Why are manufacturers still putting chrome on trucks?

Do you like trucks with chrome?


  • Total voters
    287

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Nathan Huntley

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2020
Posts
3
Reaction score
7
Location
Independence, MO
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Go chrome or go home.

Being a bit older than probably many of you. BLACK accessories was always what you bought when you couldn't afford chrome.
CHEAP cars had black only wheels with maybe a shiny dog dish cap.
BLACK wheels are the worst. They look like black blobs. No definition, cant tell when the tire starts and the wheel ends.
CHROME shows every detail, every line, every edge.
Black just looks like you bought the cheap version of your truck.
Just my humble opinion, your mileage may vary.
 

Narg

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Posts
390
Reaction score
330
Location
Tulsa, OK
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7 eTorque
Chrome lasts longer than paint. Just does, and trucks are all about longevity so it makes sense to me.

My first non-chrome truck I had completely white, front grill and bumpers and all. After a while the front had some many paint chips from rocks it was crazy. Never had that problem with a chrome grill.

On my RAM I went two tone on the paint, so the bumpers are painted. I'll just put up with the rock chips. The grill is chrome though. At least that will stand the test of time.
 
Last edited:

XxSunDevilsAZxX

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Posts
17
Reaction score
5
Location
Mesa, Arizona
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
The plus about chrome bumpers is they’re unlikely to get any rock chips in them. I have a white Ford Focus and the front end is absolutely destroyed by rock chips. I want a color matched bumper for my Ram, but this is the only thing holding me back. I may just go with an off road bumper eventually when I have $1000+ to blow
 

Jim Ballantyne

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Posts
13
Reaction score
15
Location
Bismarck ND
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 6.4
I like both chrome and matte looks on vehicles. It depends on how tastefully either type has been done. Too much chrome not good, everything matte or color matching not good either. My option only. It's kinda like wheels and tires, it all depends on purpose and the looks you want. I would never run oversize wheels and skinny tires on my rock crawler, but I might on my Challenger.
 

DA Smith

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2018
Posts
220
Reaction score
273
Location
Marshall Texas
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 Hemi
I'm not bashing anyone that likes chrome, everyone has got different tastes and that's all good with me.

In todays market it just seems to me like that vast majority of consumers don't want chrome on their trucks, and if they buy a truck with chrome they end up painting over it...

I personally can't stand chrome on my vehicles, i just think it looks cheap and gaudy. I shopped for my truck for a long time to get the one i wanted without any chrome.

I think Ram understands this better than other makers, so many ram trucks are outfitted with color matched bumpers and black accents/wheels.

Ford gets it too, it seems like more F-150's now have paint matched bumpers now as well.

In my opinion it seems like chevy and toyota have a running contest going to see who can fit more ugly chrome on the front of a truck lol

What are your thoughts? Do you guys still like chrome or no chrome?
Well I can see by your age that you are one of the young kids that likes
I'm not bashing anyone that likes chrome, everyone has got different tastes and that's all good with me.

In todays market it just seems to me like that vast majority of consumers don't want chrome on their trucks, and if they buy a truck with chrome they end up painting over it...

I personally can't stand chrome on my vehicles, i just think it looks cheap and gaudy. I shopped for my truck for a long time to get the one i wanted without any chrome.

I think Ram understands this better than other makers, so many ram trucks are outfitted with color matched bumpers and black accents/wheels.

Ford gets it too, it seems like more F-150's now have paint matched bumpers now as well.

In my opinion it seems like chevy and toyota have a running contest going to see who can fit more ugly chrome on the front of a truck lol

What are your thoughts? Do you guys still like chrome or no chrome?

Well I can see by your age that your one of the young kids thats likes all that blacked out stuff.
Most manufactures such as GM and Ford still use a fair amount of chrome which is great, Ram is using less chrome which I hate so when I purchase a new Ram I make sure that it is a model that has chrome trim! I personally hate the no chrome look and definitely can't stand the black wheels on a vehicle. If you like that look thats fine because it's your truck buck not me!
 

Fulltilt

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Posts
9
Reaction score
5
Location
North Cowichan British Columbia
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 HO Cummins
Rusty
I have had both, I agree with you, we all have different tastes. My experience with painted is my distaste of the rock chips, I suppose dark colours are not as noticeable, but my last truck, a GMC Denali was white. I purchased it in Texas, by the time I arrived home to Vancouver Island Canada, the bumper looked like it had "pox". I have a black Ram 3500 Limited now with chrome & I find the chrome is much less work. Maybe I am "old school", I just like the look. I wonder if they will ever do a colour match plastic covering for the bumpers that will resist the chips ?
 

corneileous

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Posts
6,851
Reaction score
3,915
Location
Podunkyville, OK
Ram Year
2018 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I'm not bashing anyone that likes chrome, everyone has got different tastes and that's all good with me.

In todays market it just seems to me like that vast majority of consumers don't want chrome on their trucks, and if they buy a truck with chrome they end up painting over it...

I personally can't stand chrome on my vehicles, i just think it looks cheap and gaudy. I shopped for my truck for a long time to get the one i wanted without any chrome.

I think Ram understands this better than other makers, so many ram trucks are outfitted with color matched bumpers and black accents/wheels.

Ford gets it too, it seems like more F-150's now have paint matched bumpers now as well.

In my opinion it seems like chevy and toyota have a running contest going to see who can fit more ugly chrome on the front of a truck lol

What are your thoughts? Do you guys still like chrome or no chrome?

You answered your own question with your first sentence.

Me, I like chrome. Probably because in my experience, chrome stands up better to rock nicks than painted bumpers. My last truck- a 2008 Laramie that had pretty much the same painted plastic front bumper as a sport model with the addition of a plastic chrome piece in the center of it suffered lots of rock chips in the paint and even started to develop areas where the paint was starting to peel and flake.

I love the chrome bumper on my new ride. Goes with my chrome grille, my chrome Mopar bug shield and my used to be chrome license plate.

Now only if there was a way to chrome that painted-to-match plastic piece between the grille and the bumper, I’d be set but I don’t think they make one that I’m aware of and to send that piece to a company that’ll chrome anything you want, would probably cost way more than it would be worth to do it.

But those of y’all who like the fully-painted look- more power to ya, but unless the color was black, it’s not for me.

d6fbfcd5c6bafc577c5ee4a121608288.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

corneileous

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Posts
6,851
Reaction score
3,915
Location
Podunkyville, OK
Ram Year
2018 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I'm not a fan of getting blinded by chrome on a vehicle, but it's really just a subjective opinion as far as aesthetics. Having chrome blind you from it being on the interior is another engineering oversight. That's happened a few times with other vehicles and I'm always like "Who tf would put chrome there?" as I cover my eyes and try not to run into anything.

Balloons though. Yeah, those can all go straight into a landfill.

One of the downfalls of chrome is that it makes a much better target for laser guns that the po-po’s use to catch you speeding- but a lot of chrome especially on the rear sure does make quite the deterrent for people behind you at night who refuse to dim their bright-ass headlights. Lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

corneileous

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Posts
6,851
Reaction score
3,915
Location
Podunkyville, OK
Ram Year
2018 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Not a fan of chrome, FACT never installed chrome on any of my rides.

Hence WE love the LOOK of the REBEL LACK of chrome..................

I like the look of the Rebel too but from the lack of air-conditioned seats, the way-overkill, rock-hard 10-ply tires and the lack of chrome was enough to steer me away....lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

corneileous

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Posts
6,851
Reaction score
3,915
Location
Podunkyville, OK
Ram Year
2018 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I didn’t mind the chrome on my 2012 Laramie but I prefer the color matching. One of the reasons I went with my Tungsten edition 2018 RAM was the color matched bumpers along with the unique opaque chrome inserts on the truck. I also like the color matched running boards.

05004d905cbfb0e17075f98e6115be5a.jpg

196cc524f72f2838a3bf097a2f4a0f5d.jpg

2628ff61caff5f4a1babc33f10976a32.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I like that opaque distressed chrome or whatever it was that they called it but when I got my 18 Limited in Max Steel, I would’ve loved it if they made the bumpers, the door handles and the mirror caps in that color but I just wasn’t crazy about that bright-colored interior with that suede headliner being that lighter color as well so my Limited is all black on the inside.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Skyjockey

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Posts
343
Reaction score
94
Location
Lowell MA
Ram Year
2019 Warlock 4x4
Engine
3.6L
97 bought first Ram and it was because it was dechromed (Sport). I've always painted rims black since the early 80's. Touches of chrome I can live with but in general not my thing
 

KC5TGQ

Senior Member
Joined
May 22, 2019
Posts
124
Reaction score
145
Location
Mississippi
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 Etorque
More Chrome Baby! I would like my truck to be solid chrome.
 

BadHemi2014

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Posts
826
Reaction score
1,437
Location
Greater Cincinnati area
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi

Plankton

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Posts
624
Reaction score
1,325
Location
Mid West
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7
One of the downfalls of chrome is that it makes a much better target for laser guns that the po-po’s use to catch you speeding- but a lot of chrome especially on the rear sure does make quite the deterrent for people behind you at night who refuse to dim their bright-ass headlights. Lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's when I slow way down to eff you speed and adjust my rear view accordingly. Then when they finally pass, I'll hit em with the light bar... that I haven't bought yet... dang, I still need to get one of those to go behind my grill. This is just an imaginary scenario atm. lol

That's definitely a good reason for chrome though.
 

Randman

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Posts
4
Reaction score
5
Ram Year
2015
Engine
3.6 Penstar
I for one am a boomer therefore I love chrome. The one thing I hate....... SOLID BLACK CUSTOM WHEELS. To me it makes the vehicle look cheap and unfinished like an older car with black steel wheels and no hub caps!
 

mtwofeathers

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Posts
260
Reaction score
178
Location
Kingman Arizona
Ram Year
2007
Engine
Diesel 5.9
I'm not bashing anyone that likes chrome, everyone has got different tastes and that's all good with me.

In todays market it just seems to me like that vast majority of consumers don't want chrome on their trucks, and if they buy a truck with chrome they end up painting over it...

I personally can't stand chrome on my vehicles, i just think it looks cheap and gaudy. I shopped for my truck for a long time to get the one i wanted without any chrome.

I think Ram understands this better than other makers, so many ram trucks are outfitted with color matched bumpers and black accents/wheels.

Ford gets it too, it seems like more F-150's now have paint matched bumpers now as well.

In my opinion it seems like chevy and toyota have a running contest going to see who can fit more ugly chrome on the front of a truck lol

What are your thoughts? Do you guys still like chrome or no chrome?

All one color was very popular for a long time, chrome not as much. But chrome is on its way to the top again. .

One of the reasons manufacturers stopped adding chrome was not because people want just color but cost of chrome added features raises the cost of a vehicle. I had two sets of wheels that were powder coated black, couldn't sell them. I had 4 sets of chrome wheels, and when I tried to sell them, it only took one day.

I respect your choice on chrome versus paint, but to me a plain one color vehicle looks cheap.

New trends are turning back the clock and demand for chrome wheels is on the rise. The classic or retro look is coming back and chrome is one of those options.

You could have bought a truck with no chrome if you ordered it.

The aftermarket thrives on a need to individualize; it’s understandable for customers to want something that everyone else doesn’t have, so chrome is the new alternative to black-painted wheels. I just put 22's on my 300. All chrome with spinners. Its a solid black car, but the chrysler emblem is now chrome. As is the pillars and other small pieces. I get compliments at car shows so chrome is coming back.

If nothing else take a gander at black chrome.

 
Top