Anyone out there get one of those wheel conversion kits that replaces the disc on the stock wheel with a slotted one? Any photos with one on a car? The photo in the 2003 SC430 brochure sucks.

 

The new wheel covers are not scheduled to hit the dealers until May 15, so I doubt that anyone has them yet.

Stay tuned.

Full report to follow.

 

From what I saw so far, I don't have high hopes for it.

 

I think the new wheel conversion kit may actually look good. I took my SC in a few weeks ago to have the tires replaced, and in order to do that they had to take the pie plates off. The car actually looked really good without the pie plates and with the larger spokes. It made me think that anything that emphasizes the spokes will be a huge improvement. Guess it all comes down to personal taste, but I'm holding out for the conversion kit. I believe I've read the cost will be approx. $350. That's a lot less than a decent set of new rims.

DSeag2

 

Well, I don't want or need this kit any more but I'll be curious to see it on someone's car!

I thought I really liked it at first but now I'm not so sure...

I'll keep final judgement for when I can see a real photo of them on someone's SC430!

 

I've got my order in, so on May 16, I'll let you know how they look.

It has to be an improvement.

 

You guys all seem so sure that May 15 is the ETA. Is that for certain? We've all be waiting for this a long time. Have you actually found a Lexus dealer in North America that is aware of the kit and knows for sure when it will be available? I guess if they don't deliver it soon they won't be within the guidelines of the "early 2003" stated in the brochure!

 

If Texas counts as North America, then you can go to the Sewell Lexus web pages at

www.lexus-parts.com (go to parts by model, and go to the "New for 2003 Accessories" page --

and specifically to:

http://www.lexus-parts.com/partdetai...bCategoryID=74

where you will find the usual phots, and a statement by the dealer: "Pre-order your set of SC430 new designed center caps today! The target date to release the wheel conversion kit will be in [sic -- on?] May 15 of 2003."

I confirmed with them that, as of last week, they still expect the delivery date to be May 15.

That may not happen, of course, but that's the current info.

My thinking in placing the order that it's quite an improvement for only about 10% of the cost of new rims and tires.

So I'm cheap.

 

You can be even more cheap by just removing the pie plates.

 

Here's the link to an old thread where several of us indicated we would be interested in a group buy. Later I received a private email message confirming the hope to put together the group buy, but I haven't heard anything since then.

Has anyone else heard any news?

Link is:

[URL=https://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=73273]

 

I have factory chrome stock wheels, don't know if I can order the wheel conversion kit in chrome or not...

 

Tim ...

Do you know it the center caps simply replace the "pie plate", ie, is it just a matter of unscrewing the old and screwing the new?

 

it=if

a little hand-eye coordination problem

 

My understanding is that it's a pretty simple replacement that does not require you to remove the wheel from the car (not that I couldn't do that).

You will need a hefty Allen Wrench of the correct size to use on the existing hardware, and I think it's a metric size, but you can get that at the hardware store. You ought to keep a nice set around the house anyway, so now is a good time to add to your tool collection.

I'll let you know how the replacement process goes and post some photos of the finished job.

Stay tuned.

 

Doesn't the Allen Wrench come with the toolkit in the trunk?