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Wheel Ornaments?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by ngc4565, Mar 2, 2012.

  1. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    OK - that's a hub cap to regular folks like you and me. The alloy wheels on the Prius are not bad looking. Do the wheel ornaments serve a real purpose?

    I just did the seasonal "snow swap" and currently find myself in a quandary as to whether to put the wheel ornaments back on.
     
    #1 ngc4565, Mar 2, 2012
  2. gotswap

    gotswap New Member

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    I agree with you, to add to your comment, where can I find some center caps?
     
    #2 gotswap, Mar 2, 2012
  3. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    Ah - I hadn't noticed that before.
     
    #3 ngc4565, Mar 2, 2012
  4. fulltank

    fulltank New Member

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    You can find them everywhere. Your dealer can get them, you can find them on ebay and there are several people on the forum that have discovered some creative ways to use items found at the hardware store.
     
    #4 fulltank, Mar 2, 2012
  5. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    If you swapped snow tires on the OEM rims, I would put the covers back on. It will help protect the alloy wheels from damage. Summer would be a good time to expose the wheels w/ center caps.
     
    #5 spiderman, Mar 2, 2012
  6. tommygun

    tommygun Who was that masked man?

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    I have a 2012 model five on order. On the website it lists models 2-4 as having "15-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels w/ full wheel covers" and the model five gets "17-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels." Does this mean that the two, three and four have plastic hubcaps and the five has sexy alloy wheels without hubcaps? Say yes.
     
    #6 tommygun, Mar 2, 2012
  7. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Yesh.
     
    #7 spiderman, Mar 2, 2012
  8. jerrydelrey

    jerrydelrey Member

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    I was wondering the same thing? Does the covers actually do anything?

    I bought my Prius used, and it had no wheel covers. I don't know if my milage would be better with them on.

    I looks more aerodynamic.

    Does the covers improve MPG?
     
    #8 jerrydelrey, Mar 2, 2012
  9. AZGeek

    AZGeek Semi-informed Member

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    I was never able to get confirmation that I was getting better mpg with them on. In fact, all of my highest mileage tanks were with them off. I took them off after about 6 months and have kept them in storage ever since. I will put them back on when I sell the car and let the new owner decide what they want to do.
     
    #9 AZGeek, Mar 2, 2012
  10. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    The covers keep the wheels on the 2-4 models from looking better than the 5 model
     
    #10 xs650, Mar 2, 2012
    2 people like this.
  11. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    I dropped by a local Toyota dealer yesterday. Center caps were $15.72 apiece plus tax. They had to be ordered, and the parts man seem genuinely surprised that these were not included with the vehicle.
     
    #11 ngc4565, Mar 4, 2012
  12. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    #12 Rokeby, Mar 4, 2012
  13. ngc4565

    ngc4565 Member

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    My local Toyota dealer called today indicating that they were cancelling my order for the center caps because they were convinced that these would not fit my wheels. This was after they had already collected payment for this "special order" item. Is it just me, or are Toyota dealers normally this inflexible and unwilling to satisfy their customer's needs?
     
    #13 ngc4565, Mar 6, 2012
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