I might be wrong, but an EXP wipe is starting everyone from 0, right?
If so, why do you not just create a new account? I do not believe everyone wants to restart from scratch. It's counter-intuitive for the purpose of this game. Sure, it's a grinding game, but restarting the whole lot seems both unfair and a bit extreme for those not wanting to be involved.
As for the need for new items/maps; this game thrives off the ability for people completing sectors. With that said, it opens a game-play which includes some skill (learning the sector) and mastering the ability to clear it faster and faster. Granted that 258 is pretty much an extremely common sector to grind for hours on, it does also highlight the need to increase the 'sectors' (play fields) where players can continue to 'grind' if they so wish. But also ascertain a new challenge, and not having to start from absolute 0 again. New items also revitalise an old or 'out-dated' concept, i.e. Meto armour. If you create more skins for equal stat items, it can become a cosmetic thing. Or you, can widen the variety for the players and will re-incentives the whole situation. (such as the RT suggestions of different colours)
This topic is of course very to-and-fro, and a lot of outside factors are often either over-looked or simplified a lot for the layman. As such, while I agree than EXP wipe (if my first sentence is the correct understanding) will be quicker and easier to do. However, it strongly moves away from any purpose of having levels at all. Sure - you'd get a race to see who would get to level 225 or 270 the first, but then you end up exactly where we are now. Where as introducing newly skinned levels, or something similar, you are creating a long term solution. (of course it will come to some sort of end eventually, but it would last much longer than a exp reset)
But aye, complex matters always share more than one solution. And as always, these are just personal thoughts