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HubCaps A little different

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by daczone, Jan 25, 2014.

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  1. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Just bought a 2010 Prius... Looks for a while to find the SOLAR and NAV options. Didn't QUITE get the color I wanted, but loving the car. I wanted to make it look better, I've tinted the windows, added HID lights and looking for others things to do.

    I thought I would get some nice wheels right away, but after reading others posts I don't want to take the MPG hit. So I added some carbon fiber to the stock covers. I plan to spray the rim behind them black to get a nice appearance.

    So first I used Photoshop to see what it would look like:
    [​IMG]

    (Not my actual car... but the same color)

    [​IMG]

    And here is what I did:
    [​IMG]
    Carbon Fiber on the parts I wanted BLACK

    [​IMG]
    With FLASH on my phone... Need to paint the silver rim behind the cover.
     
    #1 daczone, Jan 25, 2014
  2. Bingee

    Bingee Member

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    Looks great
     
    #2 Bingee, Jan 25, 2014
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Looks a little strange IMO, because there is no "rim" just spokes.

    SCH-I535
     
    #3 xliderider, Jan 25, 2014
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I'm not a fan of the standard Prius hubcaps.

    So any creative attempt to improve or change the look is okay in my book.

    I wonder how it would look if you did the exact opposite and left the rim sections silver and carbon fibered the spokes?
     
    #4 The Electric Me, Jan 25, 2014
  5. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    [​IMG]
    :)
     
    #5 daczone, Jan 25, 2014
    The Electric Me likes this.
  6. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    Certainly it's different and eye catching (y)
     
    #6 mrbigh, Jan 25, 2014
  7. jhinsc

    jhinsc Senior Member

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    I think they look strange without the rim edge. I've seen pics of the 2013+ wheel covers used on black rim on a 2010 with silver rims - looks much better imo.
     
    #7 jhinsc, Jan 25, 2014
  8. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Choosing how your tire/wheel package looks is like choosing shoes. Everyone has their own tastes and opinions and as long as you like them, that's all that matters. ;)
     
    #8 frodoz737, Jan 25, 2014
  9. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Agreed

    Choices seem to be limited for us. I would love to just install a nice set of 17" rims on there (The 15's look a little small IMO) and almost cartoonish... But I do realize why that is. So just trying to make what I have look better if that's at all possible.

    I went from a 350Z a year ago to a Lifted 4x4 to the Prius... People think I am having a mid life crisis. After getting 13.6 MPG in the truck, this little car is wonderful! But it needs to look a little different from all the rest. :) Exactly as you say... my own tastes.
     
    #9 daczone, Jan 25, 2014
  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Take the wheel covers off, there are some decent looking alloy wheels under there. ;)

    There's some pics out there of some wheels with colored vinyl molding strips around the outside rim to set it off. Maybe a red or blue accent would look good in your case.
     
    #10 xliderider, Jan 25, 2014
  11. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Looks pretty good for a change, considering how pathetic the 2010-11 wheel covers are.

    This one looks terrible. Don't do it!
     
    #11 32kcolors, Jan 25, 2014
  12. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #12 xliderider, Jan 25, 2014
  13. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Yeah I did see that and it's not bad, but IMO it makes the wheels look even smaller :(
     
    #13 daczone, Jan 25, 2014
  14. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    I agree. The spokes should extend to the edge to make 15-16" look as large as possible. The stock alloys aren't too attractive for this reason.
     
    #14 32kcolors, Jan 25, 2014
  15. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Here's how it looks.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #15 daczone, Jan 25, 2014
    The Electric Me and 32kcolors like this.
  16. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    That looks better than the first images in the original posts.

    Must be the tint. ;)

    SCH-I535
     
    #16 xliderider, Jan 25, 2014
  17. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Okay....that looks horribly, horribly wrong. Bad idea.
     
    #17 The Electric Me, Jan 27, 2014
  18. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Okay bought a set of 18" TRD rims today... So as soon as I can get some tires on them these tires are gone.

    This is what I bought:
    [​IMG]
    Should be 2+ lighter than factory 17's with Potenza RE97 LRR tires.
     
    #18 daczone, Jan 27, 2014
  19. Charlie5280

    Charlie5280 New Member

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    Curious. Are you just doing it for looks or?

    Although they have less rotational mass, the stock wheels are ultra-efficient at highway speeds for aerodynamic drag.

    Your 18" TRD's look way better though! :)











     
    #19 Charlie5280, Jan 27, 2014
  20. daczone

    daczone Junior Member

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    Yes for the looks. I had 18's on my Subaru and liked the way it rode. I have always felt like the Prius looks like a Flint Stone car with those tiny tires. I do understand why that is, but mid 40's in gas mpg is okay with me. I got rid of my 13 mpg truck to buy this vehicle. I found some tires last night that are even lighter than the ones I was looking at. They top the scale at 21.5 lbs.
     
    #20 daczone, Jan 28, 2014
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