Drove into a curb, dented the wheel and took a little gouge out of it near the rim. What is the best way to buff this down? Sandpaper? Dremel? I don't think the material will rust but I am curious how to do it right. Anybody know how much a new wheel goes for anyway? These are the 8-spoke standard ones. Thanks!

If it can be repaired it can be repaired for about $100....see Ye Ole Wheel Shoppe in Laurel, MD (actually in Elkton, but there you are, somewhere on Route 1 N above US 100).

If the wheel is dented it's probably out of round and needs to be straightened, too....they weld on aluminum and remachine it and polish and repaint it.

There are differing discussions about the resulting metallurgy and safety of the repaired wheel but I've had great results from them over the last 15 years or so.

Thank you for the info. It is not so much that the whole wheel is dented but that the lip where the tire meets the rim has a few cm chunk taken out. It is far enough away that there does not seem to be air loss and it seems stable. It is more cosmetic. $100 might be worth it though, since I am sure a new wheel is hundreds. But then it would not be covered in brake dust...