Black wheels - am I wrong?

Black wheels - am I wrong?

Author
Discussion

CaptainSensib1e

Original Poster:

1,432 posts

220 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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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.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I suppose it's a very personal thing.

I've always disliked silver bits on modern cars, including silver wheels. I wouldn't say I particularly like black wheels, I just think silver looks awful on anything modern enough not to have chromed bumpers.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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Depends.


daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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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.
It depends on the car. Some cars suit them, some dont. And of course thats subjective anyway.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I like them - especially on white cars smile

Other people don't .

I also like anthracite/smoked chrome type finishes as well

Fonzey

2,056 posts

126 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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Depends, I hate them as a rule right until I got my current car - then figured that black was the most appropriate colour to offset against the bodywork and complement the other black details on the car.

Agree though that manufacturers just looked to black wheels as a cheap and easy way to try and make a car look more special. That got way overdone.

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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Love black wheel. A plus point is they hide brake dust better too.

daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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james_gt3rs said:
Love black wheel. A plus point is they hide brake dust better too.
And are easier touched in smile

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I think a gunmetal colour looks better on most cars, trouble with black is it makes the tyres look grey unless they are new or covered in tyre dressing.

99dndd

2,079 posts

88 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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Same as the "Lexus lights." Looked good when it wasn't so common, looks naff when virtually everything "sporty" has it.

MysteryLemon

4,968 posts

190 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I don't really like black wheels. I think they look awful against a dirty tyre. Look ok if both are kept clean all the time but soon look ste if not.

I love anthracite wheels though.

Each to their own though. Non silver wheels are definitely more common than it used to be and whats wrong with that?

Samjeev

725 posts

120 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I agree with the OP, as more and more cars have black wheels these days im beginning to dislike them.

I Really dislike gloss black wheels unless the car itself is a matt finish (Just not matte black!) and strangely im finding myself sometimes preferring the look of silver wheels on a black car.

I've recently developed a love for bronze wheels on cars, depending on the body colour of the car, its like the alternative anthracite to me which I'm also finding a bit boring these days.

HJMS123

988 posts

132 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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MysteryLemon said:
I don't really like black wheels. I think they look awful against a dirty tyre. Look ok if both are kept clean all the time but soon look ste if not.

I love anthracite wheels though.

Each to their own though. Non silver wheels are definitely more common than it used to be and whats wrong with that?
beer

ambuletz

10,690 posts

180 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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only works well on cars that are brightly coloured, like a bright green clio RS200. doesn't work on silver or black cars. black on black looks crap imo...almost chavvy!

TurboHatchback

4,151 posts

152 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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I think they look awful and utterly tasteless, the only allowable exceptions are steel wheels.

Equus

16,770 posts

100 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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TurboHatchback said:
I think they look awful and utterly tasteless, the only allowable exceptions are steel wheels.
This, They always were a bit Council, TBH.

Quickmoose

4,482 posts

122 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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If you want your car to look like it has no wheels or gets top dollar as a taxi, then black/dark wheels are ftw!
Or maybe you've managed to pull off the murdered out look and know when to stop.
Or perhaps you carry a rag around with you to clean the wheels at most opportunities (Like I did with my ProDrive Brera- which as long as I kept on top of it, looked ok, but what a ballache)

Otherwise black wheel are a fad and a dreadful aesthetic mistake in the same vein as the 3 spoke alloy wheel in the late 80's early 90's (I recognise that Saab and Citroen did 3 spoke well...I'm looking at the fashionable after market trend..)

Brake dust makes things worse IMO, its true that on a bright alloy brake dust shows up like coal in the snow, but you still have a wheel design and distinction between tyre and wheel. With a dark rim you just have a solid featureless black mass. How much did those rims cost? who cares? you can't see them?!
Can't see the brake dust? don't clean it off....oh your alloys will be buggered up even quicker than before.
Matt and satin finishes also boil my piss....you could steal the wheels at night and the owner would get in not knowing anything about it, or alternatively leave your car parked up at night and come back to it, and have to check each corner every time...
You'd be better off getting a steel wheel and wheel trims, the design would be just as attractive (invisible) and you wouldn't have to worry about curb damage.

A well designed wheel can enhance a car...wheel have a favourite design... which all becomes pointless if you can't distinguish it from the tyre or black space in the arches.
It's a truly god awful idea which I hope will soon die.

SlimJim16v

5,617 posts

142 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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As far as I'm concerned, black wheels look st, except on the Batmobile.

burritoNinja

690 posts

99 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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SlimJim16v said:
As far as I'm concerned, black wheels look st, except on the Batmobile.
Concur. They are chav.

rallycross

12,747 posts

236 months

Monday 13th February 2017
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It looks horrible, you lose the definition between the wheel and the tyre and it just looks naff. Maybe the odd exception but generally nasty looking.