Rep Power: 269

For the past few months I have been helping my brother with his new Cummins (and YES it is a BADA$$ truck now) but it's time to focus back on the Civic. I'm gonna get some 215/45's ordered and some new fogs (they are both broken) that I'll prolly black them out to match the headlights...BUT I really need to get the rims painted black to finish out my red/black theme i sort of have going.

I'm gonna leave the lip polished but I'm not sure what kind of paint to use...or well anything of the sort. Do I need a primer or can i just scratch up the existing paint? i want something that's going to last and not chip...if it makes a difference, I don't run them in the winter. Thanks for any help!

Most recent picture I have of it....

 
Rep Power: 288

If you want to paint your rims, you have a couple of choices. Im not quite sure what you mean by 'can I scratch up the existing paint'. Because if you're rims are polished/gunmetal color, there is no paint, just metal, and maybe a clearcoat. So if your rims don't have a clearcoat on them, yes you will need either a direct to metal primer, or a regular primer with an self etching formula, or an adhesion promoter before you put primer done, ONE of the three will work, if you do two or all three at a time, it'll cause problems. After you mask off the lip and spray the primer. If you have dirt build up or drips or sags, you can sand with 1000 or 1500 grit paper to flatten it out. Let it dry and spray the paint ,Then spray the clear coat. This is if you're using actual auto paint. Which you can do, www.Alsacorp.com makes most of their auto paint in spray cans. If you're using Home Depot bought rattle style, then you'll probably end up getting a glossy paint. I recommed staying away from that and go with the good stuff. Most black rims out there come with paint from the manufacturer. I had a set of 18's which I rode on for a long time without any problems with chipping or cracking. The only other choice (besides buying new rims) would be to get them powdercoated, but then if you choose to do that, you can't keep the lip, because powdercoating is difficult to get edges like that. Good luck with it

 
Rep Power: 269

What I mean was, the center of the rims (aka, the spokes) are PAINTED silver. The lip however is polished...although, the clearcoat is starting to peel, so i'm gonna have to sand it down and just start polishing it all the time

What I'm understanding from you is just regular automotive paint will work??...and I need primer?

 
Rep Power: 288

It all depends on what exactly you decide to do in the end. Lets say you decide to go black spokes with the polished lip, you have to re-clear the lip regardless, I would sand the lip easily with a 3m maroon scuff pad everywhere the clear is still good and then use high grit 1000-1500 to feather out the places it's peeling off. As for the inside spokes, I would do the same exact thing, with the exception of sanding, I would sand it with 600 to promote some good adhesion, then 800 if you have any rough spots. If you decide to use automotive paint; after it's all cleaned and finished with no scratch marks or anything, shoot the primer right on top of that. let the primer dry, if there are any imprefections in the primer, sand it flat after it's dry. This is your last chance to make sure everything's perfect. If you can see any imperfections through the primer, you'll see them through the pain. Especially black, it's unforgiving. When you're ready, shoot black, let dry to touch or manufacturers specs, then paint the clear over the entire wheel this will give you the complete look for it without a bump or edge where the lip meets the spokes. I think this will be the most durable solution. If you decide to use the Regular spray paint like from Home Depot or whatevever, it might not be as durable or last as long, although I cannot be 100 percent sure of that claim, because I've never used it before.

 
Rep Power: 343

i like your car the way it is in that picture. everyone (including myself) has black rims with a polished lip.