Still not sure what car I'll be buying (B7 Avant, Allroad, or C5 S-Line). Regardless, I will be getting some decent wheels/tires for summer and am considering painting the stock wheel's black to use during the winter.

If anyone thinks this is the dumbest idea ever, please speak up...

Anyway, recommendations on where to get it done... what should I expect for cost?

Take them to Denver Bumper. I make custom cruiser bike frames as hobby and I take all of my frames there. They charge me $60.00 per frame, so I imagine that they could do a set of wheels pretty easily. I would guess they could powder coat all four for around $500, maybe a little less, maybe a little more. They also have alot of colors to choose from but I know that flat black and semi-gloss black are the cheapest to do because they don't require the pigments (from what I'm told) that a color like red does.

you got owned.

Be careful where you take things to get coated. As I mentioned I brought a motorcycle frame to a shop in Denver because the guy said he could do it for like half the price of another company and the final product was terrible. There were runs in the coating (kind of like paint) and some areas were barely covered. I was pissed because once it was coated, it was twice the price to blast the coating off (unlike paint). Needless to say I didn't pay the guy.

to get 4 rims powdercoated w/ sandblasting if needed... generally is...
- $15-$20 sandblast each rim
- $25-$30 for powdercoating each rim
----------------------------------------
around $200 for a set.

Used to be cheaper but cant reach my old powdercoater anymore.
:^\

But the prices shown are from my new powdercoater.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/82763/pearl_steel_gray_avus.jpg">
the color on these is pearl steel gray. Color is much much deeper pearl in person. Cant wait to mount them up.

She couldn't guarantee without seeing the wheels but that seems reasonable.

powdercoating would better route specially if theres no clear coat.

recommend putting a nice coat of wax on each wheel, if you dont already do so. Will help with brake dust and keeping em clean.

"...dem 10's...but I keep em CleaN!!!"
;^P

no sure what your asking.

They just offer a clearcoat on top of that for an additional $40-50 that you really don;t need. My brothers wheels have held up well, so thats where I'm taking mine.

was thinking you were telling him to go the repainting route when you said no clear.

So when they apply the clear do they do it the same way and apply a electrostatically charged paint? And do they bake after doing so.

Or do they just spray clear and let dry?

Curious haven't heard of many people doing a clear after powdering.