Preserving polished wheels

[chevy42083]

Alright, who has some tips.

Polishing them to a mirror is easy... keeping them that way is what I haven't figured out.

Zoop Seal? It's REALLY expensive. I've heard lots of good reviews.... from people with all out show trucks, garage queens, and limited use race trucks. No real world, stored outside, daily driven vehicles. The cost is simply too much for me to try it.

Automotive wax?

There was a brand of wheel wax, but it says to apply it every wash... and it is a rub on buff off type deal. I might as well polish the wheels each time. That isn't a sealer IMO. It states a "Cleaner, polish, and sealer all in one". What's the point of sealing if you use it every week?

[LT1Blackbird]

With bare aluminum polished wheels, I had to polish them just about every time I washed the car. I tried all kinds of "sealants" and waxes, and nothing holds up to daily use and rain.

Have them polished and then shoot them with a clear coat..thats probably the only thing that will keep em clean and prevent them from oxidizing and turning gray.

[BLOWNDFIZ]

It's a bitch!!! I try to never have to wash the car with water, or get in the rain. The water pools on the inside and I have to remove them to polish the inside of the damn wheel. I've considered a clear powdercoat, just haven't done it yet.

I have heard good things about Zoop's I may try it especially if I do drive the car on Power Tour next year.

[crows93z]

Yeah, I'm sick of it as well. I just polished my wheels the other day and had no choice but to drive back to school in the rain. I'm getting my professionally polished and shot with clear.

They upkeep should be a LOT easier then, shouldn't it? Would polish still be safe to use if scratches got in the clear? Wax?

Thanks, I'm a wheel noob

[BLOWNDFIZ]

They upkeep should be a LOT easier then, shouldn't it? Would polish still be safe to use if scratches got in the clear? Wax?

Thanks, I'm a wheel noob

If you just use clear paint then you'd want to care for the rims just like you take care of the paint on your car. Light polish and wax, you could even clay bar them to remove the embedded contaminants. If you get them coated they will take the abuse from the road better. It'll be more money but worth the investment in the long run. Same for care just polish and wax. NO METAL POLISH...

[crows93z]

Gotcha.. I guess I'll look into getting that done... you don't think it's something I could do myself do you? I have rattle can clear... but I don't want to fuck up my wheels..

[BLOWNDFIZ]

Gotcha.. I guess I'll look into getting that done... you don't think it's something I could do myself do you? I have rattle can clear... but I don't want to fuck up my wheels..

I would not try it myself even with professional clear and a gun. The problem is going to be getting paint to stick to polished metal. It's going to want to fisheye and just generally look like ass. About the only real option is powedercoat or clear annodizing.

[chevy42083]

I asked the same question on another site and someone suggested...
http://masterpolishformula.com/
He says he uses it, and it works great.