So my son bought a 2007 IS250 in the White Glacier and wants to either wrap or paint the rims black. Just looking for some feedback from the experts on here that know more about it than I do which might be the better option. Also any feedback on cost, how it will hold up etc would be great. Thanks guys!!

 

I haven't personally wrapped or painted my wheels but a couple things to keep in mind when doing either or.

Pros of Wrapping:
- Non-permanent, can removed when selling or wanting to change colour
- Protects the paint underneath
- Lower cost (compared to painting/powder coating if you get it professionally done)
- Likely more options in terms of colours/designs/sheen

Pros of Painting:
- Longer lasting (compared to wrapping)
- Can cover up imperfections in preexisting paint (as opposed to vinyl you will see the imperfections such as peeling or flaking in previous paint)
- Looks "deeper" and more factory (compared to wrapping)

All in all if you have the money I would suggest painting or powder coating but keep in mind this would be a permanent change. If you want a cheaper option or something that will only last a few years then wrapping is the way to go.

 

Going through exactly the same thing. On son one we bought an extra set of rims. Due to corrosion and rock chips we had them stripped and powder coated. It was a birthday gift so I didn’t mind paying the $600 to have the wheels blasted and coated. . With Aluminum rims And powder coating you really need to be careful who does it as the heat from baking can weaken the rims. It’s not a simple as just doing it. His car is matador red so we went with a red metallic on the rims and they turned out perfect match and look great. On canadian roads with lots of rocks and gravel the wheels are holding up perfect. Second son has a white car and wants black rims. After buying and powder coating rims for son one I learned my lesson on cost I am shopping for black rims to begin with for son two

powder coat is toughest. Paint would be next toughest and if you don’t have a lot of rocks and gravel on the road paint will hold up fine and is easy to touch up.

wrapping is likely the cheapest and easiest but also the weakest and least durable

 

I wrapped my wheels 3 months ago and they still look great. Remember it is very difficult to wrap around corners on wheel so mostly you will be wrapping the flat surface of the wheel.

Before

During

After