Quote:
Originally Posted by btimbit
It's just about what looks cheaper. Chrome was fine, until it started to look and peel like aluminum foil. Blacked out was a nice change from that, until it started to look like it was half-asses spray painted or filled in with a sharpie. Either can look good if done well
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Part of the problem with chrome was manufacturers cutting corners and using the cheapest 'chrome' solution they could find.
GM used to make absolutely gorgeous chrome wheels for the C4 Corvette and 4th Gen F-Body, the chrome application on those was amazing (I know because I owned a set of chrome ZR1 wheels and a set of chrome 5-spoke 4G Camaro wheels). Then Chrysler decided to bring out chromed 20" wheels on the Dodge Ram and thought "You know, this whole business of finishing the actual alloy of the wheel and then chrome-plating the metal seems like too much work and money. How about we make a plastic cover that goes on top of the wheel alloy, and chrome the plastic cover?
It frankly looked like sh-t and aged about as well. But everyone started doing it because "WeLL tHeY'rE sTiLL cHrOmE wHeEls!!!
". European manufacturers had largely began to move away from chrome by that point anyway, but North American manufacturers kept going until the option finally fell out of favour with buyers.
These days, you're not seeing the brightwork on premium cars come in 'chrome', but in high-polished aluminum. No chrome-plating to peel, and you can restore it using a high quality alloy polish.