rrgone

I guess it's time to get some new wheels. 2 of 4 have slow leaks due to corrosion on the inner sealing area. This morning one was flat after sitting overnight. I like the original look (18" 5-spoke chromes) but don't really want to buy used or rebuilt OEMs. These replicas from OE Wheels look pretty good https://www.oewheelsllc.com/Lexus-LS430-Wheel-Chrome. Has anyone tried these wheels or any others from that company? I have a 2005 UL.

Kweigel

I bought a set for my first LS430 (an '02). They looked absolutely perfect, and ran very well. They made the car look much classier, and firmed up the ride a little bit over the factory 17's. I had them shipped to Discount Tire directly, and they mounted new tires on them for me. Fit over the big brakes our cars have - just.
I recommend them. I'm thinking about another set for my current, 2nd LS430 (an '04). they are well worth it.

mncz

Same here, for a 2003 LS 430. Went with the 18". 5 spoke. No issues with fit, and they look great, especially considering the look of the 2003 wheels. (which I kept as winter rims, after doing a swap with Wheels America. Exact same issues with the chrome, so went alloy on those)

Romanova

Won't do chrome wheels ever again. Our GX460 has chrome OEM rims and one is leaking. My LS was supposed to have chrome rims, but they got swapped for non-chrome OEM rims during a dealer trade according to the paperwork I have on the car.

rrgone

I pulled out the spare and it has never been out of the trunk! It is gorgeous, the tire still has paint bands around the treads. The tire was made in late 2004! It is hard for me not to love the look of that new chrome on this car. Thanks for the replies, I'm gonna think about it for a few days but will probably go ahead and get a set of the replicas.

rkw77080

rrgone

You are correct as usual! Thanks.

PCW

I had that problem twice on my 2001 LS430 with the 17 inch factory chrome wheels and my dealer took each wheel and removed the tire and used an air grinder brush to remove the corrosive buildup inside the wheel where the tire seals. I just had to pay for the labor. This happens to all the chrome wheels and it's much less expensive than replacing them.

PCW

rrgone: I had that problem twice on my 2001 LS430 with the 17 inch factory chrome wheels and my dealer took each wheel and removed the tire and used an air grinder brush to remove the corrosive buildup inside the wheel where the tire seals. I just had to pay for the labor. This happens to all the chrome wheels and it's much less expensive than replacing them.

rrgone

Thank you PCW but I've been down that road already. I did gain a couple of years though. The wheel that went flat a few days ago is the same one that has been "dressed" before. It really is time to replace these OEM chromes - another one now is slowly leaking too. To my knowledge this car has never seen salted winter roads and has always been garage kept. However, owner 1 lived close to SF Bay and owner 2 lived right on Puget Sound. So maybe salt air is a factor. Perhaps it's just a downside to chrome regardless of where you live. I do love the look though so will almost certainly be getting a set of the replicas soon. Thanks all.

mncz

If it helps any, the 18" wheels I mentioned above where in the "hyper black" finish. Like you've probably read from the reviews, it really does look like chrome. Real sharp, and for that price, made a huge difference in updating the look of my 2003. The 18" size seems like a perfect median in wheel size. Especially with some nice new summer tires. The 16 and 17" wheels do make the 2001-2003 models seem a little old.

That said, I still use the 17" size for winter. But up here, I don't care much what the car looks like in winter. You're always gonna have that layer of salt dust on a black car. Given your geography, assuming you could just get the OE Wheels and either mount your current tires or buy new. With a 2005, you've also got the newer looking front end, plus a UL, so seems an okay expenditure for a car probably worth $10-11K, and probably less than the sales tax on getting yourself into a decent 460 for $20K.

rrgone

Al right, gonna go search for reviews and pics of the hyper black chromes. Probably not my cuppa (old grandpa) but always interested in what you youngsters are up to. Any pics in here of your 2003 with the 18" black chromes mounted? My 2005 UL is silver.

mncz

Hey RRgone, I don't have any pictures. No smarts-phone like them youngsters have.

There are some pictures on the forum, the best resource I used when researching is below:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-question.html

It's also a good thread to help you find the right center caps if getting the exact OEM lettering is your thing. OE Wheels can't ship the "Lexus" L, so it say's "EX" or "LX" or something like that. Still comes with caps. After spending ~$700 on that plus new rubber for a 2003, I was done spending money, and can still survive with the "LX" centercaps. Seriously though, they are sharp looking rims, and they felt really solid, well-made.

rrgone

Thanks for that thread link mncz. It pretty much has everything I was looking for. Need to improve my search skills.

mncz

No problem! Fun to talk to people on this forum. It was 1 degree when I left this morning, so might be a while for summer tires. So I am glad you found some images of those same wheels on an LS430.