One of the easiest and most popular do-it-yourself activities to personalize a vehicle is to add
specialty wheels or hubcaps. While a driver can spend thousands of dollars on such products, affordable yet stylish options are growing in popularity.
Introduced to the market initially as a high-end customization feature,
spinning rims have now filtered down to the mass retail level and is a hot category in automotive departments. These spinners can be purchased for as little as $49.99 a set.
"It gives the car a different look. It came out about two to three years ago and it's just starting to become more popular," said Fang Chiang, manager at AutoSmart International, which produces four-packs of spinners sold at AutoZone, Pep Boys, Target and Kmart.
Chiang said sales have been phenomenal. As a result, competition is heating up in the low-priced spinner category.
Another new entrant to the segment is American Products Company, which last year debuted Spinning Hubcaps sets for under $50. "We're selling massive amounts of those," said Kevin Kraack, director of public relations at APC. "It's just there purely as something cool to look at."
Chiang said AutoSmart's spinners are different from the competition because the spinning part is inside the wheel cover rather than protruding, as many of the high-end ones do. The company produces spinners in typical wheel sizes of 14 and 15 inches and is now working to expand its offering to smaller and larger wheel covers.
