Alloy wheels on 4 Touring

The 15" have always been alloys with plastic covers; now with the 2016 the 17" too have plastic. Progress, I guess.

The plastic covers on 15" pushed us to a 17" Canadian model in 2010, and that worked out well.

You can always take the plastic bits off on the 17", but for me at least the end result is not impressive: spindly, utilitarian black, with jarring connection points both sides at each spoke to rim junction.

 

If you have the touring model, you have plastic inserts between the spokes. The non touring models have full wheel covers that cover the spokes. All the Toyota people will say is that it is to lower air resistance. I'd like to take mine off, but they are okay enough. I don't care that much about how my car looks to other people and I mostly do my looking from the inside. I still like to keep my Eggbert clean and shiny though.

 

If you take the 15" wheel covers, you'll need 4 of the centre caps (show in Tideland's pic above). Through a dealership the cost is pretty steep?

 

IIRC 3rd gen caps don't fit 4th gen, the groove is different. Always more good news, lol.

 

UK Gen 2s had covers on the 16" Alloys.

 

I can confirm that is what they look like coming from the factory.

After you get your tires rotated a few times, they will look rather different.

At least mine do.

Not sure if it the nature of things, or if my dealer hands Mr Magoo the impact wrench, but mine have PLENTY of chips around the lug nuts.

A black sharpie helps some

 

Break down and get some paint, lol. Now, there isn't a paint code for those rims, but I would hazard satin black? FWIW, the our silver rims exactly match the our 3rd gen silver, code 1F7.

I just picked up a Dupli-Color stick for that; it has a wedge-cut brush applicator with the color at one end, a pen applicator at the same end (likely won't use) and a foam wedge with clear-coat* at the other end. Also, a stiff fiber abrasive tool at one end, for prepping. A pretty decent all-in-one, and used it once: good color match.

I've used Toyota touch-up in the past. Up here it's a thick pen-style, looks kind of like a sharpie. You press several times and paint starts wicking into the nib. It's clog prone, just get too thick, and is cumbersome for delicate work.

* Clear-coat should be used with caution, maybe try trial application first. I've found it can lift previous color coat, even with 24 hr's cure time. This was with the Toyota Pen.

 

Plastidip my inserts flat black

 

I think of this topic when someone shows us a new piece of snake oil

Look at all the work Toyota has done on wheel aerodynamics just to save 1 MPG. If they could legally save another 1 MPG by buying your $19.95 Ronco Framistan and installing it on every Prius they would.

I see only 3 choices:
1) it does not work.
2) it is not legal
3) it is so annoying Toyota fears to suffer the backlash. (and Toyota has knowingly sold bladder gas tanks, a reverse beep, and squeaky plastics, so it would have to be a serious case of annoying)

 

Sick!

 

How does the plasti-dip hold up long term? Can it handle automatic car washes with wheel cleaning brushes? Does it peel off after a year or so? I ask because I'm thinking about doing this, but I don't know if I can trust plasti-dip in the long run...

 

Absolutely lasts! 100%

 

Looks good, Mr Maze. Nice fix.

Question: why, ohh why, cannot Toyota design a good looking alloy wheel for the Prius? With all they put into this important auto to go before others (def of the Prius) why the bad alloy wheels? The other manufacturers Honda, Ford, et all have nice looking wheels. We get these silly carnival Ferris wheel thingies.

 

Yeah I can commiserate: 3rd gen 17" were the last chance to get a decent looking rim. I get this sense that Toyota started out on a lame brain course with these plastic assisted wheels, and now figure persistence will get it accepted. The may have something there, but such a cost.

 

Really??? They're only ugly when you're daft enough to remove the plastic inserts. I'm surprised you haven't taken a rubber hammer to the folds in the bodywork you don't like. If it's as bad as you insist, you might have done better to buy a design you DO like the look of!

 

I really like the design of the Touring wheels, nice and simple and the plastic inserts are pretty convincing at looking like alloy to me. I am also someone who does not see the attraction of having all black wheels, I like to see a contrast of colour.

All personal choice of course