Hello: I just added a custom leather interior and 17" Scion tC wheels to my 2008 Prius (package #5). The leather interior (two tone Charcoal and Light Gray) is by Katzkin and was installed by Coach Auto Restyler in Orange County, CA. The quality of the leather and the workmanship of the installation is one of the best I've seen (IMO much better than the factory leather) and the owner of Coach Auto charged a very reasonable price. I would recommend them in a heartbeat. The larger wheels/tires make a huge difference in the handling of my Prius. Unfortunately, I've experienced a drop in fuel efficiency of about 4 to 5 MPG. Nonetheless, I'm still getting in the low 40's with steady driving under 70 MPH. The tradeoff is worth it to me. Overall, I'm very pleased with these additions. I'll post pics of the car very shortly. JGS
Do you mind giving me some details about your Prius . . When our Prius had only 1000 mi, we got new wheels: 205x 50x 16" Befor the new wheels, from memory, I thought we were just about at the 50mpg mark. Since then [we now have 11800mi.] our overall average is only 46.4 We have tried every thing on the P+G guide, such as 42/40 for the air pressure, p+g whenever the chance; maintain correct oil levels; drive with CC when cruising -- and we keep cruising under 65, and more like 62mph, etc, etc. Just for our knowledge, how many miles do you have on your Prius before the new wheels and how many miles now, on the new wheels. And what was your mpg before and after your new wheels? I think a lot of other Prius owners would be very privvy to have your info, and then decide whether to buy larger wheels Thanks for your time.
I did the same thing to my 2005 when I bought it and I agree their interior work is thebest I have seen. I sold my Scion wheels after 25K miles because of the mileage hit I took and the need for new tires at the time. I bought a set of Ray's Gram Lite 17" wheels which with tires ended up being lighter weight than the stock set up. My MPG went back up and I am happy. I do like the look of the Scion wheel though.
Okay, here are the answers to your questions: 1. The leather interior is by Katzkin and was installed by Coach Auto Restyler, Inc. in Orange, CA (714-639-8236). The owner's name is John and he is extremely helpful. The total cost of the installation was $1600 which included two extras - perforated leather inserts and two-tone leather (each extra is $100.00 more). This may seem pretty expensive to some of you, but it's worth it because of the workmanship and craftsmanship, as well as the supple quality of the leather. I think it rivals that of more expensive cars and it dramatically transforms the look of the interior. Also, a couple of local Toyota dealerships wanted almost $1800 for the same leather interior and that didn't include the perforated leather or the two-tone. 2. My Prius had approximately 2000 miles on it prior to switching to the Scion tC wheels (with Yokohama 215/45 17" tires). I was getting about 46 to 48 MPG with the stock Prius wheels and tires. Now, I'm getting about 40 to 42 MPG - still quite good, but definitely a significant drop in mileage. I've had the new wheels for only 3 days now, so it's probably too early to tell what the "real" mileage will be. I'll keep you posted if it changes much. 3. Finally, I still haven't gotten around to taking pictures yet, but I plan to do so very soon. I'll post them as soon as I can. I hope this information helps. Have a great day!! JGS
