Why I decided to upgrade my center caps
Got sick of seeing my Honda’s plain hubcaps every day. Wanted that spinning logo effect when driving like luxury cars have. Figured floating center caps could jazz up my 2018 Civic without breaking the bank.
How I hunted for options
Checked auto shops first but found only basic plastic caps. Went deep into online forums instead. Noticed three things kept popping up:
- Fitment issues – Some caps wouldn’t stay on past 50mph
- Logo misalignment – Cheap ones spun crooked like drunk hamsters
- UV fading – Florida sun murders anything plastic
Testing the finalists
Bought three sets that looked promising. Tested each for two weeks:
- Rotomaster aluminum caps: Survived car washes but started rattling on day 10
- SteelGuard 360s: Perfect spin but left scratch marks on my rims
- CarbonLite hybrids: Plastic body with metal bearings – took forever to install
Why these made my top 3
First place: Went with SteelGuard 360s despite scratches because the floating effect was smoothest. Used clear tape on rim edges – problem solved.
Runner-up: Rotomasters for durability. Glued some foam inside to kill the rattle.
Budget pick: CarbonLites for dry climate folks. Installation hell but cheapest decent option.
Lessons learned the hard way
Measure your rim slots TWICE. Almost returned the Rotomasters cause I eyeballed measurements wrong. And never buy caps with glue-on logos – saw three fly off during highway testing. Not worth the $15 savings.