Alloy Paint Colour

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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906
I've asked about this before but I'm getting conflicting advice.

I want to touch up some kerb marks on the edges of three of my alloys and fully repaint another wheel I bought as a spare. I went to an auto paint supplier yesterday but they said there is no standard alloy paint colour and you had to just guess it! That can't be right? Can anyone shed light on this?

These are the wheels in question in silver:

Genuine-Seat-Leon-Alloy-Wheel-18-Et51-5F0601025Aa-_57.jpg
 

moriarty

Active Member
Apr 6, 2015
96
14
Edinburgh
I found a reference on a website to Audi L1H7 Oxygen Silver and it did a decent job on some minor marks on 17" alloys from a 2015 FR. Salesman noted wheels were unmarked when traded in so match can't have been too bad.
The same code also comes up as Le Mans Silver on some suppliers, not sure if that is different shade or not.
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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I found a reference on a website to Audi L1H7 Oxygen Silver and it did a decent job on some minor marks on 17" alloys from a 2015 FR..

So you didn't paint the whole wheel, just touched up parts of them? The colour match must have been good.

I've got three wheels with kerbing on the edges, nothing terrible but want to tidy and seal them up. Another wheel has bad kerbing halfway up the spokes so needs fully repainted. I'm hoping to get it to match the other wheels.
 

Big Vinny

Active Member
Oct 14, 2012
213
43
I have always used Skoda Diamond Silver 9102/97 without the lacquer on my Leon alloy wheels.. Excellent touch up match !
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
It is nothing short of annoying when you can't find the exact colour code for wheels, the very items that are most likely to get chipped/damaged.
I have used VW Silver like my wife's 2015 Polo body colour is, though if using the official touch up kits without using the clear coat, it remains a bit "flat", so I bought what turned out to be a single bottle of same touch up paint from MAD, hoping that it does not need a clear coat - so hopefully that will work better. I had already bought pearl blue paint for my Audi which came as a "2 bottle kit" but when used without a top clear coat it looked okay and not matt/flat like the genuine Audi touch up kits did if not using clear coat.

I think that I asked a proper alloy wheel refinisher once about refurbishing a single wheel - they suggest getting 2 done due to the uncertainty of ending up with an acceptable colour match - nice! When I got wheels powder coated, a similar story, ie "we can not guarantee to match any previously done by us" - not much good?
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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It is nothing short of annoying when you can't find the exact colour code for wheels, the very items that are most likely to get chipped/damaged.

It does seem something of an oversight. I'm going to buy a rattle can and try touching up the edges of the three wheels with light damage first. That should hopefully let me see how well the colour matches. It would be good to get the other wheel close to factory but I'm beginning to think it's unlikely.
 

TomsLeon

Active Member
Sep 26, 2020
67
5
You could get a bespoke can made up and matched to your existing colour. Don't suppose it's cheap now but should be a perfect match.

I think wheels are bought in pre-painted from other companies (BBS, Speedline, etc) so use thier own colours rather than brand specific ones.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
I think wheels are bought in pre-painted from other companies (BBS, Speedline, etc) so use thier own colours rather than brand specific ones.

i agree, but these wheel manufacturers are being contracted to make wheels to an agreed spec in large numbers for the various VW Group marques, so the exact colour will have been agreed with the customer and not just something that these wheel manufacturers chose themselves. As far as I know, each colour of paint can be reg'd and so have a unique number that can be used to achieve a perfect match anywhere in the developed world.
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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As far as I know, each colour of paint can be reg'd and so have a unique number that can be used to achieve a perfect match anywhere in the developed world.

Ah, that's why it doesn't work in the UK! ;0)
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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Just an update to this adventure:

I've just touched up kerb marks on three wheels and fully repainted one. The paint I used was L1H7 LE MANS from eBay seller WLW Auto Paints. I used lacquer from the same seller.

The colour match is pretty good. It depends a bit on how much lacquer you put on but I doubt you'll find a better match of the actual colour. What is interesting is that the new paint is a lot more metallic than the original Seat paint. In fact, once you pay attention the origonal wheels don't really look like metalic at all!

If you're painting a set I don't think this is a problem, I think the new paint looks better, but if you're trying to match original wheels or paint part of a wheel it might be an idea to ask the seller to make the paint less metallic if they can.
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
You are going to laugh, but I used to have an Ibiza with the black 17 inch Rims. It did have some adventures with the kerb a few times. Despite a super eagle eyed BCA person who found dents in the bodywork that didn't exist, he could not see the touch up rims, which I just used my other half's black gloss nail polish! :) These lasted a good 3 months and few car washes before it needed to be reapplied!
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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Despite a super eagle eyed BCA person who found dents in the bodywork that didn't exist, he could not see the touch up rims, which I just used my other half's black gloss nail polish!

Yeah, my repairs are the same. Off the car and close up you can see them but once back on the car, no one will notice them. No chance.
 
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