Learn me Lexus SC430

So the Missus and I are thinking about getting a SC430. It will be for summer fun and trips.

Anything to be on the lookout for?

Thanks!

I've never had an sc but have had a gs430 and ls400. The drivetrains are very similar and are totally bulletproof. Except they're a timing belt motor so make sure to keep that up to date. They're not the easiest to work on just because the motor is shoehorned in there but it's so unusual to need to work on it that I think it's not a big deal. I got my gs due to a broken timing belt and did a top end rebuild. I drove it for years and passed it on here and it's still around probably nearing 300k miles at this point. After I fixed it I did literally nothing to it other than scheduled maintenance. The mark levinson audio fails readily and is expensive to repair. East side tim - the next gs owner - bought the non levinson stuff to swap and I did the job and it wasn't bad. I'm not sure that is an option on the sc but getting the amp professionally rebuilt is a few hundred bucks. The door lock actuators can fail - again this was at like 250k miles - but you can replace just the lock motors using genuine Toyota parts for not a lot. Less than $100 ea. I'm sure the sc uses the same or at least a similar setup. They are quick (0-60 in about 5.8 seconds?) but not astonishingly so compared to more modern cars. The design is eye catching and women especially love them. 

Is that the one the Top Gear boys called the "worst car of all time?"

Yes, it sure is the worst car of all time according to Clarkson so I must be a rich elderly American then. LOL

Hah! I quit watching him years ago when they jumped the shark.

Yeah, I did read that they are a timing belt motor so will check into that. Not too worried about the stereo as I'd want to replace it with something more modern. Also Yes, the wife does like the looks of it.

A Cadillac XLR was also mentioned but those scare me when it comes time to work on them when even the dealerships say they won't touch their own product.

In reply to GPz11 (Forum Supporter) :

Avoid the XLR due to $2k tail lights and that was in 2019.  I imagine it has only gotten worse.  Current ebay shows a $599 repair service of your light and $1,800 replacements.  Car-part.com is all $2k+

I think the SC430 and Sebring are tied for "most boring convertible." I have nothing to add except I did manage to get kicked out of a Lexus sponsored driving event for hustling an SC430 around their small autocross course much too quickly. 

There are currently a few Lexus IS250/IS350 convertibles running around my neighborhood.  I am finding them attractive and likely a reliable package.  The back seat seems usable and the rigid top seems very sensible.

MIL has an IS250 convertible and she's been quite happy with it and hasn't had any issues.

I know a guy with a minty fresh SC430.  He toys with selling it occasionally, low mile silver on black.  One owner maybe 65k miles could probably steal it for $15k.

SC430 are refreshingly fun Toyotas

buzzboy said:

Is that the one the Top Gear boys called the "worst car of all time?"

 

I tend not to try to get actual information from Top Gear, just entertainment. I know the SC430 has plenty of flaws - mostly of the design / excitement kind - but it's a far cry from the worst. It's a RWD V8 with an amazing motor and acceptable auto trans. It's reliable, quick, and reasonably engaging to drive. It's comfortable. I find any comparison to a Sebring laughable - that's a FWD penalty box that happens to have a drop top. I'd say it's more like a fancier stock v6 Mustang convertible. You won't win any drag races or autocross but you'll have a smile on your face.

They called it the worst car because it was a letdown considering what Toyota was capable of producing. Mental gymnastics. 

It's like saying the Avalon is horrible because the same company made the LFA, MR2, Supra, and Celica GT-Four.

akylekoz said:

I know a guy with a minty fresh SC430.  He toys with selling it occasionally, low mile silver on black.  One owner maybe 65k miles could probably steal it for $15k.

Where is it located? I'd be interested in checking it out at least and a good price too!

I didn't know about the IS series, I'll have to check those out also.

I drove one briefly as a valet at an office building in college. I remember thinking the seats would be great for a long trip. In factory form I think they look a bit like a bar of soap, and the aero disc looking wheels were especially bad, but there is a good-looking fat 5 spoke available as an option and a front lip does wonders for the look of the car. I think you could buy one with the peace of knowing that the previous owners were probably very gentle to the car, it doesn't seem to have any sporting pretense, more of a Japanese Riviera.

I'm just amused by the dichotomy between an SC430, which looks like a well used bar of soap and an XLR which looks like it was styled with nothing but a straight edge.

You may specifically be looking for hardtop convertibles, but a quick search showed Jag XK, Audi S5, Maserati Gran Sport/Spyder and Mercedes C Class, E Class, SLK and SL convertibles in the same $15-25k  ballpark as the SC430. Probably BMW 6 Series too, but I didn't look specifically for them.

STM317 said:

I'm just amused by the dichotomy between an SC430, which looks like a well used bar of soap and an XLR which looks like it was styled with nothing but a straight edge.

You may specifically be looking for hardtop convertibles, but a quick search showed Jag XK, Audi S5, Maserati Gran Sport/Spyder and Mercedes C Class, E Class, SLK and SL convertibles in the same $15-25k  ballpark as the SC430. Probably BMW 6 Series too, but I didn't look specifically for them.

I love all those Euro variants, especially the Jags and Maser (and XLR!), but at over 15 years old and just to get in and drive, I'd probably do the SC also. I hated the looks intially, but a set of wheels makes a huge difference. Maybe a G37 vert if you want something sportier? Pretty reliable in that gen VQ, I don't know the trannies well, but tons of 370s getting absolutely flogged to within an inch of their life by grassroots slidey boys.

North of Grand Rapids MI.

His truck in the back ground is a totally sweet TRD Tacoma, in orange.  He just sold his other Toyota for $500, 350k miles on a rusty, 2WD, sport box, manual trans,Tacoma, very rusty.  That was the one he did drive.

In reply to fatallightning :

I get that. But if all you want is to get in and drive, then a Solara convertible gives you the same benefits. A luxurious, RWD drop top with a v8 seems like an occasion car that you want to put a smile on your face. And the SC430 seems like it offers very little that's special by comparison to the other options. It doesn't make cool noises, or look spectacular, or go like stink, or have tremendous feedback/handling to put a smile on the driver's face on a curvy backroad. So what are you actually getting? It seems like the main selling points are a bit of prestige from the brand (and it's high MSRP), and reliability. It seems like the Camry of big, luxury convertibles. Camrys are great for daily drivers, but you don't see many people choose them for fun. And a V8, RWD convertible seems like it exists solely for some fun to me, otherwise you could just buy a Solara convertible, Buick Cascada, Volvo C70, etc.

Friend here has an '02 Sc430.  Much more entertaining once he removed the mufflers and just runs the resonators.  A nice noise from it now, but not obnoxious and still fits the car.  I've driven it and really disliked the steering.  Felt very heavy to me.  Not a fan of the dated looking infotainment screen. Similar to Infinit's of the era.  Just looks dated, and out of place.

I much preferred the drive in another friend's 2000 xk8 convertible.  It felt like a larger Miata to me.  Much better steering response and a great noise from the stock exhaust.  Too bad that car wasn't available with a manual box.

But he is already dealing with lots of lights on the dash whereas sc430 guy hasn't had to do anything to the car.

For me, I would cope with the lack of space and go with an NC miata.

LOL, for me, a Miata is not the answer. I'm just a wee bit too big to drive them for any length of time.

I've 2.5 swapped a NC for a buddy and driven a ND also, I'm just not a Miata person.