Location: Did you know that the "B" in Benoit B. Mandelbrot stands for 'Benoit B. Mandelbrot'?
Chrome
Advantages:
Easier to maintain than polished (rarely needs polishing)
Doesn't really stain
Shinier finish than you'll ever get with a high polish wheel
If you ever do have to polish it up, it's relatively easy to get it back to "as new" looks.
Disadvantages:
If not a top quality chrome job, may start to flake after a few years
Too shiny (at least for my taste)
Usually costs more than a high polish wheel
High polish
Advantages:
More subtle shine than chrome
If not clearcoated, not too difficult to polish (but not as easy as chrome)
Disadvantages:
If clearcoated, your maintenance regimen is limited to washing and waxing unless you want to risk stripping the clearcoat off.
If part of the clear coat comes off, you might as well strip the rest off.
Even if you're careful when washing, clear coat may become hazy after a few years.
Uncoated aluminum can pit in salt air, areas where they use salt on roads or if local road crews use corrosive chemicals.
That said, two of my cars have uncoated high polished HREs on them. I like the shine of the high polish better than chrome.
I had a set of Cragar SS's. I will never buy chrome again. It took me 6-8 hours to clean 4 wheels and had to be extra careful about little dings and chips because they would rust up in a second. I had them 1 week when a chip resulted in rust. I don't know if this happens with the higher quality wheels but I thought Cragar was a high quality wheel.
I see polished aluminum once in a while that look like they turned yellow. It must be the clearcoat hazing up.
I like polished better, if they are forged. Forged wheels hold their shine much better then cast wheels. Cast polished wheels you will have to polish all the time.
i jsut bought high polished and comapreed them to chrome and i think chrom has a harder look to it where high polish looks more like sterling silver right when its new
I personally like chrom much better than polished. I clean my wheels with a wet towel or something, not very hard just requires a little bit of elbow grease.
I like polished better, if they are forged. Forged wheels hold their shine much better then cast wheels. Cast polished wheels you will have to polish all the time.
I really like the CCW 505 wheels, but was recently told by a friend that he'd never own polished wheels again. He said that even if they are clearcoated, polished wheels tend to get "hazy" after a period of time. I never wash my car and only put about 1,500 miles a year on it, but hate to spend money on wheels if they're not going to hold their polish. Anyone ever have a similar problem with polished wheels?
i love my 505a's, but will never own an uncoated polished wheel again. if the car doesn't get driven much, and is stored inside all the time, it wouldn't be AS bad, but even driving to shows etc builds up a lot of brake dust and dirt and are much more difficult to clean than chrome which can basically just be wiped off.
i'd get my 505a's chromed if it didn't involve unmounting/remounting/rebalancing the tires. when these tires wear out, i will get them chromed if i don't sell them first.
thanks for the compliment!
i'd just chrome the 505a's. like i said... i do love the CCW's and it's hard to beat the price.
now... some of the kinesis wheels have a big wide lip like the 505a (which i LOVE)... and i don't think they are too expensive... i don't think they come in chrome tho, but i think their polished might be clear coated. i just haven't seen a style that is as "wow" to me as the 505a's
matter of fact, you could get the 505a's clear coated after polishing them up real good... like right when you buy them. (they actually need a little polishing even when brand new, the CCW polisher leaves a little something to be desired... like down in the spokes)
see ya!
sonny
Hi. I'm superlew and I'm looking for some place to have my wheels polished, (they have been polished several times over the years and need it again) and haven't been able to locate anyone in the St. Louis area who can do the job, or even wants to. I have checked on the internet many times with no results. I think I must move in the wrong circles,,, so if someone could give me a lead to a business that can and wants to do it, I'd be very grateful. My E-MAIL address; lworthey@charter.net
I have a set of painted Mallett wheels which closely match my car (pewter) that I love, but want to get them polished. I read on a Z06 forum that a guy took 14 hours to do ONE of his. Anyone know a price to have them done or an easier way to do this at home? Media blasting perhaps?
SUPERLEW, I also am in St. Louis - if you hear anything let me know and I will do the same!
Corvette Store
chrome vs polished
chrome can add lbs 
