"Chrome-clad" wheels

[BigPontiac]

Checking out the GMC lot, I noticed many of the new Sierra's come with "chrome-clad aluminum wheels" which looked like a steel wheel (based on where the rim meets the tire) with a Chrome-plated plastic cover. The 17"s are still cast aluminum, but all the 18s seem to have these plastic wheels.

What's the buyer advantage?

[ocnblu]

Dodge, sry... Ram's half-ton 20" "chrome" wheel is the same way. It's a city boy's truck wheel design, for sure. Go to buy a replacement, you'll think you're paying for the real thing.

[balthazar]

I have a set of older Ford chrome-clad rims, but they're chromed steel over steel rims. Not sure what the thinking was there, either.

[daves87rs]

Odd....

[ocnblu]

GM and Dodge use the "stainless hubcap crimped to steel rim" style, too. I had them on my '02 Silvy, they're still available on the GMT900.

[Camino LS6]

Cheesey

[GMTruckGuy74]

If I'm not mistaken, GM started this trend with the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. I leased a '99 Grand Am GT1 Sedan with the chrome-clad aluminum rims while I was working at a Buick, Pontiac, GMC dealership. The used car sales manager showed me one day in the showroom how the "chrome" was basically a plastic cover over top the aluminum rim. He said GM must be testing this out for use on other vehicles... this was almost 12 years ago!!