Anybody got wives (long term girlfriends okay) and 20" wheels on their LS430 and do they get along?

Okay let me back up, I've done the NF210 springs, stock sport shocks, polyurethane bushings and am currently on 18s. I'm quite satisfied w/ the improved grip, decreased sway and quicker turn-in while maintaining a ride which is at least as comfortable/quiet as the stock sport suspension on 225/55/17s.
I even like the blingy chrome wheels (never had chrome before). So I should be done right?
Naw, the problem is I keep looking through the pics of all the LS's w/ 20" and the 'look' is seducing me. From experiances w/ past cars I've told myself that I would never run less than a 40 series tire due to the harsh ride, not to mention the decrease in gas mileage, relative fragility due to small rubber and perhaps decreased handling especially on bumpy corners.
But... the damn look seems so right for this car that I've begun rationalizing that I could put up w/ all the above except an 'extremely' harsh ride.

So the tentative plan is to go staggered on 20s w/ 245/35s all around or maybe 275/30s on the back. I did a search and I know the ride will be much firmer w/ this small rubber. However, it does seem that the suspension of the LS may be soft enough to soak up a lot of the harshness from lower profile and even sporty tires. Though only 18s I'm currently running Pilot SuperSports and the ride is still very comfortable.

So again the question is have any of your wives objected/noticed the change in ride quality or noise since switching to 20s? Have any of them like the change? Help a fella out as MY WIFE is giving me the 'so why do you need another set of wheels in addition to the three you have so far' look.

 

If you're worried about it, there's probably good reason. Proceed with caution.

I have a buddy into motorcycles. When he budgets for bikes and mods, he includes the cost of offsetting jewelry for his wife.

 

^^Smart man^^


OP take notes!!!

 

Excellent point. Perhaps I could convince her that in fact 20s are jewelry of a sort...are there any Coach or Chanel rims out there?

 

i might try to step it up only to 19's at first with some 35 or 40 series all the way around to make it less of a drastic leap.

i am now sitting the most aggressive i have since i left japan (most aggressive in the states), on 20's 255x30x20 on a 10" rim in the rear tucking and occasionally rubbing over large bumps. long story short i had to send one back to get fixed this week and put the stock wheels back on. i drove through dc on friday evening and i can honestly say i would have had bigger issues had i not been on stocks. at one point the road seemed as if a few grenades had gone off and of course we were all going 40 when we fell into these craters. additionally i bottomed out at least 3 times.

if your roads are smooth and free from craters the only thing you may notice is a little more road noise but the ride will still be smooth, just not lexus smooth, more like bmw smooth/sporty grippy feeling.

 

Okay thanks Sojah, this is the kind of info/anecdotes I was hopin' to get. So looks like you sent a 20 back due to breaking from road hazard? Not good to hear...but maybe good timing for you as DC roads could have ate all four of your wheels if you didn't switch out.

The roads and freeways in my part of Socal are pretty smooth except that they always seem to be tearing them up to add more lanes.

I'll check pics of LSs on 19s. Like you say might be a good compromise.

 

Just sell the other sets you have lying around, keep the OEM set should you ever decide to sell the car/use it as a winter wheel set.

EDIT: I see you're in CA so the word 'winter' must be quite foreign (lucky guy....lol). You probably don't even need to keep the OEM set around then.

 

The key is the choice of tires. As you go lower, spend good money on an all-season performance tire and it should be fine. I put 19's on my wife's GS with 245-35-19 f, high performance tires and it rides fine. For my GS with 20's, I make sure to do some with a better ride to compensate for the lower profile. My fronts are 245-30-20 on all-seasons. My wife likes the way her car drives and mine as well. No complaints.

 

You bring up a good point, though money not well spent is certainly a consideration, right now its more that I'm simply running out of space for this and other hobbies.

But damn I do hate the process of selling stuff. My MO. has been to hold on to the wheel sets of whatever car I'm focusing on and when I lose interest I just give 'em away. Pretty dumb, but I try to find good homes for them. Just got rid of two sets from my CL-S to make way for the LS stuff. Luckily I don't change cars often.

And dude you are right, I do need a 'winter set' and can tell my wife so! The weather can be frigid here in Ventura County...at least to me 'cause I'm from Hawaii.

 

Yeah, I hear you on tire choice. I've spent hours reading up on reviews and tire tests trying to find good choices.
So okay you have good liveability w/ 245/35s and even 245/30s. Cool. And your wife likes it. You are a lucky guy.

 

Haha I know what you mean about selling stuff (the waiting, the hassles). There are so many scammers now too that I'm quite skeptical.

Yes go with the winter story...you can never be too careful right, and you're just trying to be practical should it start snowing...women tend to like practical lol

 

this is easy...i buy a car for my wife. and tell her the 430 is off limits for her...she don't get to ride in it...no complain on whatever i do to it

 

That's a good plan, but I've already done it. She's got hers, I've got mine and the LS is the shared car. Too bad she can't drive stick or we could shift this around a bit. Plus even if I was the only driver it would be a shame to significantly upset the ride of this luxo-cruza.

My *** must be getting old. No more Max or number 5 settings on the Koni/Tokicos for me anymore.

 

i guess no more 20" for you then

 

I would leave it alone and enjoy it.