Good chrome wheel cleaner

rockford33

rockford33

New member
About a month ago, I detailed my wife's friend's PT Cruiser with chrome wheels. I don't think the wheels had been touched since it was new (it's a 2001). Using Poorboy's ProPolish and about 2 hours of elbow grease, they were sparkly again. I got a surprise call from the friend this morning (she was at Walmart) and she wanted to get some wheel cleaner to keep the chrome shiny. She actually wanted to go car wash product shopping after they got back from the beach on Sunday!! I don't think I will see her slinging a PC anytime soon, but it is a start! I am thinking of suggesting Mother's Billet Aluminum Polish to her or I think I might have an old bottle of Turtle Wax Chrome Polish somewhere that I might give to her. Turtle Wax Chrome Polish any good, or should I get her to buy something else? I am thinking of steering her towards a polish as that forces her to actually clean the wheels better (as oppose to a sprayon/hose off product which might not get everything). Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks
 
Billet Polish would be the wrong product - it's made for billet aluminum, not chrome plating.

Was the wheels frequently (once a week would be a good start), and then a spray cleaner wouldn't be needed.

A good chrome polish would do wonders to help maintain the wheels. There are several out there, in addition to ours.
 
I used Turtlewax Chrome Polish for years. Don't know how well it protected but it sure cleaned them up.As you well know it's easier to keep something clean than it is to clean something that's been neglected. Poorboy is coming out with a wheel cleaner ask him.
 
Last edited:
rabbi said:
I used Turtlewax Chrome Polish for years. Don't know how well it protected but it sure cleaned them up.As you well know it's easier to keep something clean than it is to clean something that's been neglected. Poorboy is coming out with a wheel cleaner ask him.
Click to expand...

I don't think is as obsessive as I am to start ordering PB's products (or any products) off the web. I definitely plan on getting some of the PB's wheel cleaner though. I also doubt she will even wash the car once a week (she lives in the city with street parking), which is why I was looking for something more than a spray cleaner. If a little elbow grease is required, she might take a little better care of the car.
 
:wait :wait :wait
If the wheels are clearcoated after the chrome plating, you will need a totally different product.
I don't know anything about PT Cruisers, but It would seem that there is a very good chance the wheels are clearcoated.

Charles
 
Charles,
Should I use a little wetsanding to see if the wheels are clearcoated?

Rabbi,
The TW is a liquid polish, hence needing more elbow grease and a greater appreciation for keeping things clean. I didn't mean to imply that it was a spray on.
 
rockford33 said:
Charles,
Should I use a little wetsanding to see if the wheels are clearcoated?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't. On my wife's GTP, you can tell by looking closely at the wheels, that they have clearcoat on them.
You might want to ask someone on a PT Cruiser board if they are clearcoated.
I really don't know how to be 100% sure if you have chrome or chrome/clearcoat.

Just my opinion, but I think I would treat them as clearcoated since any of the paint protection products you use won't hurt chrome and will probably protect the chrome quite well.

Charles
 
I raised the same question in another board, and the concensus came in with everyone liking these products:
Vanilla Moose
AIO + SG
Mother's Chrome Polish
 
Those wheels are not clearcoated.....A chrome polish is the proper product.

Heck, even spraying them with a glass cleaner would be better than nothing.
 
Mother's Metal Polish would be my choice. It's safe and produces a great shine. I would cut up the initial grime with a strong, non-acidic wheel cleaner.
 
Like I said, I don't know anuything about PT Cruisers. Maybe the chrome wheels are not clear coated.
Then again, maybe they are.........

From a Chrysler accesory site.

"Chrysler PT Cruiser Wheels:

Cast Aluminum Wheels are available in chrome plated
Treated in a durable clear coat finish to resist corrosion
Wheels are sold individually with a PT Cruiser logo center cap
Fits Chrysler PT Cruiser Sedan and Convertible
Covered by Mopar's 12 Month/12,000 Mile Parts and Accessories Warranty"

The bold emphasis is mine.

:dunno

Charles
 
Charles - I had a 2001 PT Cruiser, and it had the chrome plated wheels. In 2001, the wheels were not coated.

The ones they sell accessory (aftermarket) are not necessarily the same ones as put on OE
 
forrest said:
Charles - I had a 2001 PT Cruiser, and it had the chrome plated wheels. In 2001, the wheels were not coated.

The ones they sell accessory (aftermarket) are not necessarily the same ones as put on OE
Click to expand...
If yours were not clear coated, theirs are probably not clear coated. My bad.
It surprises me that any original equipment wheels are not clearcoated. I think on my own vehicles, I would have to go back into the 80's to find some that weren't.
Was/is this something peculiar to Chrysler or do many manufacturers not use the clear coat? The two Turbo Talons I had back in the 90's had clear coat wheels, but most of my vehicle have been GM and I think all of them had clear coated wheels. Of course the Talons weren't really a Chrysler product, so that doesn't really tell me much either.

Charles
 
Most every OE aluminum wheel sold today is clear coated, but not the chrome plated ones.

There are but a handful of chrome plated, clear coated OE wheels out there. Were your Talon wheels polished/styled aluminum, or were they chrome plated aluminum?
 
Last edited:
forrest said:
Most every OE aluminum wheels sold today is clear coated, but not the chrome plated ones.

There are but a handful of chrome plated, clear coated OE wheels out there. Were your Talon wheels polished/styled aluminum, or were they chrome plated aluminum?
Click to expand...
Polished/styled aluminum on both vehicles. Guess that's why they were clear coated. :D
The last chrome wheels I had must have been back in the 80's. Not even gonna mention when I got my first chrome wheels. And no, they weren't on a buggy.

Charles
 
Looks like it's time to get back to the subject at hand.
If your wheels are chrome and not clear coated, Mother's makes a great chrome polish. It is not at all expensive and you should be able to find it at any number of stores, both auto supply and discount stores.

Charles
 
SOUND LIKE THAT YOU HAVE DONE ALL THE HARD WORK ALREADY.To maintain I would go with Eagle 1 A2Z and protection with a good sealant [EXP, #20, UPP]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top