Polished Alloys - Opinions?

[Tepper]

I've got some rims on their way for the 190e:


I was thinking about painting them, or going for a laquer over the polished finish.

However, after doing a bit of reading, I'm now considering just stripping off any laquer they have on them and running them polished. I've heard good things about autosol, but are there any other products or tips that people have found useful? Also if anyone runs polished rims, what are they like to live with? The car is parked on the street and driven in all weather. Lastly, is there a method of polishing them that gives a slightly duller finish?

Enlighten me, people of retro rides.

[mk2cossie]

I've got bare polished cosworth alloys on my mk2 granada, and through the winter they need a weekly polish with autosol

when the councils decide not to put salt down when its summer, they do go for months between needing a good polish and just a car washin' gets them good again ;D

[mdh]

Ratta discs. Nuff said.

[Tepper]

Excellent, I'll PM him when the wheels arrive.

[RobinJI]

If you want a duller satin sort of finish just wet sand them with 800 or higher paper and don't polish it. That's what I always used to do on my Porsche wheels as I preferred the finish to a high gloss:






A tough hard wax will help keep them shiny way longer than left bare, especially in the winter while the salt's about. I'm going to to give some mould release wax a go on my next set of wheels as I know it's tough stuff, it's cheap and I've got some, but decent waterproof wax should work.