The issue with powder coating is not the cure temperature, but that the ovens are poorly controlled. It is quite easy to see 240+ in the ovens and it is the high temps that add to the issues. This does not matter to a steel part, but does to the alloy as it takes in into the “over aging” phase of heat treatment and can cause it to embrittle.
Powder coating is actually a brittle paint finish and there are many other methods of painting wheels that do not have to be cured in an oven.
That is not strictly true in regards to OEM many wheel finishes are not powder anymore, many are in fact wet coat based systems to produce the ever increasing array of finishes. Although I have to say whilst Mazda have and do still suffer with corrosion issues on wheels they are FAR from alone in the modern world in relation to wheels suffering with apalling lifespan on wheels in relation to issues.
The debate of powder V wet coat based is something that could go on for years.
My last car had refurb via powder finish owing ironically to corrosion…I have seen a fair few 1 or even 2 year old wheels NOT from Mazda with issues regaring finish, one our own other C30 with one wheel at a year old suffering severe corrosion. Which in itself was an odd thing according to my wheel refurb guy as it was a mix the based appeared powder but the front face to give extra sparkle was wet coat.
Yes and Yes,
Our winter wheels have been powder coated in graphite…
Also the original wheels have been powder coated in sparkly silver…
Absolutely no problems with either set of wheels which were refurbed/powder coated by local wheel refurb specialists.