I recently purchased a set of Pro Comp 1089 polished wheels with Pro Comp tires from 4 wheel parts. They initially looked great! But, after ONE week and one day of rain during that week (no exaggeration) they had significant rust spots. The spots would not come out with normal wash or wax, only came out with Mothers polish.

I have used American Eagle 589 polished wheels and never had that problem even with salt on roads and no washing over an entire winter.

I purchased polished because I am not the best at keeping up with the cleaning necessary with chrome. My understanding and experience, polished doesn't require near the up keep and worry of rusting as chrome.

With this I figure one of two things: either the wheels are defective. Possibly missed some finishing or sealing stage OR they are just cheap wheels?

4 Wheel parts sales stated that polished rims no longer are sealed due to past problems with pealing of the outer finish. I have never heard of this and did not have the problem with the American Eagle Wheels????

I will state 4 wheel parts was willing to swap me a new, like and same set. But the expense and time of changing them out and ship, only to have the same set with the same problems seems not to be worth my time. They did ship me a can of Mothers polish. WOW!

So I will try not to to drive in the rain? and plan on these rusting/spotting up each time after getting wet. Polish them frequently and hope they don't look like crap after a year! Fat chance!

My advice, stay away from ProComp wheels unless you have plenty of money to throw away.

If you have had similar problems or know of a solution for polished rims, please advise.
Thanks

 

Sorry to hear about your dilema. Although I believe there is a little aggression talking. Aluminum does not rust. Polished wheels are the toughest to maintain, and chrome is the easiest. Chrome is very hard and will hold up to the elements far longer than any polished surface.
Many companies have gone away from the clearcoat because of the peeling problem. The clear does not hold up to the heat from the brakes. Soon maybe that will change, just as chroming aluminum wheels used to be a no-no. Now it is as everyday as anything else. As long as chormoe does not peel, or the surface is compromised, it will last for years, and clean up with a little steel wool. Something that staraight aluminum could never hold up too.
If you believe that the wheels are defective then the offer of replacing wheels with new ones is above and beyond, and sounds like it is very much woth the time it would take to do.
Spotting on polished aluminum wheels is usually chemical related, either someone using an acid based cleaner, you ran through something that did not like your wheels, a cat urinated on your new bling, bling, or something was in the water / road when it rained, and stained your wheels. Petrolium based tire shine can be very harsh on polished wheels in the rain. Just about anything can cause a polished wheel to dull. Maybe it was not the quality of the wheel, and something else that contaminated the wheel......

 

I used the mothers polish and most of it came out but you can look close and still see small pin size dots from under or in the surface that seems to be the origin. They will most likely grow or expand the next time they get wet.
Since I never had the problem with American eagle wheels, I think it is a quality issue.