WHAT DOES "OEM FACTORY FINISH" ACTUALLY MEAN?
An OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) finish is the exact, as-delivered look of your wheels when the car rolled off the showroom floor. It is not a generic "silver" or "black" sprayed from a rattle can.
A true OEM finish requires the correct colour formula, the exact metallic flake size, the right sheen (matte, satin, or high-gloss), and the proper layering of base coats and tinted clears. At AWR, we restore your alloy and mag wheels to match these strict factory standards. Whether you drive a daily Corolla or a weekend Porsche, we ensure the result is indistinguishable from new. If you’re after a colour change rather than an OEM match, see our powder coating service.
WHEN TO CHOOSE AN OEM FINISH
- Lease Returns & Resale: Returning a lease vehicle with poorly repaired, mismatched wheels can result in heavy financial penalties. An OEM finish ensures the wheels pass strict dealership inspections.
- Single Wheel Repairs: If you've kerbed just one wheel, we can colour-match and refinish it so it blends perfectly with the other three wheels on the car.
- Prestige Restorations: Essential for BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lexus, and Tesla vehicles, where complex finishes like "Shadow Chrome" or tinted lacquers are standard.
OUR COLOUR-MATCHING PROCESS
- Chemical Strip & Prep: We remove the damaged coatings and repair any kerb rash or gouges to create a flawless base.
- Alloy-Safe Primer: We apply a high-build, anti-corrosive primer to ensure perfect paint adhesion.
- Spectro-Scanning: We use OEM paint codes where available. If a code isn't published, we use a spectrophotometer to scan the wheel and custom-mix the paint to match the exact tone and flop of the metallic flake.
- Layered Application: For complex finishes like Shadow Chrome, we carefully layer a black base coat, a silver mid-tint, and a clear coat to achieve the correct depth and reflection.
- Bake & Cure: The wheels are bake-cured in our controlled spray booths for maximum durability.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN YOU MATCH SHADOW CHROME OR TINTED FINISHES?
Yes. Shadow Chrome cannot be achieved with a single paint colour. We layer the base coat, mid-tint, and clear coat to achieve the exact OEM depth, avoiding the muddy, flat grey look of poor repairs.
DO YOU REPAINT CENTRE CAPS?
Yes, we can refinish your existing centre caps or help source OEM replacements to ensure the entire wheel set matches perfectly.
HOW LONG DOES AN OEM REPAINT TAKE?
Most OEM repaints are completed in 2–3 days. We ensure the paint is properly cured in our ovens before handing the wheels back to you.
READY FOR A FLAWLESS FACTORY FINISH?
Don't settle for mismatched wheels. Send a couple of photos or pop by our Grey Lynn workshop. We'll quote quickly and restore your wheels to an OEM-correct finish—no fuss, no guesswork.
Over a decade
of five-star results
From daily Corollas to weekend Porsches — here's what they said after getting their wheels back.
Expert Repairer for 60+ car & wheel brands
Discover factory-finish alloy wheel repair for every kind of vehicle — prestige, performance, SUV, EV, or everyday runabout. Our specialist technicians restore alloy and mag wheels to a flawless, OEM-quality finish.
location
We service alloy wheels nationwide from our high-tech workshop in Auckland.
grey lynn, auckland
Nearby? Swing by our workshop for a quick, no-pressure check and we will give you a quote while you wait.
Loan vehicles, and loan wheels are available.