2006 Toyota Prius wheels

if you are staying with 16's, then it's definitely better to just powdercoat your wheels rather than getting new ones.

since you're in socal, you should be able to get the wheels powdercoated for about $300.

 

Gds,

Go for it! :rockon:

Here's mine w/ powder coated rims... one of a kind.




I had the wheel stripped and the rims ScotchBrighted, then masked off.
(I could have had the rims polished, but it was not the look I wanted.)
After the red, it all got a clear topcoat. ~$600.

After ~18 months, there's not a scratch or nick. :thumb:

PS: It would be a whole lot cheaper just to paint the wheel covers.

 

Go to a wheel shop and you will be able to find black rims at any price ($100-2000). It's not the color that makes it expensive. It's the wheel weight, construction, design and brand. You can upsize your rims and probably get a nice looking set for <$300, but they will be heavy, probably at least 20-22 lbs (your stock rims are about 14-15 lbs). This extra weight will reduce your mileage. Also, a lightweight pair of racing alloys at 14-15 lbs, will cost at least $1000. It's all about whether you care more about looks or performance. We all want both, but if you choose to have both then you'll have to pay a lot more.

P.S. I don't recommend trying to paint the wheel cover, it doesn't have the "rim" look (and shouldn't since it's not a rim). I've considered the same thing before...



Edit: Roke, didn't your car get totaled a few months ago? I remember seeing pictures. The red rims are awesome though, one of a kind for sure.

I got lucky in that the stock Touring alloys are gunmetal, so it already matches my car perfectly. But if I get new rims, I'd definitely go for another set of gunmetal rims with a red lip. That would look fierce!

 

Naa. Wasn't that bad. I got popped good from behind at a stoplight and
shot forward into the car in front. ~$3k in damages to the bumper
covers front and rear and energy absorbing bits beneath. The car is
driving as well as ever. I feel very, very lucky.

I see a few black wheels with a thin stripe, maybe 1/4 inch wide, at the
rim/lip. Looks great on a black car. Looks good on other color cars too,
especially if there are other red accents -- badging, subtle striping, etc.
To my eye the key is to get a really "hot" red so the stripe really pops,
doesn't just lie there like an afterthought.

YMMV.

 

If you do go through with powdercoating, contact Darren at this shop:
Southland Motoring 1731 W. Katella Ave., Orange, CA 92867 (714) 289-2277
He quoted me a price that was a lot cheaper than $300.

 

Despite Gds listing his car as a 2006 "Touring" Prius, if he has a 2006 Prius then it must be a Standard Prius as there was no Touring Edition for the 2006 model year (the Touring Edition Prius was available in 2007-2009).

So, presumably, he has the Standard Prius 15" wheels.

Not that it should matter re powdercoating.

 

does the "a lot cheaper than $300" including demounting/mounting the tires, as well as sandblasting? If it does, then I just might have to give him a ring next time I need wheels powder coated

 

Honestly, I don't know how a rim could be powdercoated without dismounting the tire, so my guess is that it includes the dismount/mount. He's been in the tuning business for about 20 years and was working for a big name shop before he branched out on his own. The price he quoted was about half the price I paid to have it done and the price other shops were quoting. He completed a spring installation for me and charged $100 where other shops were quoting from $200-$600.

FYI: most shops will tell you that the rims will need to be sandblasting to remove the paint on them. Actually, they will need to be chemically stripped. This will ensure the surface is cleared of residual paint so the powdercoat will stick properly.

 

The FF7s weigh 28.0lbs which is a lot especiallly for 16". Im guessing you will lose at least 5 mpg, since it's twice the rotational mass of your current wheels. I can't find an accurate source for the weight of the SX7s. Amazon lists the item weight as 14.5 lbs but I find that hard to believe.

 

Gds - if you are considering Motegis, you should look at the SP10s. They come in black, are lightweight so it shouldn't affect your mileage too much (that's if you are going with the 17s), and they are approximately $125/rim so they will not set you back too much...
MOTEGI RACING SP10 Black Painted

 

Hey GDS, you'll want to take a look at this spreadsheet. I just found it, thought I'd share it with you.

http://www.wheelweights.net/wheel-weight-weight.xls

 

The stock wheels are pretty light for what they are - doing powdercoating would probably be your best bet.