The South African pandemic has economically affected many motorists’ lives, and any means to save money is always welcome. The following describes how to repair your own mag wheels.1
Avoid using damaged mag wheels1
Not only are damaged rims unpleasant to look at, but they can unbalance the wheels. This, in turn, can develop into worse mechanical problems and even cause an accident. However, you can repair cosmetic damage to your own rims by using some basic equipment.
How do wheel rims get damaged? 1
It’s when you parked the car too close to the kerb, or you misjudged that concrete ridge sticking out while driving in the dark shopping mall parking area. Potholes, which greet us, motorists, nearly everywhere we travel, are notorious for scratching your wheel rims.
What do you need for the job? 1
You will require a cloth, much sandpaper, wax, grease remover, body filer, prima filler, and spray for coating the wheel. Don’t forget the hardener, masking tape, and tools to mix all the material. Please remember not doing anything to your mag wheels that could make permanent changes without getting advice from your car’s owner’s manual and local dealership.
Obtain a quote from a professional first1
Some cosmetic damage to a wheel trim may not be that costly to repair. But you don’t want to spend more on all the materials than the cost of professional repair. Professionals can charge anything from R500 – R1200 for a damaged rim, depending on the extent of the damage.
You need lots of patience1
This DIY job requires much patience and is certainly not easy to accomplish. Rushing the repairs could result in rims that look much worse. What takes time is sanding down a rim, depending on how damaged it is. After that, you will also have to sand down the body filler.
Go ahead if you like DIY jobs1
If you enjoy doing this type of job, then you’ll be rewarded with the finished product. This may be just for you if you have been looking for a hobby.
Making extra money online1
Some motorists professionally repair mag wheels and have a pair of repaired ones lying in the garage. They then sell these wheels online at a good price.
A cautionary note1
If a mag wheel has suffered severe damage such as buckling, send it for repairs at a professional workshop to be on the safe side. You can’t balance the wheel at home anyway, and professionals do this work every day. Also, don’t drive with buckled wheel rims, as an imbalance can cause extra wear and tear on your tyres and affect your suspension.
It’s important to save where you can when you own a car, and fixing your own mag wheels is a good example. But it would be foolhardy to repair something which only the professionals can achieve. In the same way, leave your car cover to the professionals such as PMD. They can provide you with more information on their affordable car insurance products with excellent benefits such as fixed premiums* and a reduce to zero excess*. T’s and C’s apply.
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This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
