# Buying a new wheel **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 24, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203 "2012-06-24T17:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GSragtop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@GSragtop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSragtop)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/21 "2012-06-26T17:26:43Z")
I think Tire Rack sells mounted and balenced tires on steel rims as well. Shipped right to your door ready to bolt on… Another thought for you. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/22 "2012-06-26T17:58:53Z")
@Thrifty - those $91 wheels are alloy wheels. You have steel wheels, right (they have a hubcap)? You don’t want 1 alloy wheel with 3 steel wheels. As @gsragtop mentioned, [TireRack.com](http://TireRack.com) sells steel wheels mounted with the appropriate tire, balanced and ready to go. If you call them and explain your situation they’ll let you know what a new one will cost. I’ve been very happy with them, I’ve used them several times. ---
**Author:** ![FordMan1959](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@FordMan1959](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FordMan1959)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/23 "2012-06-27T01:34:46Z")
If you’re buying a new steel wheel the mounting hardware will likely be the same. Many times when going from a steel wheel to a mag wheel you’ll need a different style lug nuts for a correct fit. ---
**Author:** ![good\_shepherd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@good\_shepherd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/good_shepherd)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/24 "2012-06-27T07:51:29Z")
Thrifty- That wheel should work. The car-part search engine cross references between different years and makes. The 15x6 from the Sebring convertible/sedan and stratus sedan 2001 or later should all fit. They were all built on the same Chrysler JR-body chassis and have much of the same mechanical components. ---
**Author:** ![Thrifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@Thrifty](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Thrifty)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/25 "2012-07-01T21:22:12Z")
Mission accomplished! The search of [car-part.com](http://car-part.com) turned up several used wheels at a scrap yard near me, Freedom Auto Works. I bought it for $55. It needed a new valve stem, because the cap was missing from the one they sold me. No big deal. I took it over to Pep Boys where they sold me a new tire and valve stem, mounted and installed for about $100. New question! The hubcap of the wheel flew off and is God knows where. A similar thing happened to one of my other wheels a year ago. In that case, though, I kept the wheel and just got the tire replaced, but never replaced the hub cap. So now I have hubcaps on the two driver’s side wheels but none on the passenger’s side. So my question is this… do hub caps hold any function beyond being decorative? If I’m more interested in saving money than having a pretty car, can I just leave the wheels hubcap free? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/26 "2012-07-01T22:09:15Z")
In my teenage years I ran without hub caps with no big problems. They keep the dirt and junk off of the studs and its easier to clean a hub cap than a wheel. Now that said, you’ve had two tire failures in a relativly short time? I’ve had a few screws and nails but I’m trying to remember ever having a major tire failure that didn’t involve road debris-and I’m talking a million miles or more. Just something to think about that maybe you need to upgrade the quality of tires you are buying. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/27 "2012-07-01T22:09:40Z")
You are correct in your assumption. Hubcaps are simply decorative and hold no other function. Many of the newer cars that still use steel wheels use plastic hubcaps that are prone to cracking and falling apart after 7-10 years. There are many replacement styles available that are inexpensive and can dress up the looks of those old, scratched, crack and even damaged original hubcaps. They even have frequent sales at Walmart and some auto parts stores. I can usually find a decent set of 4 plastic hubcaps for around $25 on such sales. ---
**Author:** ![Thrifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@Thrifty](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Thrifty)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203/28 "2012-07-02T03:39:00Z")
Bing,my last tire failure before the current incident was, I think, May 1st 2011. I ran over a nail and punctured the tire. I think that was just bad luck, not due to tire quality. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-new-wheel/73203.md?page=1)