A change for the better, or not so much? Thoughts!

[easyrider]

As many of you may well be aware by now, Lincoln has decided to change the appearance of there 19" 

(20 spoke) brushed aluminum wheel offered as standard equipment on some models of the MKZ, replacing it with a Magnetic Grey painted version of the same wheel.

This change was put into affect sometime mid model year from my understanding,  and this unbeknownst to many of the sales managers and staff alike from what I've been told.

Having said that, when I inquired further regarding a possible motive for the change, some have responded that the change was based on requests from many Lincoln owners who hadn't particularly taken a liking to the brushed aluminum finish on the wheels as originally offered.

 

In any regard I for one had expected to see a brushed aluminum wheel as ordered on my car, but instead was surprised when my Z arrived with the painted ones.

 

What are your thoughts on Lincoln's decision to make this change mid year, with no advanced warning to dealers and sales personnel of the change, in fact much of the visual advertisement, brochures and such to date has not indicated any such change to the wheels as shown.

 

Question: What would be your prerogative of the 19" spoked wheel if selected,  Brushed Aluminum or Painted?  : )

Edited July 26, 2017 by easyrider

[drolds1]

As they say in the fine print, they reserve the right to make changes at any time without prior announcement.  Running changes like this during the MY are not at all uncommon in the industry.

 

2017 MKZ brochure:

 

 

 

Lincoln reserves the right to change product specifications, pricing and equipment at any time without incurring obligations

 

 

I haven't seen the painted versions of the wheels yet but IMO, they've got to look better than the prior version.  I thought those looked really cheap and and out of place on the MKZ.  My wife even commented on them when we were at he dealership.  I wouldn't be surprised if the change was in response to customer input.

[jmcgliss]

In a perfect world, you could select from more choices of wheel designs and tire brands versus being limited to what the factory installs. Or, dealers would be more helpful swapping wheels and tires between vehicles. CAFE regulations, or simply profit margins, probably interfere with this.

 

We've been frustrated with the used MKZ market for this reason, where a vehicle is well-equipped but lacks our favorite wheel design.

 

A customer should not have to try and broker a wheel swap on craigslist.

Edited July 26, 2017 by jmcgliss

[longislander]

Question: What would be your prerogative of the 19" spoked wheel if selected, Brushed Aluminum or Painted? : )

I think it depends on the color of the car. To my eye, every color except Platinum White and Palladium Gold would look better with the Magnetic-painted wheels.

I think they look especially good on a Magnetic Grey car like yours! 

Edited July 26, 2017 by longislander

[easyrider]

Thanks for your thoughts longislander, more than I can say for more than 100 who have now read this post. : )

I can only presume most do not not care one way or the other in this regard.

In my case I had expected to acquire the vehicle as ordered with the brushed aluminum wheels, and while I can't say I've been entirely disappointed with the painted wheel variation, it just doesn't have the same appearance to what I had expected. 

 

When initially speaking to one of the sales staff regarding the change of wheels on cars recently ordered, he stated a few of the folks had actually backed out of purchasing for this very reason, I don't if that is actually true or not however.  I suspect like most everything, to each his/her own.

 

Personally, I'm not so sure I would have ordered the wheels I have if given a second choice, and since I've decided to lease the vehicle, I don't feel it is something that would move me to purchase a different set of wheels with chrome to help break up the color combination. I must admit when I had seen a white MKZ with the Magnetic Grey wheels I thought it looked like one of the cars of yesteryear when the steel wheels where painted black and the chrome hubcaps were removed. IMHO.  :)

Edited July 29, 2017 by easyrider

[KenZ]

Thanks for your thoughts longislander, more than I can say for more than 100 who have now read this post. : )

I can only presume most do not not care one way or the other in this regard.

 

Yup... probably one of the many that are not wheel guys.  As long as they are all the same, it doesn't bother me.  I do miss white sidewall tires though....   :)

[dwonder]

I didn't like them to begin with...i opted for the optional Reserve rims. They just made the car look completely different, like for an older person. No offense to any one, lol. I mean like back in the day I would usually see older people driving the Lincoln Towncars. The optional rims give it that modern look in my humble opinion. I did wish they had a couple more different options.

[easyrider]

I didn't like them to begin with...i opted for the optional Reserve rims. They just made the car look completely different, like for an older person. No offense to any one, lol. I mean like back in the day I would usually see older people driving the Lincoln Towncars. The optional rims give it that modern look in my humble opinion. I did wish they had a couple more different options.

Pardon, not sure I quite understand your response to the OP question dwonder, then again I've been known to be a bit slow on the uptake from time to time. Ha!

If I understand correctly you don't particularly care for the 19" spoke wheel regardless of weather they are brushed aluminum in appearance or painted magnetic grey as are now offered. Further, that those rims in particular give the car the appearance it is for an older person, like those often seen driving the Lincoln Town cars. Interesting!.  : )

Edited August 6, 2017 by easyrider

[dwonder]

Pardon, not sure I quite understand your response to the OP question dwonder, then again I've been known to be a bit slow on the uptake from time to time. Ha!

If I understand correctly you don't particularly care for the 19" spoke wheel regardless of weather they are brushed aluminum in appearance or painted magnetic grey as are now offered. Further, that those rims in particular give the car the appearance it is for an older person, like those often seen driving the Lincoln Town cars. Interesting!. : )

That is correct, lol. Just my personal thoughts ;-) To me they actually look like hubcaps. But the magnetic painted are better than the brushed aluminum to answer the OP.

[longislander]

Easyrider, you do realize that the wheels you continually refer to as "brushed aluminum" are also painted - just like the Magnetic ones - only in a silver color.

Edited August 7, 2017 by longislander

[easyrider]

That is correct, lol. Just my personal thoughts ;-) To me they actually look like hubcaps. But the magnetic painted are better than the brushed aluminum to answer the OP.

 lol, understood.

[easyrider]

Thanks all for your personal thoughts and input on this topic. Enough said. :)

[easyrider]

Easyrider, you do realize that the wheels you continually refer to as "brushed aluminum" are also painted - just like the Magnetic ones - only in a silver color.

Actually I was not aware, Longislander. I had seen what I have referred to as a brushed metal spoke wheel offered earlier in the model year, as the term brushed aluminum was a term used by the dealer staff, and of recent only the 19" spoke wheel which is painted Magnetic Grey, as a standard equipment item.

I really haven't seen any description or offering of that particular wheel painted Silver, and I've seen quite a few at various dealerships in and around my area during these past several weeks.  : - ) Are you certain of this?

Edited August 7, 2017 by easyrider

[longislander]

Yes - the 2017 Lincoln MKZ brochure pictures them in silver, and refers to them as 19" Painted 20-spoke aluminum wheels.

Edited August 7, 2017 by longislander

[easyrider]

Yes - the 2017 Lincoln MKZ brochure pictures them in silver, and refers to them as 19" Painted 20-spoke aluminum wheels.

LOL, I beg to differ, but according to Lincoln, while much of what you say regarding the brochure is true, the 19" 20 spoke aluminum wheel while (pictured silver/ brushed aluminum), and offered as a standard wheel, these wheels are now painted Magnetic Grey, not Silver, or painted any other color for that matter.  If you disagree,  well then we will simply need to agree to disagree. :)

Edited August 7, 2017 by easyrider

[longislander]

You said "much of" what I said regarding the brochure is true. Which part wasn't?

The 20-spoke 19" aluminum wheels as pictured in the brochure, and standard on Reserve models built earlier in the model year, were PAINTED Silver. Now they are PAINTED Magnetic. Nowhere were they described as "BRUSHED" aluminum other than in your posts here.
Do you still disagree with what I am saying?

Edited August 7, 2017 by longislander

[jimflutes]

I just purchased a 2017 MKZ with the charcoal 20 spoke painted ,they look super on the car which is lux metallic.

[longislander]

I just purchased a 2017 MKZ with the charcoal 20 spoke painted ,they look super on the car which is lux metallic.

I think you mean 2016?

[jimflutes]

Yes you are right 2016. I had posted on another thread that because of these wheels I am now very interested in tires with rim protection. The tire that came with the car are Michelin mxm4 a/s and have this feature, but I read that they are not so good in snow,the Michelin a/s pilot sport 3 plus is the tire I am looking at now because of its snow reviews. I understand that no a/s tire is as good as winter tires but some a/s are better then other a/s for light snow.