winter rims: steel vs alloy?

I've had alloys for winter tires on my last several cars with no problems.
I'm near Albany, NY. So, plenty of salt. But not as much snow as say, Oswego where I lived, or say, Buffalo.
Does Toronto get a lot of lake effect?
Of course, you're shopping for used alloys, and they could be rough.
But, you could find someone like me who just wanted to unload some great wheels with studded Nokians's and new TPMS, who just bought a new car they won't fit on, lol.
The tire place I go to takes a wire brush on an air tool to remove oxidation so the seal is good.
They really do look a lot better than steelies.

 

I run OEM alloys in winter. I got very lucky and found a poster on here that was getting rid of their brand new 19" PHEV wheels complete with tires and TPMS sensors. (They bought OEM 17" wheels for the greater tire selection.) All I had to do was drive there to pick them up(1800mi/2900km round trip, but worth it). I like the look of the PHEV wheels better than the HEV, so I run the PHEV wheels in summer and my original HEV wheels in winter(which I have to switch tomorrow because it's supposed to snow here this weekend).

 

Alloy to alloy, yes. Alloy to steel, probably not compatable.

As for whether you should, totally up to you. They provide a (very)small mpg boost, but only at highway speeds. They also somewhat protect the hub from salt/snow exposure, so you might want to protect that a bit if you go without them. Either with a center cap or at least spray the hubs with a protectant like Fluid Film or similar.

 

I bought some cheap hubcaps once from a car parts place for steel rims.
It dressed them up a little.
They're not that expensive.

 

Just my opinion but steelies are ugly and I would never mount steelies on any car I own. If you shop around hard enough you can find affordable decent quality alloys. Keep in mind winter tires will be on your car for 4-5 months of the year so that's quite a long time and by investing and running alloys you can still maintain the general look of your vehicle.

As far as salt or what not damaging the wheel I haven't had any issues just rinse them periodically when crud starts to cake on the wheels.

 

I started our ‘10’s snow tires with Corolla steel rims, they were $70 CDN apiece, in 2010. One thing I learned: the exposed centre hubs rust badly, and quick. Ended up employing 2” ABS end caps, looked a bit better too:



Sold - Hubcaps / Wheel Covers - 15" - off of a 2011 Prius (Free + shipping) | PriusChat

when I replaced that first set I swapped in some Prius Plug-in (2012-2015 model year) rims I’d acquired, for $400 USD, definitely more photogenic:

 

That's one tall sidewall!

 

The other-other reason to use steel wheels in winter is so that you don't get a wad of snow or ice packed in one of the voids between the spokes of an alloy wheel.

Once you make it to a cleared highway and get up to speed that packed snow turns into a wheel balance issue with a lot of vibration until you pull over and knock it out with your snow brush.

It can happen to any wheel, it just happens more with alloy wheels that have large voids between the spokes.

 

Stock 3rd gen 195/65R15. Used to be plenty. If I wanted a 5th gen Prius (hybrid) up here, 19" rims are the ONLY option. Plug-In version you can get 17", with black plastic wheel covers.

Still have those Corolla steel rims. If there's a next time, toying with putting all-seasons on the pictured 15" alloys, reenlisting the steel rims for snow tires.

Our current all-seasons on 215/45R17, on the optional 17" rims 3rd gen rims. Mpg actually improves in winter lol.

 

Really? You're sure that's not reversed?
I'm in the US though.

 

Toyota Canada only brought in 19" rim, 5th gen Prius. With the plug-in they offer both.