My Solution To White Worm Diamond Cut Alloys

[Gee40]

In case anyone is looking for ideas/alternatives for the white worm problem on GTI Diamond Cut alloys, below are my wheels now they have been freshly powder coated at Rimtech Designs in Stockport. Quality of the finish is 1st class

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[SRGTD]

They look great @Gee40 and a painted / powder coated finish is so much more durable than a diamond cut finish. I’m a big fan of anthracite / gunmetal / smoked chrome colours for alloys, and any of those three colours work well with most car paintwork colours - particularly red or white IMHO.

I personally have a great dislike diamond cut alloys;

• poor durability of the diamond cut lacquered finish. IMHO diamond cut alloys aren’t really suited to a car that’s used as a daily driver in the UK during the winter months. It’s usually only a matter of time before they succumb to white worm corrosion.

• they’re more expensive to refurbish in a diamond cut finish than getting a set of powder coated alloys refurbished. Because the diamond cut refurb process involves re-cutting the face of the wheel and removing a layer of metal, it also means that alloys can’t normally be refurbished more than twice, otherwise the structural integrity of the wheel could be compromised.

• they seem to be easily damaged by inexperienced or overzealous tyre fitters.

Given the choice of diamond cut or powder coated alloys I’d go for powder coated every time. Unfortunately I don’t think car manufacturers ongoing obsession with fitting diamond cut alloys to their cars will end any time soon, judging by the number of cars that have them as OEM from the factory.

[Gee40]

Completely agree with all your comments SRGTD.

The car has never touched a kerb or had the high acid level alloy wheel cleaners favoured by "hand" car washes used on it, yet all 4 wheels have suffered from white worm with even the one replaced by VW under warranty 3 years ago starting again with it. this was the final straw hence the decision to go with power coating. I love the anthracite/graphite look, but I am expecting some flak from the purists who I thought would be shouting about originality

[SRGTD]

@Gee40; you won’t get any flak from me . My 2016 Polo GTI gained a set of anthracite coloured alloys within three months of getting the car;

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Prior to that, my mk6 Golf GTD also had the factory diamond cut alloys swapped out for a set of anthracite coloured alloys - the diamond cut alloys succumbed to white worm like yours did;

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And I’ve also swapped the diamond cut alloys for a powder coated set on my current Polo GTI+;

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I keep the original diamond cut alloys and put them back on when the time comes to sell the car.

[Aquavalver]

I don't get why all the main car manufacturers seem to totally love diamond cut alloys and virtually all cars now have them even though they have known for many years that they are not durable or practical and will not stay looking very nice for very long!

[spartacus68]

I don't get why all the main car manufacturers seem to totally love diamond cut alloys and virtually all cars now have them even though they have known for many years that they are not durable or practical and will not stay looking very nice for very long!

It's the bling factor. When these cars were new in the showroom, and given there's a move by some manufacturers today to dechrome models, then wheels are about the last place they can go to town. It's nonsense of course, especially in countries where road salt and moisture will literally corrode them after a few seasons.

My wife has a BMW i3 REx with Turbine 428 diamond cut alloys. One wheel has already been repaired by a wheel specialist, but it's inevitable it will corrode again. I tried to claim against BMW. There was no signs of kerbing, but they argued it had been recut, or had been damaged by a stone chip or a recent tyre change had started the corrosion.

The only way I can keep on top of it was to buy 427 alloy wheels which are powder coated from the factory. They are on from November to the end of April with winter tyres, and the summer diamond cut alloys and tyres go back on for the rest of the year.

[SRGTD]

I don't get why all the main car manufacturers seem to totally love diamond cut alloys and virtually all cars now have them even though they have known for many years that they are not durable or practical and will not stay looking very nice for very long!

It's the bling factor. When these cars were new in the showroom, and given there's a move by some manufacturers today to dechrome models, then wheels are about the last place they can go to town. It's nonsense of course, especially in countries where road salt and moisture will literally corrode them after a few seasons.

My wife has a BMW i3 REx and it came with Turbine 428 diamond cut alloys. One wheel has been repaired once by a wheel specialist, but it's inevitable they will corrode again. I tried to claim against BMW. There was no signs of kerbing, but they'll argue they've been recut, or a stone chip or tyre change has started the corrosion.

The only way to keep on top of it is I ended up buying 427 wheels which are powder coated. They are on from November to the end of April with winter tyres, and put the summer diamond cut alloys and tyres on for the rest of the time.

Agree 100%. As you’ve said, diamond cut alloys have a certain showroom bling appeal if you like that sort of thing (I personally don’t), but IMHO that’s the only upside to them, if bling can be considered an upside.

On my present and previous car, I swapped the diamond cut alloys for a set of durable powder coated alloys after around three months into the ownership of each car and I put the diamond cut alloys into storage, and that’s where they stay until the time comes to sell the car. On my mk6 Golf GTD, two of the diamond cut alloys succumbed to white worm at around the 2.5 year mark and it wasn’t due to lack of care on my part either - they were never kerbed, they were washed every 7-10 days, any stone chip damage attended to pretty much as soon as it happened, and they were waxed / sealed every three months or so. In spite of that, white worm happened - and that’s in a part of the UK that doesn’t get harsh winter weather.

With my powder coated alloys, they stay on the car all year round and only come off when the time comes to sell the car, when the unmarked ‘bling-bling’ diamond cut alloys go back on. I then sell the powder coated alloys and recoup some of the initial purchase cost.

[spartacus68]

With my powder coated alloys, they stay on the car all year round and only come off when the time comes to sell the car, when the unmarked ‘bling-bling’ diamond cut alloys go back on. I then sell the powder coated alloys and recoup some of the initial purchase cost.

Good idea, but expensive outlay and you have the storage of the wheels to consider. That said when I'm buying a second hand car, the alloys reaveal a lot about a car and the care it's had. To recut diamond cut alloys you're probably looking at £600 for a set of 4 wheels, and to powder coat in region of £380-£450. Garages will tackle kerb rash to a point in order to reduce their outlay.

[SRGTD]

With my powder coated alloys, they stay on the car all year round and only come off when the time comes to sell the car, when the unmarked ‘bling-bling’ diamond cut alloys go back on. I then sell the powder coated alloys and recoup some of the initial purchase cost.

Good idea, but expensive outlay and you have the storage of the wheels to consider. That said when I'm buying a second hand car, the alloys reaveal a lot about a car and the care it's had. To recut diamond cut alloys you're probably looking at £600 for a set of 4 wheels, and to powder coat in region of £380-£450. Garages will tackle kerb rash to a point in order to reduce their outlay.

I’m fortunate as I have a garage, so the OEM diamond cut alloys are stored on a wheel tree in a corner of the garage with a cover over them to keep them clean, and I can still get my car in the garage.

I accept this wouldn’t work for everyone though if storage is an issue and the funds aren’t available to buy a decent, good quality set of powder coated alloys.