[a_ok2me]

Does anyone know why my wheels are silver and not gunmetal like everyone elses?

My wheels DSC_0013.jpg
http://www.sportscarimage.com/Events/m5bbq2/pages/DSC_0013.htm

Everyone else
http://www.sportscarimage.com/Events/m5bbq2/pages/DSC_0032.htm

 

[mottati]

they must have been refinished at some point in time. It's common for shops to mess up the process a bit when they try to replicate the shadowchrome. I have a spare wheel that looks a bit like yours in the pics.
Mike

 

[BKH]

In the early years there were apparently batches of wheels that were much more silvery than others. A few posters commented on cars being delivered from the dealer with "mismatched" OE wheels. I have a brand new spare OE rear wheel that is less black than what came on the car. Of course, yours may be refinished also...

 

[a_ok2me]

In the early years there were apparently batches of wheels that were much more silvery than others. A few posters commented on cars being delivered from the dealer with "mismatched" OE wheels. I have a brand new spare OE rear wheel that is less black than what came on the car. Of course, yours may be refinished also...

I did a search on this here and it led to related topics stating the early model wheels were different, but it wasn't clear to me why. Maybe I wasn't reading everything. I would be surprised if the wheels were refinished because the previous owner kept the car in immaculate condition. I commend him. I'm sure I could tell if it was refinished; I see no grit lines and uneven depths. But, you never know. However, my car is an 01, but it was built in 12/00, so the early year theory could be true in this situation.

 

[Kin Mak]

Your wheels are that colour because of refinishing. I have a very early 99 car and mine has shadow chrome.

 

[aaronmiles]

It can be done though (shadow chrome), I got mine done here in OZ and the job is quite spectacular ... AU$1,100

 

[a_ok2me]

Your wheels are that colour because of refinishing. I have a very early 99 car and mine has shadow chrome.

There was an old post where someone mentioned that a few batches for Le Mans Blue were silver instead of gunmetal shadow chrome. However there is no conclusive answer since then.

Here's a picture to an '02 Le Mans Blue M5 on ebay today. It also has silver wheels. It could be a coincedence that two Le Mans Blue M5s had refinished wheels, but what are the chances?

All I know is that the Le Mans Blue silver wheels myth could be true.

 

[E34Girl]

Why not refinish them in gunmetal with silver rim edges?


http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=53409&highlight=gunmetal+alloys

 

[bmwusa]

different look but they still look good though, Josh

 

[Kin Mak]

Just seems odd to me that they would finish the wheels in a different colour for a batch of cars. It is not cost effective, unless someone got the paint mixed up and a batch of wheels came out wrong. If that happened I would still think BMW would refinish them right. Just my thoughts...

There was an old post where someone mentioned that a few batches for Le Mans Blue were silver instead of gunmetal shadow chrome. However there is no conclusive answer since then.

Here's a picture to an '02 Le Mans Blue M5 on ebay today. It also has silver wheels. It could be a coincedence that two Le Mans Blue M5s had refinished wheels, but what are the chances?

All I know is that the Le Mans Blue silver wheels myth could be true.

 

[a_ok2me]

Why not refinish them in gunmetal with silver rim edges?


http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=53409&highlight=gunmetal+alloys

That's not bad. This all isn't a big deal to me to spend money to refinish the wheels. The wheels just get covered in brake dust anyway. If anything, I'd prefer to get new wheels, which would be unlikely. It's just strange to me why some wheels are different.

 

[a_ok2me]

Parked next to another LMB with silver wheels the other day. My tires are marked green.

 

[TebbsM5]

My wheels are silver and I can tell you that they have NOT been refinished!

 

[Lucky'sM5]

I Agree with batch and or production date as my 02 carbon black has gunmetal and my buddies 01 carbon black has silver. Not trying to get off the topic but I've been considering color matching the wheels to carbon black. Any comments?

 

[danios]

Probably refinished