Let me start by saying I feel bad for you firebird/trans am guys, lol. Camaro wheels are way easier to keep clean and shiny But I'm throwing this out not necessarily being third gen specific. Reason I ask is cause the pickup I just bought has really nice aftermarket wheels, but they're a royal pain to keep looking nice! Chrome and painted wheels you just spray some cleaner on and boom, nice looking wheels. But this polishing aluminum sucks. Just curious who's running what and how you keep them looking new.

 

I prefer painted wheels. Easiest to maintain and give you endless choice of look.

I got chrome with my F150 and it has been a losing battle removing brake dust. Chrome looks silly on our cars anyway -- that era has come and gone.

Bare aluminum... ya, anybody that chooses that is a glutton for punishment.

 

I have clear coated polished aluminum on the Z and I love them. Quick clean up and you can throw some spray wax on them easily.
My truck has bare aluminum and I do love the raw polished look when clean but that really only happens a couple times a year as it is a pain to use the polish on them. I did not know This when I bought them or I would have had them coated before I put them on.

 

I have raw aluminum that I polish once a year with a power tool but I usually hand polish them if I'm really cleaning the car. I don't mind it but I do agree that I would prefer a painted wheel as there are some good looking examples on member's cars.

 

These are the ones I'm working with. I really like them, but I had an hour last night in just this. And I feel like to do it right it'd be way easier if I take them off. I ain't got time for that right now, lol! I like the idea of clear coating them. I may have to look into that before winter, as this is gonna be our daily driver.