Don't think they're high maintenance since the polished faces don't include the sides and interior of the rim--only the outer faces are polished. I'd look around for a respected wheel shop and ask if they could clear-coat these wheels. Also, look at what brand of rotors you have, and if they need replacing, choose a low-dust brand.

 

Ya might be worth refurbing them again. This time I'm gonna ask more questions from the shop. Cheers 🍻

 

Strange. One of my wheels still has some shine on it. The other 3 are completely dull. Here are some photos to compare the dullness.

 

You can polish them yourself using a metal polish and drill with a polishing bit. The issue is that they are not coated for protection and will keep getting dull with time. Coating with clearcoat will help from getting dull but doesn't have the shine of raw polished. If you decide to upgrade, I got a set of real csl or dinan champion. lol

 

Maybe someone can do this. I can't. I would definitely cause irreparable damage.

You selling your CSLs?

 

Those haven't been refurbished properly. Pretty sure they're supposed to be diamond cut in a lathe. The have polishing scratches running outwards from the centre. Once diamond cut they are then clearcoated and the clearcoat stops the oxidising. Polishing alone just gives a very smooth surface so that the oxidation process takes a bit longer but this is why your wheel faded fairly soon after the 'refurb' was completed.

 

I'm getting the feeling the shop I went to didn't do it proper. When I picked them up, they looked 💯. But a month or so later, garbage. Also weirdly... looking at them now it looks like one wheel has a clear coat the 3 do not. WTF?

 

A reputable shop in San Diego told me to make these M wheels good "ok" it will require a min of complete sand down and powder coat. I was quoted $600 for the set of 4. To make these look "new" it would cost about 1500. I elected to do neither. Had my set checked for roundness and thank the guy for his expertise.

 

I think I paid just under 200 a wheel to get these refurbed. Even though it wasn't exactly like factory, I would say I was 100% satisfied of how they looked when I left the shop. A couple months later though, I was 100% dissatisfied. I thought I did something wrong, used a bad chemical to clean them or something. But now I am suspecting the shop did not clear coat all the wheels. And the one it did clear coat, a shit job.

 

Yea, polishing a wheel properly takes a butt load of time as you have to get finer and finer with the polishing compound as a coarse polish may look good yet once degreased it won't look so good as the polishing compound fills surface imperfections and adds a certain amount of luster. Once the compound is removed the actual surface is revealed.
Polished surface is also harder to clearcoat as the clearcoat doesn't have much to grip onto whereas a diamond cut may look shiney but has a key for the clearcoat to grip too. A quality 2 pack clear should also be used for hard wearing and longevity.

 

Man. I have learned so much about these damn wheels. I think you finally convinced me to get the CSL wheels! 🤣