Steel Wheels vs Alloy Wheels

[zubenelgenubi]

Hi,

Im considering a new pilot and wondering what users here think about steel vs alloy wheels.

Living here in the Northeast we have a lot of snow and thus salt, which seems to corrode the alloy, leading to a loss of airpressure and lousy mileage (unless frequently topped up). Apparently the alloy wheels look nicer, but if they start to corrode then they look a lot worse.

So, I guess my question is directed to those with a feeling one way or the other.

Also looking for feedback on how well the Bluetooth audio streaming works (EX and above).

For me those are 2 feature differences between the LX and the EX that keep me going backwards and forwards between the 2 models. Most other stuff seems extraneous.

TIA

[PM12EX-L]

i don't live up North, so i can't really say...but i would think a steel wheel would rust/corrode faster than any alloy wheel...not to mention, they will weigh more (lower mpg's)....if going with steel wheels, powdercoated would probably be best

[whizmo]

If you're buying a new Pilot, the wheel decision is basically baked into the LX vs. EX option packages and there are so many differences in these packages, I'm not sure the wheel material would be that important.

In general, steel wheels are the simple, durable, low-performance, low-style option. Lots use them as a cheap way to have a separate set of winter wheels for snow tires.

They increase unsprung weight so theoretically the car doesn't handle as well, although whether this would actually be discernible to the average driver on a car like the Pilot is debatable. There may be more corrosion issues with one or the other, but unless you're doing something unusual or never wash the car, I wouldn't think it would get bad enough to be a concern about pressure loss. If you ding a steel wheel, certainly the replacement is going to be cheaper. And because they use wheel covers, they're probably better if you are the type that is susceptible to curb rash problems.

Mostly, I think its whether you want the wheel that most think is better looking and that provides a small performance advantage. And again, this is only one difference in a lot of differences between the option packages.

- Mark