If anyone can explain this please do so.

Having a previous newer body style in 97' I know the chrome plated steel wheels. I now have a 2000 XLT with aluminum wheels but so help me they are not polished as I bought the truck new from factory. They have a naturally dull finish (like concrete almost) and I'm trying to figure how I ended up with these. I have scoured the search and looked through pages and pages trying to figure what these are and how to make these evil bastard children of stock wheels to look good. I can take a pressure washer to them and they look great (for clean concrete) for about three hours. I would love to post a picture but haven't taken the time to figure out how just yet (soon, I swear). It drives me nuts to live in a city (Houston) that rains almost as much as Seattle and gets hotter than he$$ in the summer.
I shelled out over $1200 getting this thing repainted and am learning so much to take care of the paint. I'm exasperated at the situation. It makes me want to go with aftermarket, but I love having a stock truck so no one knows what is mine.