Lately, it’s all about the wheels – what showcases the tyres and car the best. Some like to select brightly hued, bulge acorn lug nuts or a set of cool chrome center caps, gun metal or customized color. Others slap on a set of stylish spinners, embracing the fashion of hip-hoppers like 50 Cent, Nelly and Redman. LED lights are being seen more and more on the streets after dark. It’s eye catching to say the least.

Just a Few Terms to Get You Started:

• Spinners are bolted onto your rims and spin on bearings, giving the wheels the visual impact of unexpected movement. Since they move independent of the rims spinners spin around even when the wheel is stopped, energized by the law of momentum, sliding along on their bearings with little opposition from the wheel itself.

• When you buy a car your rims have what are called factory center caps. To make your rims more catchy, grab a set of chrome center caps and let your rims shine.

• Center caps can be snapped into place when upgrading your tires with aftermarket rims. The caps cover the center of the rim and can have all manner of designs – domestic or foreign logos, even a concept design. An inexpensive way to find center caps for rims is through the salvage yard industry. You can always check on the web; you are sure to find a supplier who can help you obtain what you want.

• Rims purchased from a manufacturer other than the car maker are called aftermarket rims and are used to personalize your car. Aftermarket rims come with center caps but you can get a set of unique center caps to really make them stand out.

• Hub caps cover the complete rim to protect and add style to the stock steel rims they normally cover.

• LEDs are an optional addition to rims. The LEDs emit a glowing light and are powered by small long-life batteries.

• Wheel spacers give extra width to the wheels and tires, shifting them out towards the fenders. You get an aggressive look and improved handling, too.