Dear Car Talk:
I own a 2005 Honda CR-V with 125,425 miles. It’s in good shape. The worst feature on the car right now is rusted wheels. I have fairly new tires and am wondering if it’s worth replacing the wheels before I need new tires again. My mechanic says the wheels haven’t rusted all the way through, but they look bad. I don’t want a safety issue with wheels rusting all the way through.
This has been a great car, and I don’t want to get rid of it. But is it worth making this investment in a 16-year-old car? — Rita
This is probably just a cosmetic issue, not a safety issue, Rita. Based on your mechanic’s comments, my guess is you have a bunch of surface rust on your wheels, and it looks ugly.
Since they’re rusting, I assume you have steel wheels, rather than the optional alloy wheels. So, you have several options.
The cheapest solution would be to have your mechanic sand your existing wheels and spray paint them silver. And those wheels will look 95% better than they do now.
But for not much more, you can buy a brand-new set of after-market wheels. If you Google “original steel wheels for 2005 Honda CR-V,” you’ll find perfect replicas of your original wheels for prices ranging from about $75 to $100 per wheel.
We found a good selection at CARiD.com, and all you have to do is pick the ones that match the size and style of your current wheels. I’m sure your mechanic would help you pick the right ones if you ask him. When you factor in shipping and tire mounting, you’re probably talking about $500, give or take.
And, if you love the car, and the rusty wheels bother you, you should absolutely make the investment.
Dear Car Talk:
Toyota recently had a recall on Toyota Camrys for melting dashboards. I did not respond to the recall, because my car did not have this problem. However, now that the recall has ended, my 2019 Camry has started having it.
I don’t want go to the expense of treating the dashboard. My main concern is that the melting dash reflects onto the windshield and obstructs my vision.
Is it possible to tint the windshield and alleviate this problem? — Olivia