Lexus: Customizing Your Rims

This article applies to the Lexus IS, ES, GS, LS, and RX (2005-2013).

A simple change of rims from stock to after market can significantly enhance the look of your Lexus. While changing stock rims to aftermarket ones can be pricey, there are modifications that are less pricey like paint, lug/wheel, and powder coatings. These aftermarket ornamental modifications make it a show when your Lexus wheels are in motion and the world is watching. In this guide, we explore the simplest to the most complex of rim modifications, their costs, and if some are DIY or require professional skills. Their shortcomings and advantages are also covered below.

Rim Modifications

Lug Nuts

DIY Cost - $60-$150

Professional Cost - $80-$470

Skill Level - Easy; requires basic skills.

There are open and closed ended lug nuts, but each are shaped and colored to combine beauty and ruggedness to rims. When colored lug nuts like Muteki are blended with shiny alloy rims, the Lexus' rims give a feel of class and adventure. F-Sport lug nuts are also popular with Lexus owners interested in giving rims a sporty, speedy look. Besides looks, Lexus owners are concerned about the safety of wheels, and these are the best lug nuts to guarantee both security and beauty. Depending on the type, lug nuts can cost from $15 to $270. Having lug nuts installed professionally can cost you from $75 for labor in addition to their price. However, car owners advise against purchasing low price lug nuts online as they could be fakes.

Painting

DIY Cost - $7 Plasti Dip can

Professional Cost - $50 per rim

Skill Level - Easy; requires simple spraying skills.

Painting is the least expensive and complex modification for Lexus' rims. A simple touch up paint job makes a silver stock rim look like an aftermarket customized rim, and hides cracks and grazes on it. With paint, you can play around with colors and shades on your rims and change them as many times as desired. Most Lexus owners concur that Plasti Dip is a cost-effective option to use since a can costs as low as $7. Using Plasti Dip on rims is as simple as using an insecticide, with the level of difficulty being easy. If after sometime it bores you, peel it off at no cost. By painting the rims yourself, you save $50 per rim on garage costs. Blending paint on rims and spokes gives the wheels a sense of sportiness, playfulness, and speed, as is the norm in motor sports. Having the rims painted all black gives a feel of mystique and adventure. The downside of painting the rims, according to Lexus car owners, is the chipping, especially if frequently driven on salty roads. Paint, unlike powder coat, gives you more options; the only drawback being the coating is not permanent.

Powder Coating

DIY Cost - $50

Professional Cost - $100 per rim

Skill Level - Difficult; advanced machinery and expertise required.

Looks are everything when modifying rims with color. The mod is even better if permanence is retained, like with powder coating. In powder coating the Lexus' rims, dry powder is painted on the rims and sticks due to the electrostatic charging of the powder and the grounding of parts. The coat is then cured under heat to bond it to the rim. Powder coating rims is pricier and guarantees longevity, but if done by a novice, it can wreck the compound composition of the rims and weaken them. However, with powder coating, uniformity is maintained and the rims look sturdier, more rugged, and don't chip, unlike when painted. The fact that powdered rims don't chip frequently means color uniformity is maintained for a while. It’s suited for vehicle owners frequently driving on salty roads close to the ocean. Powder coating rims is difficult and requires a motoring expert's touch. Costs of powder coating average around $100 per wheel around the country.

Featured Video: Customizing Lexus Rims

Related Discussion

• Powder Coating vs Painting - ClubLexus.com