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Opinions Please on Original Wheels on Prius II through V

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by cycledrum, Apr 26, 2011.

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What are your opinions of the OEM wheels on the 3rd gen Prius?

  1. I'm happy with whatever wheels / covers get me the most MPGs

    20 vote(s)
    16.8%

  2. Completely satisfied, plastic wheelcovers and all

    7 vote(s)
    5.9%

  3. I don't like the plastic covers, took them off, but I like the bare OEM wheels

    35 vote(s)
    29.4%

  4. I don't like plastic wheelcovers, just offer it with attractive bare alloys

    27 vote(s)
    22.7%

  5. I like aftermarket wheels only, don't care what comes on the car

    3 vote(s)
    2.5%

  6. I've had one or more wheelcovers fall off while driving

    3 vote(s)
    2.5%

  7. I don't like the wheelcovers or the bare wheels and don't want to pay to replace

    15 vote(s)
    12.6%

  8. I would like a larger OEM wheel as an option at least on the III and IV trims

    17 vote(s)
    14.3%

  9. Hey, the Leaf comes with 16" wheels, can't we get the same size?

    6 vote(s)
    5.0%

  10. Mine came with 17" OEM wheels and I like 'em

    27 vote(s)
    22.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
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  1. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    The Prius rental before our last one had two missing covers. One front & one rear :rolleyes:

    Mike
     
    #101 WE0H, May 7, 2011
  2. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    I've seen 'em before missing a few covers. Look around and think, ok, they took all covers off. Wrong, there's one or two on other side. Could make Prius look more cheap. From looks of poll, doesn't seem most are too fond of their wheelcovers.
     
    #102 cycledrum, May 7, 2011
  3. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    I much prefer the Five's 17's but the covers are fine on the other models :)

    Mike
     
    #103 WE0H, May 7, 2011
  4. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    This first pic below wheel / tire combo would be an extremely reasonable size to get as an option on the Prius. These are taken straight from a 2009 Corolla S which has 16x6.5 and 205/55-16. I'm not looking at the design, but the overall size and look. (I already know the V owners will say - too small) Look how they sit in the wheel well - perfect IMO. They are listed as 4" bolt pattern which may not be compatible with Prius 100mm pattern, don't know. Anyrate, they are not hybrid wheels anyway.

    the diameter of the 205/55 tires is actually closer to the stock 15" Prius tire than the 17" tire. 205/55-16 tires are very common, they are on so many cars. And they have LRR, Ecopias and such.

    fyi, did you know it can cost $280 just for 4 wheel TPMS kit when you buy a set of rims? IMO, when you only want one set of rims and don't another set for Winter, seems a big hassle to buy aftermarket wheels/tires.

    prius10spoke.JPG

    I would roll without wheelcovers and shown below. I don't like how spokes don't reach edge of rim, but when it's a dual cover on or off wheel, that's what you get.

    snowpri.JPG

    blackpri.JPG
     
    #104 cycledrum, May 7, 2011
  5. dustoff003

    dustoff003 Blizzard Brigade #003

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    This V owner likes the look of the Corolla wheels on the Prius as depicted above^^^!


    Posted from my iPhone via the Tapatalk app.
     
    #105 dustoff003, May 7, 2011
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  6. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    The 16's look nice too. Wonder why Toyota didn't make the 15's without covers? I would think it would have been lower cost to skip the wheel covers and go with a bare alloy wheel by itself. Are those 15's used on some other vehicle? It will be neat to see the Gen IV Prius and what changes Toyota makes to it.

    Mike
     
    #106 WE0H, May 7, 2011
  7. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Maybe they did a bunch of marketing surveys years ago here or Japan and prospects said they wouldn't mind a covered alloy wheel (I don't think anyone intentionally pulls covers off their steel wheels :)

    Prius 15's not used anywhere else TMK.
     
    #107 cycledrum, May 7, 2011
  8. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    This V owner doesn't.
     
    #108 32kcolors, May 7, 2011
  9. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Hmm, puzzling why they engineered a alloy wheel specifically to have a plastic cover over it when the v/Five has no cover. Don't know what to say ;)

    Mike
     
    #109 WE0H, May 7, 2011
  10. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    ah, nevermind.
     
    #110 cycledrum, May 7, 2011
  11. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Maybe so they could use thinner spokes for less weight and covers to fill in gaps to increase fuel economy.
     
    #111 cycledrum, May 7, 2011
  12. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    That makes a lot of sense. I never thought of it that way :rolleyes:

    Seen a whole bunch of 3rd Gen's this afternoon with the fancy 15's :p No Fives though. Some 2nd Gen's. Seems more pickup's & SUV's up here in Minnesota.

    Mike
     
    #112 WE0H, May 7, 2011
  13. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    The 10 spoke 15 inch wheel probably was designed for some other car and pulled out of the parts bin for the Prius.

    Car companies do that a lot.
     
    #113 xs650, May 8, 2011
  14. Thai

    Thai Prius Neophyte

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    Hmm, now that makes sense!!

    I can't remember another Toyota having the OEM Prius 15" rims. For how much Toyota has put into the Prius, i doubt that Toyota chose any rims out there for the Prius. There is a reason behind this wheel selection...Toyota would not go all out in designing the G3 Prius, yet used an ordinary rim from the parts bin.
     
    #114 Thai, May 8, 2011
  15. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    I don't know how to check Toyota's entire world wide line-up of cars for wheel types. How do you do that?

    As far as the Gen III being so pure that they didn't dip into the parts bin, wheels are minor stuff. The V steering rack and power steering are Rav4 parts. There are lots of Corolla, Matrix, Scion parts in the suspension. The engine is based on a Corolla engine, I'm willing to bet it shares a lot of parts.
     
    #115 xs650, May 8, 2011
  16. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Wow interesting to learn the parts sharing :) Who would have thought a RAV4 part would be used in the Prius? Not me :confused:

    Mike
     
    #116 WE0H, May 8, 2011
  17. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Both cars have some Corolla roots.

    Once you get beyond the bling and other shiny objects layer of a car, there is usually a lot of corporate parts sharing.
     
    #117 xs650, May 8, 2011
  18. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    That would make more economic sense to share components. I guess then the Prius is somewhat of an econo-car since it uses some economic parts :doh:

    Mike :D
     
    #118 WE0H, May 8, 2011
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've read the engine is a modified version of the Corolla engine.

    Also, don't think I've heard of anyone who likes the 15" alloy wheel with cover. It was more-or-less the main factor that pushed us to the Canadian Touring model, which has the 17": just standing back a bit and looking at both models.

    Still, I'd prefer a nicely styled 15" alloy, without cover, as the OEM offering. Comparing to the 17", The mileage is better, the ride is softer, replacement rubber is a lot cheaper.
     
    #119 Mendel Leisk, May 8, 2011
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  20. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    I'm seeing a lot of non-V Prii's with their plastic wheelcovers taken off by owner .... most of them don't have any kind of center cap on the wheels.

    The 2nd gen came with center caps, so is that just aesthetic, or is it a dustcover to keep dirt, water from a mechanical joint in there?

    at any rate, it looks quite tacky without center caps on 3rd gen, and I doubt most people will go to the trouble to get center caps.
     
    #120 cycledrum, May 11, 2011
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