We were the inventors of the Chrome Exchange process, however, due to several manufacturers changing the design of their wheels, we are no longer able to provide this service. BUT WE CAN CHROME YOUR WHEELS.
CHROME EXCHANGE
Table Of Contents (Click Below To Get Started)
We can provide you with a set of chrome-plated oem alloy rims and you return the take-off silver alloy wheels to us. since it’s an exchange, you only pay for the chrome plating! With the Chrome Wheel Exchange Program, you get the wheels you want now for a fraction of the cost while increasing the value of your vehicle! You will not find a faster, more efficient way to put chrome wheels on your vehicle than with the Chrome Exchange Program.
Why do a Chrome Exchange with us?
Convenience
You do not have to wait for your current wheels to be plated! You can receive your new chrome exchange wheels in advance! Upon receipt and installation of your chrome wheels, simply re-ship your silver-painted wheels back to us in our provided reusable packaging.
Save Money
You only end up paying for the cost of the chrome plating and shipping! You do not have to pay for the cost of an entirely new set of wheels. Aftermarket wheels can cost up to five times the amount our Chrome Wheel Exchange Program!
Value
With chrome-plated original equipment (OE) wheels on your vehicle, it will retain its resale value much longer than with silver-painted or aftermarket wheels. Aftermarket wheels are often trendy and may go out of style in just a few months. OE wheels will always be popular because of their exact fitment.
How does it work?
To participate in the Chrome Wheel Exchange Program, you must have the same wheel in factory silver (same size, design, the exact same). Currently chromed wheels are not accepted as return cores in this exchange program. Also, a refundable security deposit / core charge is required and is designed to cover our purchase of the stock wheels ahead of time to chrome plate. This makes the chrome exchange possible. The deposit is refundable once we receive back your stock, silver-finish OE wheels (like for like in the same style we sent you chromed) in good, not previously chromed and not damaged condition.
Upon receiving your new chrome wheels, you should make sure they are like for like (same size, design, the exact same) with your current un-plated wheels. After installation, the un-plated wheels should be repackaged in the same cartons that you received the chrome wheels in. Please be sure to use the protective rim rings that were originally shipped with your chrome wheels. Once this is done, simply return the wheels back to California Chrome Wheel freight prepaid with your request for core refund.
Order Timeline
| 1. | Order Placed | Invoice sent with total cost of the chrome plating plus two way shipping plus core deposit. |
| 2. | Payment | Payment is made via credit card, COD, personal or business check (must clear prior to shipping). |
| 3. | Shipping | The new chrome wheels are shipped to your location via UPS, or Cal-Overnight. Pickup by appointment is also available. |
| 4. | Installation | Chrome wheels installed to the vehicle, usually utilizing existing tires. Local installation through CalChrome is also available if picking up. |
| 5. | Shipping | Original, un-plated wheels are shipped back to CalChrome using provided, pre-paid shipping labels, and re-using packing materials. |
| 6. | Inspection | Once original un-plated wheels are received at CalChrome, they are inspected for damage, and out of round conditions. |
| 7. | Core Refund | Refund of core deposit is issued after wheel passes inspection. If repairs are needed, they will be deducted from the core deposit. |
What about shipping?
We can provide you with a set of chrome-plated oem alloy rims and you return the take-off silver alloy wheels to us. since it’s an exchange, you only pay for the chrome plating! With the Chrome Wheel Exchange Program, you get the wheels you want now for a fraction of the cost while increasing the value of your vehicle! You will not find a faster, more efficient way to put chrome wheels on your vehicle than with the Chrome Exchange Program.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The following formula determines the cost of a Chrome Wheel Exchange:
| Chrome Plating | (Depends on the style of wheel and type of finish requested.) |
| + | |
| Shipping | (Depends on location and how fast you wish the wheels to be delivered.) |
| + | |
| Core Deposit | (Depends on the year and style of the wheel, which determines this value, also known as the core value. This is refundable upon us receiving back your wheels.) |
| = | |
| Your Gross Cost | (Cost of plating, shipping and core deposit. Once you receive your Core Deposit refund, your NET cost is the chrome plating and shipping.) |
* For wheel exchanges Call For Pricing 661-294-0170, but price is dependent on the year, make, and model of the wheel requested.
Please Note: In order to receive back full credit on your refundable core deposit, your core wheels must be returned to us within 15 days of purchase. When you take advantage of our chrome exchange program, you are using our wheel inventory (which is why we charge a refundable core deposit). If after 30 days you have not returned your factory original wheels, we may be forced to purchase new wheel cores to replenish our stock. If this is the case, your sale will become an outright purchase and you will not receive back your core deposit.
Please remember that your Core Deposit is fully refundable. Refunds are issued once we receive and inspect your good, un-plated, like-for-like wheels.
Upgrading to chrome wheels is a large investment not only in your vehicles appearance, but the value as well. CalChrome offers very cost effective ways to protect that investment. When ordering a chrome exchange, don’t forget to order a set of wheel locks to go along with it. This simple and affordable anti-theft device has been proven time and time again to be the best defense against unauthorized wheel removal.
The image above is unfortunately a common problem that people experience with chrome wheels which have been mounted using a cheap water based tire lubricant. This corrosion occurs because inexpensive tire lubricants are water based (and often further diluted) and traps moisture in the contact area between the wheel and tire on your vehicle as well as inside the tire itself. Through normal use of the vehicle this moisture over time corrodes the chrome plating and can eventually cause separation of the chrome from the wheel. This often leads to a wheel leaking air beneath the chrome, even though the tire is perfect.
Example of true, un-plated wheels.- Curb Rash – Curb Scrapes
- Heavily Damaged
- Bent
Your original wheels must not have any severe accident damage, flat spots, curb scraping, or lip damage. Prior to returning the wheels, you should have them spun by themselves on a spin balancer to make sure they are true (no lateral up-and-down or side-to-side movement). Although, if you do have repairable damage (please contact us), we can perform the repairs and deduct the costs from your core refund / security deposit. In order to receive a full core refund for your security deposit, wheels must be true, although we can repair and deduct charges from your deposit.
Upon receiving your core return, we will inspect the wheel to ensure there are no conditions as listed above. Processing of the refund takes approximately 5 business days once we have received the wheels, for us to process the paperwork internally. Please make sure you have returned a copy of the deposit invoice along with the same like for like wheels we have sent you. Also, make sure you witness the wheels spun at speed on a balancer to ensure there is no out of round conditions. On vehicles that have a low profile and/or run flat tires, we are finding more and more damage to the backsides (flat spots) of the wheels. If we find during our inspection any of these conditions, we will contact you and send photos if needed to prove such damages. We will then deduct the repair cost to correct the damages from your deposit.
If you have paid your deposit with a credit card, we must refund to that same credit card, and hard copy receipts will be mailed to you. If you paid by cashiers check / money order, we will refund you via our company check.
Examples of Acceptable and Unacceptable wheels
If your wheels have sustained minor curb damage (scraping), more often than not, your wheels will be able to be plated. The photos below are examples of acceptable curb damage that we are able to blend in during our polishing procedure at no additional charge.
As you can see in these examples, the actual metal of the wheel has been
damaged in a curb hit, rather than just a surface scratch.- Replica / reproduction and all other non-factory wheels
- Steel wheels
- Chrome wheels
- Wheels that have been previously plated, remanufactured
- Chrome clad wheels
- Pitted / corroded wheels (including chrome wheels)
- Wheels that have been previously repaired, machined, or welded
- Wheels that have been modified in any way
- Wheels bent / damaged beyond repair (including all center-bent wheels)
- Cracked wheels
- Wheels that are not factory or OEM (Original Equipment Manufactured), such as replicas will not qualify as a core return. Replica wheels may look identical to the factory wheel, but in the exchange, we send you the factory OEM part and expect the same back. Factory wheels can be identified by the manufacturer part number or logo on the back of the wheel. Some replicas are very similar to the example shown below. Ask one of our customer service associates for assistance if you are unsure.
Out of round conditions can happen to virtually any wheel. Keep in mind there is a very big difference between an out of round wheel and a wheel that has been flat spotted (as shown). Most often an out of round wheel cannot be repaired because the bend originates at the hub and through the spokes of the wheel. Whereas a wheel that has been flat-spotted is bent only in the barrel section of the wheel, which can be heated and pressed round again.
If a wheel has sustained a heavy amount of damage, as in a very hard curb hit, or accident, resulting in the lip being heavily damaged, the wheel will not qualify for a core refund. Again, if there are any questions as to if this applies to your wheel, please contact us and provide pictures so we can help in determining if it is repairable.If the wheels have been previously polished or chrome plated. They will not be eligible for credit towards the core refund. We can, of course, re-chrome your wheels. Some vehicles may have a full-size spare which you may be able to use if it is a good un-plated wheel, and is like for like with the wheels on the car.
If you have any questions, please contact us for more information before choosing to install the new chrome wheels.
If the wheels were previously painted, from the factory or otherwise, please check for sub-paint corrosion as seen in the pictures to the left. This may look like nothing more than paint bubbling, but the material beneath the surface may have been seriously degraded.
Please keep in mind, that the surface quality of a chrome plated wheel is entirely dependant on the condition of the base materialHAVE YOUR WHEELS SPUN
We understand that it can be disconcerting to learn that the wheels you returned to us were bent (out of round) or warped, especially if you noticed no problems with the handling of your vehicle. This is why it is every important for you to have your wheels spun on a high-speed balancer after the tires have been removed, and visually inspect the condition of the wheels.
Once your existing wheels have been taken off of the vehicle, have them spun on a wheel balancer in the shop where the new chromes are being installed. Spinning the wheels will make apparent most damage that is not visible when viewing the stationary wheel. In order to receive a full core refund, there must be no flat spots or out of round conditions to the wheel, or repair costs will be subtracted from the refund.
Click the videos above to see how we test wheels that are returned. Notice on the two damaged wheels that the wheel appears to “hop” when compared to the background. These are examples of how a wheel can appear round just from looking at it, but when spun at speed reveals it’s true condition.
CHECK BOTH SIDES OF THE WHEELS
It is important to check both the front and the back of the wheel for damage. Pictured below is an example of a core return set of wheels. The facial portions of the wheels appear to be ok. Upon further examination of the back side of one of the wheels, there is an out of round/damage condition. However, this damage is repairable. These repair costs will be deducted from the core refund/security deposit. For repairs Call For Pricing 661-294-0170 it depends on the severity.
