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DID C5's COME WITH.......................

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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 01:49 PM
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Default DID C5's COME WITH.......................

CHROME WHEELS or were they just polished aluminum and clearcoated??

I have been reading among the threads over in the 'Sale' section of polished and chrome thinspoke wheels. Some say chrome, others say polished aluminum. Some say GM never built a CHROME thinspoke for the C5.

Can anyone put some truth to 'are there or are there not factory chrome thinspokes'.

If there is, how are they identified (other than word of mouth)?

If there is, are they considered rare?

If there is, what can one expect to pay for a set of 17 & 18's?
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 01:50 PM
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From the factory they are polished aluminum clearcoated.

Now in the after market there are vendors who chrome the OEM wheels.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by StephenT
From the factory they are polished aluminum clearcoated.

Now in the after market there are vendors who chrome the OEM wheels.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 01:52 PM
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I only know the Factory GM polished, clear-coated aluminum thin spokes - starting on the 2000 I think and running through 2004. I believe the chrome will be after market.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 02:42 PM
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I have an 04 coupe with the polished thin spokes, chrome were not made, I had the car for over a year before I realized they were not chrome!!!!!
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:01 PM
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I believe that 97-99's you could get chrome as a factory option, as polished was not an option until 2000 model year. 00-04 did not have chrome as an option.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:30 PM
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I had an '02 with clearcoated. Milky finish... not very happy with the quality.
The problems continued with the C6, and now they are on constraint, and will probably not be produced again.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:35 PM
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What about my wheels:


what are these, haha I feel like a dummy for not knowing

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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by VaTechHokie
I believe that 97-99's you could get chrome as a factory option, as polished was not an option until 2000 model year. 00-04 did not have chrome as an option.
Chrome wheels were never a factory option on any C5.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:42 PM
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Never.....





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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by VetterGetIt
What about my wheels:


what are these, haha I feel like a dummy for not knowing

Painted Y2K's.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 04:19 PM
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I have the original window sticker for my 01 C5 and they list the polished aluminum wheels in the options. These are the thin spooked wheels. They do look like chrome as long as they have been maintained and the clear coat is not removed. I keep mine washed regularly (according to my wife well beyond regularly), so the brake dust does not etch them.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 04:19 PM
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So what I understand is the only way a thinspoke could be a factory wheel and chrome is if the chroming was done on a factory wheel AFTER the fact.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by mtwalet
So what I understand is the only way a thinspoke could be a factory wheel and chrome is if the chroming was done on a factory wheel AFTER the fact.

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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 04:31 PM
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No factory chrome wheels for the C5 - only high polished with clearcoat. You could get OEM wheels that were chromed aftermarket though.
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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by VetterGetIt
What about my wheels
what are these, haha I feel like a dummy for not knowing
Originally Posted by jrose7004
Painted Y2K's.
No, actually they're not.

They are the base painted wheels, but on a 2001-2004 car.

The Y2K wheels were a thinner spoke. 2000 was the only year of the painted thin spoke. In 2001, the spokes got a little wider as pictured.

The high polished wheels remained the same y2k style thin spoke from 00-04.

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Old Oct 4, 2006 | 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me
No, actually they're not.

They are the base painted wheels, but on a 2001-2004 car.

The Y2K wheels were a thinner spoke. 2000 was the only year of the painted thin spoke. In 2001, the spokes got a little wider as pictured.

The high polished wheels remained the same y2k style thin spoke from 00-04.


Thanks.
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Old Oct 5, 2006 | 01:15 AM
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Originally Posted by TJ VETT
I have an 04 coupe with the polished thin spokes, chrome were not made, I had the car for over a year before I realized they were not chrome!!!!!

How do you not know what the difference between chrome and polished? Oh well...if they are real GM wheels they will be light and have "GM" stamped on the inside of one of the spokes. Yes, they can be chromed, I have set...
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Old Oct 5, 2006 | 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by 2k2C5
Chrome wheels were never a factory option on any C5.
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