I thought I'd do a poll on people's opinion of aftermarket chrome moldings. What do you think about the chrome trim they make for various locations on the HHR? Here is my Before-and-After:

This is what my HHR looked like before I added any chrome trim:


Not that long after I got my HHR about a year ago, I added chrome trim to the headlights, tail lights, and wheel wells. At first, I really liked the look. I thought it really added to the car's appearance.



I had the tail light rings on my stock tail lights. So, when I installed my Ruby Red IPCW's, the chrome tail light rings went away. It didn't bother me that much, because I really like the LED's anyway. So, after the IPCWs, I still had the chrome headlight rings and the chrome wheel well trim.

Then, this past January, I got in a minor accident, and it broke one of my headlights. So, when I got my car back after the repairs, I had one headlight with a chrome ring and one without. I could've either taken the chrome ring off the one headlight, or get another set of chrome headlight rings. I did eventually buy a new set of chrome headlight rings, but I decided not to put them on because I just don't wanna mess with them anymore. So I peeled the remaining chrome ring off the one headlight. So, no more chrome headlight rings either.

But I still had the chrome wheel well trim, which I liked and didn't really want to get rid of. The problem is, here in Wisconsin, they use acid (otherwise known as salt) on the roads, and it wreaks havoc on a lot of things. I was washing my car the other day, and I realized the chrome wheel well trim was never going to last. It was really weathered after just one winter, and I knew it was time for it to go. Don't get me wrong, I did like the wheel well trim, but it would probably be better suited for a car in Florida or somewhere that never gets snow But I can say that the chrome tail light rings and the chrome headlight rings seemed much more durable and would probably have lasted the life of the car had it not been for my accident and swapping out the tail lights for IPCWs.

I will say that I like the clean look my HHR now has again without all the chrome trim. But, I did like the way my HHR looked with the extra chrome. I was proud of it for quite a while because I thought it really jazzed up my HHR. But I'm happy with it either way.

 

My advice is to move to Texas. Then you don't have to worry about winter weather and corrosive chemcials ruining your car's chrome, let alone idiot union members and state legislatures.

 

I think it's easy to go way overboard with the chrome goodies on the HHR. A few subtle pieces here and there works for me....... Buying the whole catalog of chrome pieces from every company that makes trim looks ghetto.

I have the factory chrome package, I've added the tail light rings as I think they should have come that way. Polished or chrome wheels, depending on the season. I've got a pair of chrome license plate frames to put on in the spring. Under hood the GMPP polished (chrome looking) intake box and I'm probably done..... any more would begin taking away in my opinion.

 

Its really not about what we think, it's about your style and personality if you like it go for it

 

I like it!

 

 

then it could be a TJ taxi.

 

X 2, imo a good case for "more is not always better".. But everyone has different likes & dislikes....

So do your thing..& Enjoy the journey..

 

My experience is that the color of the car can make a difference. I think white can take chrome much better than darker colors, although all can look good. My view on white came not from any recent car purchase but from my first new car I ever bought, a 73 Pontiac Trans Am, white on white, 455, 4-spd at DeVinck Pontiac Cadillac in Superior, WI. There was a chrome trim package that could be ordered with the car that put chrome at the top edge of each door and at the back edge of the hood. All of the white ones I had seen that year had no chrome trim package on them and they seemed to be missing that bright finish. So, I ordered the package with the car and it really made the car sparkle in comparison to the ones without the trim. The same was not true for all colors though, at least that was my perspective.

I have a 2011 HRR 2LT that I bought on January 29, it is a beautiful car I think, and I may also look at some chrome trim addition to it, although I am not sure yet whether it will have the same positive effect as the trim on the Trans Am had.

One other thing I did think of is the trim rings around the wheel wells. Since you live in Superior, WI (I spent 5+ years in Duluth, MN so I know what you mean about the salt), it is generally possible to have salt water held in small pockets between the trim and the car body which can be very bad for the future. Here in NC, we do not have the same types of winters so the wheel well trim would work OK I think, but I would be leery in WI.

However, whatever you like is what you should do.

Best Regards,

Steve

 

I like the chrome on the lights, but not on the wheel wells. -just opinion.