Keep the Chrome or complete Blackout

[2012RAM1500RT]

View attachment 476006
Keep the Chrome !!!!

Nice looking truck!

 

[boblonben]

Whenever someone get a black vehicle or a dark grey, there is a tendency to completely black out the Chrome. I admit that do like that look. It give it a more tough vibe. You even see it in movies.
I did the black out with my previous dark grey truck and the comments were mixed. Now that I have this black one, I'm not sure whether I should do it to this.
Right now, I'm just feeling that the all blacked out look is sort of over done in a way.

Thoughts?

No, please do not do the black out thing. Hate that,takes away the great look of the truck. Kid the other day at Discount Tire ask me if he could paint my chr9me rims. If I was not handicapped and using a walker Imwoukd have jumped the cabinet and smacked hm!!!!!!!!

 

[CanRebel]

I agree with @2012RAM1500RT comment. It's your truck, why care what others think?

I had Red lugs on my Truck for fun

But since you asked. I personally don't like all chrome. Some on old trucks was ok.
New ones have way too many 'badges' and chrome.

 

[LugsLeadOut84]

I would never even think about asking anyone else's opinion on what I should do to my vehicle. Opinions are like ***holes, everybody has one. Besides, who knows what I like on my own vehicle better than "ME"? LOL

I agree. No offense but I never understood those that posted pictures of wheels asking which one's should I get, Help me decide, etc.... Asking opinions on functionality, durability, performance, maintenance, product experience, how-to questions, etc. is what this forum is all about, but asking on what looks better is odd. You're an adult - decide what YOU think looks better.

 

[GeometryFletch]

Well the over "murdered out" look is out. It's a matter of balance when you black out. Putting a truck overall style/look together is the fun.

PLUS! If don't know how to put a truck together then by a RAPTOR. lol

 

[knightjp]

Thanks for all the replies. I completely agree that style is subjective. For instance on my previous truck, blacked out the grill, bumpers and wheels and left a couple of chrome accents. You can see pictures of those here.
First Mods Thread
I got a lot of great compliments on the look. A couple of random guys even stopped me on the street and asking me if I wanted to sell it. After a couple of months with the blacked out stuff I wasn't really feeling it.
However my truck was a grey one. Now with this black one, I get the feeling that the blackout/murdered route is more or less expected. It's like peer pressure. Certainly not from the forum, but more from family and friends. I got so many suggestions about doing the whole blacked out look.. So hence the question here. I wanted to gauge what is the general perception of the black out look? Is it fashionable or overdone.. To me.. I feel that it would be far more unique to keep the Chrome. Maybe later down the line, I might change my mind.

 

[knightjp]

PLUS! If don't know how to put a truck together then by a RAPTOR. lol

Or a Power Wagon.

 

[Bandit517]

If that was mine, I'd loose the headlight covers/tint and get black housing lights, a painted upper valance, and either black or chrome wheels. The textured valance makes it "work truck" looking.

At the end of the day it's your truck and what you like is what matters most. I've been slowly adjusting mine to fit exactly what I want.

 

[stembridge]

So hence the question here. I wanted to gauge what is the general perception of the black out look? Is it fashionable or overdone.. To me.. I feel that it would be far more unique to keep the Chrome. Maybe later down the line, I might change my mind.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," so perception is going to vary by the individual.

I'm a retired industrial designer (product designer - many of us also work for auto companies doing styling), and chrome (or polished nickel back in the day) has traditionally been used to "pop" or draw attention to a car's lines or features (the human eye is drawn to brighter over darker), as well as signify "upscale."

Style trends tend to start out understated and effective, eventually moving to overdone and tacky (just look through any J.C. Whitney catalog for examples of how bad it can get).



I left a few chrome bits on my former 2500, and searched for over a month to find wheels with a machined lip that weren't overly gaudy, and was really happy with how that truck turned out - constantly got compliments on it (as well as an offer or two from random strangers). The black flares, grille, steps, etc. had just enough contrast with the Granite Steel Metallic to keep from everything blending together.



I went with a military theme on my Classic, and the black accents still have enough contrast with the Olive Pearl that they don't all blend together. I'm not quite satisfied with my wheels, though - the lugs are the only thing that pop on them, and I'm thinking of adding glue-on raised white letters to the tires, which will have a similar visual effect as the milled lip did on my old truck - they will help define the circle of the tire that's currently disappearing in a sea of dark.

At any rate, the 'murdered out' look (in my opinion) is well past its sell-by date. Your opinion is free to vary, of course!

So pick a direction and do it, then post pics!

es

 

[Big Jims 1500]

My last truck was a 2017 2500 CTD in Pearl White w/ factory black out and color match bumpers/mirrors. It looked great with the white / black contrast.
when I got my current truck I first thought I’d change out the badging for blackouts but then decided to keep it as is to break up all that black. The sport chrome wheels look great. The only chrome I’m not crazy about is the huge gaudy Ram head on the tailgate, I may switch that out for a black one.

 

[knightjp]

@Big Jims 1500 Great looking trucks. You are right about the chrome emblem on the back of the black truck, but all in all good looking truck.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

One of the main reasons I got a Power Wagon was the distinct lack of chrome.
My cousin suggested getting a Tradesman and adding a Power Wagon package as a cheaper option,
but for whatever reason they ADD chrome bumpers to the Tradesman when they do this so I passed.

 

[Big Poppa Pimp]

I love the blacked out look myself.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

I believe the only chrome on my entire truck are the lug nuts...
I have considered switching them out for black ones but I kinda like the way they set off the black wheels...

 

[Rav3ncroft]

I believe the only chrome on my entire truck are the lug nuts...

How about the antenna nut?

 

[Fatbob Frank]

I don't have an antenna just that shark looking thing on the roof...

 

[Todd Bennett]

I'm a chromer!!!

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

I'm a chromer!!!

Looks good, doesn't look like it's owned by a funeral home! LOL

 

[Freeland Mark]

I say Chrome will get you home but I'm old school

 

[knightjp]

I love the blacked out look myself.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with the blacked out look. It looks amazing; especially on a black vehicle. I remember watching the Car Matchmaker on tv and they showed this amazing 2500. The guy even picked out the Ram on that show.

Just look at it there. It looks amazing. However, I just feel it is kind of over done now; especially where I am here in Dubai. I just saw about 20 black vehicles on the road today; all blacked out.
I've never been a chrome person. Certainly don't like the Chrome on the Tundras or the new Chevy trucks. However I feel that the Ram has the right amount of it, with the exception of the huge Chrome lettering on the back.
I feel the Chrome on my truck is growing on me and dare I say it, even the lights. Every time I park it in a mall or somewhere and walk away, I find myself turning back to look at it.