Alloy Wheels vs Steel Wheels- Which Wheels Are Better?

Alloy and steel wheels are the most common type of wheels. As the name indicates, alloy wheels are made of metal alloys, predominantly aluminium or magnesium alloys. The mixture of metals with different qualities like malleability and hardness is expected to render the alloy wheels with better qualities than a steel wheel.

You can consider both the wheels and decide upon the one for you, by analyzing your requirements, vis-à-vis the pros and cons of either type of wheels.

Alloy Wheels

Alloy wheels are one of the highlighted add-ons on a luxury or high priced car. Among the cost-effective and budget-friendly models, only the top variant will be offering alloy wheels.

Advantages of Alloy Wheels

The advantages of alloy wheels are:

• Aesthetic Appeal – The design features of the alloy wheel will differ from models to models. It simply elevates the appearance of the car manifold with designs such as diamond cut and laser cut.
• Non-corrosive – This is a big advantage for a tropical country like India, wherein the coastal area with the saline, corrosive, atmospheric condition is more.
• Lightweight – It could be either Aluminium or Magnesium alloy. Both metals are lightweight. Hence, the total weight of the alloy wheel is also less. This helps in improving fuel efficiency, boosting acceleration, and enhancing braking and performance.
• Heat Dissipation – Alloys dissipate heat quickly. It increases the longevity of the wheels.

Disadvantages of Alloy Wheels

Nothing is perfect in this world. You cannot expect 100% performance even from a masterpiece product, created after exhaustive research and development. The alloy wheels are intended to have all the positive traits of the metals used. Nonetheless, it also has a few demerits.

• Cost – The alloy wheels are exorbitantly priced, for a common person to afford. None can be blamed for the cost. Since it undergoes an extensive production process, making the total production cost high.
• Repair Process – This is another area where the alloy wheel fails in front of steel wheels. The repair process is elaborate, requiring special materials and machinery. Therefore, it is complicated, as well as, costly.
• Rigid Characteristics – As the alloy wheels are rigid, they are prone to cracks, nicks, and dents. Moreover, the alloy wheel is not as strong as steel. Any defect can affect the visual appeal of the wheel and the whole vehicle. And will necessitate you to repair/ replace it at the earliest, shelling out money.

Steel Wheels

Steel wheels are the commonly used ones. The affordable wheels are the unavoidable feature of budget-friendly models and lower variants of costly cars.

Advantages of Steel Wheels

Steel wheels may not appeal like an alloy wheel. However, it has some advantages over alloy wheels.

• Economical – Steel wheels are cheaper to buy and easier to maintain. The production process of steel wheels is straightforward as there is no mixing of metals in a derived proportion. Furthermore, the wheels can be repaired by simply using a mallet in case of dents or bents.
• Durability – The shelf life and service life of steel wheels are extremely high. It will not have any problem even if you use the car for rough roads, mountains or during off-roading. Therefore, adventure aficionados normally choose steel wheels.
• Quality – Steel wheels offer decent quality in less price. It may not provide the car with a premium look. Nevertheless, the steel wheel will remain the car’s lifelong partner.

Disadvantages of Steel Wheels

Explained below are the disadvantages of steel wheels. It is obvious that the demerits concerning steel wheels had led to the development of alloy wheels. Even then, steel wheels are advisable for those with budget constraints, adventure trip enthusiasts, and used car buyers.

• Corrosive – Steel is corrosive. This adversely affects the life of steel wheels. The steel wheels used in the humid and salty atmospheric condition, which is conducive for corrosion, may get rusted in a short period of usage. Therefore, steel wheels are not an ideal choice for coastal areas including Kerala. Methods like powder coating are proven effective in protecting the steel wheels from early rusting.
• Weight – Steel wheels are heavier than alloy wheels. Although the weight provides better traction than alloy wheels, it affects the performance of the car.
• Looks – No, it doesn’t have the mighty looks of an alloy wheel. This has been the reason for the luxury cars sporting alloy wheels instead of steel ones.

Indus Motors is a great place to work on your Maruti cars. Besides providing a good working relationship, you can find genuine accessories for your Maruti cars. Personalise your car with your favourite accessory at the latest price from Indus Motors. Be it Alloy Wheel, Custom-fit Seat Covers, Seat Cushions, Dashboard covers or other car modern accessories, get in touch with Indus Motors to buy your desired car fittings and customize your vehicle in a trendy way.