2006 Lexus Gs300 - 16 Inch Tires?

J. Green · July 16, 2010

Hello All,

I purchased a 2006 Lexus GS300 from Carmax in Norcross, GA on July 2, 2010. I noticed that the tire size on the vehicle was 16 inch, but on the door sticker the vehicle is supposed to have 17 inch tires.

I am going to have to purchase 17 inch tires for this vehicle. Should I purchase OEM or aftermarket rims for this vehicle?

Thank you in advance.

1990LS400 · July 16, 2010

Are the 16" inch wheels decent Lexus wheels? What do they look like? Maybe the original owner was looking for a more comfortable ride. Some people have punted their standard 17 and 18 inch Lexus wheels and gone to 16" wheels to get a better ride.

J. Green · July 17, 2010

Are the 16" inch wheels decent Lexus wheels? What do they look like? Maybe the original owner was looking for a more comfortable ride. Some people have punted their standard 17 and 18 inch Lexus wheels and gone to 16" wheels to get a better ride.

According to the Lexus Dealer in my current city of Atlanta, these rims were OEM for the 2005 Lexus GS300. The rims seem to be in good condition and Carmax placed new Kumho tires on the vehicle. The spare is 17 inches. Maybe, the owner sold or kept the rims (or Carmax) and placed the 16's on this vehicle? Will I sacrifice gas mileage by leaving the 16's on the vehicle? I know the vehicle will not handle as well? Any other thoughts/suggestions?

intakerGS · July 18, 2010

Will I sacrifice gas mileage by leaving the 16's on the vehicle? I know the vehicle will not handle as well?

You won't nessecarily sacrifice gas milage or handling by leaving on the 16" rims/tires. If the Kumho's (or any other brand) are low budget ones, expect no miracles in terms as stated before. It's adviced you check this first.

Consider 17" wheels if you prefer a more firm ride, better handling and a bit more road noise. Bigger isn't nessecarily better, good tires make the difference.

Should I purchase OEM or aftermarket rims for this vehicle?

It's perhaps a matter of taste and dineros. If you prefer the car to look & feel really stock, go OEM.

J. Green · July 20, 2010

Will I sacrifice gas mileage by leaving the 16's on the vehicle? I know the vehicle will not handle as well?

You won't nessecarily sacrifice gas milage or handling by leaving on the 16" rims/tires. If the Kumho's (or any other brand) are low budget ones, expect no miracles in terms as stated before. It's adviced you check this first.

Consider 17" wheels if you prefer a more firm ride, better handling and a bit more road noise. Bigger isn't nessecarily better, good tires make the difference.

Should I purchase OEM or aftermarket rims for this vehicle?

It's perhaps a matter of taste and dineros. If you prefer the car to look & feel really stock, go OEM.

I appreciate all of the replies, now I am really confused and don't know what to do. The local Lexus dealer, Nalley Lexus (Galleria/Smyrna), let me use a loaner vehicle while I was having my vehicle serviced. The loaner vehicle was a 2010 GS 350 with 18 inch wheels. To be honest, the ride is better in my 2006 GS300 with the 16 inch rims/tires. I am wondering if the 17 inch tires will be better?

intakerGS · July 20, 2010

I understand your confusion. I can't compare with your car, but I drive a 2000 GS300 with stock 16" wheels which I preferred over a new loaner car with 17"s, in terms of comfort. I def. like the size and look of bigger wheels, then again, it's more important how it 'feels' from the inside. Another thing to consider is the road condition in your area. It's just like "1990LS400" already mentioned about comfort.

From that perpective, I wouldn't go larger than stock (17") if you tend to a more comfy ride. In general, when you upgrade to a larger wheelsize you can expect a more firm, accurate and detailed road-feeling. Trade-off is a more pronounced feedback of every marker or bump. Some prefer this, some don't. Consider looking up some interesting articles at this site re. bigger wheels, performance, general feeling and distinctions between tires and brands.

You might inquire at your dealer if it's possible to testdrive your car with 17" wheels, perhaps for a small fee. I mention this, because my dealer gave me this option for free. I did it, but didn't like it, just as they told me before.

If your current setup is satisfying for now, why not let it be for a while, drive & enjoy your lexus, and decide at a later time?

J. Green · July 23, 2010

I understand your confusion. I can't compare with your car, but I drive a 2000 GS300 with stock 16" wheels which I preferred over a new loaner car with 17"s, in terms of comfort. I def. like the size and look of bigger wheels, then again, it's more important how it 'feels' from the inside. Another thing to consider is the road condition in your area. It's just like "1990LS400" already mentioned about comfort.

From that perpective, I wouldn't go larger than stock (17") if you tend to a more comfy ride. In general, when you upgrade to a larger wheelsize you can expect a more firm, accurate and detailed road-feeling. Trade-off in general, is a more pronounced feedback of every marker or bump. Some prefer this, some don't. Consider looking up some interesting articles at this site re. bigger wheels, performance, general feeling and distinctions between tires and brands.

You might inquire at your dealer if it's possible to testdrive your car with 17" wheels, perhaps for a small fee. I mention this, because my dealer gave me this option for free. I did it, but didn't like it, just as they told me before.

If your current setup is satisfying for now, why not let it be for a while, drive & enjoy your lexus, and decide at a later time?

Thanks all for the replies. I will inquire with the local dealer regarding the test drive with the 17 inch wheels.