I'm always flattered because I know they read and loved whatever I wrote. But that won't help me in my current quest.
I'm ashamed to admit that when I took delivery of this car about three years ago, I did not pay closer attention. I'm almost positive that when I first looked at it that it had factory alloy wheels. I drove off with plain steel wheels with wheel covers which closely resemble the alloys at first glance. For whatever reasons I did not push the issue in a timely manner.
It is what it is. Kicking the covers back tight when they appear to be less than snug on the wheel had become tiresome over the last many months.
Then, prior to the trip, one cover fell off without me knowing exactly when. I had a spare as a result of the deer strike repair--no need to explain why--so I grudgingly snapped it on.
One of the tires developed a slow leak about the time I reached Oregon, so before heading out to the campground event, I stopped at Eugene's version of Discount Tires which is called America's Tires. Same company.
They fixed it and did everything they could to be first rate; balanced the wheels because they suspected they might be slightly out, and generally behaved competently. It didn't cost anything because I bought the tires from that company.
Then I stopped for fuel about ten miles down the road and noticed a wheel cover missing. I went back to the tire place but they looked everywhere and are sure they did not leave it off. The guy who did the work wasn't defensive, but he was concerned and helpful. They had some wheel covers that would fit so they put that set on so all would match. They were a bit less sedate than what was on but I had just about had it with frigging hubcaps. I kept a couple of the old ones, throwing them in the car, trashed the third since I still have spares at home. While at the wedding celebration event I drove up the store one day. When I got back one of those had fallen off a different wheel. That was it!
I removed the others and tossed them in the dumpster. Hubcaps flying off of wheels could kill someone or damage a car. It is a public hazard, like driving drunk. Eliminating the known risk was the right thing to do.
Now I need just simple, plain center caps to cover that axle nut in the very center, then I'll spray the wheels flat or semi-gloss black so they look ok, and that will be that. They aren't really ugly like some wheels.
My problem is finding the simple, functional center caps. I tried to look on line and all I found was stupid stuff that costs over a hundred dollars for one. There should be simple ones that don't even cost ten dollars each. But where are they?
