In short. On their own, aftermarket wheels rarely raise what a car is worth by what they cost, and they can lower it. Valuation guides and insurers price a car as it was built. Auto Trader UK says modifications are "not included in our valuations", and the UK Financial Ombudsman Service notes that accessories which appeal to some buyers "could put others off". So if you have the original wheels, keep them: refit them before you sell or hand the car back, and sell the aftermarket set separately. Tell your insurer about the change, and keep the receipts.
Do aftermarket wheels add or lose value?
It depends on who is buying, and nobody publishes a figure. What can be read is how the people who put a number on a car treat wheels that did not come with it. Seven texts, read on 16 October 2026:
| Source | Country | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Trader, car valuation | UK | Its valuation takes into account "age, mileage, spec and optional extras". Modifications, "e.g. alloy wheels", are in a list of factors "not included in our valuations but can increase or decrease the car's value", under the heading of things that can increase it |
| Financial Ombudsman Service, motor valuations | UK | Market value is "the price the vehicle would have sold for at a reputable dealership just before it was damaged or stolen", checked against guides such as AutoTrader, CAP, Cazana and Glass's. Spoilers or racing exhausts "might increase the car's appeal to some people" but "could put others off", so the market value "might not be any higher" |
| WAC 284-30-320 and 284-30-391 | Washington, US | A comparable vehicle has "similar options and mileage" and "similar overall condition"; insurers may make "deductions or additions for options, mileage or condition" if they are itemised in dollars, and must consider information from the claimant |
| Texas Department of Insurance | Texas, US | Actual cash value is "the cost to replace your car, minus depreciation"; replacement parts need only be "of like kind and quality" |
| New York DFS | New York, US | A total loss is settled at "the actual cash value (retail value plus sales tax), which is subject to depreciation and applicable deductions" |
| Insurance Council of Australia | Australia | Market value is set at claim time from pricing guides and comparable sales, using "age, condition, location and mileage"; an agreed value is fixed when the policy starts or renews |
| Insurance Bureau of Canada | Canada | A limited waiver of depreciation can repay the purchase price of a new car after a total loss, "typically 24-months"; endorsements vary by province |
Our reading: two things follow. First, the guides start from the car's specification as built, and a trade buyer prices against them; anything added is a matter for negotiation, not a line in the guide. Second, the one guide that mentions alloy wheels by name lists them as something that can raise the value, while the ombudsman's experience is that additions can as easily narrow the market. Both can be true: a set that suits the car can help a private sale and count for nothing at a part-exchange desk.
We could not read the methods of the American guides Kelley Blue Book and J.D. Power, or of Edmunds: their pages refused our automated reading on 16 October 2026, so we say nothing about how they treat wheels.
Why a buyer may pay less, not more
A buyer looking at a car on wheels it was not sold with has questions the original wheels never raise. Our reading of what the sources above imply:
- Fit and load. Are the width, offset, bolt pattern, centre bore and load rating right for this car? A careful buyer will check the markings, as our guide to reading wheel markings and our guide to buying used alloy wheels explain.
- Tyre pressure monitoring. In Great Britain, on a passenger car first used on or after 1 January 2012, the MOT manual lists a "Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously not working" as a major defect (section 5.2.3 (h)). A set without working sensors is a cost for the next owner. Our MOT and TPMS guide covers the rest.
- Condition. Kerbed or refurbished wheels lower the impression of the whole car; see what can be put right in alloy wheel repair.
- Taste. The ombudsman's point: what appeals to one buyer puts another off.
The MOT itself does not fail a car for wheels that are not the originals. The manual's introduction says modifications "must be assessed on their merits, taking account of the nature of the modification and whether the component is critical to safety" (section 12). The tester looks at the condition, the fixing and the TPMS, not at whether the wheels are the originals. It also fails "a tyre fouling a part of the vehicle" (5.2.3 (f)), which a wrong offset or size can cause.
Should you keep the original wheels?
Our answer, given as a reading of the sources rather than a rule:
| Your situation | Keep the originals? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You will sell or trade in the car | Yes | The guides value the car as built (Auto Trader, the ombudsman); refitting the originals restores that specification, and the aftermarket set can be sold to someone who wants it |
| The car is leased or on a finance plan with a return | Yes | Return conditions are set by your contract; read its wheel and tyre clauses. Handing the car back on its own wheels avoids the question |
| Your insurance pays market value | Yes, and declare the new wheels | In Washington, for example, a total loss is settled against comparable cars "with similar options" (WAC 284-30-320); your receipts are the evidence for an addition |
| You need a winter set | Possibly | The originals, on winter tyres, can be the second set; see storing tyres and wheels between seasons |
| Your car reads sensors in the wheels | Keep the sensors at least | Either set needs working sensors; if you sell the originals, say whether the sensors go with them |
If space or money is the issue, the one part worth keeping above all is the set of fixings that matches the originals. Original and aftermarket wheels can use different nut or bolt seats and lengths: our wheel nut torque guide explains why the seat must match the wheel. If the original fixings are lost, the original wheels cannot safely go back on until the right ones are found.
Telling your insurer: the rules by country
Changing the wheels changes the car you insured. Each country frames your duty differently; everywhere, the safe course is to declare the change.
United Kingdom. Section 2(2) of the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 says: "It is the duty of the consumer to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to the insurer." Section 2(3) adds that failing to comply with the insurer's request to confirm or amend particulars "is capable of being a misrepresentation". Insurers usually ask whether the car has been modified, at the start of the policy and at renewal. Auto Trader itself lists alloy wheels among modifications, so in our reading wheels other than the originals call for a yes. For a car whose added parts really do raise its value, the ombudsman notes that such vehicles "are often specially insured through an agreed-value policy".
United States. Most policies pay actual cash value. In Washington the definition is "the fair market value of the loss vehicle immediately prior to the loss" (WAC 284-30-320 (1)), and the insurer must base its offer on comparable vehicles, "using appropriate deductions or additions for options, mileage or condition" (WAC 284-30-391 (4)(b), worded the same in the version in force from 18 October 2026). It must also "consider relevant information supplied by the claimant" (4)(c): that is where your invoice for the wheels goes. Texas and New York describe actual cash value in the same terms, minus depreciation. Many policies also limit cover for custom equipment that was not declared; we did not find a regulator's page we could read on that point, so check your policy's definitions and ask your agent in writing.
Australia. The Insurance Council of Australia sets out the choice: market value is "what your car would likely sell for on the open market just before it was stolen or written off", calculated at claim time; agreed value is "a fixed dollar amount you and your insurer set when you take out or renew your policy". If you insure at an agreed value, review it after fitting new wheels. Answer your insurer's questions about modifications and check what your policy documents say about them.
Canada. Endorsements, which vary by province, can change what a total loss pays: the Insurance Bureau of Canada describes a limited waiver of depreciation, "typically 24-months" for a new car, and replacement cost cover for a first owner. Ask your broker how added equipment is treated under your provincial policy.
In every country, keep the invoice, the wheel specification and photographs of the car on its new wheels. If the car is written off, they are the evidence for any addition you ask for.
Storing the original wheels
Store them as you would a winter set: our guide to storing tyres and wheels between seasons gives the makers' advice on position, place, pressure and age. Three points specific to originals you mean to refit or sell:
- Record what they are. Photograph the size line and the part number cast or stamped on each wheel; our guides to reading wheel markings and to identifying OEM wheels by part number show where to find them. A buyer or an insurer will ask.
- Keep everything that came with them. Nuts or bolts, centre caps, the locking wheel nut key and its code, and the TPMS sensors if they stay in the wheels. Bag and label them with the set.
- Note the tyres. If the wheels keep their tyres, note the date code and the tread depth. A tyre that has aged in storage lowers what the set is worth; the storage guide gives the makers' views on age.
Selling the original wheels
Describe them exactly. A description is a promise. In the UK, section 13(1) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 says that where goods are sold by description "there is an implied term that the goods will correspond with the description", and the section is not limited to traders: it covers a private sale (section 13(5) sends a trader's sale to a consumer to the Consumer Rights Act 2015). In the US, under § 2-313(1)(b) of the Uniform Commercial Code, "Any description of the goods which is made part of the basis of the bargain creates an express warranty that the goods shall conform to the description." Section 2-313(2) adds that "a statement purporting to be merely the seller's opinion or commendation of the goods does not create a warranty", so, in our reading, "mint" is opinion, while "no repairs" is a fact you can be held to. In Australia and Canada, consumer and sale-of-goods law is set by each state or province; we did not read those texts for this guide.
A complete listing gives:
| Item | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Car maker, model range and part number | Stamped or cast on the wheel |
| Width, diameter, offset, bolt pattern, centre bore | The size line on the wheel |
| Load rating, if marked | Stamped near the size line |
| Repairs or refurbishment | Your records; say so if unknown |
| Kerb damage, by wheel | Photographs of each rim edge |
| Tyres: size, date code, tread depth | Tyre sidewall and a depth gauge |
| TPMS sensors: included or not | Your records or a fitter's check |
| Fixings, centre caps, locking key | What you kept |
Shipping. A complete wheel is a large parcel. The USPS Domestic Mail Manual (101, 3.2.1) sets the limit for USPS Ground Advantage Retail at "130 inches in length and girth combined", and otherwise "no mailpiece may measure more than 108 inches in length and girth combined"; girth "is the distance around the thickest part", and no mailpiece may weigh more than 70 lb (3.2.2). Our calculation, for a box with one inch of packing on each side and the tyre's nominal section width:
| Wheel and tyre | Outside diameter | Box (inches) | Length plus girth | Under 108 in? | Under 130 in? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225/45 R17 | 634.3 mm (25.0 in) | 27 × 27 × 11 | 103 in | Yes | Yes |
| 255/35 R19 | 661.1 mm (26.0 in) | 29 × 29 × 13 | 113 in | No | Yes |
| 275/40 R20 | 728.0 mm (28.7 in) | 31 × 31 × 13 | 119 in | No | Yes |
The diameter is the rim diameter times 25.4, plus twice the tyre's width times its aspect ratio: for 255/35 R19, 19 × 25.4 + 2 × 255 × 0.35 = 661.1 mm. Real tyres measure a little more or less than the nominal width, so measure your own box and weigh it. Outside the US, check your carrier's own limits before you agree a delivery price; the British carrier page we tried refused our reading.
Collection in person also lets the buyer have the wheels spun on a balancer, as our used wheels guide advises.
When you sell the car
In the US, a private seller is not a "dealer" under the FTC's Used Car Rule (the rule covers anyone who sells a used vehicle after selling or offering five or more in the previous twelve months), but the dealer who resells your car is: 16 CFR § 455.1 makes it a deceptive practice "To misrepresent the mechanical condition of a used vehicle". Whether you refit the originals or not, say in the advert which wheels the car wears, whether the originals come with it, and whether the pressure sensors work.
Before any wheels go back on, the car must be raised and supported on axle stands, not on the jack alone, and the nuts or bolts tightened to the car maker's torque in a cross pattern, then checked again after a short drive. If you are unsure about the fixings, have a fitter do it and check the wheels before you take the car back on the road.
About Onyx Forged
Onyx Forged is a French brand of made-to-order forged wheels, designed to JWL/VIA standards. Onyx Forged does not recommend a size or an offset: the figures come from your car maker's documents, and the design office works out the wheels for the car as you describe it. The advice above applies to our wheels as to any other set.
Frequently asked questions
Do aftermarket wheels decrease a car's value?
They can. Valuation guides price the car as built, and the UK ombudsman notes that additions which appeal to some buyers can put others off. Refitting the original wheels before a sale removes the question.
Do new rims add value to a car?
Rarely by what they cost. Auto Trader lists modifications such as alloy wheels as something that can increase value but leaves them out of its valuation; a private buyer who likes the wheels may pay more, a trade buyer usually will not.
Should I keep my OEM wheels?
Yes, if you can store them. They restore the car's original specification for a sale, a lease return or a winter set, and their fixings are needed to refit them.
Do I have to tell my insurer about new wheels?
In the UK, you must take reasonable care not to misrepresent the car, and insurers ask about modifications. In the US, Australia and Canada, tell your insurer and read how your policy treats added equipment; keep the invoice.
Will my insurer pay for my aftermarket wheels after a write-off?
It depends on the policy. Under a market-value policy, the insurer compares your car with similar ones; in Washington it must consider information you supply and itemise any addition. An agreed-value policy fixes the sum in advance.
What should I include when selling OEM wheels?
The part number, the size line (width, diameter, offset, bolt pattern, centre bore), any repairs, photographs of each rim, the tyres' date codes and tread, and whether sensors, caps and fixings come with them.
Can I post a wheel and tyre by USPS?
Within 130 inches of length plus girth and 70 lb by USPS Ground Advantage Retail, 108 inches otherwise. By our calculation a 17-inch wheel and tyre fits under 108 inches; a 19- or 20-inch one usually needs the 130-inch limit.
Do aftermarket wheels fail the MOT?
Not for being aftermarket. The tester checks their condition and fixing, that the tyres do not foul the car and, on cars first used on or after 1 January 2012, that the pressure monitoring system works.
Where to go next
Before buying a set, read buying used alloy wheels and, if the car is still under warranty, whether aftermarket wheels void it; before putting the originals away, storing tyres and wheels between seasons. To specify a set of forged wheels for your car, see how to customise a set.
Sources
- Valuation: Auto Trader UK, car valuation; Financial Ombudsman Service, motor valuations and write-offs.
- Insurance: Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 2; WAC 284-30-320 and WAC 284-30-391 (Washington); Texas Department of Insurance, auto insurance guide; New York DFS, auto insurance; Insurance Council of Australia, agreed value vs market value; Insurance Bureau of Canada, auto insurance endorsements.
- Sale: Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 13; Uniform Commercial Code § 2-313; 16 CFR § 455.1, FTC Used Car Rule.
- Shipping: USPS Domestic Mail Manual, 101 Physical Standards.
- MOT: GOV.UK, MOT inspection manual, section 5 and introduction.
All pages were read on 16 October 2026.
The Onyx Forged design office.