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Stupid cheap plastic hubcaps...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by MikeDS, Jan 5, 2010.

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  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah what he said ^

    better the plastic covers than the alloy.
     
    #21 Tideland Prius, Jan 6, 2010
  2. web1b

    web1b Active Member

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    The hubcaps are a problem. I noticed when I got my car back from service, the paper work was marked with "cracked hub cap."
    I checked it and it was cracked. Cracked, not scuffed and dented and cracked like it would be if the tire scraped a curb.
    Looks to me like the dealership damaged it during the tire rotation when they pulled them off to access the lug nuts. Of course, I didn't look at them right before I turned the car over to them, so there is no way to prove that they are the cause. All I know is that I haven't hit a curb or handled the hub cap in any way and it's cracked now.
    Even if the dealer caused the crack, the hubcaps should not have been so delicate as to be cracked by normal service.
    If the dealer didn't do it, that means the hub cap just spontaneously cracked with normal driving. That would be even worse than if a cracked during removal.

    Will removing all the hub caps and adding a center crome cap instead have any negative consequences such as additional wind/tire noise, reduced fuel economy from more wind drag or damage from getting debris inside the wheel and brakes where the hubcap would have protected it?
     
    #22 web1b, May 21, 2011
  3. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Many people are saying it doesn't effect FE, but I haven't seen a rigorous test on it yet. I don't think debris into brakes would be a problem - so many wheels out there are open.

    I asked a service advisor at T Sunnyvale if any negatives for removing wheelcover and he just said no.

    Personally, I don't like the wheelcover or the wheels underneath much.
     
    #23 cycledrum, May 21, 2011
  4. web1b

    web1b Active Member

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    I looked up 2010 Prius wheel covers on eBay and found them selling for as low as $44.99 shipped for a set of 4 brand new hubcaps. At that price I guess I can consider them disposable. That's cheaper than buying chrome center caps. I can buy a set and keep the extras as spares.
     
    #24 web1b, May 21, 2011
  5. web1b

    web1b Active Member

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    I double checked eBay and the $44.99 set of 4 is aftermarket hub caps that look kind of similar, but not exactly and have no Toyoto logo, so you need to use all 4 or they won't match. The cheapest OEM new I saw were $55 each shipped.
     
    #25 web1b, May 21, 2011
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    It shouldn't. I've put them on and off without issue. They have decent flexibility in them. I've been running without them for a year now (And the 2005 for about 3 years. I got my record tank without the covers on).
     
    #26 Tideland Prius, May 22, 2011
  7. Bassic

    Bassic New Member

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    You could do one side of the car:)
     
    #27 Bassic, May 29, 2011
  8. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    No negative consequence on FE as far as I can tell, and I've checked. No increase in wind noise, no impact on brakes.

    I like the alloy wheels without the hubcaps.
     
    #28 Dark_matter_doesn't, May 29, 2011
  9. beantowncruiser

    beantowncruiser New Member

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    Call me crazy - I like the wheel covers.
     
    #29 beantowncruiser, May 30, 2011
  10. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    I'm not that smart but plastic in between concrete and a 3,000 pound car. i think the plactic will fail every time.
     
    #30 adamace1, May 30, 2011
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