Powder coated or paint, what should I use.

[RamAir]

I will order Vintage works wheels next week. I think the wheels will look even better with the center in grey metallic. I wonder if I should paint or powder coating the wheels. What are the benefits with either methods.

[astroracer]

Paint them. You can do it yourself for a couple of bucks and you have an unlimited color choice... The issue with the powder coating is masking the non-coated sections. It can be done but I wouldn't pay the price and no one I talked to about it would guarantee the mask line would be nice. I see no benefit over painting anyway. You step back 10 feet and it all looks the same...
Mark

[T-Bone]

Yes, give painting a try. I painted my 17" Wheel Vintiques rallyes nearly ten years ago and they still look A-OK. Good luck!

[csouth]

Paint on the faces should be fine, if it were the lips I would recommend powdercoating.

[muthstryker]

Ive talked to a few powdercoating places here in Washington and most wont even attempt to mask off the wheel. They were just willing to cover the whole thing. My vote is for paint as well.

[justin51986]

I have masked many lips off on wheels for customers, and the line looks just as good as paint. it's really not hard to do at all. also, it will prevent flaking in the case of getting a chip, paint would flake out from the chip, where powder will be confined to just the point of impact. also, someone made a comment about an "unlimited color choice" but I can powder coat more colors than any body shop can paint. I can match ANY color, ANY metallic, ANY pearl, ANY candy, plus I can do hammertones/textures/etc., I have even done candies over hammertones. all in powder. I'm just giving my 2 cents, I would recommend at least finding a local powder coater and talk it over with them. BUT be sure they are a custom coater, the industrial coaters around here are all about quantity instead of quality. make sure they blast the parts good to begin with and at least pretreat with some sort of Iron Phosphate or a sealing chemical to prevent it from rusting under the coating. Just like any paint job, powder coat quality is only as good as the preparation.