How to Buy Wheels as a Gift: Our 5–Step Guide

Rims are the gift that keeps on giving!

Maybe you want to reward a young driver in your household who’s worked hard, earned good grades and been a champ all year. Or perhaps your spouse wants a blinged out ride? You may even know a motorsport enthusiast who’s dying to level up their whip or rig.

No matter who you’re shopping for, wheels are a great, high impact and highly practical gift idea. But if you’re not familiar with the world of wheels, don’t sweat it. We’ve put together an easy step-by-step guide to help you purchase, install and deliver the big surprise.

Ready to start?

If you’re an early shopper, you can check out our Black Friday wheel and tire deals, too!

BUYING WHEELS AS A GIFT

Here’s our recommended steps for surprising someone with a set of wheels as a gift this holiday season.

Pro tip: this guide also works well for gifts on just about any special occasion, like birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, graduations and other celebrations!

Step 1: Do your research

This is probably the most challenging task but also the most necessary. Many people aren’t familiar with wheels or how to choose the right size. Don’t worry, we’ll outline what you should keep in mind when considering a set of rims as a gift.

Of course, if your recipient already has a set in mind, this step is much easier!

Because wheels are a personalized style statement, two of the first things to consider are wheel color and finish, but you should also consider:

• Size (including width)

• Offset

• Load capacity

Wheel style is also a huge factor. For some, it’s the most important aspect to consider, so hopefully you know your recipient well.

Want to make sure a certain style works on a specific vehicle? Our handy wheel visualizer makes shopping much easier by showing you a clear picture of what your selected rim looks like on a specific vehicle make, model and trim level—even down to the vehicle’s paint color!

How do I find out my wheel size?

Of course you want to make sure the rims you choose fit the vehicle you want. Wheel size consists of several different measurements including width, diameter, bolt pattern and offset.

The easiest way to find out a vehicle’s rim size is to enter it into our wheel fitment guide. It stores the sizes for every vehicle type depending on model year, trim and options. This allows you to shop wheels that will absolutely fit the vehicle you have in mind.

Finding the wheel size on your own is a little trickier and requires you have access to the rims without the tires mounted on them. You will need to make some measurements.

• Diameter is the easiest to find because it is located on your tire’s sidewall. We show you how to check your tire’s size but to find the wheel diameter, look for the number after the “R” in the tire size.

• For wheel width, measure the distance from bead seat to bead seat in inches. Width affects your tire’s contact patch and ride handling.

• Your bolt pattern can be a little difficult to measure because it uses two numbers, one indicates how many bolts the wheel needs and the other measures the diameter (in a circle) between these holes. We have a handy video on how to measure your bolt pattern for your convenience.

  • Wheel bolt patterns are most commonly four, five, six and eight lug bolt patterns.

• Wheel offset refers to how far your wheels sit from the mounting surface. This affects your wheel’s stance. Offsets can be positive, zero and negative. Offset affects how your vehicle looks.

If you’re not sure what size or bolt pattern you need, please reach out to us and we’ll assist you.

Step 2: Buy & book an appointment online

Tip: keep an eye on our tire deals and wheel promotions!

Once you’ve selected the best wheels for your gift recipient, complete your purchase and make your appointment online to get the most convenient installation possible. Buy and book online to save time!

Want to buy your gift now and pay later? Financing is easier than ever with the Discount Tire credit card.

We also offer a 5% military discount for active duty, veterans and reserves using ID.me. Our military discount can be combined with other deals, rebates and instant savings!

Here’s another shopping hack: buying online with a free Discount Tire account makes it easy to manage your appointments and add vehicles to your “garage” so you can shop for tires and wheels that fit. Plus, you’ll get access to exclusive online-only discounts and tons of other perks!

Step 3: Find an excuse

This part could be a little tricky: finding a natural sounding excuse to get ahold of your giftee’s vehicle.

If you take it to “run errands,” be sure to budget a couple hours, just in case. Our stores are able to mount and balance aftermarket wheels very quickly; even if you don’t have an appointment, you shouldn’t have to wait too long.

If you’re able to make your wheel installation appointment for later in the evening (we close at 6PM), you could manage to return under cover of darkness and reduce the risk of ruining the surprise.

Step 4: Stash the vehicle

If you’re committed to keeping the new wheels a surprise, you’ll need to figure out a way hide the vehicle from view until the big reveal.

If you have a garage (and a good excuse) you can keep the vehicle there. But a trusted neighbor or relative with extra space could be a viable option too.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the space to hide it for you!

Step 5: Wake up (extra) early to deliver

And now the fun part! Now’s the time to quietly pull the vehicle into your recipient’s driveway for the big reveal.

This means you’ll probably be waking up pretty early to get ahead of eager gift givers and receivers alike.

Be sure to turn and lock the steering wheel in an advantageous angle to show them off (both in person and on social media)!

Unfortunately we don’t supply the big bows for the hood, but we encourage you to go the distance if you can. New wheels and rims definitely can have the effect of rejuvenating a vehicle, making it look brand new.

Feel free to share with us on our social media accounts at YouTube, X, Facebook and Instagram!

Ready to roll?

We’re ready to help you out with any wheel or tire questions. Just drop by, give us a ring or make an appointment and we’ll get you taken care of. Buy and book online to save time!