3 buck alloy wheel center caps!

Did one better...buff and sent to chrome shop $35 for 5 each

 

Thanks for the post. This was my first mod and my first post here on the forum.
Took off the hub caps and bought a set of 1 1/2" plugs from Home Depot. Bent the tabs and fits great. Spent less than $5!

-Going to get the car tinted this afternoon.

 

Saw the great idea about the center caps from Lowes. I noticed they were kind of dull in the first pic. Then they were shiny in the next pic. What did you do to make them shine? I just picked up a used 2010 Base Prius. I think it is a Base II one? It is a 2nd car for me as I was looking for another car. I also Have a 2009 Infiniti EX35 that I need to preserve some, as I am semi-retited. I didn't want to put too many miles on it so it would last me. I have put over 1,000 miles on the Prius since Dec.1, 2011, when I picked it up. I sort of bid on it at a Toyota dealer here, on their website, thinking they would probably not respond. But low and behold they called me. The car had 45,000 miles on it. I was locally owned and not a rental however. It is a certified car so it has a Toyota 12mo/12K mile warranty on it. A little piece of mind with all of the miles already on it. I noticed the wheel under the hubcap, saw the center hole, Googled it, and here I am. The only other thing I'm considering at this time is to have leather put in it. It is a silver car with light gray interior. The static cling is pretty bad. I put some rubber mats I had in the garage from another Infiniti. They are gray as well. This seemed to help a little with the static problem . I'm going to look around for some proper fitting rubber mats for interior and rear in the future. The best price I've found to have leather installed on seats, center and rear console, and door panels is from a shop here that installs leather for Toyota dealers all over Central AR, is $1,000 plus $50 for door panels, plus tx. Thanks for any replies or advice you can give me, as this is all new to me.

 

I ordered mine on Nov. 27, still waiting for them to arrive. The seller seems cooperative and willing to help but I wish I had them already! I'll have to wait a few more days......

 

How's that working out for ya'?

OK seriously, Ron you are better off asking your questions in the newbie and/or the main GenIII forums for more feedback.

 

Doubt Ron is around still to read this but... I'll reply anyways. I just got my Prius 2 weeks ago and am currently putting in Katzkin leather in it. I am actually a Katzkin dealer and have had the kit for the Prius for about 3 months (got it on sale.... cost me more than I originally though... ended up buying a car!!!). My advice is to look for a Katzkin dealer/installer in your area. The quality is top notch.

Shane

 

I just bought a used 2010 Prius, and tried these and they work great. Have ordered the metal Toyota Logo stick on emblems for $4.99 to go on top of these..

 

Thanks theloop82!

Picked them up at Lowes, $2.94 total. Two coats or Rust-Oleum #1915 Silver and a top coat of Rust-Oleum #1906 Clear Lacquer. That combination makes for a dead on match to the wheels. I spread the pins out and the are nice a tight.

 

Not sure what size to get, the 1 1/2" & 1 7/8" plugs are too small. My measured dia. is 2" on my 2010 Prius.

 

Don't worry about the actual measurement....the size is stamped on the plug. Just go by that....
You'll just have to bend the tabs out a bit.


hope this helps

Dan

 

Get the 1-1/2". It will be too small but you want to bend the pins outward. After that mine fit perfectly.

 

Do the original covers server any useful purpose? Aerodynamics?

Hard to understand why Toyota would equip the cars with them unless there was a benefit. If they were going for aesthetics, then they certainly missed the mark.

I would expect that removal would improve cooling to the rotors... may not be essential as on other cars due to the Prius re-gen braking.

 

Do the original covers server any useful purpose? Aerodynamics?

Hard to understand why Toyota would equip the cars with them unless there was a benefit. If they were going for aesthetics, then they certainly missed the mark.

I would expect that removal would improve cooling to the rotors... may not be essential as on other cars due to the Prius re-gen braking.

 

Thanks for the tip-

Cheapest and quickest mod yet

 

Wow- this is a great mod. I was able to do this on my way home from work! Picked up the knock-outs from Home Cheapo,some spray paint, and $12 later, the car looks a whole lot better. My wife actually started lecturing me on spending too money when she saw the wheels. I had to show her the hub caps to to make her believe me. I just added fog lights, LED tail lights, Hitch, and Shark Fin and these hidden wheels finish it off perfectly! The knock-outs had "1-1/2" on the front but after i sprayed them, it was undetectable. After i bent the teeth out, the caps popped right into the wheel holes, no scratching or problems at all. This was the easiest mod i've ever done. Sorry for the bad pix - i ran out of light.

Thank you - Thank you!

 

Hey guys, new member here. I just got a 2011 Prius and stumbled on this thread. So if I pop off the ugly wheel covers I have pretty sweet looking alloy wheels underneath? Does taking off the wheel covers hurt fuel economy at all? Do the wheel covers just snap off or do you have to unbolt the wheel first?

Thanks

 

Wheelcovers just pull off with your hands. You can use a pry tool, but wrap with tape so you don't scratch the alloy wheel. They say the Wheelcovers are good for about +2 MPG on the highway.

 

Welcome!

They just snap off. There is no need to unbolt the wheel.

 

Wow I didn't think wheel covers would give you 2 extra mpg's on the highway. I might leave them on then. I drive about 3000 miles a month, mostly highway.

 

Who's they?