Was washing the car today and got a chance to look at everything real closely. Being that my car is now on its way to being 12 years old, is it normal to see chips (two on one wheel in particular) exposing the metal underneath? Also, they're still shiny - although it hasn't rained, I'd expect at least some surface rust, so does this mean it happened recently?

They're the stock rims - the chips are small (you'd have to be squatting down - or washing the wheels in my case to see it) and in one isolated area. At least one of the other wheels has very tiny ding-like chips but not down to the metal.

 

if they are aluminum they won't rust.

 

I wouldn't worry about a few chips on your original 12 year old rims, especially if they are hardly noticeable. I guess you could replace them if it really bothered you, but they shouldn't rust.

 

i know of someone whose wheels corroded in the center and the tires kept going flat. turns out the rim was cracked in the center. UR wheels will be fine with just a few chips. but i always tell people who still have their stock wheels that if they are that old to tell the guys at the tire shop to check them out for anything before they mount new rubber. again, ur wheels are fine with just a few chips