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Hello! I'm new here and hoping you could all help me out. I'm looking to have my Z wheels polished. I like the softer look better than the flashiness of chrome.
Any reasons why I shouldn't go with polished and go with something else?
What's the cost?
Where should I go / send out? I live in KC if anybody has local suggestions.
Any concerns about swapping wheels? I figure I'm better off having the ones on my car done so I don't end up with a non-OEM wheel. I've heard the re-pros are heavier.
Are polished metal Center Caps avail anywhere? I've seen painted CC's with polished wheels - they don't look good. Chromed CC's are okay but still don't match perfectly.
Lots of ways to look at this question!
To take stock rims and have them stripped and polished puts your car off the road for a good length of time!
Some shops won't do spun cast rims because the result without paint is questionable!
Aftermarket rims leave you the option of selling the originals or keeping them for the resale of the car or DR's mounts whatever!!
If you don't weigh 120 lbs and race your car for money or a living, who cares what the wheels weigh???????
Enjoy your ride and forget about the damn numbers
If you are happy when you pull that bad boy out of the garage and tool down the street, you don't fell bad when you pull out the checkbook to make the payment every month
To take stock rims and have them stripped and polished puts your car off the road for a good length of time!
Depending upon where you live and distance to vendor it can take 1 - 2 weeks. I don't feel that is a good length of time for the car to be off the road.
Strictly a matter of personal taste but to me, on a yellow car, grey paint didn't cut it. Polished may be better suited to you and your darker car. I opted for the chrome Z06 wheel exchange program. That way I wasn't without the car for one minute. The chromies came and replaced the stock that were send back the same day. I weighed the chrome wheels before having them installed and the stock before shipping them. The chrome wheel weighed less than 2 pounds difference!! Now that was without any balance weights on the chrome wheels while the stock still had theirs on but really, not a consideration. Welcome aboard!
I have a Friend who went the polished route via Panther. Depending on exchanger ate, but I believe he was out less than $600 American for the polish and shipping.
The wheels definitely have a different look after polishing. very attractive. I have seen them on EB and Black cars. They look great.
I have a Friend who went the polished route via Panther. Depending on exchanger ate, but I believe he was out less than $600 American for the polish and shipping.
The wheels definitely have a different look after polishing. very attractive. I have seen them on EB and Black cars. They look great.
Are you sure they were polished and not machined? There is a difference in appearance, and for that $$ figure I suspect the wheels were machined. I've been told that Panther will polish, but that it's quite expensive.
I have the machine finish from Panther - cost was about $100 per wheel for stripping, paint, machine finish & clear coat. Shipping was about $60 each way. As I recall, they quoted over $200 per for full polished finish.
Also, I've heard chrome is the easiest to maintain but haven't heard anything about maintence of polished. Any thoughts here???? Thanks!
If you have the polished/machined finish clear-coated, like Panther does, there's no maintenance issue - just soap and water. With "raw" exposed aluminum, you're going to have to keep after it with some sort of metal polish.
Re: Polished, Chrome or Machined? (thevettenet CA)
I've heard that clear-coating polished wheels isn't a good idea. Something about the clear-coat yellowing after time and other complications due to aluminum being so porous.
Well, here's what I decided. I like the look of polished over that of chromed and machined. I found a guy here in KC who does quality work polishing wheels. I researched the daylights out of polishing wheels and found a product called ZOOPS. Everything I've read (magazine reviews and forum opinions) leaves me believing that by maintaining with ZOOPS, I'll get the polished look I want with EASIER maintenance than chrome. Supposedly this stuff is the saving grace of hotrodders with tons of underhood polished aluminum (billet stuff). ZOOPS offers (for $144 inc shipping) the following:
Description:
ZoopSeal protects aluminum from the oxidation process, and offers a long lasting, durable shine. Includes video, cleaner, sealer, activator, spray bottle, applicator cloths, finish sealer, metal polish, and tire/trim dressing. Covers 75 square feet.
Part #: 9550
Retail Price: $129.95
I've purchased the ZOOPS and will take my wheels in to be polished ASAP. I'll let you know how the ZOOPS claims, reviews, and opinions hold up.
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