So..... after much research and comparison shopping.... we got a new 2006 LS v8 to replace my 2000 LS v8. What a difference a model cycle makes. It's the same car but transformed. More on that later, this is gonna be a parts and mods thread.

While I'm psyched about the new purchase, I'm going after some fun parts. The blingy chrome 17x7.5 wheels gotta go. Shannon says that every time I roll up she expects them to keep spinning when I stop. And.... they do kinda look that way. They look pretty cool with about a week's worth of brake dust because they make the lower face of the wheel darker much more quickly than the upper face, kinda like the un-chromed versions, but I figured that if I could pony up the $160/wheel that the stock polished/painted 17x7.5 wheels require (my chromies are supposedly $300/wheel), I might as well go grab something that cuts weight or lets me fit a bigger tire and help fills the LS's capacious fenderwells.

the stock polished/painted wheel:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FACTORY-ORIGINAL-17-LINCOLN-LS-WHEEL-RIM_
W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43957QQihZ002QQitemZ120147351954QQrdZ1QQsspagename
ZWDVW
chromes like mine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LINCOLN-LS-FACTORY-CHROME-WHEELS-NEW-17_
W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43957QQihZ002QQitemZ120149457603QQrdZ1QQsspagename
ZWDVW

To those that noticed my cars significant wheelhouse gap, I'm also probably gonna grab the Eibach Prokit Springs off of tirerack (-1.0" front, -1.1" rear)
http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/Susptabl.jsp?autoMake=Lincoln&autoModel=
LS+V8&autoYear=2006&autoModClar=&brand=all

It would be great if I could do the whole wheel/tire combo to under $1500/whl. The problem? Almost nobody makes stuff that will fit my car.
It's a 5x108 (5x4.25) bolt circle with 40 mm offset. Stock wheel/tires are 17x7.5 wearing 235/50R17 Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 ("Radial XSE")

The only other cars that wear a similar mounting arrangement to my car are:

02-05 Ford Thunderbird
Jag S-type (including R)
Jag X-type
Volvo S60 (including R)
Volvo S80
Earlier Lincoln LSE wheels

Of these, the interesting ones are (aside from the stock non-chromes):

A.
2004/5 Lincoln LSE/T-bird 7-spokes:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LINCOLN-LS-2004-2005-CHROME-17-WHEEL-
FACTORY_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43957QQihZ010QQitemZ200139652672
QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

B.
Volvo S60R "Pegasus" 5-spokes (oddly available in both 17x8 and 18x8 and silver or gray paint for either)--- all the same wheel, just showing the abundance
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RARE-gun-metal-VOLVO-850-T5R-S60-R-
PEGASUS-WHEELS-RIMS_W0QQitemZ160144310011QQihZ006QQcategoryZ43958
QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-18x8-Volvo-60-70-R-Wheels-Rims-
Brand-New-OE-Specs_W0QQitemZ190138491164QQihZ009QQcategoryZ43959
QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

C.
Volvo c30 "Atreus" 5/10 spokes
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-Volvo-18-Atreus-Alloy-Wheels-S40-
V50-C70-C30-NEW-OEM_W0QQitemZ280140590749QQihZ018QQcategoryZ4
3958QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

D.
Jaguar S-Type-R
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Jaguar-S-type-R-wheels-tires_W
0QQitemZ130141285377QQihZ003QQcategoryZ66484QQssPageNameZWDV
WQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Tire-rack suggests only 28 wheels (seems low for tire-rack):
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?autoMake=Lincoln&auto
Model=LS+V8&autoYear=2006&autoModClar=

Of those, only the basis of money and aesthetics (including NON how little attention they draw to my ugly stock brakes), I'd really only consider:

E.
AT italia (generally don't like the look but the on-car image is pretty hot, though i dunno the wt)
http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/atitalia/swap/at_s5_ci3_l.jpg
http://www.tirerack.com/snow/WheelSearchLite.jsp?frontMake=AT+
Italia&frontModel=S5&finish=Silver+Painted&finishAbbrev=G&frontSize=18x8
&frontPrice=199&frontWeight=0.0&frontStock=In+Stock&frontDiameter=
18&frontSpecCode=6&frontMarkdownPrice=239&frontMapPrice=0&frontSortCode=
91559&frontPartNumber=S7088G9AS&frontOffset=49&constType=1pc.%20Cast&frontQty=
4&frontTireWidth=245/&frontTireRatio=40&frontTireSortCode=54000&partNum=
S7088G9AS&nonWinter=true&autoMake=Lincoln&autoModel=LS+V8&autoYear=
2006&autoModClar=&grid=true

F.
Rial Porto (dunno anything about the brand but cheap and look great)
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/wheelDisplay.jsp?title=Rial+Porto+Bright+Satin
+Sil+Paint&image=/images/wheels/rial/swap/rial_porto_bstn_ci3_l.jpg
http://www.tirerack.com/snow/WheelSearchLite.jsp?frontMake=Rial&frontModel=
Porto&finish=Bright+Satin+Sil+Paint&finishAbbrev=GBS&frontSize=18x8&frontPrice=
185&frontWeight=25.5&frontStock=In+Stock&frontDiameter=18&frontSpecCode=
0&frontMarkdownPrice=0&frontMapPrice=0&frontSortCode=91559&frontPartNumber=
PO80847B52BSAT&frontOffset=47&constType=1pc.%20Low%20Pressure%20Cast&
frontQty=4&frontTireWidth=245/&frontTireRatio=40&frontTireSortCode=54000&partNum=
PO80847B52BSAT&nonWinter=true&autoMake=Lincoln&autoModel=LS+V8&autoYear=
2006&autoModClar=&grid=true

G.
SSR GT10 (great brand, great shape, good weight, but $399/whl is steep... maybe worth it?)
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/wheelDisplay.jsp?title=SSR+GT10+Bright
+Sil+w%2FPolished+Lip&image=/images/wheels/ssr/swap/ssr_gt10_ci3_l.jpg
http://www.tirerack.com/snow/WheelSearchLite.jsp?frontMake=SSR&frontModel=
GT10&finish=Bright+Sil+w%2FPolished+Lip&finishAbbrev=LAAA&frontSize=18x8&frontPrice=
399&frontWeight=23.8&frontStock=In+Stock&frontDiameter=18&frontSpecCode=6&
frontMarkdownPrice=689&frontMapPrice=0&frontSortCode=91559&frontPartNumber=
GT10F125PBSPL&frontOffset=49&constType=3pc.%20w/SSF%20Center&frontQty=
4&frontTireWidth=245/&frontTireRatio=40&frontTireSortCode=54000&partNum=
GT10F125PBSPL&nonWinter=true&autoMake=Lincoln&autoModel=LS+V8&autoYear=
2006&autoModClar=&grid=true

others: I like the Kazera's weight and Ahmet seems to be a fan, but the KZ-T is an ugly wheel if you ask me and I would find myself shopping for brakes. The BBS RF is another one I'd probably love to have but it is just so obviously not a stock wheel... They'd look about as right on my car they they do on Camrys. I like the OZ Canyon but it's a brand new wheel (so not likely to find a deal elsewhere) and its outside my budget. The amount of OZ whls listed makes me wonder about some OZ's I love that aren't listed for my car, the Chrono and Canova.

I called up tirerack and they said that if it isn't listed I shouldn't try it. But this ad has got me salivating:

H. OZ canovas with 5x108, 38 offset, 17x8, with Fuzion HRi By Bridgestone: 225/45/17:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/17-OZ-WHEELS-TIRES-LINCOLN-LS-
JAGUAR-X-S-VOLVO_W0QQitemZ190138705569QQihZ009QQcategoryZ66483
QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
They say they'll fit my car and include tires for $800! shipping only $150....

I just called the number on that ad. They didn't know whether the wheel would actually fit. They called tire rack and then called back. tire rack thinks those would rub the fender since they would extend an additional 0.5 inch outward from the car without increasing offset to compensate. So the Rial is at the top of my list, followed by the SSRs and then the Volvo Pegasus wheels. lemme know what ya'll think.

[Edited on August 10, 2007 at 10:43 AM. Reason : psi]

8/10/2007 10:28:43 AM

How long did this thread take to make? 2 hours?

8/10/2007 10:39:21 AM

10 minutes slackass

8/10/2007 11:45:51 AM

Ok, that was longer than it needed to be and ebay is being a pain.
this is what I should have posted first:

"
I have a 2006 lincoln LS, black/black. Which of these do you guys think I should get?

1. stock polished and painted - $160 new, 17x7.5

2. what I have. stock chrome- >$300 new, 17x7.5

3. tbird/ LSE wheel, ~$200, 17x7.5

4. volvo s60R wheel, >$350, 18x8, might not fit

5. Jag S-Type-R, 18x8.5front, 18x9.5 rear, new $texas, ebay used: ~$1000 whls&tires. supposedly will fit every S-type, so probably every LS as well.

6. Rial Porto, 18x8 (offset 47), tirerack: $185/whl

7.OZ Canyon, 18x8, tirerack: $436/whl

8.SSR GT10, 18x8, tirerack: $399/whl

8/10/2007 2:26:39 PM

I like #6

8/10/2007 2:30:45 PM

^yeah, I think the rials are the winnAr.
cheap, 18 in, tire rack says they fit, they look good, relatively light. Gotta be lighter than my chrome "spinnarz" anyway.

8/10/2007 6:05:25 PM

I like #6 a lot.

Though I would like anything better than chrome wheels on a car. Chrome wheels give off the wrong image nowadays.

8/10/2007 9:36:02 PM

depending on the color of you car taking these

masking off the outer face of the wheel and painting the rest some sort of charcoal or gunmetal color might look cool

8/11/2007 12:05:03 AM

^If they were polished, and not chromed, I might consider that. The #1 wheel is the same as that #2 chrome wheel but with a silver-painted recessed face and a machined forward face, and yes, it does look good in the flesh. There's a guy in W-S that has a metallic gray LS with those wheels and it looks awesome. My car is black.

From my gallery:

8/11/2007 4:39:52 PM

just popped open C&D. The Rial Porto now comes in machined-face black-painted. choices, choices:

6.a.
6.b.

8/11/2007 4:43:51 PM

just leave it alone for gods sake.

8/11/2007 4:45:10 PM

^we've already had this conversation.

8/11/2007 4:45:39 PM

we did? nevermind then.

8/11/2007 4:48:24 PM

^yeah, over a couple of people's cars, including my own...

someone, once me: "I drive a _____(not easily modded car)____, and I want to _____ to it"
everyone: "ooh, I like that, lemme know how it works out"
everyone, a little later: "wait, what are you doing? This is a ton of money and frustration to ask for!"
optmusprimer: "just leave the damn thing alone"

so.... we've covered it.
but whls & tires and susp mods are hardly unusual for my car. This would be a different thread if I suddenly wanted to supercharge it.... which maybe one guy has done, and nobody makes a kit. but for picking out a wheel... not so ridiculous a thread

8/11/2007 4:54:10 PM

How much did you sell the 2000 for? I'm buying one next week, just curious..

8/11/2007 7:01:15 PM

those are some ugly ass stock wheels.

id just get the not-as-ugly stock wheels and call it a day.

8/11/2007 8:13:12 PM

^^nearly sold it for $8k, the buyer couldn't get a loan in time for the dealer to offer $6500 for it. "Sold, mfkr!" carmax only offered 4k. unreal. it had 110k miles on it.

But honestly.... this is a bitchin car to get with 1 or two years worth of abuse on it. At 7 years.... it's a bit of a liability. It's not a car you want to work on and servicing isn't cheap. (not that I'm even up to the task of personally maintaining a car without a mechanic over the course of 100k miles!

[Edited on August 11, 2007 at 11:06 PM. Reason : .]

8/11/2007 11:03:08 PM

I'm getting this one for $5000, has 91K miles on it. Car dealer friend of mine bought it for his son, replaced all the coil packs and valve cover gaskets, window regulator or two etc. Basically it was suppose to last his son a few years so he fixed everything..then bought his son a vette instead lol. It should do what I need it to do for a year or so anyways and still leave me in a position to break even on it.

8/11/2007 11:19:24 PM

I've always liked the LSE wheels a lot. But if you're not into chrome, or aren't happy with them only coming in 17", I like the black-painted Rial Portos in 18"...

8/11/2007 11:47:42 PM

^^oh, sounds good then. the coil packs are the real killers. How about ball joints? I like the LSE/tbird wheels, I would definitely get those if my car was red like the first '04 LSE that wore my car's bodykit, but I think the black rials are gonna do it... weird though, tire rack has them but they don't come up when I pull up the wheels for my car, just the silver painted ones...

8/12/2007 7:14:13 AM

cool, mechanic at the ford place said the coil packs were the weakest link and the valve cover gaskets always start leaking around 100K but besides that it'd run forever.. I dunno about the ball joints but hell if that's the only thing I have to do to it and still getting it for under trade-in value, I'll be happy with it.

8/12/2007 1:48:18 PM

tinyurl



it works

8/12/2007 1:57:31 PM

^^oh, I didn't think about this last night, probably because it was the event that sparked the purchase of a new car, (and I had a few beers) but I had the transmission rebuilt ($2k!). It refused to go into Drive at 100k miles. It went away and I thought it was a Lucas-legacy electrical glitch, and then was fine for a while just doing around-town driving in W-S but it started doing it again at 105k miles after a drive back from Raleigh. Aamco found that a hydraulic drum that goes bad in all the S-types at 120k miles needed to be replaced, but they said that mine was the first one they'd replaced in an LS. Might be relevant to you since that's only a year's worth of driving away.

Fortunately for you, I think the drum failure was my fault: I think I used the high-gear-lockout (D5-D4-3-2) gear selector a lot more than most lincoln drivers (read: octogenarians), whereas the Jags have a more suggestive "J-gate" that is more tempting but does the same thing on the same transmission, which likely promotes more Jag drivers to drive like I do than LS drivers. So maybe I'm just a shitty driver who downshifts more often than necessary, but not necessarily any more than a legion of S-type drivers.

So.... if I had an '00-'02 again, I'd lay off the forced downshifts to elongate the transmission's life. My new car has a tiptronic-style (+/i) gear selector and shift action that feels a ton smoother than the '00, but then, it was 5 years ago in fall '02 that I got that '00 at 35k miles, so maybe I'm not remembering it very well. Try to match revs anyway. Kinda difficult, even when allowing the upshift it wants, where the engine's rotating mass just does NOT want to slow down to the appropriate speed. Gotta come off the gas for a few seconds before letting it have that next gear up again.

^I hate long URLS as well, but like I said above, I posted that first post pretty quick. I just cut and pasted from my faves list. I wasn't trying to spend a ton of time on this. Plus, what exactly is my incentive to make sure the thread looks just right for people who will post only if it doesn't look right, and then, just to tell me it doesn't look right?

[Edited on August 12, 2007 at 2:44 PM. Reason : ?, not .]

8/12/2007 2:21:15 PM

I'll look more into this. Thanks.

8/12/2007 2:31:35 PM

^^ its not the downshifts that killed it... the 5r55s is just a shitty transmission. i seem to replace them in s-types all the time.

8/12/2007 8:09:40 PM

I think I was next to you at the Western/Kaplan intersection around 12:45PM today. Sharp-looking car if so (even with the bling wheels).

8/13/2007 1:25:45 PM

^Thanks, yeah that was probably me. I must have just left Jax around that time. I love that spot. The contrast between the service and the food quality is hilarious and I always try to go there when I'm in town. I'm sorry if you tried to get my attention. I wasn't looking around much because every time I came to a stop, I was trying to get the #$#$%^#$ navigation to work. It kept telling me the shortest route to my gfs place near Rex went through Greensboro. Fortunately, it blocks out most of the functions when the car is moving, so the car oughta stay sharp looking rather than sharp-feeling a little longer.

Actually, speaking of looking sharp, I took a few pix of my car next to a chrome orange Lotus Elise the other night with my phone (didn't have my camera with me): (next post in a minute or so...gotta go get the phone)

8/14/2007 3:21:09 AM

alright, well, the pics definitely looked better on my phone. Both of the two good ones are washed out for some reason... the phone does a weird "transparency" effect when you make an image the background, but I didn't realize it permanently changed the image. LAAAME. here' you go anyway:












I have bunch more of the elise by itself too, if anyone wants to see 'em. I could put them in the supercar spottings thread, I guess.

8/14/2007 3:46:11 AM