The Pros and Cons of Hubcaps

Posted by Rick Dynek on 22nd Mar 2023

Over 34 years of business and among the few questions ever asked when meeting new people is "Aren't you afraid seeing new cars do not have hubcaps" and I always react the same way a simple giggle and follow it up with an insight and observation I have made throughout the years. Hubcaps have been around almost as long as the wheel they were made to fit on. Secondly in this century hubcaps are really wheel covers and I do not foresee those going anywhere. Turns out while everybody seems to love wheels their are at least two things people do not like about wheels

  • Cost
  • Life Expectancy in any climate less than ideal

First off is Cost, while many are drawn to the great looks of select wheels they are usually turned off by the price tag. The same price tag that needs to be added to the price of a new car and just another variable making that base price  you saw on the tv commercial not the car you had in mind. Base priced cars are good for one thing making people disillusioned that they actually can afford the car on the commercial. The bottom line is that the car they may have seen on tv was upgraded and for a split second you will see the "Price as tested" much smaller than the Low Price the saw throughout the commercial. Manufacturers cannot simply throw in all the options for free therefore to get the leader item and the price it comes with you have the option of buying the car that has hubcaps and cloth interior versus the overpriced model on tv that showed maybe Chrome Wheels, Leather Interior, Navigation, and any other option many thought were included.

Second most important fact is while most commercials always show the latest and greatest driving around in a convertible on a warm sunny day they seem to have forgotten that most of the country does not get to enjoy such weather. Most of the midwest and nearby areas seem to get winter more than anything and with it comes the cold slippery weather including snow and ice. With these conditions comes salt to combat the effects and dangers of such slippery conditions. What people do not seem to realize is that Salt wrecks nearly everything along with the ice. It is one of the biggest causes of Rust, Corrosion, Road Damage, and so much more. Alloy and Chrome Wheels are not manufactured to endure salt and usually fall victim to it in the way of corroded wheels and leaky wheels. 

Hubcaps and now Wheel Covers give us the ability to run a decorative design without the same worries we would have with the fancy wheels and rims