Car insurance is no-one’s favourite topic, particularly when it comes to situations that might require you to fork out more money. Yet if you’re considering adding alloy wheels to your car, or buying a new car that already has alloy wheels attached, then there are several insurance-related issues you need to consider.

Whichever way you look at it, the sad reality is that alloy wheels will probably increase your premiums. This is because they’re considered a premium product and they’re more easily defaced by kerbing, minor scrapes and general environmental factors. Not only does this mean they may need repair or replacement more often, but scuffed alloy wheels can even lower the resale value of a car.

The good news, however, is that most everyday types of alloy wheels shouldn’t actually raise your premiums by that much. The consumer advice website MoneySupermarket, for example, estimates that alloys should only raise premiums by around 8%, whereas modifications like spoilers will bump you up 23%, specialised paintwork 36% and turbocharging a whopping 132%! Even having a car phone will raise your premiums higher, as it apparently increases the chance of your car being broken into.

So what should you do if you think you might need insurance for your new alloys? Every circumstance is different, but in general it’s a good idea to:

– Be honest with insurers. Some companies don’t raise premiums for minor modifications on your car, and being honest about what you have means that they have no excuse not to pay out if anything does go wrong. Remember that not declaring a modification could also invalidate your policy.

– Shop around. The growth of comparison sites has created a very competitive market and it can be possible to find a much cheaper quote by looking around a little.

– Look out for the small print. Some companies stipulate that they’ll only insure certain types of alloys, and have different ideas about what a reasonable excess should be.

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After a thorough wash your wheels might now look spotless, but there’s sadly still the chance there may be residual break dust and another corrosive elements attached to the paint. In this last blog winter care regime blog we look at one of the ways to ensure your alloys are absolutely pristine – even at the level undetectable by the human eye.
Clay detailing is a brilliant technique that guarantees great results – although its still relatively unknown by the car-driving community at large. Simple use of a clay bar provides not only a deep shine but also gives you peace of mind that pollution has been banished from your alloys.

Wheel detailing clay usually comes in a bar, and feels a bit like putty when you first touch it. All you need is one of these bars, available from shops like Halfords, plus a suitable lubricant (which you’ll find usually next to the clay in the shop) and you’re ready to clean your alloys like they’ve never been cleaned before. The trick is to only use a portion of the clay bar at a time – that way it’s easier to work in between the spokes, and if you drop it you still have a supply of clean clay to use!

After spraying a small amount of lubricant on the area of focus (it’s best to do the wheel in segments), just flatten the clay over your fingers and gently rub it over the wheel. Make sure you cover every area, and pay particular attention to any black spots. You’ll be amazed at how much dirt you see transferred to the clay! You can fold the clay over to create a new ‘clean’ surface, but don’t do this if it falls onto the ground – you may have picked up bits of grit that will scratch the alloy.
Once you’ve made a couple of passes over the area with the clay, give it another quick spray with the lubricant or a similar detailer and hey presto! Perfectly clean alloys. All you have to do now is give them a final wax or polish, depending on what’s more suitable for your wheels, and they’ll be as good as new.

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While you can just have a go at cleaning your wheels with whatever you’ve got lying around in the shed, if you want to establish a good cleaning regime you might as well go the whole hog and stock up on a proper kit. Here’s everything you need to ensure you can keep your alloys in tip-top condition.

Wheel and Tire Cleaner
The main thing to look for when selecting a cleaner is that it’s safe for your type of wheels. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to find a de-greaser that’s specifically designed for detailing – remember that it’s always better to buy two specific products than one catch-all, as all-in-one products can include harmful chemicals or produce less-than-perfect effects.

Wheel and Tire Brushes
Alloys can be very susceptible to scratches, meaning that it’s imperative that you find a soft brush that won’t damage your wheels. For tyre brushes, look for the opposite: a firm brush that’s flexible enough to contour to the tyre wall. This will save your wrists aching as you scrub the tyre surface, and make the job quicker. Whatever you do, DON’T use a tyre brush on the wheel, as you could cause serious damage.

Wheel  Detailing Clay
Detailing clay is amazing stuff that can remove the stuck-on contaminants that are present even after regular washing. It’s worth having some of this in your washing arsenal for those moments where you despair at ever getting the wheels clean – this will cheer you up in an instant!

Buckets
It may sound obvious, but you’ll need somewhere to put the water! You’ll need at least two – one for clean water, one for dirty.

We’ll show you how to put these tools to good use in the next blog.

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Winter is on its way, and the harsher weather conditions mean that it’s time to step up your wheel cleaning regime to ensure your alloys stay pristine through the coming cold months.

To help you, we’re publishing a series of blogs outlining how to get the most from your cleaning process, including a series of easy – and affordable! – steps that are perfect for those who are just learning how to care for alloys for the first time.

In this blog we talk about brake dust – the scourge of alloys everywhere! – and what you can do to protect your wheels before winter sets in.

Brake dust is something that affects all alloy wheels, regardless of their shape and size. It is the product of the friction between the brake disks and brake pads – friction which produces dust that flies off and sticks to your rims. Because the dust is corrosive, ugly and difficult to remove, brake dust is best tackled as soon as it’s spotted.

Unlike normal dust, removing it takes quite a bit of effort – because the dust is actually a mixture of carbon fibre, metal and glue that is heated to a very high temperature. Because of this, it sticks hard to your rims and starts corroding the protective coatings instantly, a process that only increases as time goes by because the metal filings oxidise and initiate a process of galvanic corrosion. To cut a long story short, left unchecked brake dust can actually compromise the structural integrity of your rim.

Fortunately, there are three common methods of controlling brake dust. These are:

1. Fit low dust brake pads to your car.

There are a variety of aftermarket options available here – simply look for ones with Kevlar-based compounds or high metal content compounds. Ask for advice if you’re not sure.

2. Fit dust shields to your rims.

These are pretty much what it says on the tin – shields that hide the rim from the brake calipers, while not getting in the way of ventilation. Please note that these aren’t suitable for high performance cars, and many people don’t like the way they look.

3. Stick to a proper wheel care regime.

This is the best way to keep your alloys in tip-top condition, and we’ll bring you washing and care tips in our coming blogs.

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