It’s sometimes easy to forget the huge range of alloys available to us. Go to the right alloy provider, however, and they’ll open your eyes as to the possibilities – alloys that will truly make a statement about you and your personality.

If you’re lucky enough to own some of the world’s best cars, however, you might not have to make a switch. As this post on Evo.co.uk demonstrates, there are cars which come with mind-blowing alloys already attached.

One of the marques they highlight is Ferrari, whose Enzo and F40 both come with beautiful alloys. The F40 wheels, for example, come with a jagged five pointed star design that compliments the car’s dynamic design perfectly.

Another of their favourites is the McLaren-Mercedes SLR, which comes with a 19-inch turbine design created by Borbet. It’s a thrilling design, especially when moving, and reminds the viewer exactly how powerful the car really is.

Their choices are an intriguing blend of the modern and the classic.

One set of alloys from the 1960s and 70s, for example, particularly merited Evo’s attention thanks to their lightweight construction and gaps that allowed better air cooling – all resulting from a simple five spoke design that was initially only 4.5 inches wide.

This is of course the Fuch alloy wheel that came with the Porsche 991 during this era, proof, as they say, that ‘gorgeous wheel design need not necessarily be the biggest’.

To read the full article, visit here. If you’re inspired by what you see and would like to refresh the look of your alloys, then please get in touch with us for a free consultation on how we can improve the look of your existing alloys with an alloy wheel refurbishment.

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Diamond Alloys is committed to ensuring all equipment is bang up to date and has therefore just taken delivery of a state of the art Multiwheel Pressure Blast Cabinet.

This investment into the business will help keep pace with the growing demands of their modern and efficient alloy wheel refurbishment business.

What are the Benefits of a Multiwheel Pressure Blast Cabinet?
The pressure blaster will not only improve the time to prepare wheels for painting but also at the same time enhance the final finish. It’s a great piece of kit to complement our existing Aqua Blaster and essentially means better wheels and a speedier service!

What is Shot Blasting?
Shot blasting is basically the attacking of the surface of a material with one of many types of shot. Normally this is done to remove scale or rust, but can also be done to impart a particular surface finish. The shot can be sand, small steel balls or granules of silicon carbide.

Shot blasting is an extremely efficient and cost-effective process – it is much faster than conventional means of material removal and an essential piece of kit to ensure Diamond Alloys stays ahead of the competition and remains the best Alloy Wheel Repair Centre in West London!

If your alloy wheels need repairing, or if you are a bodyshop repair centre or leasing company with a fleet of cars to maintain then give Diamond Alloys a call on 0845 370 8881 or email here for competitive prices and an excellent service!

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Modern alloy wheels might look great, but they do come with some challenges. For example, because they’re bigger than ever, alloy wheels are more and more prone to damage sustained by hitting kerbs or going over potholes.

The solution to this problem is rim bands, a simple stretchy band of high strength, tear resistant silicone rubber. Available in nine attractive colours: yellow, silver, white, red, pink, orange, lime, black and blue, these bands not only protect your alloys but also add an extra splash of style to your wheels. You could, for example, choose a colour that matches your car’s body paint.

The rim bands work by fitting snugly around the wheel: to ensure a perfect fit they have a large tail section that fits into the wheel’s barrel, which guarantees they attain exactly the right level of stretch. This tight seal ensures that there’s no risk of air loss. In addition, they have five gripping ribs which stop them from slipping off the wheel while the car is in motion.

These rims not only protect your alloys from bumps and scratches, but are also do no damage to the wheel they reside on thanks to their material composition. The bands are great value too: they’re very durable thanks to a special coating of Flurobond sealant, which protects the rubber from brake dust.

These brilliant bands are available for 15-22 inch wheels, and can be supplied and fitted by any wheel and tyre specialist. We fit rim bands (£50 for four) for free during any refurbishment, or charge just £15 for a separate fitting. To enquire about this service, which takes just 24 hours, please contact us today.

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At Diamond Alloys we love getting great feedback from our customers. It’s always good to know our work is not only appreciated but passed on to friends; it’s a real endorsement for our quality workmanship and customer service.  We are delighted to let Ray Blight tell his own story here…..

“I recently had the need to refurb one diamond alloy on my Range Rover Sport, due to unfortunate circumstances. I was fortunate to come across Diamond Alloys website, a highly professional business and operating with a team of qualified automotive engineers. Amerjit informed me of some minor damage on the other wheels and offered to do much better deal for all 4 wheels to be refurbished. Upon doing this work, Amerjit also mentioned they could colour-code the wheels to match in with my Range Rover Sport, for no extra charge.

I’ve already recommended Amerjit’s expertise to one friend and will continue to recommend Diamond Alloys to anyone I know that requires wheel repairs or any custom wheel design(s).. Amerjit, I can’t thank you enough, best regards Ray!!”

Take a look at the before and after pictures that Ray sent us and you’ll see that not only did we get rid of the damage but we also gave his Range Rover alloys a great new look too. This look was achieved by combining a colour paint and diamond cut which really accentuates the beauty of the rim design.

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Take a look at customer Alan Ayoub’s BMW. His car arrived to us with alloys wheels that looked in serious disrepair. Very bad scuffs around the side of the alloys, as well as bad corrosion on the centre and the back of the alloys gave the impression that the rims were beyond repair and our customer might have to spend a lot of money buying new alloys.

However, the guys at Diamond Alloys are well used to seeing rims in this condition and know exactly how to restore them back to a beautiful finish. The rims were fully stripped back to remove any corrosion before being carefully prepped by our guys in our workshop. A powder coat was applied for a smooth finish before the final colour and protective lacquer layer was applied. The result is stunning and fitting for this impressive supercar.

If you think your alloy wheels are beyond repair don’t worry, send us a picture and we will give you a quick quote and even a discount when you book all 4 wheels in at the same time. Call us on 0845 370 8881 or email us today!

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A good car tyre will last you around 10 years at the most, but many people won’t even get that far because they don’t take proper care of their tyres. Rather than waste money replacing your tyres more often than you have to, you can embark on a simple car and maintenance regime that will both save you money and ensure that yours performs as well, and drives as safely, as it possibly can. Here’s our four step guide to helping your tyres live a long and healthy life.

1. Check your tyre pressure every week.
Invest in a tyre pressure gauge, which allows you to easily take this reading at home rather than trek to the nearest garage. To measure the pressure, simply unscrew the air intake cap and press the gauge against it, allowing air to pass from the former to the latter. You can check what the resulting number means by looking at your car’s manual, or checking the figure imprinted onto the tyre. It’s important to keep your tyre pressure within the recommended margin for safety reasons, and remember that a lower pressure might improve performance, but a higher pressure will give you a longer tyre life. Avoid, however, over-inflating the tyre as it may cause extensive tread wear in the centre.

2. Examine your tyres for gashes
There are myriad ways of damaging your tyres on the road, ranging from potholes to nails and fragments of glass. It’s much better to repair small cuts as you find them, rather than wait for them to cause a serious rip, or put up with a tyre constantly deflating.

3. Rotate your tyres every 6,000 miles
This is a key way of preserving your tyres for a longer life, by promoting even tread wear. The most convenient way of doing this is to ask them to be rotated by a mechanic when you get an oil change. If you’re doing it yourself, however, then avoid switching tyres on the same axle or moving them in a criss-cross pattern. Switch wheels between axles, keeping them on the same side of the car, and remember to use a reliable car jack to avoid injuries.

4. Ensure your tyres are properly aligned
Get a professional to balance and align your tyres – they have special equipment that enables them to do it properly. Your mechanic will ensure that your tyres are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other, something that prevents poor handling and performance of your vehicle. If you feel that your car is constantly pulling, or you hit a pothole when you’re driving fast, it’s worth making a trip to get your tyres re-aligned.

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You might not realise it, but the wheels of your car can affect your vehicle’s performance in more ways than might immediately be obvious. One factor that is commonly overlooked is how much the wheels weigh. To put it simply, the lighter the wheels are, the sharper and smoother the ride.

This is because the wheels are one easy area for motoring manufacturers to reduce the car’s unsprung weight – the weight of the springs of the car when the car is in motion on rough surfaces. If the wheels, and the car as a whole, weigh less, then the car uses less energy to move and performs better.

In motorsports, manufacturers can use magnesium wheels to make the cars super light. On the road, however, these simply aren’t strong enough to withstand everyday pressures – you don’t get many potholes on F1 racetracks, for example!

Many of today’s road cars, therefore, are equipped with aluminium alloy wheels. This strong, versatile material is still light enough to create a high-performance car, but sturdy enough to withstand expected damage. If you’re a motorist who cares about both the look and performance of their car, you can further enhance your vehicle by purchasing a set of custom alloys that achieve the perfect balance between speed and safety.

It’s also important to remember that, even if your car came with the perfect set of alloys, chips and dents incurred over time will reduce its performance. To ensure that your car is at its true fighting weight, why not contact us to discuss alloy refurbishment, or perhaps treating yourself to a brand new, perfectly balanced set.

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If you see your car as primarily a way to get from A to B, considering your tyre health can be a little bit tedious. When all you want to do is hop in and get to work on time, it can be hard to find a spare second to check whether all’s well with the wheels.

Yet checking your tyres is something you owe it to yourself to do. Research suggests that over 160 road deaths in the UK have been attributed to under inflated car tyres in the past 5 years alone, with the true figure perhaps even higher.

With lives at risk, there’s therefore no excuse not to act if you think your tyres might need to be replaced. To avoid uncertainty and help you make the right decision, we’ve created a handy guide to monitoring your tyres and getting the most from them. If in doubt, however, the best thing to do is always to ask a professional. Our experts are always happy to provide advice, so if you do have any questions or concerns simply pick up the phone (0845 370 8881).

1. Check your tyre pressure.
This is easy to do. Simply use a pressure gauge to check the values of each tyre, and then compare these to the recommended levels found in your manual. If the pressure is low, re-inflate the tyres with an air pump, which can be found at most local garages. Monitor the tyres over the next few days to ensure that no rapid deflation takes place – something that could signal a puncture. Don’t forget that tyre pressure contributes to the car’s handling and your ability to control it, so regular pressure checks are an absolute must.

2. Monitor the tread depth.
Using a tread depth indicator, check whether the level is still compliant with UK law, which stipulates a minimum tyre tread of at least 1.6 millimetres. Tread depth is not only a contributory factor towards gaining traction, but it also is a reliable indicator of the overall strength of the tyre. If your tyre tread gets low, don’t hesitate – get them replaced immediately.

3. Read the instructions.
Yes, we know, it’s a bit like asking for directions, but it is genuinely vital that you know how long your tyres are designed to last for. The manufacturer will have supplied you with guidance as to the tyre’s shelf life, and remember that the general consensus is to replace your tyres at least every six years, with no tyre to ever be left on your car for more than a decade.

4. Take care of the wheels, too.
The wheels can, unsurprisingly, have a great effect on your tyre health. It is therefore important to ensure that your wheels are in good shape and balanced correctly. It’s good practice to get them balanced regularly, to ensure they don’t have a detrimental effect on tyres – whether those are old or new ones.

Following these tips will ensure you’re as protected as you can be from tyre-related accidents, as well as ensure that your car can achieve peak performance. If you’re interested in getting your tyres balanced and finding out more about tyre replacements, call into Diamond Alloys at your convenience. We offer FREE wheel balancing as part of the service with any of our acclaimed alloy refurbishment and tyre replacement services.

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The sun is shining and the forecast is good: we may, fingers crossed, be in for a brilliant summer. This is good news for any motorist who enjoys a drive in the hot sunshine, particularly those of us who prefer to ride on two wheels.

Let’s face it, no matter how much of a bike fanatic you are, it’s far nicer to be on the open road with clear skies and sunshine than it is to be riding through a hailstorm!

We’d also argue that motorbikes also look better in the sunshine, with their shining paintwork, gleaming alloys and suggestion of a hard, fast ride towards adventure. To make the most of your summer on the road, it’s therefore a good idea to get your bike into shape now – you never know when the good weather and the open road might call.

Diamond Alloys can refurbish motorbike alloys as long as they are already removed from the bike. We have the skills to ensure that we can make them look brand new with a great paint job!

We have many loyal motorbike customers who come back year after year to ensure their bikes are spruced up for summer, so why not call us to see what we can do for you? First time customers are usually amazed by what we can offer: check out this feedback from Josh, who came to us looking to get his alloys refurbished:

“I came in the other day with my motorcycle wheels that I needed acid removal and shot blasted. I would like to point out that the job you guys did was brilliant and the wheels came out really good thank you very much.

Also I found your receptionists very polite and when it came to calling me back they did exactly that. As a business your place is very professional fair priced and clean compared to other tyre/alloy companies. I will defiantly be recommending diamond alloys to my friends. Once again many thanks.”

If you want to get your bike ready for the summer sunshine, simply call us today.

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Unless you’ve been on an advanced driving course, chances are that most of your winter driving knowledge has been picked up from tips and a bit of trial and error. There’s nothing wrong with this per se, but it might mean that you’ve been told one of a series of popular driving myths, many of which can actually put you in danger on the road.

Evo Magazine have written a brilliant online article debunking five of the most common myths, which you can read here.

If you don’t have time to read the whole thing, however, we’ve summarised the main points below:

1. Winter tyres aren’t only for snow. It may seem like too much effort to change your tyres, but winter tyres will actually serve you better in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius – whether or not there’s snow. This is because their softer rubber gives you better purchase on cold roads, and the extra treads offer greater traction.

2. It’s not enough just to have a 4×4. A four wheel drive doesn’t make you immune to bad weather, and in fact they often have longer downhill braking distances in snow and ice because there’s far more weight of car to stop.

3. Under-inflating tyres do not help traction. In fact, this is far more likely to increase the risk of tyre damage. Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines before adjusting your tyres.

4. Illumination is not inspiration. In tricky winter conditions it can be tempting to go to full beam to get the greatest visibility, but you need to remember that this can be dangerous for other drivers – always switch to a lower light setting when a car is coming the other way.

In addition, fog lights should only ever be used when there is fog.

5. Always clear your car of snow. Although it’s tempting just to wipe the snow off the windows, always clear all the snow off the roof. If you don’t, you might find yourself without visibility after braking sharply!

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