dollarbill181

I didn't have to work today, so I decided I'd take this free time to paint my calipers. I ended up finding some paint my brother was using for the block he was going to put in his wrx, so I figured I'd spice up my stock wheels a bit

You think I should just leave it like this or go back to the stock silver (I don't quite have enough money to blow on a nice set of rims just yet), plus a decent drop?

02type-s

I think it looks cheap, but its up to you in the end..

dollarbill181

yea, I guess no matter what you do to em they're always going to have that "stock''/cheap look to em.
Oh well, guess i'll just rock em out till I pick up a nice set. Didn't lose any money on this, so no real harm :-/

Any tips on a good lowering set up with a good comfortable ride? I don't tend to go larger than 17's for rim size, and live in chicago where our blizards can easily reach 12 inches of snow, so nothing too drastic.

Tay119

iTrader: (2)

i think it actually looks pretty good. i'd paint the center caps gold so they don't stand out so much and buy A stickers after.

i'd look for a set of H&R springs if you're on a budget, there's a handful in the BM

03tlCHARCOL

iTrader: (3)

Pretty good paint job on the wheels, I think gold goes well with your car color. I would lose the mud flaps, def lower it and put on some tire shine and call it a day.

Wr00m

iTrader: (1)

I also think they look good. Def. better than before.

MurkyRiversTL

Craigslist always has cheap rims. I found a set of 04 TSX rims for 88 ucks for all four. Nothing wrong with them. You need to find some rims, cause those look very cheap.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

It's a nice paint job, though.

MurkyRiversTL

I will agree that its a NICE paint job. THose rims just dont look right on the TL.

dollarbill181

The hunt for another set of rims is currently taking place. Just debating whether or not 17's or 18's is the way to go.

03tlCHARCOL

iTrader: (3)

Do 18s, 17s are too small in my opinion.

MurkyRiversTL

Agreed, if you go 17 youll always wonder what it would look like with 18s.

dollarbill181

but how's the ride with the 17's vs 18's, anyone with experience?

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

blue, red, and gold...

too much going on.

if you were dumped the 5 star's wouldnt look so bad.. but the 02-03 TLP wheels are at the top of my list for ugliest OEM wheels ever.. the gold just brings more attention to them.


i've had 16's, 17's and 18's on my TL... there was no noticeable difference between 17-18.
as long as you dont have a shitty supsension, 18's with some 40's on it will cushion nicely.


ps. as you can tell i have nothing against gold rims (avatar)... just doesnt work here.

dollarbill181

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/pts/1865651964.html

these would look pretty good, no?

And I appreciate all the comments/help.
Before I painted em I envisioned it would like like rockstar21's avatar...didn't quite turn out that way though lol.

Oh well, hopefuly this helps others visualize how it would look before they did the same.

MurkyRiversTL

They look like TSW reps. I would talk him down to 350 and put them on temporarily..... after painting them gold of course lol.

gfrg88

iTrader: (2)

Def too many different colors.. I'd color match the calipers and slam it. Looks a lot better than before though

gfrg88

iTrader: (2)

17s can look extremely good on our cars.. just make sure to get some nice fitment

gfrg88

iTrader: (2)

And some major slammage

twistedwedge

I like the gold-on your car. Im a fan of painted stockies..

As others stated-lose the "flaps", slam it and go from there. Im currently in the hunt for some 18's-my TL is the DD and Ive been reluctant to switch..but its time. Know anyone who wants a set of graphite type-s stockies? lol

V_Langs_3.2TL

Hey man what paint did you use to paint them?

does it come in more radical colors?

twistedwedge

not sure what paint the op used-but there is several colors to choose from. I believe dupli-color makes several. Places like auto zone and pep boys sell it.

V_Langs_3.2TL

^Yeah I actually just got the spot putty and lacquer so I can refinish all the curb rash (10 yrs worth of non enthusiast drivers haha) and then i'm giving it an orange finish with some clearcoat :-)

I have really weird taste haha

dollarbill181

if that's not radical then I don't know what is! lol
You can even use engine enamel if you wanted. Not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure anything from pep boys, O'reily, autozone, Murray's, etc will do the trick.

Post some pics of the orange wheels with clear coat on the car, I gotta see how it looks

AMUA6

iTrader: (7)

I've always like the blue/gold combo Get those centers painted.. and I hope you did good prep work or that shit will be chipping before you know it.

gold2003tl (90)

gets me thinking if i matched my rims to body color, NGM. but i am not the biggest fan of stock TL-p wheels either. id rather polish them to an almost like mirror finish on the shinny part only, which i might due.

Souljah

Honestly.... it doesn't look bad.

twistedwedge

The problem you might run into with engine enamel is its not as durable. My wheels were painted over a year and a half ago and there is very few paint chips (my best friend has a 2mile long gravel drive I can thank for that). I drove it all winter through the salt and crap the state puts on the roads here and they still clean up fine. Also-dupli-color sells clear coat that is for wheels. Thats what I used.

Remember- prep prep and more prep (clean, sand,clean, primer, paint, clear)...several coats both color and clear.

V_Langs_3.2TL

will do! I have an exam on the 19th, and 21st bday celebrations on the 22nd. but as soon as my hang over cures I'll be getting on it :-)

dollarbill181

^ Nice, my 21st b-day is on the 18th :-D

TLin401

Not feeling the wheels.

Toon_703

I think its a damn good paint job you did from how they looked b-4. i think with a drop that would be very interesting to see