Cost Of One New Wheel - £512 !?

[fredsmith]

Can anyone advise please?

I am in Switzerland, and recently had a minor slide when coming down a steep snowy road in my 2007 IS 250. My front wheel hit some grass banking and I managed to damage it. I broke one of the 'spokes'.

Took it to the local Lexus garage who say that one new wheel will cost 770 CHF, which is £512 at current exchange rates!

This sounds totally ridiculous to me. Everything is a bit more expensive here (for instance about £450 for a major service) but really, 512 for a single replacement wheel (not even the tyre) seems crazy. They said this is the price quoted by Lexus in Brussels which I'm presuming is some sort of European spares hub (?)

Can anyone shed any light on this costing, or offer an alternative idea? It wouldn't be the end of the world for me to stick the car in my garage for a few weeks, and arrange the purchase of an alternative from a cheaper source. A cursory Google search suggests that I could get something far cheaper if I could be bothered organising it myself.

If I was to order my own, does anyone have a recommendation for what sort of wheel(s) to buy, and a good source? Location doesn't matter as long as they will ship here.

Thanks in advance. I'm a total car-phobe when it comes to this sort of simple practical matter. I am normally happy to leave to to the garage but this seems way over the top to me.

[Exdee]

Depends on what size you got. OEM 17 should be easy to source. The 18's will be harder.

Try ebay or your local breakers.

As long as it is not bent or cracked you can always buy a used one and have it refurbished locally.

[fredsmith]

Depends on what size you got. OEM 17 should be easy to source. The 18's will be harder.

Try ebay or your local breakers.

As long as it is not bent or cracked you can always buy a used one and have it refurbished locally.

Thanks. It's 17 I believe.

[Steve]

the 17's will be a peice of cake to source

Whole set here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-LEXUS-IS200-ALLOY-WHEELS-NEW-TYRES-215-45-R17-SET-OF-4-/300831027862?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item460aed3296&_uhb=1

Still cheaper to refurbish them