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Heads up on issues with wheel covers

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Former Member 68813, Sep 2, 2012.

  1. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    When I lost a hubcup after 2 years of Prius ownership, I decided to go with naked wheels. While I'm still adjusting to the questionable esthetics of the Prius alloys, I noticed that the wheel covers damaged the wheel paint at the attachment points in all wheels and even the outside diameter in some wheels.

    I kept the wheel covers longer than I initially planned to protect the wheels. Ironically, the hubcups were like new after 2 years and the wheels got damaged from them.
     

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    #1 Former Member 68813, Sep 2, 2012
  2. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I'm surprised no one else noticed that issue. I guess if one never pulls these and cleans the alloys, one will not see it.

    This is a better close up:
     

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    #2 Former Member 68813, Sep 3, 2012
  3. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    I have a ton of those marks on my wheels. :(
     
    #3 The Critic, Sep 3, 2012
  4. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    From wheel covers or curbs?
     
    #4 Former Member 68813, Sep 3, 2012
  5. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    From the wheel covers. It appears to me that if the wheel covers have been removed/reinstalled several times, those marks will be there.
     
    #5 The Critic, Sep 3, 2012
  6. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    The scratches show up even worse on the black 2012 wheels. The first time I took the covers off I found scratches.
     
    #6 F8L, Sep 3, 2012
  7. priusincc

    priusincc Member

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    I had scratches too! Also, for as light as the covers are, they are hard to get them attached correctly after they are removed. I haven't got the technique down yet.
     
    #7 priusincc, Sep 4, 2012
  8. eaturner

    eaturner New Member

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    I had the same issue with my 2011 Prius. I had mud in there and took them off to better clean them and noticed I liked the alloys much better without hub cabs. Then after washing them I saw that the hub caps had scratched the alloys. :(
     
    #8 eaturner, Sep 14, 2012
  9. Analogkid1958

    Analogkid1958 Member

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    Yup. That's them. I removed the wheel covers too - a couple of them were damaged by my bad parking and a drive-through car wash. I kind of like the wheels without the covers; it's certainly different. The marks are pretty small and only noticeable up close, so it's not too bad.
     
    #9 Analogkid1958, Sep 30, 2012
  10. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    Mine came off 5 minutes after I got home with the new car. They have never been back on.
     
    #10 Judgeless, Sep 30, 2012
  11. Fore

    Fore Don't look back!

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    Plastic covers look stupid, period!
     
    #11 Fore, Sep 30, 2012
    priusincc likes this.
  12. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Every other service I take all four plastic wheel covers off to clean the alloy wheels underneath them. Those plastic wheel covers scratch the Silver paint off the alloy wheels in places it makes contact.

    Check it out, you'll see. :rolleyes:
     
    #12 cycledrum, Oct 17, 2013
  13. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    #13 Former Member 68813, Oct 17, 2013
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yes especially if you see how they remove the covers (the same way they do with steel rims :eek:).
     
    #14 Tideland Prius, Oct 17, 2013
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