Afternoon all,

So last week I was happily parked in a corner at KFC munching when this huge great flat bed transit van parks in the space at 90 degrees to me, and because it's so damn huge completely blocks me in.

I jump out of the car to see pregnant driver plus 7 kids and husband get out and go into KFC. As they walk in I say 'erm, excuse me, but you've blocked me in and I want to leave'.

The husband says 'you can get out of there if you go up the kerb' to which I respond 'but I don't want to go up the kerb thanks - please move the van so I can get out'. Response - 'well, my Mrs is 9 months pregnant, so she ain't going to <expletive> move it, just drive up the <expletive> kerb.

Despite the 'discussion' continuing, the van didn't get moved. I was verging on late for teaching by this time - so I had to drive up the kerb. Why the story you ask? Well, of course - I've scuffed my passenger side front wheel something proper.

It's so bad, that two allow refurb places have refused to touch it - and have said I can only fix it by powdercoating the wheels.

So...

Seeing as they're all going to be repainted, what colour should I go for?

My feelings are keeping the silver

Black

Dark grey/anthracite

White

What do you lot think? If any of the photoshop whizzes fancy having a go at the change for me I'd be very grateful - and I'm also open to other suggestions for colours.

Thanks folks. :D

Oh no! Terrible luck Dan :( That van driver sounds like a thoroughly pleasant chappy You should have let his tyres down

Anyway, if it were me, I would go for anthracite powder coated wheels. I think anthractie wheels look birlliant :)

I've just very quickly made a photoshop of one for you....hope it helps :) If you want any others doing, just let me know.

Thanks Alex - I'm leaning towards black - could you do a black version of the 2nd pick please?

Ta. :D

If I had alloys like those I would have just waited for them to leave...

For me being late for work is never an option I'm willing to consider.

I tried to do a black version of the second picture, but because of the angle, there is not very much of the wheel visible, and it is quite dark already so it didn't look right when I did it. I did a black version of the third pic, however. :)

Sorry to hear about that. Some people are just so selfish and inconsiderate. He could easily have taken his wife and kids into the restaurant and then popped back out to move the van.

Personally I'm not a fan of plain black wheels (I've seen a few Focus ST/RS with them), but maybe a Black Chrome would work, though that would need a perfect surface to start from and it sounds like you've got some gouging. White wheels on a white car might be a bit much as well (have a look at a S1600 - though all the ones I've seen have been blue where the contrasting white wheels seem to work).

If the damage is only that one wheel, it might be cheaper to just replace it with a new one for £130? How much will the powder coating cost?

The powder coating is £180 - but that's for all four and I have a few minor scuffs alsewhere, so worth it in my book.

Black chrome is a good idea, and available from the place I'm using - but waaaaaaaaaay more expensive.

Yellow!! with a nice mountune stripe to go with them

only jokin, id go with matt black personally

may i ask where or how did you get the white ford badge at the front?

sry for asking lol but looks nice

Hi Ollie - it's an overlay from here...

DMB Graphics

Sorry to hear that Dan. There's a white Zetec S one near me, white with anthracite alloys, looks spot on B)

If I was you Dan I'd just buy a new alloy. Not that you'd need to if that bloke wasn't an absolute pleb. With people like that you've actually got no choice because it's either fight them or shut up. The first option never really appeals to be honest.

A new alloy will cost me almost as much and then I'll still have three scuffed. This way I get four lovely fresh finished alloys again :D

Some folk are just complete idiots, but black will look best, give it a sportier look than silver

Just a word of warning, I got my alloys powder-coated on my last car (Mondeo) and the although the quality of finish was good to begin with, after a year it was dis-coloured and flaking. Make sure the place you go to know what their doing!!

s*x-HAY

Ive had mine done gloss black, there not the standard alloys but ul get an idea:

That sounds a bit rough Dan, some people are so inconsiderate & think they can do what they want. Trouble is these people are usually built like a brick outside toilet with the brains to match so there's no point in arguing, not if you want to keep all your own teeth

I would probably go for Anthracite myself as think it would look better on a white car than black.

Couple of photochops from ZSOC:

There's also these guys at pxwheels who will exchange 4 damaged wheels for refurbed ones for £250. Only standard silver though & can only exchange all 4 wheels.

pxwheels

Have now scuffed all 4 wheels myself now. The 2 driver's side ones quite badly after hitting the kerb on the inside of a roundabout at speed :(

dan

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dont ruin your whole car by painting the alloys!!!

Thanks to all who have supplied images. :D

It looks like my wheels will be going back to the standard Ford silver - I phoned the insurance company to find out how much different colour wheels will affect my premium - and the answer is £100. Yes - £100 if I paint my wheels anything other than the standard colour

Well, forget that - silver it is :)

Thanks to all who have supplied images. :D

It looks like my wheels will be going back to the standard Ford silver - I phoned the insurance company to find out how much different colour wheels will affect my premium - and the answer is £100. Yes - £100 if I paint my wheels anything other than the standard colour

Well, forget that - silver it is :)

That's interesting. I'd not have thought of it as a mod that would send insurance companies panicking. Perhaps they're thinking it might attract more attention, being different to the norm.

Thanks to all who have supplied images. :D

It looks like my wheels will be going back to the standard Ford silver - I phoned the insurance company to find out how much different colour wheels will affect my premium - and the answer is £100. Yes - £100 if I paint my wheels anything other than the standard colour

Well, forget that - silver it is :)

Thank god for that! Thats the only good thing i've heard an insurance company do :P

Awww shucks, black would have looked goooooooood Mark

£100!!!

Would love to hear the reasoning behind that