Wheel nut covers or new nuts?

[JW1]

Hi All,
I am wondering if I should buy some wheel nut covers to replace my rusty looking nuts, or purchase some stainless steel replacement nuts? I have heard that the nut covers fall off, has anyone experience of this? Do stainless nuts continue looking good?
James.

[marky911]

I've been using the nut covers off Ebay for years, after becoming fed up with the Porsche nuts not lasting more than a couple of years. I have no experience of Stainless ones but, they'll be slightly heavier than the alloy ones but that's no biggie obviously.

I've never lost a nut cover yet and they're great value compared to a new set of nuts. I always go for the black ones as they're a nice contrast on a silver wheel, but the silver look fine too.

[Zyp]

On my last car I used an artists brush and small pot of silver enamel - cost was a few quid and lasted ages.

[Martian O]

I bought a set of titanium bolts a couple of years ago from PorscheShop. Circa £300 for 20, no more rusting and a bit lighter too.

[FarQue]

Zyp said:

On my last car I used an artists brush and small pot of silver enamel - cost was a few quid and lasted ages.

Or a basic 'silver' touch up paint from a motor factors and touch 'em up as required.

[Zyp]

FarQue said:

Or a basic 'silver' touch up paint from a motor factors and touch 'em up as required.

Even that.

I just happened to have the paint and brush anyway

[m030]

Why not get the black ones from Porsche ?

[Tino]

I took mine off 4 at a time(one from each wheel).
Drilled 4 holes in a piece of wood.
Cleaned off the rust with a wire brish and spray pained the bolts using a can of silver that I happened to have in teh garage.
The finish has lasted 3 years, but I don't go to car wash places that spray the corrosive wheel cleaning solution.

[Trev450]

Tino said:

I took mine off 4 at a time(one from each wheel).
Drilled 4 holes in a piece of wood.
Cleaned off the rust with a wire brish and spray pained the bolts using a can of silver that I happened to have in teh garage.
The finish has lasted 3 years, but I don't go to car wash places that spray the corrosive wheel cleaning solution.

I did a similar exercise a few years ago and they only lasted about a year. I now use the 'Zyp' method and find they last a lot longer. Mine is used daily, however, salt and all.

[marky911]

Painting them seems so labour intensive when you get a nice set of covers for a tenner, that dare I say it, look better than brush painted jobbies.

To the guy asking about the black Porsche ones, they don't last five minutes, well ok, two years if that and that's on a pampered summer toy, washed considerately, eg no nasty chemicals sprayed all over them.

At £50 a set it gets expensive.

[nsm3]

I used to use the cheap black ones from Porscheshop - but had to buy 4 "spare" bolts as they don't fit onto the cylindrical locking bolts.

Only pain was taking them off and re-fitting lockers come service time (warranty nonsense etc).

This has reminded me that I hadn't re-fitted them since last October.

[Zyp]

marky911 said:

Painting them seems so labour intensive when you get a nice set of covers for a tenner, that dare I say it, look better than brush painted jobbies.

To the guy asking about the black Porsche ones, they don't last five minutes, well ok, two years if that and that's on a pampered summer toy, washed considerately, eg no nasty chemicals sprayed all over them.

At £50 a set it gets expensive.

Not at all - as the nuts are recessed you can only see the face.
Takes literally minutes to just touch in the rusty spots.

[FarQue]

I'm with Zyp - it's so simple even I can cope.

[IanHug]

OPC replaced mine at the last service without me asking. Corrosion may be more than cosmetic.