With so many great looking aftermarket wheels, why would a company go out of their way to make ugly rims? If you’re going to invest in a good set of wheels, make sure you steer clear of these niche car rims. Any quick search of the term “ugly wheels” will show you how a set of weird wheels can seriously ruin a decent car. So we’re going to save you a harsh car culture learning experience: if you think you’re thinking of replacing your stock wheels with any of these fashion statement (?) type of wheels here, just don’t. You’ll thank us later because these are without doubt some of the ugliest wheels ever made. But before we show off a few of our “favorites” here are a few alternative rim ideas for those who really can’t stand the sight of their stock rims.
Firstly, wheels are wheels. You might have alloy rims, you might have steel rims. But before you invest in a set of wheels that you’re going to regret, why not fix the ones you’ve got? If you really can’t stomach what you’re rolling on, how about covering them up with a new set of hubcaps? Hub caps are inexpensive and the right set can transform your wheels, especially when they’re supporting brand new tires too.
If that doesn’t tickle you, you could always breathe some new life into your old wheels by giving them a new paint job. A new color can revitalize tired rims. With the right preparation and patience, you could repaint your rims and come out with something surprisingly good. Matte black is a regular choice, over a can of black rustoleum, and a black chrome finish can also be achieved with a little bit of extra effort. A bit of prep and a light sanding (definitely not down to bare metal on steel rims, and a light covering on alloy wheels) with the proper application of paint can work wonders. In fact, the right colors can help give the impression of oversized wheels or different tire size if done correctly – and all at the fraction of the cost.
However, if you really want to invest in some terrible rims, here’s some horrendous inspiration for you!
Ugly Rims That No-one Needs On Their Cars
Ronal Teddy Bear Wheel
I think I’ve seen these once on the road, and I have no idea who might be buying them, but Ronal has been making them for over 10 years (which is a frighteningly long time). The only redeeming element to this design is that the engineers chose to put the center cap lock where the bear’s belly button would be located – and belly button location on your wheel covers is hardly a mark of good taste. Putting a teddy bear on these is the surest way to ruin a perfectly fine, good set of wheels. There’s a reason new cars don’t come with car rims like these. Why would anyone want teddy bear rims?!
Koala Bear Wheels
If you live in Australia and the idea of a teddy bear on your car rims seems repulsive, there are now koala bear wheels. The only drawback is that the koalas sleep 22 hours a day so you have to plan your commute very carefully. These are some of the ugliest wheels ever, unless you’ve got a legit reason for having them. But we doubt many koala keepers or wildlife experts have tastes as questionable as this.
Daisy Wheels
A popular change over from the OEM VW Beetle wheels, the Daisy wheels seemed to appeal to the same people who kept fresh flowers in the car’s dashboard bud vase. These are some seriously ugly rims that won’t make an ugly car look any better. Or an ugly owner for that matter.
Envy Wheels
I’m sure a psychiatrist would have a field day with whomever would purchase these wheels. And I wonder what his mother had to say about them the first time he came home with them. To me, it says “at least I have a big wheel”. There’s not really much to say about these horrific things. You’d want some wheel covers to stick over these steel members, wouldn’t you?
Venetian Blinds
These wheels remind me of a window with its Venetian blinds closed. Is there a pull cord somewhere on the wheel that raises the blinds should you have to access the lug nuts to change a tire? They’re certainly weird, but when it comes to ugly rims, we’ve seen worse. These are more like convenient wheel covers that you could use to cover up anything obscene on your steel wheels, like the shiny little fellas in the entry above, for example. Maybe they’d be good to help you differentiate between your summer and winter wheels? Maybe your blinds are closed for winter? No, not even then. Winter tires deserve better winter rims than these.
Michelin Man Wheels
I seriously cannot think of a less attractive way to self-promote your company. What happens when you get brake dust all over the wheels, making for a dirty Michelin Man? Or what happens whens when you curb a wheel? Worse yet, what if you decide that Michelins are too expensive and you buy Hankooks or Falkens instead? There’s nothing quite like mismatching rims and tires…probably.
One Quarter Wheel
These are some seriously ugly rims. First, I don’t understand why someone would go to all the trouble to make a wheel using the representation of a coin. Scratch that. What I don’t understand is why you’d use a Quarter and not a Silver Dollar. While these wheels are 22″, it’s too bad no tire company makes 25″ performance tires, as that would be the ultimate rims and tires pairing.
The Knee Capper
Here’s a set of wheels where the wire basket and center hub have been extended so far, it looks like James Bond’s Aston Martin in Goldfinger (Mustang convertibles beware). In addition to the very real chance of scraping the sides of another car, consider the hazard it creates for pedestrians walking through a grocery store parking lot. This is how you turn a nice car into an ugly car in one stupid move.
Heart Wheel
I’m not sure what to say about this wheel. Ugliest wheels ever, maybe? Really. I’m speechless. It’s strange that new cars don’t come with these as standard, isn’t it?
