for those of you who don't have a spare

Yes but just remember when using a 2x4 as a spare you should not exceed 50mph

 

Hey CAT Guy, just got my donut spare tire/wheel (hereinafter referred to as Combo, har,har). I can understand why Toyota doesn't include this in the original car package: the bloody thing is heavy, and bulky. I would only carry it with me if I was going to go on a long trip. At least now, I have the peace of mind of having the damn thing!
It cost me $356.10 including 7.75% sales tax for Anaheim California. Joseph gave me a discount on the price; it would have been over $371 and some dollars. Erik mounted the wheel on my car on the left front side, where it fit perfectly. And wheel and tire are both 17 inch. BTW, I'm going to try the car without the wheel covers when I do the rotation in 1,000 miles. The alloys under the wheel covers look very good! I don't care about saving one mile to the gallon by keeping those stupid covers on. To be continued!!. The world is a better place when it is Prime!!

.

 

WHY do they cover up the wheels if they aren't steelies? Anyone got a pic of how it looks without the covers?

 

That was a total head-scratcher for me () seven-plus years back, pretty much the reason we went with the 2010 Canadian Touring, with the (finished, bare) 17" rims. I really don't get it.

And now the fourth gen 17" rims also have a wack of (expensive) plastic: pull that off and what's left looks like a crowned tooth with the crown fallen off...

Search with google image and you'll find lots. It's a somewhat utilitarian-looking rim, my 2 cents. At least they've given up on black, gone back to silver. And you'll need to spring for a set of centre caps.

The ones shown here are third gen, but the 4th gen look is very similar:

3 buck alloy wheel center caps! | PriusChat

 

See this thread for examples.

 

crap now I want to do this...

 

I did on my previous and current Prius.

 

I haven't even received mine yet, and already thinking about doing it! haha.

 

You need to buy the center caps, though

 

Yeah I got the part number 42603-52170 ?

 

That looks right

 

Because the wheels underneath look like they were stolen off a 1980 Corolla.

 

Nice wheels. Nice bumpers too. 1982 or so, bumpers basically were gone.

 

I had the dealer not put the frisbees on the wheels at prep. and instead keep them in the plastic bags they arrive in. Added the caps as I was walking around the car at inspection when I was picking up the car. Bought them online. The salesperson was rather puzzled when I walked around the car and tapped them in with the palm of my hand. Took about 5 seconds per wheel.

Also, as a spare tire/wheel, I remove the donut spare out of my wife's Lexus CT200h and stow it on the floor behind the passenger seat, in a plastic bag, and tied down somewhat. Exact same spare donut as in some of the Gen4 Prii that actually do come with a spare. I have to wedge something on either side of it to keep it from flopping forward and backward at each stop since it is so narrow. Of course I ask her first. This is only when I'm driving many hundreds of miles away, so maybe just several days twice a year or so.

 

After having a flat that my plug kit couldn't fix (fortunately I was home when I tried to plug it), I picked up a Corolla donut spare for $25 at a local junkyard. Tried it for a few miles and it seems to work OK. I, too, stow it in the rear passenger-side footwell, covered with a jeep-style exterior tire cover. I do need to try and find a method to secure it in case of accident.

Getting the flat properly fixed at my local tire shop was fun (they use a wide-base plug installed from the inside out, requiring the tire to be demounted). My wife was out of town so I had to carry the tire to the shop in my bike trailer, pulled by my e-bike! Got some looks on that ride...