I am thinking of having the standard 17 inch alloys on my mica stormy blue Mk 3.5 Sport Tech powder coated in graphite or gun mental. Has anyone done this? Any pics?
You will shortly be told about the dangers of powder coating wheels ! I have had wheels powder coated on 3 cars with no problem, but not on an Mk3.5.
The wheels on my Mk1 are refurbished Mk2 alloys which have been powder coated and then lacquered. However, the mating face where the wheel meets the hub was not coated (or had been subsequently cleaned off - but I assume they just masked that area off) so the concerns that have been raised elsewhere don’t apply. I’m very happy with the finish, they are like new wheels.
No close-up pics of the wheels unfortunately but here’s a shot of the car with the wheels on it.
Powder coating is what BJV Engineering (wheelrefurbishing.com) do, and their wheel refurbs are excellent. Do a forum search for people who have used them. They do all sorts of colours although I’ve only had silver (one set was also “diamond cut” because they were BBS alloys with the polished rim).
I have used BJV twice and they are very skilled in wheel restoration, and very reasonablly priced too. It is very reassuring to see the number of wheels for exotic cars going through the same process. I am sure if they caused these wheels to crack and collapse there would be a fair amount of adverse publicity and very rapid bankruptcy !
So are you saying the set of written off wheels and a large dent in my wallet was my imagination???
More like a head in the sand “it won’t happen to me” I thought that, it did though.
No, I am sure your wheels collapsed, but I think your title gives the game away. Had the wheels taken a hammering in competition, did the cracks exist before the powder coating ? I have heard similar stories to yours but always from competition drivers or drifters and I believe them. I have never heard of a powder coated wheel collapsing when used for normal road use. If I was using wheels in competition I would definitely take your advice but for road use - No. BJV are very good but their are some cowboys out there - caveat emptor !
Last August I had my garden gates powder coated and took the opportunity to pick the brains of the owner of the company on the subject of powder coating wheels. His reply was that his company have coated thousands without problems and the secret was ensuring the correct temperature. If too high the metal could suffer stress fractures, too low and the coating will not adhere to the wheels. In other words, done correctly, fine. Anything less and there could be problems. How exactly anyone is supposed to ensure the temperature is correct remains a mystery. I think a great deal depends on the reputation of the company and the guarantee they are prepared to offer.
Regards Geoff Peace.
Just found my old post on this subject regarding temperatures etc. It is on page 13, posted 29 August 2012.
Regards Geoff Peace.
If you knew the club you would know I look after the comps at the shows, motorsport is John (peleton72)
The wheels had not been abused , the metal had aged premturely by heating and blasting. The wheels had never been used in competition or track use
Look it up there is plenty of facts out there.
You continue to believe it’s safe, or look up the thread with the pictures on!!
I’ll be painting my wheels
You have had a bad experience on one set of wheels, I have had no problems on three sets of wheels. I don’t think either of us is going to change the other’s opinion.
I just don’t think that any gain over painting is worth the risk. Not every powdercoated wheel fails, but it is an unnecesary risk for little gain.
How about a YES/NO poll to quantify the risks in powder coating wheels ?
Open only to those who have had wheels powder coated
Q: Did you experience cracked wheels after powder coating ? YES/NO
No. Low temp. system used by The Wheel Specialist. Great job and fantastic service by the team in East Grinstead. 
No. Set of 9-spoke Puma wheels requiring straightening and truing before powder coating by BJV Engineering
No. Set of Fiesta ST 17" alloys with kerb rash color powder coated and colour changed to Anthracite by DiamondWheels, Letchworth.
No. Set of MX5 Arctic wheels with no damage but lifting paint and lacquer powder coated by BJV Engineering.
Well that certainly produced a response. Thanks everyone. Going to give it some thought. Might just get them painted.
Powdercoat normally cures at a temperature of about 200 deg C, which is not all that hot. Most OEM wheels will have been powdercoated at the factory, but I suppose repeated refurbs might have some cumulative effect.
FWIW, stove enamel is cured at a similar temperature and no-one worries about stove enamelling 6061-T6 bicycle frames, which are subject to much higher stresses than car wheels, judging by how often hard-ridden bike frames break at the chainstays or head tube.