Black wheels - am I wrong?
Discussion
I'm not generally a fan but there are some exceptions. My Dad's R53 Cooper S needed its wheels refurbishing, and he got them done in black as it was cheaper! The car is quite a bright metallic orange and to my surprise it works really well. The car stands out a little but it's not OTT and suits it really well.
They look alright if they have some kind of contrasting silvery bits like that Octavia that was posted up.
Or if they're a dark gunmetal/anthracite colour. But I haven't yet seen a flat black alloy that doesn't look like someone did it with a Halfords rattle can, and that's not really the look you'd want on a brand new car surely!
Or if they're a dark gunmetal/anthracite colour. But I haven't yet seen a flat black alloy that doesn't look like someone did it with a Halfords rattle can, and that's not really the look you'd want on a brand new car surely!
Part of the old school here, as others have said, looks like a car on cheap steels that has lost wheel trims. No definition between wheel and tyre.
There was a time when if you didn't have time to wash the whole car, the advice was just wash the wheels and that would create an illusion that it was clean. Not possible with black wheels, and (sorry owner) the grey ones on the Chim just look dirty and unkempt compared to the silver on the Grif.
Missus has black wheels with silver machined faces on her trolley, looks ok.
Edit: puts glasses on - it is two Chims and not a Grif...
There was a time when if you didn't have time to wash the whole car, the advice was just wash the wheels and that would create an illusion that it was clean. Not possible with black wheels, and (sorry owner) the grey ones on the Chim just look dirty and unkempt compared to the silver on the Grif.
Missus has black wheels with silver machined faces on her trolley, looks ok.
Edit: puts glasses on - it is two Chims and not a Grif...
Edited by SeeFive on Monday 13th February 22:40
SlimJim16v said:
va1o said:
I think it depends on the car and they generally look better when designed that way from the factory rather than painted. Also as pointed out they're sensitive to the colour of the car. I quite like the latest shape MINI in 'White Silver' with Black Alloys, wouldn't look right with anything else
Nope, s
t.Alex_225 said:
It's very subjective and as with everything total personal preference. I bought my Megane 225 new in 2006 and had the wheels powder coated black in early 2007. It wasn't actually that common to have black wheels back then and I love the contrast against the orange paintwork.
They are not especially detailed wheels so it's not like you lose anything by them being black.
Also sThey are not especially detailed wheels so it's not like you lose anything by them being black.
t.
CaptainSensib1e said:
A few years ago, black wheels on cars were quite a rarity. They were generally found on top spec ‘sporty’ versions of cars. Nowadays any lightly breathed on warm hatch seems to have black wheels.
I used to think black wheels were cool, I’m now starting to think they look a bit tacky. It's a bit like when car manufacturers went mad sticking spoilers on any remotely quick cars back in the 80s.
Am I wrong? Please discuss.
I've had black wheels and silver and grey they are just wheels nothing tacky about them, whatever you think suits the car. I used to think black wheels were cool, I’m now starting to think they look a bit tacky. It's a bit like when car manufacturers went mad sticking spoilers on any remotely quick cars back in the 80s.
Am I wrong? Please discuss.
PH is odd these days.
ChilliWhizz said:
Meteorite silver body, anthracite wheels.. OK not actually black.. (but originally silver), and red calipers... Dark wheels... really, what's not to like? 
I loved black wheels on my Exige and anthracite on my evora. But when it came to the Aston it was only ever silver that I wanted. Different strokes for different folks.
Yeah ... in general my personal opinion is that black wheels generally look crap - but there are exceptions, as shown above. I think it's got to be something unusual in a bright colour (i.e. the Tuscan or the Exige) or it's simply got to be black (i.e. the 500, I quite like that, but even then only on certain shapes). I know it's my opinion, but in general black alloys on your common sporty hatchbacks just look a bit naff. I do like anthracite though, I had those on my 9N3 Polo GTI and I thought they looked quite good.
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