Black Rado touch up options?

[Stormy]

I got a wee bit of !@#$%^ curb rash on one of my black Rados today. Has this happened to anyone else? Advice for touching it up.\? A google search isn't bringing up anything for paint options so I'm guessing they're powdercoated. Would just some gloss enamel work in that case?

 

[Hellboy's_Fist]

I think they are powder coated the same color as the basic wheels and then some type of darker clear is applied over so a touch up might be very hard to achieve. I passed on the wheel protection and 2 weeks after driving around Detroit to work and back I had one wheel scuffed from potholes and another with a flat tire lol. Luckily the massive brake dust seems to even out the color.

 

[Stormy]

I wasn't offered wheel protection. Weird. I picked up some gloss black enamel, model paint actually, and I'm going to try that for a reasonable match when I get a chance. Problem is I may have to remove the wheel and lay it flat to get a good bead without running.

 

[nickstewartroc]

I have just a hint of rash on one of mine, no idea how I got it, I did buy the wheel insurance though, the only "add on" I bought with the car. One of these days I should see what they will do...

 

[Stormy]

I need to talk to my dealer about the wheel insurance. I totally didn't get offered that. Maybe because I'm leasing?

 

[Hellboy's_Fist]

I've never had a factory wheel get damaged on any vehicle I've owned. This car gave me some karma for turning it down.

I didn't even know they leased ST's, that is probably why. When you turn it in two things are going to happen:

1. They don't care and don't even look that the car like they have done on all of my leases.
2. They will find those tiny little marks on the wheels and bend you over.


I guess it depends on the dealer and your relationship with them.

If you want to fix it find a paint that matches the stock greys, then get some tinted touch up and apply over that. Honestly, as long as those ugly black spots are gone no one will know.
I turned in a car with all kinds of mods and the guy didn't even go outside to look at it.

 

[OCS12]

As of last night, I now have the same problem as well. I think I'm going to try a method similar to what others have suggested here. I'm going to swing by autozone and pick up some touch up paint in whatever the darkest, non-metallic grey I can find is. Then I'm going to mix a very small amount of black in with some clear coat, and just keep adding coats til it matches. I'll let you know if I have any luck.

If that doesn't work... Screw it, I'll just go over it with generic black wheel paint and call it day. I'll probably be the only one who would ever notice anyway as long as the blacks are vagely close. My snow tires are going to go on these wheels anyway, so I doubt this will be the first time they take a beating.

 

[Racer83L]

I have not scratched any of my fiesta wheels yet. I do however have a Grand Cherokee Altitude with 20" painted black wheels. Somehow one of them got scratched (not curb rash - maybe someone rubbed the bottom of their shoe on it) and I bought gloss black touch up from autozone, I think it was a GM black. I touched the wheel up. I was abler to tell the difference.. a week later I can barely find the scratch anymore. It has been 2 years since and the scratches are gone. dont think about it too much and use black touch up.

 

[TERAWR]

The rado grey paint I have not found a match for yet. 2 orders from ebay with high hopes and one trip to automotive paint supplier and it seems like no one has found the right mixture to get a match yet. Good luck on finding something.

 

[OCS12]

I'll be honest, I went for the quick and dirty choice until they come off for the snow tires. I used a generic Rustoleum gloss black touch up pen. I'm the only one who ever notices, and I have to look for the damage.

I'll try better later, but it's pretty good for now.

 

[Intuit]

Increasing your tire pressures should help prevent damage to the wheel from road hazards.

Question, can you go a little wider than 205 on the stock wheels without modifying offset or rubbing? In theory, this might also serve to help protect the wheels.

 

[Stormy]

Well, the good news is that good old Testors gloss black acrylic model paint is both an exact match in color and gloss. I used some 220 grit to smooth out the edges of the chips and then dabbed in the paint. It looks ok. Not factory fresh but it's like OCS12 said, you have to look for it now. We'll see how it holds up over time. I may put another layer on tomorrow to see if I can get a better fill-in. For now, it's much better though.

 

[vlangs]

Can confirm Testors Gloss black is a damn near perfect match, I curbed my wheel BAD and was damn near livid. But there wasn't much curbing but the paint flecked off

Testors fixed it, and unless you knew it was there you wouldn't be able to tell (I have to actively look for it to see a couple scratches.)