rizgs300

Newbie here...have been checking out the site, and am amazed at how much information is out here.

Had a question about wheels for my car. I have a 100 miles commute everyday (50 to work, 50 back) and drive my car a lot. It only took me 6 months to tack on 16,000 miles. My car currently has 1st generation, chrome dipped wheels, 16". I am in the process of searching for new wheels, but the major consideration is the amount of driving I do. I was told that it would not be a good idea to get aftermarket rims, unless I am willing to deal with the pain of dealing with bent rims, buying new ones, etc. So I thought to myself, OEM rims are probably the best way to go. But I still want that taste of uniqueness, so I was looking at 18", chrome dipped RX330 rims.

What I wanted to know is, can anyone confirm the validity of the comment regarding OEM rims being higher quality than aftermarket? From what I hear, aftermarket rims eliminate having to worry about them bending and getting messed up - they are apparently made to last for the life of the car. Also, with such a long commute and almost 30,000 miles a year on my car, is getting 18's something that I should reconsider? And lastly, does anyobdy know about getting rims that are chrome dipped - do they chip easily, etc.? The rims I am looking at are definitely OEM, but chrome dipped by somebody else, triple plated.

Appreciate any advice from you experts out there...thanks in advance and happy driving to all.

Riz