Torque and Chrome

Are wheel covers a good investment?

I looked at purchasing some Chrome rims for my new car, but they are extremely expensive. I noticed some auto parts tores sell chrome wheel covers. Do these look cheap? Will they still make my car look cool? Any suggestions of how to upgrade my looks at a reasonable price? Also - can you not drive in snow and salt with chrome? I live in Cleveland and do lots of winter driving. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. If you can't afford nice rims the paint your wheels with silver paint and black your tyres. Don't use chrome silver. Find a proper wheel silver or a grey-silver or they will look cheap. You can drive in snow and salt with chrome, but it WILL RUST.
2. what you are talking about are hubcaps, they are not chrome by the way they are painted plastic, and no they are not worth it, it looks like crap, especially when one falls off which it prob will. i have a nissan altima and bought 4 polished rims with tires on them from some guy in my town for 400$
3. Personal opinion is just that...personal. To me, I think that the fake chrome covers look ridiculous. It would be more worth it to consider painting or just updating your old rims, just without going to the blingin' chrome right away. A good, clean set of tires and a shot of wheel cleaner will do wonders for some of the most unassuming rims. Chrome is expensive, and yes, requires maintenance. You can drive in the salt and snow, but I would clean them immediately after and throw a coat of polish on before the season even starts. Ditto with paint...wax your car in the fall and snow and ice will have a limited impact. Besides, in the grand scheme of things, it's just a car, and some just aren't worth the effort of trying to fix or pretty-up.
4. A good investment? No! An investment is something you do with your money, speculating your money will grow. Once you buy chrome wheels, you will never get close to what you paid for them, even if you never install them on your vehicle. If your asking if these wheels are worth the money, well that is personal preference. If you have discretionary money and would rather spend it on chrome wheels rather than a date, girlfriend/boyfriend, concert, great Mothers day/Fathers day gift, that's cool. Personally, I would do it, but thats me.