Chrome sidebars...... Up keep....

[Pedro]

Hello to everyone, need a bit of help regarding my chrome sidebars that are going to be fitted.
Mainly the upkeep of them, how to keep them clean and protected.
Are there any special methods or is it simply metal polish and elbow grease.....
Thanks in advance.

 

[BiTurbo]

Plenty of polish I would say. Chrome always looks nice until the rust appears, and it appears because chrome needs to have a nickel plating first which is expensive as chrome is porous.

 

[Simmo49]

I had chrome side bars on my T5.1 Sportline (fitted from new) and just cleaned them regularly with the rest of the van.
I never had any rust issues on mine after four years of ownership and it was one of the reasons I went for the 'Factory' chrome ones again on the new T6 rather than after market ones that were half the cost.

 

[former member]

We had VW ones on our T5.1 Cali - fitted them after the missus clipped a low wall...!
TBH I wasn't that sure about them - I liked the look but not convinced they offered much protection and despite lots of TLC, they seemed to scratch really easily. Also a pain to clean.

Keeping this van as "clean" looking as possible compared to the last one - no sidebars, mudflaps or rain deflectors (again we had VW ones and they scratched really easily). So far it's easier to clean and works well.