Short answer. Bare and painted wheels are usually the easy grade, chrome-plated can pay slightly less, and any steel left in the wheel pulls it down.
The finish on a wheel changes how a yard grades it. This page describes the finishes you will meet and how to say which you have. Disclosure: ScrapTrade runs an online scrap marketplace and benefits when scrap changes hands.
The finishes
- Bare aluminium.
- Painted or clearcoated.
- Chrome-plated, which one secondary guide says pays slightly less.
- Wheels with steel centres or bolts, which are worth less because the steel has to be dealt with.
How to describe yours
Say how many of each, and photograph one of each. An honest description avoids a downgrade at the counter.
Where this fits
The preparation checklist is in Alloy Wheels for Scrap: Prepare Before You Weigh, and the sum behind an offer is in How Scrap Rim Offers Are Worked Out.
Where ScrapTrade fits
List aluminium on ScrapTrade for free: there is no commission, verified buyers bid, and the buyer's 5% deposit is held in escrow once you accept a bid. Businesses and individuals can sell after verification.
What we could not verify
- How much a finish changes the rate.
- Yard-specific grade names.
- Current rates.
Frequently asked questions
Is painted worth less than bare?
We found no sourced difference. Ask the yard.
Sources
- ScrapTrade analysis in the alloy wheel guides on this site.
General information only.