Chrome Wheels

[Alvin Bruney]

Does anybody know for a fact why chrome aint good in the winter? I'm coming from a warm state into a place where snow is the order of the day. Some guy somewhere said the salt on the road eats the chrome so I need to swap out the chrome rims with stock for winter. Is there truth to that or another urban myth. Another person said, the stock provide a narrow width - but doesn't the rx300 have some snow antiskid thing to combat that? I want to keep my chrome on all year long.

[SKperformance]

If you wash and clean and wax them they will last fine.

If left alone and they get small chips they will start to peel or flake.

[Husker4theSpurs]

I haven't noticed anything yet, but try to keep them clean.

[1990LS400]

The chrome wheels on my 00 LS were badly pitted after three Kansas winters. My chrome wheels were not exactly "OEM" since they were Lexus Platinum Series wheels that the dealer had chromed by a California company and sold as a new car option. However, my co-worker's 99 LS really did have the official Lexus chrome wheel option and his wheels were incredibly pitted even sooner than mine.

When my chrome wheels were replaced under warranty I bought a relative inexpensive set of Mille Miglia wheels to use with the snow tires. After almost two years of non-winter use the replacement chrome wheels are still like new.

I suppose that, if you wash and wax chrome wheels like "SK" says, the chrome might last a lot longer. But that is really hard to keep up in the winter if you live where gets very cold. You could probably easily keep chrome wheels clean in the winter in warm Vancouver but it could be difficult in (Siberian) Ontario where my mother's family came from.

[SKperformance]

It is pretty easy to look after just like the rest of the car in winter.

Use a power washer at least once a month to remove salt and use a good metal polish like nxt by meguires

[Alvin Bruney]

I haven't noticed anything yet, but try to keep them clean.

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Yup, I'm in Siberian Ontario so I guess I'll pass on the rims for now at least. Taking the car to the car wash in 6 feet of snow is not a feasible option. I certainly won't be handling a hose out there either.