Chrome door handles and other chrome accessories are a great way to dress up your car or SUV on a limited budget.  After all, when you buy a truck or SUV, you invest a lot of money in something that’s much more than just transportation.  Your vehicle makes a statement about who you are and what you’re all about.  It tells others what kind of person you are and what you like to do.  Dressing up your vehicle, from car to SUV, with some chrome trim gives your vehicle a custom look and feel that will make sure it stands out in a crowd, just like the right clothing can make you stand out too. 

There are a multitude of different varieties to choose from. You can get custom door handles for almost every make and model of truck or SUV these days.  Online retailers make it easier than ever to order the right accessories for your make and model of vehicle. Most are so easy to install you can do it yourself!

You can also further customize the look of your door handles by going full chrome or partial chrome.  For instance, if you want to do chrome door handles but keep the buckets (the housing that the door handles are in) in the factory original colors, you can do this.  Or you can remove the whole bucket and handle assembly and replace both with fixtures, or do just the buckets in and keep the door handle in the factory original color.  This last choice can give you a really interesting, high-contrast look on some models of vehicles.   The complete replacement of both bucket and handle gives you the most authentic look and is probably the most popular.

Chrome Door Handles:  Overlays vs. Conversions

When you shop around you’ll also discover that there are two major options for installation.  You can either use overlays or conversion kits.  A conversion kit provides you with either solid chrome or aluminum with chrome plated handles and/or buckets that you will install in place of the factory installed hardware.  To do this, you’ll either need to hire someone to remove the original hardware or do the work yourself, which will involve dismantling the door and reassembling it.  Instructions will be included and, if you know what you’re doing, you can do your doors one weekend when you have some free time. These are integral to the vehicle and more expensive than overlays.

Conversion kits also allow you to switch out the standard style for something unique, such as a flame, criss-cross pattern or riveted patterns for a flashier look.  Most of these are made of aluminum with plating and, because they aren’t a standard size for the make and model of the vehicle, may require some added work to install.  In addition to having to remove the door mount to install these non-standard parts, you may have to do some drilling on your vehicle doors for a good fit.

For those who don’t want to have to dismantle their doors or take the risk of drilling their truck or SUV, but love the look, an overlay is an excellent choice.  These are hard plastic overlays with thick plating that mount over the door handles and buckets.  Because you don’t have to disassemble anything, they install quickly and with ease.  They are also less expensive because they are less plated or coated.  They will, however, last for years and are of very high quality.  They won’t rust and are the most popular choice today because of their easy installation and reasonable cost.

Whichever route you choose to customize the look of your truck or SUV, chrome door handles are a great addition you can make to any vehicle in terms of adding shine and custom detail.  They are relatively inexpensive and can be seen from virtually every angle, giving you plenty of bang for your buck.