Old school vs new school tastes.

What are your tastes in trims , rims, and tires?

I was wondering if any other old-timers like myself find the current trends less appealing?

I just don't understand the appeal of blacked-out rims. To me, it kind of makes the vehicle look lke a ride with the hubcaps missing. It cheapens the look of the vehicle and makes it look like something is missing. IMO, of course, and it is all subjective.

Blacked-out rims used to be unique. Now they are just the status quo and everyone has them. Kind of like tattoos and Harleys. They used to mean something. Now since everyone has them--accountants, doctors, etc--they have lost their aura and appeal and are so common today that they don't stand out like they did.

Anyone else feel the same?

Originality is a trend. Trends come and go. My hunch is the blacked-out look will eventually lose its trendy status and be replaced with....? I think classic chrome will be coming back to the forefront.

 

They are wheels, not rims.

 

Wheels is fine. Generational gaps.We used to call them rims.

I am an old fart.

I am coming from the old days when tattoos were for Bikers, Outlaws, and Sailors and you would never see an accountant on a Harley.

 

I'm probably not much younger than you. Wheels vs rims is one of my issues with the newer vernacular. A rim is part of a wheel.

As far as the newer style. I like the black wheels, but all black is a bit much and i do not think it looks as good. The wheel needs something to break it up a bit. Maybe a machined or silver rim lip or some of them have bolt heads that can be kept chrome for some contrast.

 

Another old fart here. When we were young a lot of the stock rims were black, and the hub caps covered up the black rims. We bought chrome or mag rims to replace the black stock rims. I guess that is why the blacked-out wheels remind us of the hubcapless black stock rims. If we couldn't afford new rims, we'd buy fancier hubcaps. I think (way back then) when we talked about wheels we were talking about the rim and tire as a whole. Also, trucks came with heavy welded rear bumpers and were usually painted white with the Dealer's name painted in black on the bumper. An upgrade was taking that old crappy bumper off and replacing it with a chrome bumper.

 

I used to have white cars with white rims, that style went away then came back. Same with all my other vechiles that are black on black on black. That was a big style when I was a teen, went away for white on white, then white paint with black rims/wheels.

I personally am in love with the 'storm trooper' look on trucks these days (white body, black wheels with black accents such as door handles/mirrors/etc).

 

The black wheels are played out. I don't care what anyone says but that's the truth. Funny thing is though is that I also notice a trend in regions, that is areas like SoCal, Houston, Arizona, Las Vegas are usually the cities that start the trends and it slowly trickles up north and to the east. Prime example is when Black rockstar wheels came out, they were all over Houston and Socal, and got played out real quick because everyone had them in the South. Then I noticed an influx of posts later from northern states catching on them when the trend was already done and over with. I'm just using those wheels as an example I personally don't like them at all.

The trend right now in Houston and SoCal is slowly going to back to polished aluminum wheels with a secondary color like black, gunmetal or bronze. I just picked up a set of polished silver aluminum Method Race wheels myself that I am having some custom touches done on them.

 

Rims is also old vernacular! New vernacular includes dubbs, dubb deuces and blades.

Old timers...





I'm still on stock TRD Sport wheels with white lettered tires. I like the metal look and will only paint them when the clear coat is peeling and they've pitted really bad. I'm old enough to remember when the upgrade packages included chrome wheels and bumpers so I don't mind seeing some polished metal as long as it's not overdone.

 

I like a very simple conservative wheel. The OEM look usually. Hence why I put a set of the OEM Tundra wheels on mine.

Just my opinion but I think all those XD/ Rockstart Bro wheels are ugly as sin and scream "I'm a douchebag and wear affliction shirts"

 

I miss ye oldie days. I miss big bold stripes on the sides of cars.
I'm going back reto. Here is my concept.

Haters gunna hate. But I cant wait till I have this finished.

All I have at work is MS paint. so forgive the quality.. just get the idea.

 

I am not knocking personal choice in style. It's all subjective. I just have noticed recently that the black wheels are in vogue and everyone is getting them--cars, trucks, minivans.

I also style my truck to my preferences and someone may not find it appealing. I just draw the line at a point where performance is effected. For instance, even though I think the mud tires look aggressive and nice, I would never add the tires simply as a matter of style. Twenty years ago I might. Now I am thinking those aggressive treads just waste gas and I will never use them.

 

Blacked out wheels are fine by me as long as there's a bit of contrasting chrome or color. What i don't like is when a wheel is completly black along with the fender trim piece...makes the wheel-well area look way too big.

then again ...i have a bull bar so what the hell do i know.

 

Chrome used to take me home... had me some skyjacker air shocks cranked full in the rear, 50 series tires on rear , 70's on front.... old school krager chrome rims. mounted on my 2 door 73 impala with a 400 engine. Those were some fun times.

Nows everything is bagged!! Times change.

 

Im also an oldie so for me all black is not my choice. it reminds me of those ppl back then that would not keep up with the chrome wheels and eventually they would turn black from the road soot and disk brake dust. I do however like black/alum wheels.

 

I hear ya, OP. I too am an old fart and while I think some of the black wheel setups I have seen are sweet looking, I think that card has been played and played out. Is it just me, or does the trend in wheels seem to follow that of NASCAR? Seems like not long after whatever they run, the mass's jump on board with the same.
Today tattoos are like mullets and acid washed jeans in our day, they are everywhere and on everyone under 30. I feel bad for some wannabe's that jumped on board that train though, for when its time to move on to the next big thing, there will be no getting a new doo from the local hair cutter, or some new Levi's to change it up, you are dying with those buggers and they certainly will not look anything like they did originally and some I've seen are pretty damn ugly to begin with. But at least they'll have company.

But to each their own and I respect the choice anyone who feels the need to be like the dude next door, just as long as if I don't, I am respected for my choice too.

 

What did blacked out rims used to mean?

 

Wheel / rim is like engine/ motor to me. Older guys still like to use rims. As far as black wheels go I kinda like them. I also agree with your Harley and tattoo statement. Don't mean as much when everyone has them

 

Maybe it was like the one hiked up pant leg thing?

 

Before the trend, people would use black wheels to do something unique. Most people didn't care for them but it was still unique. Like tattoos, they are no longer unique and just a statement of blending with the status quo because everyone else has one and you dont want to be the odd guy out. Most people who used to not like them dislike them even more now that they see them more.

But again, it's not a statement against black rims. It is all subjective. I was just reflecting and wondered if any old timers felt the same.

 

For me I went with black wheels because I pretty much hate chrome anything. I could care less what's popular or being unique. I like my black on gray theme more than I ever would chrome on gray. Chrome is fine on old school cars but I think it looks tacky in modern cars especially when you get people throwing pep boys chrome all over. Only chrome wheels I like are cars that have black chrome with the darker finish such as the optional wheels on the new SRT8 300. As much as some think black is the "bro" look to me chrome wheels remind me of the bling bling 26s you would see on an Escalade. For some chrome is luxury, to me its cheap.

I agree though to each his own I respect what anyone chooses for their vehicle.