The Ugly Stock Wheels Thread

[Turbo]

Just realized, there's no place on GTP to post pictures of ugly looking factory wheels. So, I've made a thread for it. Here, we can post pictures and discuss unappealing factory wheels, whether they are alloys, steels, hubcaps even.

Here are some that I don't find very pretty:

1993-1997 base wheels on the Pontiac Firebird. The design does not flow well with the car, and I'm pretty sure these exact rims were used on the Saturn SL/SC.



Steelies on variation generations of the Lancer Evolution. There's no design here at all, just plain old ugliness.


Wheels for the E36 318i. They just make the car look cheap.



Let the posting begin!

 

[MedigoFlame]

Base CLA looks like it has hubcaps (unless they are).

Also, with the current generation of new cars, I do not understand the Town Fair Tire cheapo aftermarket wheel look from the factory. The whole black/chrome two tone wheels. You see all the bros putting those cheap hideous aftermarket black/chrome wheels on their cars. Now manufacturers are doing it.

This whole black and chrome wheel combination needs to stop....

 

[ToyGTone]

While I understand this car being an economic car but for a $27K car, I expect to see more premium look rims than this "cheap hubcaps on steelies" thing on the current Toyota Prius. Sure it's not a hubcap but it looks like one...

I can't speak about the prius in the rest of the world but I'm pretty sure they have a better rims selection if I'm not wrong since we middle eastern's only get that basic one even for the top trim model.

Still, I still think the rim are the least problem with the design of that Prius.

 

[-Fred-]

Speaking of black/silver wheels and how awful they are:

Which is a shame, because the 650/675 is one of the best looking cars out there currently. You're free to say I'm wrong, but it's true.

Penis spokes!

 

[Northstar]

I went with the 90's as that seems to be the period where hubcaps really took off in popularity. I would rather just have plain steelies with the proper lugnuts over a terrible looking hubcap.

 

[BKGlover]

While I agree on the black painted wheels, at least if they come from the factory there's a good chance they won't peel and flake like the rattle-can jobs the idjits 'round here do.

I therefore post the three designs I've seen for the latest generation of Chevy Tahoe and Suburban.

You have the pentagon...

Or maybe potato peelers...

And if that fails, how about unpainted two-tone efforts...

Also, went with the "Earlier" option on the poll due to 30's-50's not being options.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Speaking of black/silver wheels and how awful they are:

Which is a shame, because the 650/675 is one of the best looking cars out there currently. You're free to say I'm wrong, but it's true.

Another good example of that stupid trend. Was disappointing to see a 675LT with those type of wheels as well.

Also not a fan of these McLaren wheels.

These wheels look much better. (apart from the car's color)

 

[Turbo]

Speaking of wheels that aren't hubcaps but look like they are:


This has been the best selling vehicle in New Jersey for quite a long time now.

 

[SVX]

Steelies on variation generations of the Lancer Evolution. There's no design here at all, just plain old ugliness.

That's because the RS variants were designed to have everything replaced anyway, with what was basically a rolling shell. The GT86 RC is another example of this.

 

[Turbo]

That's because the RS variants were designed to have everything replaced anyway, with what was basically a rolling shell. the 86 GT RC is another example of this.

Yes, I know exactly what it's purpose is. It's still ugly.

 

[SVX]

Yes, I know exactly what it's purpose is. It's still ugly.

"Water is wet."

It'd be like putting a kei car in a underpowered cars thread. Just a bit redundant, as well as you referred to the RS trim a generation or something.

 

[Turbo]

as you referred to the RS trim a generation or something.

Should've said various. The typo I made changed the meaning of the sentence.

 

[-Fred-]

Another good example of that stupid trend. Was disappointing to see a 675LT with those type of wheels as well.

I'm generally not a fan of thin 5 spoke wheels, so yeah, I agree with that. Two toned or not, they're just awful and look cheap and fragile. See also:

Blergh. Granted, the pile of garbage they're sitting underneath in this case does not help them, but that's a terrible wheel design nonetheless.

And keeping on with ugly wheels but on a totally different end of the spectrum, those Honda wheels for the 2006-2011 Civic.

 

[05XR8]

Dang. I meant the 1990's.

 

[Bastet]

Steelies on variation generations of the Lancer Evolution. There's no design here at all, just plain old ugliness.

To be fair that was mostly just on the stripped down models since most people who bought those were gonna replace the wheels anyway. They sell a version of the GT86 that's like that.

with that said the alloys that come on the higher trim GT86s/BRZs/FRS are pretty ugly IMO too.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Also, with the current generation of new cars, I do not understand the Town Fair Tire cheapo aftermarket wheel look from the factory. The whole black/chrome two tone wheels. You see all the bros putting those cheap hideous aftermarket black/chrome wheels on their cars. Now manufacturers are doing it.

This whole black and chrome wheel combination needs to stop....

Speaking of black/silver wheels and how awful they are:

Which is a shame, because the 650/675 is one of the best looking cars out there currently. You're free to say I'm wrong, but it's true.

Penis spokes!

Another good example of that stupid trend. Was disappointing to see a 675LT with those type of wheels as well.

Also not a fan of these McLaren wheels.

These wheels look much better. (apart from the car's color)

I'm generally not a fan of thin 5 spoke wheels, so yeah, I agree with that. Two toned or not, they're just awful and look cheap and fragile. See also:

Blergh. Granted, the pile of garbage they're sitting underneath in this case does not help them, but that's a terrible wheel design nonetheless.

Are you people crazy? You think all these rims look like crap. I'm just sitting here saying that they are perfectly fine, I don't find any of these wheels ugly...

 

[Tornado]

I've always hated what I call the "dual 5 spoke designs" that the industry fell absolutely in love with about 10 years ago, like this:

Where it's obviously supposed to look like they are a 5 spoke but with the center bored out. It almost always just makes the wheels look flimsy or larger than if they had done regular 5 spokes (or, like the Civic, both). It's continued well into this decade and if anything I'd say it has gotten even worse because now manufacturers like to make them curved and/or just paint the center section black, but I'm still calling it the last decade. It really makes me miss when BMW used BBS-style lattice wheels and everyone just copied them.



I also always hated the C4 Salad Shooters:

Same problem of looking humongously heavy without being particularly strong, plus look like they are mounted backwards. And the C4 went from cool turbofan looking wheels to those!

 

[marcvic]

I also always hated the C4 Salad Shooters:

Same problem of looking humongously heavy without being particularly strong, plus look like they are mounted backwards. And the C4 went from cool turbofan looking wheels to those!

This used to bother me so much as a kid - the car looked completely different depending on which side you were looking at. Very popular during the 80s and 90s though.

 

[Tornado]

This used to bother me so much as a kid - the car looked completely different depending on which side you were looking at.

Only if the owner lost some of them. Obviously wasn't true for most cars that had similar designs (including the... um.. C7 Corvette ), but:

The C4's directional wheels (turbines, salad shooters or sawblades) were always matched sets.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Are you people crazy? You think all these rims look like crap. I'm just sitting here saying that they are perfectly fine, I don't find any of these wheels ugly...

Because they remind me of these aftermarket wheels you'd find at a cheap wheel/tire shop....

Also we see all the "bro-dozers" riding around on wheels like this.

At least in the North America, we're sick of seeing these tasteless wheels on something like a Dodge Charger or "bro-dozer" pickup. Something like this....

And this.

The fact that manufacturers are trying to appeal to these people is why we hate them. Exotic cars having these black/chrome wheels makes them look cheap.

 

[buickgnx88]

While I understand this car being an economic car but for a $27K car, I expect to see more premium look rims than this "cheap hubcaps on steelies" thing on the current Toyota Prius. Sure it's not a hubcap but it looks like one...

I'm not 100% if they still do this, but the previous model used wheel covers over steel wheels which were spoked to hide behind the wheel covers, giving the illusion of an aluminum wheel. Regardless, I agree that they are ugly.

Speaking of wheels that aren't hubcaps but look like they are:

I purchased my new Forester (base model) with steel wheels that are very similar to the ones on the CRV. I actually like them because they have a bit of depth to them, I like the 5-spoke design, and I don't have to worry about getting a cracked rim!

1993-1997 base wheels on the Pontiac Firebird. The design does not flow well with the car, and I'm pretty sure these exact rims were used on the Saturn SL/SC.

Nope, the Saturn used a 4-bolt, 4-spoke wheel. I actually liked them since they went with the aerodynamic styling of the car.

For me, there are plenty of wheels that I can't stand the look of. The large majority are ones where the wheel face is flush or close to flush with the tire sidewall. I prefer a wheel with some dish to it. If I had to choose one that encompasses my wheel dislikes, these 90's Nissan wheels would be it.

 

[Michelin Man]

Because they remind me of these aftermarket wheels you'd find at a cheap wheel/tire shop....

Also we see all the "bro-dozers" riding around on wheels like this.

At least in the North America, we're sick of seeing these tasteless wheels on something like a Dodge Charger or "bro-dozer" pickup. Something like this....

And this.

The fact that manufacturers are trying to appeal to these people is why we hate them. Exotic cars having these black/chrome wheels makes them look cheap.

That's exactly the reason I was about to mention, as to why the whole black/silver two-tone design looks so tacky and nasty .

And I think the current Mclaren wheels, especially their current 5-Spokes, are the biggest offender in that regard. Besides looking quite taseless and tacky in design to start with, the two-tone doesn't do it any favours. In-fact, I'm with @-Fred- on this one, as generally really thin 5-Spokes don't look right, cheap, and weak looking IMO.

The one design of thin(ish) 5-Spoke wheel, that works and actually looks quite nice (though some cars pull them off more than others), are Enkei JS+M's

 

[Sage Ages]

I'm not 100% if they still do this, but the previous model used wheel covers over steel wheels which were spoked to hide behind the wheel covers, giving the illusion of an aluminum wheel. Regardless, I agree that they are ugly.

I'm pretty sure those wheels were actually aluminum. Not sure why they came with wheel covers other than aero reasons probably.

 

[buickgnx88]

I'm pretty sure those wheels were actually aluminum. Not sure why they came with wheel covers other than aero reasons probably.

Yeah I thought about that after I posted, would make more sense for efficiency. And yeah, probably for aero, similar to the Civic Hybrid posted earlier.

 

[VXR]

Regards the second generation Prius, I've a feeling the alloys hidden under the covers were made by RAYS.

 

[Sage Ages]

Regards the second generation Prius, I've a feeling the alloys hidden under the covers were made by RAYS.

Probably Enkei. Forged wheels are expensive.

 

[-Fred-]

RAYS makes most of the Nissan wheels, Enkei does pretty much everyone else (Honda, Toyota, Mazda) aside Subaru (RAYS and BBS) and Mitsubishi (OZ and BBS)

 

[BKGlover]

Because they remind me of these aftermarket wheels you'd find at a cheap wheel/tire shop....

Also we see all the "bro-dozers" riding around on wheels like this.

At least in the North America, we're sick of seeing these tasteless wheels on something like a Dodge Charger or "bro-dozer" pickup. Something like this....

And this.

The fact that manufacturers are trying to appeal to these people is why we hate them. Exotic cars having these black/chrome wheels makes them look cheap.

I can tell you the only thing cheap at these places is the air in the showroom. Most are dumb, it is overdone for sure, but the only wheel I would agree on is that matte black truck wheel. I actually quite like that charger as well, the truck can go though.

The counterpoint to the black/bare metal wheels would be the silver/bare metal 'diamond cut' wheels Honda put on the S2000

Anyway, I've always disliked these Z31 wheels.

 

[marcvic]

Only if the owner lost some of them. Obviously wasn't true for most cars that had similar designs, but the C4's directional wheels (turbines, salad shooters or sawblades) were always matched sets.

Hmm, that's interesting. I guess that was the case on economy cars? Now that I think about it, it was usually old Saturns, Chevy cars, Geos and what not.

So when c4 owners rotate their tires, I guess there is a specific order to do them in?

 

[ScottPuss20]

Because they remind me of these aftermarket wheels you'd find at a cheap wheel/tire shop....

Also we see all the "bro-dozers" riding around on wheels like this.

At least in the North America, we're sick of seeing these tasteless wheels on something like a Dodge Charger or "bro-dozer" pickup. Something like this....

And this.

The fact that manufacturers are trying to appeal to these people is why we hate them. Exotic cars having these black/chrome wheels makes them look cheap.

I disagree completely.