I've had the Chrome Clads since the Begining fellas... '03 on my Ram... They Hold up extremly well I won't lie... I know how some feel about "being jipped" but take it for what its worth, they are extremly durable rims and to get the chrome "look" too. I have a 4x4 and regularly go down to the beach and to spots that have very soft sand and shelly sand... Certain beaches don't always have normal sugar sand, some with shells... and I know for a fact if I had "True Chrome" rims they'd be a waste of money, scratched to death and chipped up... they do take to a curb very well also... the way I'd look at it is 1300$ but you'll have them twice as long as say a 2,000$ set.. Plus if you do ding one up badly or have an accident you'll be able to get say one or two very easily on ebay or something, where as another set of custom chrome rims would cost say 600 or 700$ for just one probably..
Me and all my boys had this conversation way back in the day same as you guys... but in the end I've replace one "Chrome Clad" rim in 5 years... Pretty darn good... And im no Saint...LOL...[8D]