Cry?
That's practically what I did when I discovered a nasty 5" long scrape on the bead of my driver's front rim - and I can't even figure out when, where, or how I did it. [img]/w3timages/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Cheapie solution? Touch-up paint. At least it'll be a lot less noticeable. Beyond that, repainting the rim or replacement are the only other real options.

2003 G35 Coupe 6MT Leather
Premium, Aero
"There is no spoon"

 

Rim repair is getting quite common. With <100 miles on my new coupe I noticed a gouge (small, about the size of the tip of my pinky) and a scrape on the sizewall -- not a curb rash mind, you. Dealer called a rim repair guy and he fixed it on my car, that is, he didn't have to remove the tire from the rim or even remove the rim from the car. Dealer paid for it (cause we weren't sure if it was me or it was delivered that way) and I'm guessing the repair was <$100. It looks perfect. Some filling compound must have been needed and then part of it repainted and clearcoated over the repaired area, but if I didn't see the scrape on the sidewall of the tire I wouldn't know it had been repaired. Now I need to swap the tire from left to right, but I'm going to wait a bit on that. Good luck.

 

Read this thread, a lotta great answer. And believe it or not, I just got a friend came over to touch-up my rim just an hour ago...

Scratch Rim HELPS

[b][i]G35cp-5AT+PerformPk+Silverstone/graphite+AllTinted
See me? Light twice, honk once then smile

 

heres some [censored] advice: dont hit the friggin curb. I have had 20 inch rims on my explorer for over a year and never hit the curb once, by the way I am 18. My dad put some 19z on his new t-bird and hit the curb and scratched the rims the first frikin night. I bet your in your 40s or 50's, am I right?

Life is to short to argue on the Internet!

 

I haven't hit the curb yet, but I get nervous around them. The problem with sitting low in a car is that it's sometimes hard to judge how far out the wheels go, so I can imagine how people can mistakenly hit curbs.

 

I did the same (curb rash) about 3 inches long. Used a very fine sandpaper and smoothed out the area, touched it up with High gloss Silverstone paint and then went over it with a clearcoat. I doesn't bother me anymore

 

The code is 77-01150B and it is called Mazda Silver Stone Clear Coat.

Where do you buy it at? Besides going to a Mazda dealership.

 

Actually I got that mazda touch-up paint and did the sanding and touch-up, em... well at first my scratch wasn't big, but I think if it's not that big, roughly 2", better leave it, I dunno if it's the paint or the skill, the paint seems too matt compare to our rim color, it is similar color, but there's difference after I put it on, and I suggest not to touch it up is better. I'll try taking a pic in a sunny day and let U know. But for me, it seems more obvious than before and bigger. So for me, if I can choose, I rather not touching it up.

Oh and that touch-up paint, I got that from Walmart.

[b][i]G35cp-5AT+PerformPk+Silverstone/graphite+AllTinted
See me? Light twice, honk once then smile

 

I feel your pain; me too - and boy do I feel dumb.
After giving the wife heck for parking in the mud 8-)

My plan is to put snow tires on the stock rims (if I can get 18"s that fit), and put the Michelins on a new set of rims. Still haven't seen any I really like, tho

Cheers!
--Maarten