sealant til a few months after it was done.
This gives it time to fully cure/harden, I would say once spring/summer comes around you could remove the swirls with a compound like M105 by hand or machine. Then I would either use a sealant like Jescar Powerlock+ or a ceramic wheel coating like Gtechniq C5 for even better protection.

[fR3ZNO]

Not necessarily^ All base color powdercoats have some amount to gloss to them by themselves. But typically a clear coat can be added afterwards for additional gloss. In that case, you can correct defects like you would paint.

[zeeke069]

Im looking to get mine done as well, 21" 2016s. But one thing I can say for sure is that what was said above is true. You are not even supposed to use a hand towel or anything abrasive on new car paint or powder coat for weeks at a minimum. Its got to harden. I would say that first month just water to rinse them off.

Also what did it cost you to do the wheels? And did you have to take the unmounted bare wheels to them or did they do that for you? I have not started looking yet and a ballpark would be nice to start with. Thanks.

[VroomVroom]

If/when needed, you can correct gloss powdercoat whether or not there's clear on top.

My guess is you introduced scratches by polishing - your coater can confirm/deny.

If you want the most durable protection, having a quality ceramic coating applied will make maintenance a breeze and add some additional gloss. As with any painted finish, good wash & maintenance habits will prevent light scratches and marring.

[greasykid]

Not really sure why you went crazy polishing them right after, all of mine that I've done look great without any need for polishing. I think your issue may have been that the coating was still slightly soft and needed some additional time to harden. I've had a few sets of my wheels powdercoated due to the durability, and like you said typically it can be treated like paint for the most part. On my last set of wheels that were PC'd I simply used some cquartz ceramic coating on them and called it a day.

Really didn't go crazy. Just putting a protective coat of "wax" on the same as any other wheel. I checked with the PC guy who had told me that no waiting period necessary.wheels are cured as soon as they cool down after being coated. Saw him today & he isn't satisfied with the coating job & wants to redo again, add clearcoat next week. OK with me. No new charges. What quartz coating did you use & how well did it work?

[greasykid]

Not really sure why you went crazy polishing them right after, all of mine that I've done look great without any need for polishing. I think your issue may have been that the coating was still slightly soft and needed some additional time to harden. I've had a few sets of my wheels powdercoated due to the durability, and like you said typically it can be treated like paint for the most part. On my last set of wheels that were PC'd I simply used some cquartz ceramic coating on them and called it a day.

See my reply. Thx for replies.

[fR3ZNO]

Really didn't go crazy. Just putting a protective coat of "wax" on the same as any other wheel. I checked with the PC guy who had told me that no waiting period necessary.wheels are cured as soon as they cool down after being coated. Saw him today & he isn't satisfied with the coating job & wants to redo again, add clearcoat next week. OK with me. No new charges. What quartz coating did you use & how well did it work?

Gotcha. You said polish at first so I thought you were trying to remove defects or something on fresh powder coat.

I used this cquartz kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4D1ZAY..._Zq2BCbRX3AT6G

Works really well, had it on my summer wheels for one season so far and water still beads very easily.

[greasykid]

Im looking to get mine done as well, 21" 2016s. But one thing I can say for sure is that what was said above is true. You are not even supposed to use a hand towel or anything abrasive on new car paint or powder coat for weeks at a minimum. Its got to harden. I would say that first month just water to rinse them off.

Also what did it cost you to do the wheels? And did you have to take the unmounted bare wheels to them or did they do that for you? I have not started looking yet and a ballpark would be nice to start with. Thanks.

. PC guy has everything re wheels,tires lift etc..I left my car with him. $450 . A very good price for all that he is doing. After checking around for a few months I had quotes of $400-$800 & I would have to take wheels off & deliver to the shop. I did not choose this shop. My Indy service guy referred me.

[choppstixxx]

I used this cquartz kit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4D1ZAY..._Zq2BCbRX3AT6G
Works really well, had it on my summer wheels for one season so far and water still beads very easily.

Not trying to knock Cquartz, but there are other very similar/better coatings that level better and are more user friendly. To spend $75 for a bottle that was meant to do 1-2 cars exterior paint is a waste if your just buying it to do the wheels. Like I said Gtechniq makes a wheel specific coating called C5 and is half that, remember once you open a bottle of any ceramic coating it cannot be used later. Or IMO for a product that is very durable and inexpensive/easy to apply, Jescar Powerlock+ is probably one of the best synthetic sealants out there. I used it on my Avant Garde M590's little pockets on the faces of the wheels cuz I didn't have enough ceramic coating to do them, lasted for months and beaded like a ceramic coating. Plus you can use it on your paint, headlights, etc.

My wheels after a season of daily use before I sold em:

[fR3ZNO]

Not trying to knock Cquartz, but there are other very similar/better coatings that level better and are more user friendly. To spend $75 for a bottle that was meant to do 1-2 cars exterior paint is a waste if your just buying it to do the wheels. Like I said Gtechniq makes a wheel specific coating called C5 and is half that, remember once you open a bottle of any ceramic coating it cannot be used later. Or IMO for a product that is very durable and inexpensive/easy to apply, Jescar Powerlock+ is probably one of the best synthetic sealants out there. I used it on my Avant Garde M590's little pockets on the faces of the wheels cuz I didn't have enough ceramic coating to do them, lasted for months and beaded like a ceramic coating. Plus you can use it on your paint, headlights, etc.

My wheels after a season of daily use before I sold em:

Meh, I just linked that one as an example. I think I ended up getting the 50mL ($50~) and just did some extra coats, since you can't use it later, like you mentioned. I also used a small cheap airbrush to apply it, since my wheels have lots of nooks and crannies too (OZ Ultraleggera) and I found that helped a lot in making it easier to apply.

But thanks for sharing alternatives. Honestly, I just went with cquartz since it was a brand I had heard of before and heard good things about it as well. $50 isn't really a lot to ask for additional protection on powder coating you just spent $500~ on.

[choppstixxx]

But thanks for sharing alternatives. Honestly, I just went with cquartz since it was a brand I had heard of before and heard good things about it as well. $50 isn't really a lot to ask for additional protection on powder coating you just spent $500~ on.

That's exactly my point, so many people gravitate towards brands they hear on social media or the internet in general without really doing a lot of research/comparisons. When TBH most of the time it's not really the best "bang for your buck" or necessarily the best in general. When it all boils down, it's your car/your money. But I am someone that wants to educate and inform people about a topic I have been involved in for over 15 yrs.

[fR3ZNO]

That's exactly my point, so many people gravitate towards brands they hear on social media or the internet in general without really doing a lot of research/comparisons. When TBH most of the time it's not really the best "bang for your buck" or necessarily the best in general. When it all boils down, it's your car/your money. But I am someone that wants to educate and inform people about a topic I have been involved in for over 15 yrs.

For what it's worth I did do some research before hand and looked at reviews of other ceramic coatings, and cquartz still seemed like the best bet at the time. Obviously "nano" coatings have blown up in the last few years, so I probably could have done more research, but I just wanted to get my wheels coated and on my car ASAP.

But if I ever need to coat my wheels again I will keep the ones you mentioned in mind. In fact, I do have some of the Jescar Powerlock+ at home, got it as part of a kit that was in a Detailer's Domain Mystery Box (just haven't had a chance to use it due to weather).

[Thudux]

Just soap and water bro. All my wheels are powder coated and scratch free. Never wipe when dirty and thoroughly rinse.

IMG_4170.jpg

[greasykid]

The final decision. Going with Gloss black on wheels with a powder coat clear coat. Thx for all comments.