[Setec Astronomy]

Oh...now I remember...yes, I guess the sanded/polished areas did kind of appear "darker" than the cleared areas, and yes, they improved when painted. The problem is the surface texture difference between the machined/polished surfaces and your repaired surfaces, which are smoother. When they machine and polish, they get shiny machining marks, where you have gotten a completely smooth surface. You could try hazing it up with some fine steel wool, but it will still not be the same texture as the original. If it's any consolation, I don't even notice mine anymore, is the tire mounted? Mine looked dreadful to me on the bench, but after the tire was mounted and on the car, it's really hard to find.