17" OEM Wheel Film Issues

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SEALboytv4

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I spent a lot of time detailing my car today after the rough PA winter, and was not happy at all with what I found. My front fascia was all chipped up, mainly above my air dam and below the grill. It was so pitted I wonder if the dealer put a bad paint job over it to cover up the original's marks.

Anyways, I have this nasty white-ish film all over my nice shiny chrome wheels. They are the OEM 17's, not the matte aluminum, but the shiny chrome ones. This film makes them look permanently dusty, like I neglected to clean them, even though I spent a good bit of time cleaning them today. Any suggestions on what this is and how I can remove it?

Also, anyone have problems with losing the center caps for these wheels? 3 out of the 4 disintegrated over the winter and I need replacements...
 
Haven't had the problem with the centercaps, but I can help with the flim. From your description the film might be able to be removed with a polish that is painted wheel safe. Grab a Mother's Powerball and a drill and work the polish in for a long time to see if that helps. I get 90% of my stuff from autogeek.net. Try looking around and see what they have to offer. Finish up with a wax on your wheels to prevent it from happening again. WheelWax is a good brand, look around on autogeek for others.
 
Im in pittsburgh too, and I too have the same "film" on my chrome wheels. I was just cleaning my rim today (just one, ran out of sun light) and I used westleys bleach white. Worked, but took long time and little elbow grease.
 
I did wax my wheels all last summer and fall, but we had a wicked winter here in Pittsburgh and I am not able to wax my wheels in 20-degree weather in a foot of snow lol. I will look into the polish though...thanks!

I know I can find replacements on ebay, I just wondered if anyone else had the problem of the clips disintegrating and just falling right out.

Ike, that's awesome you live in Pittsburgh, where at? Hmm, you think it could be our lovely PennDOT salt that caused that? I will try the Westley's before I get a power ball and a drill and polish. Thanks!
 
If you are gonna buy one or the other, I'd recomend the power ball first too as mentioned. I dont have one so I used what I had. I do think it is the salt, it seems to leave a film on EVERYTHING. Not like other places I've been. Im near banksville Rd Eat'N'Park.
 
Like you, I have chrome wheels. It was never clear to me whether they were clearcoated or not. You may have to experiment a bit to find out, but generally, I would start with some kind of cleaner/polish (either a chrome polish or a clearcoat-safe paint polish) to address the film issue. Follow up with a good wax or sealant (it can be the same you use for your paint). Good luck.
 
yes, noxon or met-all are good polishes for this. the problem with the center caps is really that the chrome wheels suck. they get so corroded and swell inside the cap that it busts the clips off of them. I need 1 cap because of this issue. My chrome is cracking at the bolt holes- pure crap IMO. Its too bad because they look nice all polished up.
 
My experience with the chrome wheels. I just bought the 02 LS. Needed tires and when I took it in for install 3 out of wheel center caps was broken. I got 4 new ones and replace them, the inside of the wheels are very corroded inside the wheels, in the center of the wheel. The corrosion is cracking the chrome around the center caps.

I will remove and clean the wheels later this summer. I will try to seal the inside of the wheels. Thinking about spray clear coat on the centers. Anyone already solved this?
 
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