Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists

MetzgerMeister

Due to a lot of people asking about companies who repair/refurbish alloys, I've decided to start this thread so anyone who knows of a company, please add here.

MODS: Could you make this a sticky please?

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Wheel Doctor,
Ballinahow,
Tipp Town,
Co. Tipperary

(062)31401
www.wheeldoctor.ie
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Carlow Coatings,
Chaff St.,
Graiguecullen,
Carlow,
Co. Carlow

(059)9137758
www.carlowcoatings.net
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Tallaght Powder Coating,
Unit 14,
Lower Ballymount Rd.,
Dublin 12

(01)4564020
www.tallaghtpowdercoating.ie
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Collins Engineering,
Unit D Solus Tower Ind Est,
Bray,
Co. Wicklow

(01)2827001
(087)2437288
http://www.wefixalloywheels.com

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Brian Kelly

(087)6037815

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Dave McCarton in RE Auto
Smithstown,
Maynooth,
Co. Kildare

(087)6371111
www.reauto.ie

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Leon Smith,
Based Near Walkinstown Roundabout

(085)1373452

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Ballyneety Tyres,
Ballyneety,
Limerick,

(061)351880

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Lyons Tyres,
Slievenamon Rd.,
Thurles,
Co. Tipperary

(0504)21233
www.lyonstyres.com
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voxpop

Are these recommendations or just companies ?

MetzgerMeister

Just companies However I do recommend Carlow Coatings. Dropped my alloys to them yesterday. I've seen others that they have done and all for a very good price.

Tefral

I wouldnt go to Tallagh Powder Coating myself personally...

joker77

cronin_j wrote: »

I wouldnt go to Tallagh Powder Coating myself personally...

how come?

Anyone else have any email addresses of people who do it?

I've a few pictures that I'm sending off for quotes

jravenwood

<snip>

MOD EDIT - 3 posts all about the same business from a newly registered member is a no no in my book.

pmurphy7

The prices quoted by the Dublin companies are excessive. Had a vw corrado wheels fully done in Manchester at 50 per wheel and four years on they are still excellent. Quoted 350 in Dublin, put the wheels in as had to replace tyres. First repair had flat spots, scratches from fitting tyres and u could see the repair from standing. Second attempt by them they just did the front and paint spray/ lacquered the inner rim to a rough wallpaper finish. They even spray painted over the adhesive left on for the balance weights and then lacquered it. I am now on the third attempt, as I cannot understand how they are rated as one of the best when they appear to have no respect for quality.. this is on a gleaming 2006 BMW 335. For the money u pay in Dublin u would expect a thorough job but I even had to wash the wheels as they were black with dust after the first attempt.

Ardennes1944

The car i might be buying has wrecked alloys, paint is savaged and alloys are rough out, but straight and buckle free. They're 17", how much would it cost roughly?

Nonoperational

Around €60 per wheel.

EPM

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

The car i might be buying has wrecked alloys, paint is savaged and alloys are rough out, but straight and buckle free. They're 17", how much would it cost roughly?

You're in Cork. Get onto Paintdoctor. He sorted me out;)

ShadowHearth

What about wheel shape? I hit a pothole and alloy is fecked. Isit possible to do proper realigning not just cosmetic stuff?

rex-x

Thats why the wheel doctor is ahead, he has a true jig for wheel straightening and can do it with no damage to your wheel like some gangsters, he will fix its cracked or if its in 2 pieces too once you have both :cool:
Mine were finished by him last yr and are still looking lovely

sentient_6

rex-x wrote: »

he has a true jig for wheel straightening and can do it with no damage to your wheel like some gangsters

Wish id looked into it more myself when i cracked the inside rim of an alloy last year. Got it fixed with a guy recommend by my local tyre guy & your man left it scratched to sh*t. & like an ejit i never followed it up. My spare is full alloy so might swap them next tyre change. Its only cosmetic but something like that bothers me everytime i look at it.

Actually looking the wheel doctor site id nearly look into them polishing it up or whatever would sort it.

E39MSport

Saw an add from Joe Duffy (BMW) recently stating Eur 65 a pop done in house.

Northern Monkey

E39MSport wrote: »

Saw an add from Joe Duffy (BMW) recently stating Eur 65 a pop done in house.

I think the Joe Duffy advert is for smart repairs rather than a full refurb.

E39MSport

Northern Monkey wrote: »

I think the Joe Duffy advert is for smart repairs rather than a full refurb.

Could be right, haven't got it in front of me - thanks

Furthermore, re: Collins, I noticed blistering on one of my cruiser wheels last week. Not impressed. Only done about a year ago at a cost of 400. Will repair it myself.

Ardennes1944

EPM wrote: »

You're in Cork. Get onto Paintdoctor. He sorted me out;)

Way ahead of ya:D

pmurphy7

I am surprised they get so much business. on the evidence to date they don't appear to give a damn. you live and learn but I will never take any wheel to Collins again. I am shocked they haven't had more complaints. Third time lucky this Tuesday.

ShadowHearth

rex-x wrote: »

Thats why the wheel doctor is ahead, he has a true jig for wheel straightening and can do it with no damage to your wheel like some gangsters, he will fix its cracked or if its in 2 pieces too once you have both :cool:
Mine were finished by him last yr and are still looking lovely

aha, anyone know how long would it take to fix 2 wheels atleast? as i dont have a second set of wheels for mazda.

E39MSport

ShadowHearth wrote: »

aha, anyone know how long would it take to fix 2 wheels atleast? as i dont have a second set of wheels for mazda.

I have a spare set of 4 stud 14" wheels with tyres from an E11 corolla you can borrow if they fit.

Also, some places will give you a loan of a set.

Big Nasty

Might need this done myself on a set of M-par reps. Traditionally reps are softer than OEM and these are no different. Got 2 new rear tyres fitted Friday plus balance all wheels as I have a bit of judder up front around the 55mph mark which is a sure sign of imbalance. Judder still there under heavy braking even after balancing. Plus the missus has put a couple of curb marks on them! :mad:

aido76

Anyone recommend a place to refurb alloys in Galway city or county. Not buckled just blistered and scratched. How much per wheel would it cost for 16" wheels?

Thanks inadvance.

rex-x

ShadowHearth wrote: »

aha, anyone know how long would it take to fix 2 wheels atleast? as i dont have a second set of wheels for mazda.

about 2 days from him or if its only buckled, about 10 mins
I watched him and in fairness he does it correctly

makeyupname

cronin_j wrote: »

I wouldnt go to Tallagh Powder Coating myself personally...

I got my VeilSide Andrew Evo V's refurbished at Tallaght Powder Coating last year. Very happy with the service from Jeff and the lads. Wheels look amazing. I'd have no problem recommending them

chiefwiggum

anyone know anywhere near dunshaughlin in meath(work) or rathdrum in wicklow(home) that could fix my cracked wheel? missus+pothole=disaster

thanks

Voodoomelon

E39MSport wrote: »

Could be right, haven't got it in front of me - thanks

Furthermore, re: Collins, I noticed blistering on one of my cruiser wheels last week. Not impressed. Only done about a year ago at a cost of 400. Will repair it myself.

That ain't good, and these were the only lads that I was thinking of going to to get my wheels done as no-one else does diamond cutting. Is it the paint or the lacquer?

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Might need this done myself on a set of M-par reps. Traditionally reps are softer than OEM and these are no different. Got 2 new rear tyres fitted Friday plus balance all wheels as I have a bit of judder up front around the 55mph mark which is a sure sign of imbalance. Judder still there under heavy braking even after balancing. Plus the missus has put a couple of curb marks on them! :mad:

How to fix the 45-55 Shimmy - Traction Strut Replacement

E39MSport

Was the paint. Although it was just one spot and the rest held up very well. Still, it's a blemish. I'm sure they'd fix it for me if I had bothered going back.

Someone on here got their sent to the UK and done iirc for same or less that it costs here. I also think they were very happy - can't remember who, where or when though.

That Paul Dalton miracle detailer chap in the UK uses a dedicated shop somewhere in Berkshire - it's supposed to be great.

Henry Ford III

http://www.lepsons.com/home.phtml

I got a set of alloys for a classic car done about 8 years ago by these people. They are still perfect.

They do a proper and thorough job - chemical stripping, repair if needed, powder coating, diamond cutting, and lacquer.

Recommended.

E39MSport

Henry Ford III wrote: »

http://www.lepsons.com/home.phtml

I got a set of alloys for a classic car done about 8 years ago by these people. They are still perfect.

They do a proper and thorough job - chemical stripping, repair if needed, powder coating, diamond cutting, and lacquer.

Recommended.

Actually, Lipsons Swindon is where I am thinking of. Think thats the place PD sends wheels to. I've heard good things about them in the UK.

EPM

OSI wrote: »

The 18" Monzas on my GTI could do with a bit of a refurb as the 2 on the left have some kerbing going on, but I've heard very few places can refurb the Monzas properly because of the finish, it this true?

It's the lacquer is the issue. You can get them repaired but they don't seem to last. Best solution I say was someone changing the colour. They got them powdercoated in grey and had the black around the spokes redone too. Looked really well.

dahamsta

Anyone in Ireland do polishing as well as painting? The dishes on my wheels are polished, it'd be a shame to lose it.

EPM

The only place I know of is Collins engineering.

Voodoomelon

Got a quote from Lepsons in the UK, they worked out cheaper than Collins, even with shipping and return shipping factored in. That said, I can ship them cheap. Only downside is the longer turnaround.

MetzgerMeister

dahamsta wrote: »

Anyone in Ireland do polishing as well as painting? The dishes on my wheels are polished, it'd be a shame to lose it.

Any chance of a photo of what you want done? It's often possible to do this yourself once you have the right tools.

dahamsta

EPM wrote: »

The only place I know of is Collins engineering.

Thanks, I'll check them out.

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Any chance of a photo of what you want done? It's often possible to do this yourself once you have the right tools.

It's just rim chips tbh, and a few marks on the dishes. Don't have the car today, I'll take photos at the weekend and post them, thanks.

George Dalton

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Got a quote from Lepsons in the UK, they worked out cheaper than Collins, even with shipping and return shipping factored in. That said, I can ship them cheap. Only downside is the longer turnaround.

I have seen a lot of wheel refurbs done by a lot of different companies and most of them are pretty rubbish in all honesty. The quality of the work Lepsons do is way beyond anything I have seen from anywhere in the 26 counties. The only place in Ireland that can match them for quality is Nu Luk in the north but they are a good bit more expensive than Lepsons. The wheels on my own car were done by Lepsons and they are literally almost as good as a new set.

Voodoomelon

Why is it that lots of companies can't get it right though, or produce a lasting finish? What do Lepsons do that others don't? Is the process not pretty standard?

George Dalton

I don't know to be honest I think attention to detail has a lot to do with it.

One "refurb" that sticks out in my mind is a couple of years back a customer brought their Golf GTI in for some work. It had 16" BBS two piece wheels with a polished outer lip. I noticed the centres were black when they had been body coloured. On closer inspection of the finish on the wheels I concluded that the guy must have done them himself with an aerosol can for the centres and a brillo pad for the outer rim. They were honestly that bad. It turned out that they had been done by a wheel refurb company :eek:

Voodoomelon

That's pretty bad alright.

Was flicking through Lepson's site again, their before and after pics are stunning.

George Dalton

I can't fault the job they did on my wheels. I will take some pictures tomorrow as the wheels are off the car at the moment so it's a good opportunity.

Voodoomelon

Do, i'd like to see them.

I just spotted a Lepsons-diamond cut restored version of my wheel on eBay:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/BMW-18-M-Parallel-Refurbish-Alloy-Wheel-37-7-E38-Front-/220709412731?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Trims_Car_Rims_ET&hash=item33634e5f7b#ht_500wt_1048

Looks 100% OEM, perfect!

Neilw

George Dalton wrote: »

I can't fault the job they did on my wheels. I will take some pictures tomorrow as the wheels are off the car at the moment so it's a good opportunity.

Are they the wheels that were in the boxes when I was out with you last? If they are the finish is perfect on them.

Fizman

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Got a quote from Lepsons in the UK, they worked out cheaper than Collins, even with shipping and return shipping factored in. That said, I can ship them cheap. Only downside is the longer turnaround.

Did you just email them requesting what work needs to be done and your type of wheel etc? I emailed them last night, waiting on a response. I need the 4 of my GTI 18" Monzas done.

cojomo2

For anyone that has the time, I took a go at repairing a set of 18'' Detroit (monzas) wheels from a GTi...they were in bits..I had no experience at this at all and figured I couldn't make them any worse..and didn't fancy paying Collins 500 odd with the mixed reviews they were getting.

I decided not to clear coat them, and instead just use a bit of polish from time to time to keep them looking good. I sanded the crap out of them, by hand, using the various grits, starting rough working up to fine, then polished them. Here is a before and after pic.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/862/imag0211s.jpg/


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/imag0213c.jpg/

E39MSport

Nice job

cojomo2

OSI wrote: »

That actually looks really good! How long did it take you? And you've no clear coat/lacquer or anything on them? Do they not blemish at all?

Actually, I did clear coat them, and then decided to remove it after..that pic is just after I applied a clearcoat from a halfords spray can..if anything, it looked better without the clearcoat.

No they didn't blemish much at all, and if they did, a quick rub of metal polish sorted it straight away...where as if there were clearcoat on, it would be a nightmare, as the blemish would be behind it, which means you would have to remove the clearcoat to get at the blemish.

Time wise..it ain't a quick job! A full day (about 7 hours) per wheel..I remember my fingers bleeding!..and a tip if you do it..wear a dust mask!

Voodoomelon

Fizman wrote: »

Did you just email them requesting what work needs to be done and your type of wheel etc? I emailed them last night, waiting on a response. I need the 4 of my GTI 18" Monzas done.

Aye, emailed them. The price they emailed back is just the price on their website for 18" polished alloys.

Fizman

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Aye, emailed them. The price they emailed back is just the price on their website for 18" polished alloys.

Just got the same quote. Who did you look at regarding carriage?

Marty McFly

Is there nowhere in Dublin anyone can recommend?

My alloys have a bit of kerbing and the paint is lifting around the centre cap, one of them things that just annoys the hell out of me everytime I clean it.

Voodoomelon

Fizman wrote: »

Just got the same quote. Who did you look at regarding carriage?

Well my business ships with DPD to the UK for about €12 ex VAT up to 30kg (I think). Private shipping rates are much higher.

dahamsta

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I just spotted a Lepsons-diamond cut restored version of my wheel on eBay:

Nice. Added to TODO list!