Chrome Wheels In Northern States

[ECUPirate]

I like chrome. The factory chrome wheels look nice, as do the factory wheels that have been chromed by 3rd parties (see ebay). However, I've talked to a couple of different dealers here in the DC area who generally sell only the painted wheels. They say that the chrome wheels don't hold up as well in salt and snow, and that the plating will chip and pit over time.

What are you guys' thoughts on this? I'm sure that if someone was determined to keep his chrome wheels polished at all times, the salt and snow wouldn't really matter. Bear in mind, though, that most folks here don't spend much time washing their cars in freezing weather. Would the 3rd party triple chromes hold up as well as the factory chromes?

Is there some sure-fire method to keep this pitting from happening (like waxing the wheels before wintertime or something)?

[99lsguy]

I like chrome too............but the salt is bad for it.......

Heck, water can ruin it too if its really wet all the time - like Seattle, etc...

Most guys get a second set of tires & wheels for the winter and leave the chromes in the garage until March/April....

I think they're just a high matainence (& high dollar) item - need to rechrome every 3 years or so.... <_<

Let's see what the experts say.......I'm just yappin'

[silvermate]

well i'll chime in, i'm no expert by any means but heck its an open forum..

i agree totally with Agent, those conditions are Really bad for chrome, (and everything else for that matter) road salt is nasty for your car.........

but..........if you really want chrome rims, which personally i love......i would do exactly what Agent said, keep your rims now to use for winter driving, and floss the chrome ones in the spring/summer time, that method will def. keep them fresh for some time to come.

thats what i'm gonna do in the near future. i'm keeping my non-chrome OE 16's for winter driving, and buying either chrome OE 430 18's or just buy my same wheels in chrome, to floss in spring/summer

i think its a great method, might think its an expensive venture at first look, (depending on the set of wheels you are looking at), but a small investment if you look at it in terms of years to come pertaining to the look of your LS

plus OE chrome LS wheels are the business!!!!!

[99lsguy]

plus OE chrome LS wheels are the business!!!!! 

←

Boy that's the truth silvermate

I saw a white 95 LS two days ago, had very new, clean chrome rims on her (OEM baby) - and it just looked gorgeous!! I agree to stick with the OEM style

[ECUPirate]

of course I'd stick with the OEM style, perhaps the new 5 spoke 18s or 6 spoke 17s, but what about the wheels that were originally painted but were chromed by a 3rd party like the trades you see on ebay? would they hold up equally well to factory chromed wheels?

getting back to the original issue though, just how much effort would be required to keep the wheels looking like new for the life of the car? keeping summer and winter wheels around the house would be a drag. I'm thinking that the clean design of the wheels would make them easy to wipe down. My Chrysler has 16" aluminum wheels w/ a complex design that makes them hard to clean. I have to use a toothbrush on them.

Again, can you wax or otherwise protect chrome wheels?

[SW03ES]

Rechromes won't hold up as well as factory wheels, you want to look for OEM Lexus chromes.

The dealers here don't stay away from chrome because of the winter (our winters aren't that bad, its 65 degrees today!), they sell mostly painted wheels because thats all they have, Lexus only ships cars with chromes to warm climates. Be aware with chromes automatic carwashes (which should be kept to a minimum anyways) must be avoided as the wheel brushes will ruin them, and they have to be cleaned very carefully. On the right color (dark) chromes can look great though...