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I had chrome on my previous sports car, went with silver on this one and prefer the look. Chrome is a little dated now a days, not ready to go to black. Besides for just about the same price of the chrome wheels you can get the entire ZF1 package, bigger wheels, spoiler.
If you go with the chrome rims,please get the chrome value stems covers instead of the standard grey ones that come with the car.I believe there are a couple different ones which just seem to add to the overall look of the chrome rims.jmo
Are Corvette chrome wheels high quality triple chrome plated? Another $2k for chrome wheels isn't chicken feed.
aha..you are a thinking man! Let me put it this way. The wheels are made in China, and plated in China...that is neither good nor bad, having never been to that particular factory. But I have approved/visited many of the domestic wheel companies while still working as a Materials Engineer at one of the Big 3. The devil is in the details when it comes to chrome plating. A poorly plated wheel can look great on the outside, but without proper preparation and pretreatment layers it will corrode quickly in a salt environment, may begin to peel, blister, pit, discolor, and so on.
Now, this is what is interesting. I know GM's Lead Engineer on wheels, we served on a couple SAE committees together. When I asked about wheels last year, I got nothing. I suspect he wanted better quality, but was over ruled by the bean counters. So, no one outside of GM knows much about what the process capability is, other than the supplier rep who calls on GM for this component.
Right now my chrome wheels are covered in salt dust from Michigan roads. At 35-50* the risk is highest for any corrosion to occur, which is the ambient temp in my garage most of the winter. I am watching to see if anything happens closely. If there is no effect then I some how ended up with a good wheel set....hope this helps in your decision, and keep in mine the painted wheels are finished with junk paint.
I had the factory chrome wheels on my C6 and loved the look but they were really peeling at the end. For my last two sets of new tires they were trying to tell me I needed new wheels (274K miles when sold). I ordered my C7 laguna blue with standard painted wheels since I didn't like the look of the C7 with the chrome. I think the painted show dirt less than the chrome.
I don't have experience with C6 or C7 chrome wheels. My C6 has polished Gumby aluminum and I love them. Over the years, my experience with chrome wheels is that they just don't hold up to real world driving. With brake dust and minimal salt deposits every chrome wheel I ever had pitted after a few years. I now avoid chrome. I'm hoping the 2016 C7 has a polished aluminum wheel.
Well I've had just the opposite experience. I had the standard painted wheels on my C5, C6 & C7. They were okay but after doing a chrome wheel exchange on all 3 cars I found not only did the chrome hold up better, it was way easier to maintain than any painted wheels...including the fad style black wheels.
I don't have experience with C6 or C7 chrome wheels. My C6 has polished Gumby aluminum and I love them. Over the years, my experience with chrome wheels is that they just don't hold up to real world driving. With brake dust and minimal salt deposits every chrome wheel I ever had pitted after a few years. I now avoid chrome. I'm hoping the 2016 C7 has a polished aluminum wheel.
Polished aluminum would be my choice as well if they were available.
I had chrome on my previous sports car, went with silver on this one and prefer the look. Chrome is a little dated now a days, not ready to go to black. Besides for just about the same price of the chrome wheels you can get the entire ZF1 package, bigger wheels, spoiler.
Is the finish on the standard wheel the same as the ZF1/Z51 wheel. These sure look nice and shiny, almost polished. Very nice!
All wheels offered by gm for the c7 that are "silver" are the same painted silver....it would be my choice over all others.
Actually Glen, that's not correct. The silver painted Z51/ZF1 wheel is sterling silver, not the same color as the base silver 5 spoke wheel. The Z51/ZF1 wheel is MUCH brighter.
Jimmy
PS. Sterling Silver is the color (of the wheels) they used on the Atomic Orange Indy Pace car C6's (2007 or 2008, I can't remember).
Actually Glen, that's not correct. The silver painted Z51/ZF1 wheel is sterling silver, not the same color as the base silver 5 spoke wheel. The Z51/ZF1 wheel is MUCH brighter.
Actually Glen, that's not correct. The silver painted Z51/ZF1 wheel is sterling silver, not the same color as the base silver 5 spoke wheel. The Z51/ZF1 wheel is MUCH brighter.
Jimmy
PS. Sterling Silver is the color (of the wheels) they used on the Atomic Orange Indy Pace car C6's (2007 or 2008, I can't remember).
I thought this was the case as all of the pictures I see, the Z51 wheels always look so much brighter. Now I am confused again.
Jimmy, are the machined wheels that GM sells actually a gray color? They are advertised as being black but they don't look black in pictures I have seen.
The machined wheels are really sharp. They have a black/grey chrome look. I've never had this much trouble ordering a car before. Still undecided on the wheels. Looks like there is no way to get the Z51 wheels without the Z51 spoiler, correct?
I've never had chrome wheels before, been driving BMWs and Audis for over 40 years. I'm really not a "chrome guy", so I think I'll go with the stock silver painted wheels and save $2K. As you said, the silver painted wheels can be "touched" up if needed or refinished a lot cheaper than chrome wheels. Car in LB is sharp enough without the chrome wheels IMHO. I guess I answered my own question.
LB with Chrome wheels versus Silver painted you are fooling yourself if you think there is not a big difference in looks. Chrome will make the whole exterior pop, check out some pictures.
LB with Chrome wheels versus Silver painted you are fooling yourself if you think there is not a big difference in looks. Chrome will make the whole exterior pop, check out some pictures.
I am rethinking my options but the silver painted Z51 wheels look pretty sharp in many of the pictures I have seen. I agree the chrome wheels look great but I am leaning toward the silver painted ones. Hope to make a trip to Kerbeck to view lots of cars to see them up close and personal.
I am rethinking my options but the silver painted Z51 wheels look pretty sharp in many of the pictures I have seen. I agree the chrome wheels look great but I am leaning toward the silver painted ones. Hope to make a trip to Kerbeck to view lots of cars to see them up close and personal.
You need to do this. Most of the pictures on here don't show the real deal. Some look better in person and some look not as good. Some look better with different colors than others. Try to go there on a sunny day.
02-11-2015, 02:08 PM
