1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

painted black rims under rim covers?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by priusrc, Jun 27, 2014.

  1. priusrc

    priusrc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    53
    6
    0
    Location:
    lower pennisula, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I noticed the rims are nice, shiny, and black under the covers. I also noticed the same style but silver. Why separate colors? Does anyone drive around with just the black rims showing? It does kind of look nice. Maybe with a chrome Toyota center insert.
     
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Yes, taking off the wheelcovers is common, along with putting in center caps. Either Toyota logo ones or electrical box knockout covers sourced from Lowes or Home Depot.

    The silver wheels were on 2010 and 2011, the black wheels are 2012+.

    SCH-I535
     
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
  4. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I'd suspect it's an ongoing campaign to discourage owners from taking the covers off.
     
  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Maybe black paint is cheaper than silver + clear coat. :p

    SCH-I535
     
    HaroldW and Mendel Leisk like this.
  7. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    952
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The simplest explanation is black background looks better against the new style 2012-14 wheel covers, unlike the 2010-11 wheel covers.
     
    xpcman likes this.
  8. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    That's too logical. :D

    SCH-I535
     
  9. ibmoses

    ibmoses Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2014
    109
    22
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I removed my wheel covers and now am thinking of painting the wheel barrels.
     
  10. priusrc

    priusrc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    53
    6
    0
    Location:
    lower pennisula, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Nice, does anyone have pictures of their black rims?
     
  11. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,981
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    You can see them in my avatar, along with the GII centre caps (REAL "hubcaps"). ;)
     
  12. priusrc

    priusrc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    53
    6
    0
    Location:
    lower pennisula, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    That does look very nice. Thanks!
     
  13. heyphillip

    heyphillip Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2014
    131
    47
    0
    Location:
    Maple Shade NJ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I removed those ugly silver hub caps from my 2014 Prius.It looks much better without the hub caps.Why on earth did Toyota put silver hub caps over Alloy wheels
     
  14. RaZa

    RaZa Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2011
    480
    93
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Personally I hate the look of the black hubs. Looks exactly like it's missing hubcaps. Too redneck for me
     
    LisaMcC, Firewalker130 and milkman44 like this.
  15. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2014
    1,209
    322
    0
    Location:
    Peoria AZ (Phoenix)
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I love black spoke wheels (old school), I even put them on my '99 Montana van several years ago and still get compliments from youngsters, much to my surprise I might add. If I had my druthers though, I'd opt for something better looking than what's going to beneath the covers when I get my Prius on Thursday. Still, I think they'll look better than the covers. My plan is to keep them until I need my first set of tires and then think about getting some after-market wheels to go with new tires. That's partly why I opted for a Prius 4 vs a 5.

    Oh, and I'm far from a redneck (whatever that means in this case) being from Wisconsin and living in Phoenix for the last 20 years. I really just don't like a lot of chrome. I don't even like large wheels too often because there is so much chrome.
     
  16. priusrc

    priusrc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    53
    6
    0
    Location:
    lower pennisula, Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Well, I decided to keep the covers on for the supposedly 2-3 mpg I get and I hate the black rim look. I wouldn't mined getting the silver version but then I have to buy two sets, one for my winter tires. Then I have to sell one set. Too much work and money on the line. I am trying to save pennies!
     
    Firewalker130 likes this.
  17. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2014
    1,209
    322
    0
    Location:
    Peoria AZ (Phoenix)
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I'm actually going to keep mine on for our upcoming 37 day/6500 mile road trip. I want to see what kind of mileage I get completely stock. After that I'll decide if I want to remove them, change the air pressures, etc. What I might end up doing is putting them on for trips and leaving them off around town. If they are there for wind resistance, I assume that would help more for highway use. Any thoughts?
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Somebody made a decision, switching from silver (covered) rims, to black gloss.

    Seems like adding insult to injury.
     
  19. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    952
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Not sure why you feel that way. The 2012+ wheel covers look better than 2010-11 wheel covers and they look better against black background. Try putting 2012+ wheel covers on 2010-11 silver alloys and you'll see why.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,710
    38,247
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah I can see that, black is hardly seen...

    Ah, those covers just bug me lol