Monthly Archives: May 2013

Staff Interview with Paul

diamond-alloys-powder-coat41.What do you do at Diamond Alloys?

I am the head painter, responsible for all the quality control we carry out. I am very lucky as I have an experienced team of painters and prep guys who help me to ensure we always do a first class job.

2.How did you get into the alloy wheel repair business?

I tried a few things in my career until an opportunity came up and I turned my hand to painting. I am very happy here at Diamond Alloys and I have natural skill for colour mixing and matching.

3. What did you do before?

My last job was as a glass blower producing neon signs, so a little different, but I guess still creative.

4.What is your favourite paint effect?

A chrome effect. We are often asked for chrome alloys but what I usually suggest is to choose a chrome effect. In fact chrome-plated alloy wheels are more delicate than other alloy wheels and to refurbish them is more expensive plus the quality declines more quickly than a standard paint refurb.  A chrome finish lasts longer and is good value for money.

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5.What’s the best part of your job?

I love all aspects of my job. I enjoy working with a great team that cares about the finish we achieve which is a very important philosophy at Diamond Alloys. I like the creative part of my job, it is really exciting trying always new effects and rewarding to find the perfect wheel and colour match a customer is looking for.

6. What was your worst job?

Office work. I feel restricted by the tasks and I couldn’t be creative.

7. What would you do if you were not a painter?

Maybe I would be involved in building work. I like producing finished products that customers can really enjoy.

8. What are your alloys like on your own car?

They are not too bad actually. They probably need a bit of attention, but I am so busy at work they always seem to be back of the queue. 

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9. If you could drive any car, what would it be, where would you drive it and who would be sitting next to you?

I would choose a comfortable cruising car, a Range Rover with all the gadgets and gizmos with a beautiful lady by my side.

10. What is your job satisfaction?

Making sure we offer a professional service to the highest standards which means we treat every alloy the same; it makes no difference if they are a supercar, a classic car or an everyday run around, they all get star treatment.

11. How should customers look after a painted alloy?

I would recommend they clean at least once a week and they avoid using acidic or chemical cleaners. Also, avoid mechanical car washes as the types of brushes that are used in some mechanical car washes can have a negative impact on your wheels. I would recommend they use microfibre wash mits because they are efficient without being abrasive.

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12. Who is your inspiration?

My mum.

13. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a pilot.

14. Should customers be wary of smart repairs?

Yes, it is not a total refurbishment. You will always get a better and lasting finish by using a centre compared to a smart repair. Also we take a lot of care to ensure the wheels are removed to repair and fixed back properly. You get an all-round service at Diamond Alloy.

15. Has the new powder coat system improved your job? And if so, how?

Tenfold! It is much faster, you get much better coverage over the surface of the wheel. All alloys come in different sizes and designs, some have lots of spokes and a wet paint finish made it difficult to get inside the spokes, so it was very time consuming, but the new powder system makes it easier to apply the powder in the hard to reach areas, it almost sucks the paint into place!

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16. What do you think of the new system?

To say I am impressed is an understatement!

17. Why does powder coating give a better finish than just painting a wheel?

Well, the paint sort of melts onto the wheel when it is hot, evening out the finish beautifully. The heat sort of helps the paint to flow.

18. What has been the main advantage of adding this new system?

Well quality of finish for sure. But also we can now turn the wheels around much faster, not only does it mean we can get through more wheels in a day but for the client it means they can have the wheels back on their car and they can be back on the road without too much delay. We know this is really important to the customer and it helps keep their costs down too.

The Gallardo Glides With a New Set of Wheels

When PUR Wheels start a project, you know that near-perfection is on the cards. The New York based company prides itself on creating bespoke forged wheels. The specialist firm is unique in that it uses wheels to show off the beauty of the car as opposed to seeing wheels as just accents part of a car.

Keeping with the Italian flair of the Lamborghini, the wheels are painted in DavincI Red while PUR wheels also have the wheels in Lumière Grey and modern black. The company put PUR TEN alloy wheels to contrast with the dark grey shell of the Gallardo’s exterior. The alloys come in 19 inch to 22 inch with high gloss or matte finishes.  The wheels are framed with five-spoke wheel design.

You may not own a Lambo, but if you like the bespoke alloys on this Gallardo  and you are looking for something similar, call us on 0845 370 8881 and discuss your options with our trained technicians.

K3 Projekt gives the wheels on the CLS550 a new lease of life

K3 Projekt is definitely a tuning specialist that freshens the market with their take on the wheels of cars. The CLS550 from Mercedes-Benz went under the microscope under the watchful eyes of K3 Projekt. As the pictures show, the specialists made some changes including adding Renntech lowered suspension.

AMG was also included by K3 Projekt with a unique AMG aero package. The wheels however are the star attractions of the CLS550 thanks to the 20 inch F2 wheels by K3 Projekt. The colours come in matte black and gunmetal grey which are two dark yet smouldering shades for the wheels of a strong car like the CLS550. This styling from the CLS550 is lifted by the wheels of the car which transcend the Mercedes-Benz as an aggressive and fierce car to drive.

Do you like the bespoke alloys on this Mercedes CLS550? At Diamond Alloys you can choose from a range of alloy wheel refurbishments including a bespoke alloys service, a standard refurbishment or our most popular service a Diamond Cut.  Give us a call on 0845 370 8111 and we will be happy to give you a quote! Re-valve, balance and refitting services are FREE and all part of the service at Diamond Alloys.

ADV.1 Wheels and the GMP Performance Continental GT

The Bentley Continental GT has been revved up by GMP Performance. This is a new road that Bentley is going down judging from the finished job from the company. It is extreme through and through from the body kit to the alloys.

The GT itself is powered by an automatic 6-speed transmission through the 6 litre W12 engine. With GMP Performance’s extra work, the Continental GT performs smoothly with ADV05DC alloy wheels. These wheels have a concave profile which gives the car a chiselled and engineered finish. The aggressive styling by GMP is further seen by the colours chosen; the forged alloys come in dark gunmetal grey. This contrasts nicely with the exterior of the Bentley which is painted in matte grey.

At Diamond Alloys we are well equipped to offer you a great bespoke alloy wheel refurbishment, so if you like this dark grey look and want something similar for your car, then give us a call on 0845 370 8881 and we can recommend a service perfect for you!

Wheelsandmore gives the Vanquish vibrant styling

German tuning company Wheelsandmore are getting better and better with their work. They turned their attention to the Vanquish by Aston Martin. The details are simply mouth-watering: from the pistachio-chrome exterior colour to the 6Sporz2 alloy wheels, Wheelsandmore has done a fantastic job giving the Vanquish a glossy exterior styling that is drenched in the richest shade of pistachio. Wheelsandmore is also offering 20 inch 3-spoke forged alloys as well as 21 inch carbon alloys from the 6Sporz2 set. The tuning company is also involved with the components of the car – they included a stainless-steel valve controlled exhaust system. This system has allowed the Vanquish to have an extra slice of 25 horsepower with the option of having a cat-replacement kit and a practical F1 air filter package. This pistachio chrome Vanquish looks like it will conquer the competition without a doubt.
Do you like the bespoken alloys on this Aston Martin Vanquish? At Diamond Alloys we are well equipped to offer you a great bespoke alloy wheel refurbishment, give us a call on 0845 370 8881 now!