GoldCountry

Yes! Yes! I too have the problem! I kept getting flat tires, thinking it was the tire. I even took out a service warrantee on new tires at Sears, to which they tried fixing the flattened tires on several occasions. But then on about the 6th time in the shop, one of the guys found small, almost pinpoint sized rust holes on the inside lip of the rim. Finally, we found the culprit... the rim was leaking, not the tire. Anyway, it has now been almost a year that I have been driving with my ugly spare rim, because I can't find a used one to match it. The rims are the 5 spoke/star Chrome, on a 1997 ES300. The cost of a new rim is over $650, which we really don't want to spend the money for if we can find a used one. But I'm now getting desperate. I'm told that any chrome rims for that Lexus year, were NOT factory, that the dealers had it added on. Apparently, it's nearly impossible to find a replacement.

Well, one more time . . . I'll try to attach a photo of my rim . . .

Wow! I'm happy to hear you found one! I have been trying to find the "chrome" rim for months now. The local Auto Dismantlers in Sacramento are telling me that the chrome rims were not factory, that the dealers had the chrome added. I'm told that they are nearly impossible to find in the nationwide computer system because they don't list them as a Lexus rim... or something like that. ANYWAY, I would like to find out if your rim is the same as mine (1997 ES300), because it might be possible that your resource may have more then one? :D Attached is a picture of my rim.

Thanks so much kcpth! You've been great help and pleasantly patient.

Wow! That looks VERY close to mine! I will defintely be calling him. I search eBay almost daily, but somehow that one slipped by me! [WARNING: WOMAN ABOUT TO ASK DUMB QUESTION . . .] Is there a way to know if it is the "same" rim? Such as a number on the inside? etc.? Thanks Again!

Thank you all from the bottom of my "girly-girl" heart. I purchased the piece I needed thanks to steviej's link at NewLexusParts.com for only $39. Seems like a great price to me. Thanks again, Marie

Too Funny! LOL :D I must have been having a sugar-low or some PMS thing, because after I posted that question, I had to go get in the car to go on an errand. When I sat in the car, it was as if someone hit me with a chair! :chairshot: I couldn't believe I actually had to ask that question!! It is obviously the left side! . . . D'Oh! Anyway, I know what you mean about how forums can really hang you when you act real dense on an issue. NOT a good thing to happen to someone. Thank you for taking the high road on that one.

Wow! That seems like a great price! It looks like it's actually less then what you stated . . . It's showing that I can get it at $39.61 BUT . . . can I ask a VERY stupid question? (what do you expect from a girly-girl in an auto forum?) . . . .Uh, would that be the right side or the left side? The website gives you a choice of left of right. I have no clue! It depends on where I'm at! :chairshot:

Yep, the tire still leaked, even after all the magic the tire guy tried to bestow on it. I will just continue to look for the rim at all the junk yards, even if it's a couple hours away. I would go, just to get this thing replaced, without paying the bigger bucks. But then some of those junk yards charge almost as much! . . . and then there's that gas price thing . . . yikes! I think I may be headed to just breaking down and buying a new one if I can't find anything soon. [grumble, grumble] Thanks again! Marie

Hi all, I'm looking for a replacement trim piece for my 1997 ES300. The part that goes between the outside front and rear doors. It's black. See photo attached. It kept coming off, even shortly after we bought the car!! It's now lost to the celestrials. My poor Lexus looks like she has a big pimple on her cheek! :o Yes, it was raining when I took this photo. Thanks!

Ok, here is the style of the rims on my Lexus. As I mentioned in my opening post here, I think it's chrome plated? Because it's a dull steel on the inside? Anyway, no comments from the peanut gallery on my dirty car. It's raining out and we're right in the middle of building our home where we haven't paved yet. Needless to say, "Lexy" get's quite dirty these days. Anyway, back to those itsy bitsy holes on my rim, the tire guy added quite a bit of sealant, washed the rim, brushed it, etc. I'm afraid we will have to buy a new rim. darn! I really can't see paying out $500+ for a rim right now. I called this place in Sacramento that is supposed to have every kind of used Toyota rim and then some. They are huge. They said that they never get any Lexus rims in. Soooo, until then, I'm running around with my ugly spare on. My car looks like she is walking with crutches, it's sooo ugly! :cries:

We kept getting flat tires, but everytime we took the tire in to be repaired, they could not find anything wrong with the tire? We have been to several tire companies, and no one could find the culprit to the flat tire. Finally, after a dozen flat tires (and getting a good warranty on tires at Sears), a Sears technician found that there are tiny little wholes in the rim at the tire's edge. The holes are also rusty. So, it looks like the rim is degrading he said. The rim is actually rusting! We live in a dry climate, (Sacramento), and the car only has 50K miles on it, so we don't understand how a rim could have this problem. It will cost a minimum $500 to replace the rim (as per a couple of tire stores). Because the hole(s) is tiny, we thought we might be able to get it welded?? - Happend to Anyone Else? - Any Ideas? - Where to buy cheap '97 Lexus rims? :cries: Help!

Wow! This is sounding like a common problem! My '97 ES 300 radio display is also failing me. The display is all jumbled. Almost like all the characters are being overlayed on top of each other. The light is on, although I don't think it's as bright, hmmm, but I'll have to pay more attention to that when I get back in. Anyway, I can't read it anymore, but it still works great. Do you think the bulb will help? Any ideas?