Find the color of your original wheel
A wheel’s color is not the body color and is not printed on any plate. To find it, you need the OEM reference cast on the back of the wheel. Here is the method in five steps.
The 5-step method
- 1
Spot the OEM reference
On the back of the wheel, on a spoke or the barrel, a reference is cast into the aluminium (for example 8V0 601 025 A). It is the key to the exact model.
- 2
Note the dimensions
Diameter, width, offset (ET) and bolt pattern are also marked on the back. They confirm the model when several wheels look alike.
- 3
Search OEM Color Wheels
Enter the reference, or pick the make, model and year. Search tolerates dashes, spaces and old references.
- 4
Read the color and finish
You get the manufacturer’s original color (code and name), its finish (gloss, satin, metallic, diamond-cut) and the full process: primer, base coat, clear coat, curing.
- 5
Check on the part
Compare with an unpainted spot, behind a spoke for instance. Powder equivalents are always “close”, never presented as identical.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a wheel’s color code?
There is no plate: the color is deduced from the OEM reference cast on the back of the wheel. OEM Color Wheels links that reference to the original color and process.
Can I use the body paint code?
No. Wheel colors have their own code, separate from the body color, even when a manufacturer matches the two.
What if the reference is unreadable?
Search by vehicle, model and year, or send photos: with the Pro plan, we identify the reference and the original color.
What is the difference between silver, anthracite and diamond-cut?
It is the finish: silver is light and bright, anthracite is a dark metallic grey, diamond-cut leaves machined aluminium visible under a clear coat.
Do I need powder or liquid paint?
Manufacturers combine both: an epoxy powder primer, a liquid base coat, then a clear coat. OEM Color Wheels gives the products and curing for each step.
What curing do the primer and clear coat need?
Each wheel sheet gives the curing temperature and time for the powder primer and the clear coat. Always follow the technical data sheet of the product you use.
Find your wheel’s color
Search by OEM reference or by vehicle. The ten featured colors are free, with their full process.