Plasti-dip wheels in winter. Okay idea?

Hey guys, I recently got a new set of rims/wheels and had my summer tires installed on them after taking my stock wheel off with winters still mounted on them. Now Cash is getting a bit tight this month and I've been considering selling the stock rims.

 

My only worry is damaging the new rims during winter conditions as I don't have steelies. Do you guys think using a couple of coats of plasti-dip on wheels during the winter months could prevent damage from salt and such? I like this option since plasti is easily removable, but pretty durable. Plus I can test out some other rim colors. Is this a good idea?

or should I just stick it out and keep the stock rims and winter tires together.

Now while I can't comment directly on the rims, I do see you dipped your grill (as did I). It seems to hold up nicely, rocks won't "chip" it, I just washed the car as well and didn't peel. So you might be good, someone else might be able to speak about the rims themselves, but I don't see why not. The rubber will stop any water/salts, etc... from getting to the metal.

My question might be, what tires do you intend to run during the winter months?

If you are stating your summer/all-season - then I'd yell and say NO.

 

Fine, Toronto might not get all that much snow/ice - but the safety of proper winter tires during those months would far outweigh the notion of selling them for me.

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Course you can always try downgrading the oem and hopefully profiting.

Meaning, sell your 17" oem + tires and purchase a 16" + tires set. Wouldn't give you all that much altogether, but you have ample time to find the right combination you'd like. Basically start looking on sites (here, nasico.com, toronto-subura-club.com, kijiji.ca) and deciding...

 

I'd always prefer to keep the two sets of tires separate as it makes it cheaper/quicker in the long run to change sets. And running 16" tires is cheaper for the rubber than 17"

How much effort are you going to in order to get $200 for a set of OEM rims? That's all they fetch state side.

 

I think if you live in the GTA and rarely head north during snow season winter tires are over kill. I've driven through the worst snow on record in that region with A/S tires on a FWD Honda sedan.

 

Over those years I've never had any rims negatively affected by the salt/rocks.

keep the winter tires for winter ...

sorry I should have mentioned that I had no intention of selling the tires (which are winters) , just got them last season. and I've already had an offer of 350 for the rims....

 

and @gimpy, ya I've had the plasti on my grille for almost a year now and I'm completely impressed that it's still in the same condition as when I sprayed it. Even the spray on eye lids, which I was at first anticipating would start to peel (due to only 2 coats being applied )have miraculously held up :/ so I can attest that it's pretty strong stuff

i did this but a little differently....I plastidipped my wheels then used regular paint over the dip. Held up perfectly and no defects through a new england winter. It seals the plastidip so it wont peel unless you want to peel it off. Also it held up fine when i changed the tires on the tire machine.

I only did two coats on my badges and grill as well. Holding up nicely. There is also:

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/landing/page.jsp?name=3m-paint-defender-spray-film

 

I plan on spraying 1/3 of my hood and front bumper to help protect. Maybe another option to spray over the dip.

So instead of easily swapping out sets of tires already mounted on different rims (doable in your own driveway), you are going to have to mount/dismount your tires each seasonal change?

 

Guess it works if you want to get some money now ...

 

As for the original question, plasti-dip will help protect but it is not indestructible.

I hate to say it... Plasti dip isn't that easily removable. It's a bitch to get off. Not worth the effort in my mind. I did it once and it sucked.

 

Look up the poor guy that dipped his car on the Toronto Subaru Club. It's not going well for him. It's a good product for certain areas.

 

Look up a powder coater in Cambridge Ontario if you are needing different colours/protection/fixing. Stripping technologies. Great guy, prices are great too.

well I'm kinda guessing (though haven't tested it) that the more coats you have, the easier it would be to peel off when you want. Now obviously I'm not gunna do like 6 coats of the stuff, but I'm thinking maybe 4 would be sufficient?