The problem with diamond cut wheels

So what is a diamond cut wheel? Do I have them on my car? How can I tell?

The answer to the first question is that they look superb when new which is why the leading manufacturers like BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes fit them as standard on their top of the range cars. Expensive cars and expensive wheels equal good looks.

You can still have alloy wheels on your car that are not Diamond cut and the finish on those would be powder coated or spray painted, which still look very good and are cheaper to maintain if they get damaged by kerbs or rough roads. Diamond cut wheels are refurbished by putting them on a machine that has a diamond tipped cutter as the wheel spins on the machine the cutter takes of fractions of millimetres until all the damage is removed leaving the wheel looking as new as when it was made. It would then be treated with lacquer to protect the alloy from corrosion.

This method is more expensive than painting due to the cost of the machine and the training of the operative. If the profile of the wheel is not mapped out correctly by a skilled operative, too much of the face of the wheel can be cut off rendering the wheel unsafe. Another factor is how polished the wheel looks if the alloy wheel is not cut correctly you may have a dull effect or have deep grooves in the cut. A finished diamond cut wheel will have two tones and look like a design masterpiece giving any type of car a prestigious makeover.

Design and aesthetics come at a price and inconvenience, durability is an issue and cost of repairs start at £100 – £170.00 per wheel depending on the size of your wheel and the extent of the damage. Presumably, if you can afford a top of the range car you can afford to wheel maintenance however lots of lease cars have Diamond cut wheels and insist on them being in factory condition when they are returned so you may find yourself at the end of your lease with a hefty bill for Diamond cut wheel refurbishment. Alternatively, you can have the repairs done by an alloy wheel repair specialist, which should cut down the costs.

The other downside of repair is that most new cars do not carry a spare wheel so this would mean leaving your car with the garage for at least 48 hours which would be easier if you had more than one wheel done.
With Diamond cut wheels becoming so popular there are many more specialists now who can accommodate leaving your car with them while they do the work on the wheels but good ones are usually booked up a week or two in advance you don’t leave it until the last minute.

It is sometimes difficult to tell if your car has Diamond cut wheels if you are not a professional but there are some tell-tale clues if you look closely, the wheel will have a two-tone effect and if you may see the fine lines where it has turned on the machine and been cut.

You may want to consider your alloy wheel options when purchasing your next vehicle.

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