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How Much Do Car Rims Cost?

Written by: Howmuchisit. org Staff

Last Updated: August 14, 2018

Even though car rims come standard with any car that is purchased, many drivers opt to customize their own to fit their personality and the style of the car. The cost of rims will vary depending upon the colors, the quality, materials, the size, brand and the company selling them.

How much do car rims cost?

On average, car rims can run anywhere from $90 for a lower-end cheap steel set of rims to as much as $1,000+ for a higher-end racing quality set of rims. The prices can often be higher than $400 if they are customized or made from a rarer material. Most of the time, however, you should be able to find a decent aluminum set for $200 or less. Fancier types, often designed for a sportier car such as Corvette or a Mustang, can often be in the thousands. We researched some of the most popular finsihes and included the average price inside the table below.

Black car rims, for instance, tend to be the most popular type of rims purchased online. Rims made from a solid black color can often retail for $80 to as much as $350; again, depending on the factors mentioned above.

Rims designed for older muscle cars can retail for $115 to as much as $700. These rims can be more expensive since most of these rims have to be specially ordered to fit older makes and models.

Average Price (per rim)

Car rim overview

Rims will come in sizes that can range from 15 to 30 inches and widths ranging from three to 16.

Aside from the standard aluminum finish, other popular finishes include black, bronze, chrome, gray, gunmetal, polished, PVD, silver and titanium.

If purchased online, some retailers may include the lug nuts.

What are the extra costs?

Rims often have to be installed by a professional mechanic, and most professionals can charge anywhere from $20 to $40 per wheel. After the rims have been installed, most will include a tire balance either as part of their installation quote as a separate charge.

If you are going to invest in a higher priced rim, consider getting a lock in order to prevent thieves from taking them. A good rim lock set should cost $20 to $40.

Due to the weight, some online retailers may charge a shipping fee.

If required, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which measure the air pressure in a vehicle, may be necessary if your car requires. This sensor, on average, can cost $200 or so.

If lug nuts don’t come with your new set of rims, this can be an additional $30 to $60 for a high-quality set.

Tips to know:

If your car currently has a warranty and the rims have been damaged, consider talking with your local dealer to see if they are covered. On the other hand, if the rims were damaged due to an accident, check with your insurance company to see if these can be replaced.

If you want to increase the size of your rims, make sure your car can handle the new rims. More often than not, many find that rims can cause significant damage if the size of the rims are too large.

How can I save money?

If purchasing rims from a local company, try to find one that offers lifetime balancing and repairs. Many name brand chains, such as Discount Tire, often offer this type of service to their customers.

Check websites such as eBay for used rims. Purchasing rims used is a great way to save more than 50 percent. Just make sure the rims have no significant damage and are not made from a cheaper material.

It’s advisable to check outside sources before settling on the local dealer. From our research, the local dealer can often be 20 to 50 percent more than a local garage or online retailer. If you have your eyes on a certain set of rims, consider asking a local shop if they would be able to install them if you bring the set in.

If you just want a new look, consider powder coating or painting the rims for a new look. Powder coating can oftentimes be much cheaper, usually less than $200 per set. The same can be said about a bent rim. If you want to replace a rim because it’s bent, consider having it fixed. Since it’s a simple process, it can cost less than $100 per rim to resolve the issue.

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