(repost from Lounge) Best / easiest way to protect stock CX-5 2016 GT rims during win

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Mazda CX-5 2106.5
...should've posted this question in this forum initially, but didn't want anyone to miss out on the great info/replies:

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...-stock-CX-5-2016-GT-rims-during-winter-months

I live in New England, looking to see how the best/easiest way is to protect the stock GT rims during the winter months. I'd like to avoid buying a set rims for the winter. Is there a proven wax or sealer that one can put on in the Fall season that will hold up to the harsh road conditions during the winter? I love the way my 2016 GT rims look, hoping to keep them that way.
 
The best / easiest way is to have a separate set of season appropriate wheels/tires and swap for the seasons.

Not sure what to tell ya if you want to avoid that. Not really much that can be done other than sealing / waxing
 
There are wheel specific wheel waxes but I haven't tried any of them myself as I use Collonite 476 as my winter wax. If you apply 2 thin coats to the wheels it should last thru the winter pretty decently. I had been applying it to my wheels before I got winter rims and it held up well thru the one winter I did it. I also use it in the summer on my wheels and it last all summer no problem.

You can also try some of the wheel coating products out there. McKee's 37 wheel coating and Gtechnig C5 wheel armour are both good option and claim a year of protection with one application. Those are going to be much more durable then wax alone.

And if you are planning on coating the vehicle you can use what ever coating you have on your wheels since they are basically painted
 
Wash them and the truck very very often. More often then you do at any other time. I would even be tempted to wash after a winter rain because the rain water still has some amount of salt and ice melting chemicals in it.

It will help keep the underbody salt free too.

It's amazing how much the salt and chemicals corrode the metals in the engine bay, around during the suspension and brakes.

We just bought our 2017 CX-5 GT about 2 weeks ago and plan to wash very often this winter.
 
FWIW, my winter wheels on my '14 GT are a set of OEM CX-5 17" wheels that I picked up off Ebay. I just use a normal wax on them (the same wax I use on the rest of the vehicle) and they have held up perfectly fine through 4 MN winters so far. They still look new.
 
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