Do Tires Come With Rims? [ Answered ]

Vehicle owners often find themselves confused about different parts of the wheels, especially the rims and the hubcaps. Hence, you might wonder if you’ll automatically get new rims when you buy tires.

It is easy to assume that tires come with rims, as that’s the way you’ll see them pictured in advertisements and product pictures. However, unless you are specifically buying a rim and tire combo, you’ll be getting only the tires.

Do tires come with rims?

Tires don’t usually come with rims. When buying a tire, you usually pay for only the tire, i.e., the inflated rubber ring that stays around the wheel.

The rim is not a part of the tire, it is a completely separate part of the wheel. If your car needs a new rim, you’ll have to purchase it separately or look for a combo package that includes both tires and rims.

This isn’t necessarily bad, as it saves you the cost of buying a rim you don’t need. If tires came with rims, the overall cost would have been much higher to include the price of the rims in addition to the tires. In that case, you’d have been paying for new rims even when you only needed new tires. It’s more cost-effective the way it is now.

If you’re buying new tires, don’t assume they’re coming with new rims, just with their pictures showing the tires around the rims.

Tire brands and retailers often include the rims in product images purely for aesthetic purposes. If you’re specifically looking for a package that includes rims, investigate properly before you spend your money.

Do tires come with hubcaps?

Just like wheel rims, hubcaps aren’t a part of the tires either.

A hubcap is a separate component made of plastic or metal, which covers the wheel’s hub and might also cover the rim. It mostly serves aesthetic purposes and does not have much functional use.

In case your current hubcaps have suffered damage and you need to replace them, you’ll have to purchase new hubcaps separately. Unless you buy a tire package that includes hubcaps, you won’t be getting any. In most cases, tires don’t come with hubcaps.

Are rims part of the tire?

While it is true that the rim does hold the tire in place and maintains its shape, it is not a part of the tire.

Despite misconceptions that rims might be a part of tires, they are completely different components. The reason why many assume tires to include rims is that a tire connects directly to a rim.

The rim is simply an inner part of a tire to maintain its shape. However, the rim is a component of the wheel, and helps keep it connected to the tire.

In short, the term ‘tire’ only refers to the donut-shaped rubber part around a wheel. It does not include any other component.

Do the tires come with rims at Firestone?

While there are plenty of tire manufacturers out there, few brands can rival Firestone when it comes to both tires and rims.

Firestone offers a decent range of rims to pick from and a variety of tires. A leading brand with a reputation for its high-quality tires, Firestone is a solid choice if you need new rims along with your new tires.

One of the biggest factors that set apart Firestone in this regard is their range of tire and rim packages.  If you purchase one of these tire/rim packages, the tires will come with rims.

Else, you could also choose to buy tires and rims separately. When you are in need of new rims, buying a tire/rim package is a good idea. This is because when selling them as a package, Firestone pairs the rims and the tires perfectly.

It ensures maximum compatibility and optimum performance. You won’t have to worry about the rim size not matching the tires when you buy a Firestone tire/rim package.

However, as we mentioned, Firestone also offers tires and rims separately. You don’t necessarily have to buy a tire/rim package if you only buy either tires or rims. Usually, a rim replacement is necessary only when your current rim is in a bad condition or you want to change to a different rim size.

Where to get your tires from?

Getting new tires is no big deal, they are easily available at a variety of physical locations as well as online marketplaces. As long as you purchase them from a reputable place, there shouldn’t be an issue. You may buy your tires from:

Brand outlets and showrooms

When buying tires from reputed brands, you may purchase them directly from their dealerships. As brand dealerships and showrooms usually have a vast range of tires, you can choose from plenty of options and pick the most suitable tire for your vehicle. However, in this case, you will have to be sure about wanting to buy tires from a specific brand.

Tire shops

Local tire shops and garages are a viable option too. In fact, buying your tires from a local tire shop might prove to be more cost-effective than a brand dealership.

This is because tire shops offer various deals and discounts, and brand dealerships also charge various associated costs that may drive up the expenses. Especially if you are on good terms with your local garage or tire store and visit them often, you might get a good deal.

Online marketplaces

Of course, almost everything is available for purchase online, and so are tires. This is usually the most cost-effective option, as online store tires are cheaper than physical tire shops and dealerships.

There are plenty of reputed online tire marketplaces to choose from, and you’ll have a variety of options available.

Buying your tires online will also allow you to go through customer reviews as you weigh your options. The only major downside of buying a tire online is that you won’t be able to check it out physically.

You may go for whichever option you find to be the most convenient, as long as it is reliable. For instance, when buying your tires online, get them from a reputed online store that offers genuine branded tires.

Where to get your rims from?

Like tires, you can get new rims from dealerships, tire shops, and online marketplaces too. However, you may not be able to find a decent range of rims in all tire shops, especially the smaller ones.

Buying a wheel and rim package from a brand dealership can help you save money on mounting charges.

For example, when you buy a tire/rim package from a Firestone dealership, it will come pre-mounted. However, if you buy a rim online, you may have to shell out some money to get the tire mounted on it at a tire store or garage.

Regardless of whether you are buying your rims online or from a physical store, pay attention to their specifications. Rims are available in a variety of sizes and designs for different vehicles.

Should you get new rims or hubcaps?

You won’t have to choose between having rims or hubcaps on your wheels, as a rim isn’t optional. It’s a crucial component present in every wheel, while hubcaps are non compulsory.

Without a rim, you can’t attach a tire over the wheel. On the other hand, the hubcaps mostly help the wheels look good. Besides aesthetics, its only functional purpose is to protect the lug nuts from exposure to damaging elements.

In case your rims have become old and worn-out, you have two choices – either replace the rim with a new one or cover it up with a hubcap. Depending on your preferences, either one can be a good option. Here are the factors you should consider:

• A hubcap is much more affordable than a new rim.
• Made of steel or other tough alloys, rims are extremely durable. Hubcaps consist of either metal or plastic and are structurally much weaker than rims.
• While the key purpose of hubcaps is to make your wheels look better, you can buy extremely stylish aftermarket rims too.

Hence, rims are overall a better choice than hubcaps but also cost significantly more. You may go for whichever you find to be more suitable.

Should you put hubcaps on any wheel?

You can put a hubcap on any wheel as long as the size is suitable. However, if your car already has stylish rims that look great, hubcaps do not need to cover them up.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you need new rims or hubcaps, you’ll have to either buy them separately or purchase a combo package when buying tires. You may visit a dealership, retail store, or online marketplace to check out their range of rims and hubcaps.