Hello all. I have some minor curb rash I think I can dress up on my 2015 ftype. I’m sure the dealer could help but wondered if anyone has found an alternative option for touchup

 

AWR. Alloy Wheel Repair.

 

Anyone know of where touchup paint for wheels can be purchased? I have some very minor rash that wouldn't justify hundreds of dollars to repair.

 

We have some generic silver Alloy Wheel Paint that was a good match, until the a few years later when the paint darkened. So, I need to re-apply the touch-up every few years.

Our local NAPA parts store can do custom touch-up paint in pint cans. They have a collection of swatches that they will let you bring outside to compare to your actual wheel color.


But, I agree, if you want a better match than a "20-footer" you need to get the wheels professionally cut, smoothed, and re-finished.

Here is a video on how to DIY wheel scrape repairs (on a Jaguar, no less):

 

Resurfacing is not as expensive as it used to be. Most reputable shops will refinish one of our 20" rims for under $200. The technology has advanced and a quality shop will make them look brand new.

 

Toobadt if you could post a picture that would be a big help. As you can tell by the answers posted above it will depend on the level of damage and how picky you are about your car. Whenever I gouge a rim it is bad enough that I get the rim repaired and powder coated.

Is it only one rim or multiple?
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You don't need to go to a custom shop to have the wheel repair done. Most dealers have a "wheel guy" who stops in when requested and repairs wheels. I had one done a few years back. It was reasonable and the repair can't be told from new.

 

That would be AWR.

 

I ran into a curb with our 2018 Corvette (painted wheels) and it was pretty bad... along the rim about 8-9 inches. I did the stand up thing and said I'd pay for it. Dealer has wheel guy, but his schedule was erratic, so I checked with my Jaguar dealer. My tech said the guy's work was sometimes 150% and sometimes runs and drips. UGH. Talked to my E type tech and he gave me a name. That guy responded and came with his mobile trailer. Took the wheel off and performed his magic. Spot on and perfect work. THEN it turns out he's the same guy the Jaguar dealer suggested! Whatever, the work was beautiful and less expensive than the what the dealer would charge ($80 vs $150).

DIY. had a small spot on the 2017 F wheel. Did some product research and bought this from Amazon:


Came with everything you'd need, though I did use green painter's tape to mask off the tire area. Cleaned the spot with window cleaner, then wiped down with denatured alcohol. Sanded, rewiped with the DA, let it dry and then used the paintpen. The negative reviews of this kit indicated that there wasn't much paint in the pen, I did not find that to be the case for me. I also tested the tip and the paint on a similar surface to see how the color matched and how the paint flowed. As with most surface-related projects, the success is going to depend on how well the surface is cleaned, sanded, cleaned again and prepped. I warmed up the garage to about 70 as paint works better when surface is warm.
The 'brush' that is supplied is garbage and the pen's tip worked for the first coat. For the second coat I used one of my quality artist brushes so that any uneven areas could be smoothed out. Probably not as good as the $80/$150 job, but at 1 foot distance, you can't tell.

 

On order! Thanks for the link.

 

As with any scratch in a painted surface (whether it is on the body or on a wheel) it is always best to build up the coating before polishing. If the touch-up is higher than the surrounding area, once you sand/polish it level, it will be almost un-noticeable.

Look at the pictures and videos in @Valerie Stabenow 's Amazon link.

Of course, YOU will continue to see the repair... LOL