[lennyf]

I'm thinking about doing a Matte Bronze powder coat on my stock M240i wheels.
It's a cheaper way to change things up.

[happyjack]

i only know powdercoat from the boating world. i've owned 2 boats that had powercoated hardware, and i absolutely hate it. once it's chipped, there's no way to repair it so it just becomes a slow, steady growth of chipping from the one spot.

i'm actually looking to get have the powdercoat blasted off of my current boat and then paint it in the same color using a marine grade 2-part epoxy...that's how just about all of the high-end boatbuilders are doing it these days.

[tennisfreak]

My stock wheels are powdercoated matte black.

The powdercoat finish is much more durable than the stock glossy black and silver finish.

I was happy with how it turned out but ultimately wanted something more.

I ended up getting some VMR v801 wheels.

[JesseFL]

I am by no means an expert, but I also thought how cool it would be to powder coat my stock wheels a few months ago and started doing some research on it. I found horror stories of people who went through the powder coat process, then took their car to the track or SCCA event and while on the track have spokes shear off and their wheels crack.

Apparently the high temperatures required to bake in the powder coat will cause the metal in the wheel to become brittle and loose its structural integrity.

I actually do autocross my car, and the few anecdotal stories I found online were enough to scare me away from looking into it any further. Painted wheels are a safer option.

[lmc1978]

Originally Posted by JesseFL

I am by no means an expert, but I also thought how cool it would be to powder coat my stock wheels a few months ago and started doing some research on it. I found horror stories of people who went through the powder coat process, then took their car to the track or SCCA event and while on the track have spokes shear off and their wheels crack.

Apparently the high temperatures required to bake in the powder coat will cause the metal in the wheel to become brittle and loose its structural integrity.

I actually do autocross my car, and the few anecdotal stories I found online were enough to scare me away from looking into it any further. Painted wheels are a safer option.

Check out this web site:

http://www.powdercoatguide.com/p/articles.html

Typical temps to cure powder coat are around 400 degrees F for ten minutes. The oven at your house is made from cheap sheet metal, the racks are just plated metal, some of the pots and pans even have plastic handles that will be OK in the oven.
Ever look at brake parts glowing red hot at the track? They don't fall apart, do they?
Autocrossing is an established sport and I won't knock it. But you run the car hard for what, maybe one minute? It's a different world from extended run sessions on a racetrack.
Anyway, powdercoating shops like any business vary in quality. A good powdercoating shop can give you wheels in any color you can imagine that will look awesome and be extremely durable.
Having said all that, any body shop with a good painter using epoxy paint can achieve the same result without any baking. It's all in the prep work. Any painted surface is only as good as the underlying substrate.

[c-m]

Any photos of someone with powder coated stock 436m wheels?

[Uridian]

If you want cheap and matte/satin with zero risk, try Plasti Dip. You can do it in a few hours in an afternoon, enjoy it, run it for a season and then peel and change color when you like. I've run black, light blue, metallic red, and I'm currently on dark gunmetal. I have copper and teal available for when the car is an appropriate color as well.