Catalunya: Are They Painted?

Hi.

Are the alloy wheels on the Passat 3C Sportline painted?

They must have used a clear coat on part of it, so if it's anything, it would be clear lacquer.

Can they be used as winter alloy wheels?

Thank you.
m

Hello Martin,

To my knowledge, all aluminum rims are painted as a protective measure against environmental factors and to prevent contact stresses with the brake disc.

Winter alloy wheels have a 'better' coating compared to 'standard' ones.
I'm always open to being proven wrong.

Best regards, Jochen.

off-topic:

Does anyone know what happened to those fiberglass/plastic rims that were supposed to be all the rage in the early 2000s?
They were significantly lighter (about half the weight of aluminum), extremely stable, and resistant to scratches, etc.

Hello Martin,

I believe that these, like any other modern aluminum rim, are perfectly suitable for driving in winter conditions.

'Back then, I bought a set of 15-inch titanium alloy wheels for about €55 for my Golf Mk3, and used them for several winters. They were cheaper than the 14-inch steel wheels. Even they didn't complain, and they were easy to clean.'
Far worse than all the salt in the world are, in many cases, the highly acidic cleaning products.
It's bad enough for the rims themselves, but it gets even worse when the first cars park too close to the curb. The salt then gets underneath the paint and the rim starts to look like it's infested with bark beetles.

As a new car buyer, that set of tires would still have been included in the price.
Or is everything just not the same as it used to be at car dealerships?

Quote:

As a new car buyer, that set of tires would still have been included in the price, wouldn't it? or is everything not the same as it used to be at car dealerships?

I ordered the Passat with 17-inch summer alloy wheels and 16-inch winter steel wheels from the factory (an unbeatable bargain) and annoyed the dealer with my demands for a discount.

Now that the initial price shock is over, aluminum wheels are becoming attractive again for the winter season .

m;