Great to know. I might just pick up a set of wheels cheap to give a real go on while my originals are on the car. WHat do you do about curb rash if you can't put compound in the rough spots and paint over them? What benefits would the clearcoat have over straight polished aluminum? Protective wax?

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit...

 

Unless the curb rash is severe, an aggressive abrasive can smooth it out pretty well. If you have really deep gouges in the wheel, I would just forego messing with it or send it off for repair.

As to the clearcoat, the benefits are not having to periodically polish the aluminum. If the aluminum is totally left without protection, it will begin to oxidize and discolor. However, my experience has been very good with Mother's polish. I don't use brake pads that produce a lot of dust, wash the wheels when cool with mild soap, apply polish every 3-4 months. YMMV