If you have a garage with room in it to keep the car then you are ok. But if you have a wife like mine that fills up the garage with stuff we haven't even looked at in 10 years then the sun can be pretty brutal on a paint job.

 

Best location is a southern and or dry climate that’s been garaged the majority of its life. As mentioned the sun is brutal. Northern with salt can be a horror show as the car ages. California is best but prices reflect it. My car being in Florida it’s entire life has all original paint in amazing shape. I contacted the original owner when I purchased it 10 years ago and asked him how did he keep the car’s paint looking so good in sunny Fl. He replied that every day he went to work it was parked in an inside garage. There you have it!

 

Therein lies the rub. I'd like to get new wheels but I cannot find anything that I really like. I don't care for the factory wheels. I've been through Tirerack several times. Nothing.

I know I'm probably gonna catch hell for this but what I'd like to have are some Cragar SS mags. I always loved the look of those from when I was much younger but never could afford them, and never really had anything that they would have looked appropriate on, except maybe my first car, a 76 Monte Carlo.

Okay. Let me have it. I probably deserve it for even considering putting those on an LS.

 

 

18 inch OEMs are my preference, followed by some flavor of BBS style lace rims.

 

Sweet! First it was the ding thing. Where I can no longer drive a car and not curb it. Not even a rental. Last week I picked up a new Nissan Maxima with 4 miles--again, I told myself I am the first person to spend more than 30 minutes with this car, it's like picking it up from the dealer. It is under my care. Everywhere I went I curbed it. Luckily my colleagues had their own rentals or they would have thought I'm a nut job. A coworker also got a brand new Traverse and he didn't care where he parked. We went to dinner and that really smelled, new in an annoying way. I guess the problem with these new cars is they're not broken in properly even though some say not necessary. I did use the cruise for 150 miles at the same speed (radar I might add very nice).

So now, I can't see buying a brand new car, and simply a) not garaging it b) driving it in the winter in the northeast

Might as well buy used if the above applies. And if buying used, buy as you say from the south or CA.

 

I like the other OEMs that kinda look like mags, just more subdued. The ones I had on my 07ES were nice. I can't go to 18's though, I just bought new tires. Checked out the MT's. Not bad, but not in our size.

 

came out nice!

 

Northern CA summer sun is brutal. When parked outside, my car is always under a cover that's designed to protect the car from sun. Interior stays cool. Paint still looks new. I've got a routine, it takes 2 minutes to cover or uncover. Well worth taking the extra time!