Polish VS. Chrome wheels
12-02-2002, 06:12 PM
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Re: Polish VS. Chrome wheels Everyone has their own opinion. If you are the type that loves to keep your car clean and who enjoys cleaning it, then you wouldnt mind sitting out there for 2-3 hours polishing the high polished aluminum wheels. Theyve got a real nice luster and deep shine to them. However, if you dont like to spend too much time cleaning it then you might want to go with the chrome. The polished will never rust, chip, or flake off, the chrome will.
12-03-2002, 10:03 AM
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Re: Polish VS. Chrome wheels I agree. My old car had polished wheels, and I didn't mind sitting out there and polishing them, but now I'm alot busier and don't have as much time to spend cleaning my car. So I've chrome wheels now.
12-03-2002, 10:21 AM
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Re: Polish VS. Chrome wheels After having a huge flake chip off mine, I will never recommend them to anyone. Get polished, and spend the extra time keeping them clean. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
12-03-2002, 01:27 PM
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Re: Polish VS. Chrome wheels The problem with chrome wheels is that they are usually plated in production, which means very little care and concern is taken in making sure the job is done correctly. If your wheels do begin to flake, you can have them stripped and redone, its not that expensive, maybe a few hundred dollars, but polished wheels in my opinion just dont look as good, since the polishing is stopped after a certain degree. I just made a set of custom centercaps for my firebird, and am having them chromed to match my wheels. Before having them chromed, the polish was so fine that it was like looking in a mirror, but chrome will help protect it.
Incidently, aluminium does "rust", although this is an improper term for it, most people associate "rust" with red iron oxide. All metals corrode, aluminium (from which most polished wheels are made from), just takes longer than most. However, after polishing, the wheels are usually given a clear protective coat of some kind, either paint, anodizing (although this adds a yellowish tint), or clear powdercoating.
My only problem with polished wheels is taht they stop too soon, and usually rely on a grain pattern (although small) to serve as the final finish. I would rather take polished wheels, go over them with 1000 grit sandpaper, buff them to a mirror finish, and THEN have them clear coated, because a mirror finish just looks better.
Incidently, aluminium does "rust", although this is an improper term for it, most people associate "rust" with red iron oxide. All metals corrode, aluminium (from which most polished wheels are made from), just takes longer than most. However, after polishing, the wheels are usually given a clear protective coat of some kind, either paint, anodizing (although this adds a yellowish tint), or clear powdercoating.
My only problem with polished wheels is taht they stop too soon, and usually rely on a grain pattern (although small) to serve as the final finish. I would rather take polished wheels, go over them with 1000 grit sandpaper, buff them to a mirror finish, and THEN have them clear coated, because a mirror finish just looks better.
