I understand and I'm not trying to flame you. I just want people to understand that real assessments require work to obtain otherwise they are nothing more than poor anecdotal perceptions.
Cool. I should have my wheel covers back soon. I left them at the car wash. Have to find some time to pick them up. I'll let you know my next data point,... I mean anecdotal results
Thanks for the feedback..I'm going to try and score some "caps" from Lowe's or Home Depot tomorrow and will take 'em off.. will report back my findings..and looking forward to others as well..indeed..i realize the many variables may make it all a moot point!
I have taken my wheel covers off the last few days. Here is an update: #1) The wheel covers leave black marks on the painted wheels. I'm not sure if this is dirt and oil that lodges there and gets embedded. It hasn't washed away and I'm sure I'll have to polish it off or use something harsher to remove it, but I haven't done it yet. #2) I haven't noticed a big drop in MPG. If anything, my MPGs are up, but that is because I am much improved in my use of mileage extending techniques. I have no doubt that the wheel covers improve MPG, but any improvement is probably a wash with everyday variables, such as if you encounter a handful of red lights requiring forceful braking. So with that being said, the improvement when them on is minimal, but not trivial. A hypermiler will notice, as hypermiling will exaggerate these small differences. I have bought center caps but have not installed it, as I believe these particular caps will interfere with wheel covers on.
I took mine off a couple of weeks ago. Mine had almost like the glue left behind from a sticker on them, but it washed off. Thinking about painting the covers black
This is the answer I got from Toyota: Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. We appreciate the opportunity to assist you. We apologize we do not have information at this facility regarding the mpg (miles per gallon) as we have not tested this modification. Our best guess, would be that if the mpg would not be effected, it would be a very slight difference. We have documented your comments at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Aerodynamically, the wheels don't seem to be worst or better with wheel covers on or off and the wheel covers are very light. Aluminum alloyed wheels (which don't use wheel covers) can be prettier and weight less than OEM steel wheels though. If you wanted to incrementally improve the aerodynamics of the rear wheel at high speeds - ecomodder.com suggest rear wheel fender skirts. Aerodynamically - there isnt much advantage until the Prius goes over 60 mph.
Hay thanks guys for all the help with the removal of the wheel covers! A curb jumped up and ruined one, another was copped by someone who needed just one and all your advise led this great grandmother to just grab the other two in the center and pull them off with one hand. Classier look! Where can I get the center medallions at the most reasonable price?
On my third prius, I took the covers off the next morning after driving the car home.... it was really cold and dark November night so I did not want to fiddle outside after parking on my driveway. get cap in home depo spray panted it black 90-95% matching the black rims !!! you can only tell not factory 1. if you new 2. 10 minutes after carwash I do not think there is any measurable mpg hit maybe at sustained 75mph :-( but also some weight off so it could be a wash
just a few - you loose little traction for breaking and cornering - you loose a little comfort of the drive - maybe some issues with shocks on the longrun (not sure) - maybe little increased chance of blow out - but longer tire life
I suggest to put on plastic tube pieces on the metal tabs you can get those in petstores at the fishtank section. What I did was to move 4 tabs out enough so it will "grab" the inside of the hole but put short pieces of the plastic/silicon whatever tube on them. I do not have the diameter of that but just for feel. So when it installs no metal to metal contact ... This was just before winter mid November and all four still firmly attached I do not have pictures but I guess you can imagine what I mean. And as I said I spray painted them (for 2013 the rim is black) with some cheap black enamel exterior paint (3-4 coats )... looks pretty neat. And cost is still under $10 and perhaps 30-45 minutes of my time including finding those electric box cover pieces at Home Depot ...
I got the "Toyota Genuine Parts" center caps at Amazon for 14.29 each. I didn't bother doing much comparison shopping because I had been driving around with empty holes in the wheel centers and needed them fast, but since they don't charge sales tax and I have free 2-day shipping, they are probably as good a price as any. They are fine but I was a little disappointed in their appearance (I hadn't seen any up-close before). A bit chintzy looking and very small - tend to make the 15" wheels look even smaller than they are!
Here is my wheel with the Home Depot solution. First is kind of dirty dusty look of the back wheel (the normal for me) second is a little cleaned up front wheel ... there you can see the finish is not compeletely matched but for four caps with paint left over under $10 ...
Yes the back tire was NOT cleaned and NO flash used ... front tire I cleaned it, sort of. I am not good at that AND used full flash on it... the two tires are the same. The point was the home made center cup see above for more explanation. I think there is no reason to get the toyota one specially that is silver and would look "funny" for me on the black finished rim.
