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Lexus SC 430
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Comments
Verozahl - I won't answer for Sphinx, but in my opinion the SC300/400 may have been "sporty" Lexus offerings, but they were not serious driving enthusiasts cars. Again, if I'm not mistaken, only the SC300 was offered with a manual. My former boss had an SC400 for 5 years and, although he loved it for quality and luxury, he now owns a 528i that he claims is more fun to drive (even with its 4 doors and 100 fewer horsepower).
When the GS400 first came out, I thought perhaps Lexus was finally moving into serious driver's territory. But the suspension was so luxo-oriented that Lexus had to print a warning label that the optional 17" tires might last less than 7,500 miles under more spirited driving. Apparantly, the body roll tendencies of the car was eating up the side walls of the tires. Again, I have an associate who traded a GS for a 540i 6-speed and has never looked back.
My point is that I agree with Verozahl that Lexus image is fine. They make some of the best near and full luxury cruisers out there. And their quality control appears well ahead of Mercedes as of late. They just don't make a car that excites my 40-something driving senses. So be it. I'll buy their stock, just not their cars.
However, I am not sure whether even Lexus is sure whether that one thing is enough, and the IS300 is evidence that they're thinking about something else.
verozahl - I don't have much seat time in SCs, but from what I have read they tend to be heavy tourers that focus on luxury over sportiness, as with most Lexi.
Whotheman - back to the topic - the SC430. You ask "why not?", I ask "why?". I am not sure Lexus will sell that many more SC430's by offering to equip them with a sport package. IMHO, you can't take a luxury car that has a highly refined "Buick" ride and handling dynamics and turn it into a sports car by adding a sports package. That may sound a little harsh, but I think it would really need to be designed ground up with a different philosophy and approach, for the SC430 (or any car) to appeal to the true driving enthusiast.
Lexus has elected to let Mercedes, Audi, BMW and even Honda invest heavily in their racing divisions. They make "Super Toyotas". Nothing wrong with that, since they do it as good or better than anyone else. And as a highway tourer, the SC430 appears to be right up there with the best. Just not as much fun to drive as my S2000. But a lot quieter.
My other choice would be a Prelude or a 240SX. Driver's coupes. Maybe an old MR2, too.
And then, you have the Supras, Z-Cars, and RX-models of the world.
SC430 is just another luxoconvertible with strange looks, and it's not as sporty as the Benzes it envies. It's a little too Lexus for Lexus, that is, it doesn't do much for Lexus image other than say "hey! we wanna be Benz!"
I'm not aware of any Corollas with Lexi badging. Altezzas, Integras, and Primeras are not Corollas, Civics, or Sentras.
Actually, I think when I'm talking about the styling, we should focus on the rear end. The front is sleek, but the back??
Compared to what?
M
M
From what I can tell, the SC430 top and the SLK top are identical in operation. The trunk of the SC is larger, so there is more storage room with the top down, but that's not an "advanced top," that's a larger car.
That's my blurb.
I have heard rumors that Lexus might introduce the Lexus SC 330. Has anyone heard of these rumors?
I owned a BMW 525i for 7 years. The reason I owned it so long is I could not find a new car that I liked better. I owned a Porsche 944 previous to the BMW and I thought I would miss the "throw it around" steering/road feel of the car. I never missed it! And, I also got a car that was superb on the highways at 80+ mph. It was extremely quiet and comfortable, nimble, quick, and well built. However, my lovely wife and I decided we wanted a convertible and (with serious buyers remorse - stopped twice on the way to pick up the new car) we bought a SLK solely due to the benefits, which are many, of the convertible hardtop.
To make a long story short. 2 yrs later, we ended up in arbitration (over 50 problems) with MB over the windows in the SLK. It was declared a "lemon." For the poster who stated the SLK convertible top was equal to the SC, that could not be more wrong. Lexus has the advantage of coming in second for introducing the convertible hardtop, so they took the original, cut it up, and did it better. Mostly what they did better were the window units. The SLK has problems with the windows coming off track because it uses a pressure system to push it under the seal rim of the top. Lexus' windows however fit under a wider seal with no need for the top of the window to push against, then pass by the window seal when the door closes. There are literally thousands of these SLK window problems documented on the internet. And, by the way, the BMW drove better and handled better although I have to admit the smaller MB was no slouch.
Next came the SC430. We did enjoy the convertible hardtop of the SLK, but missed the BMW ride and quality. So we narrowed our decision down to the BMW 530i and the $15k more SC430. We both liked the SC more, but it was a lot more money and we truly enjoyed our previous BMW experience. We went with the Lexus because it offered both luxury and the sportiness of the convertible hardtop. It's almost like having two cars (which we also considered as an option). It has been an outstanding choice. The fit and finish is at least as good if not better than the BMW and leaps and bounds better than MB. In my opinion (maybe not so humble), the interior is the nicest available in any price range. The convertible top is truly smoother, seals perfectly, and I don't spend all my days off at the MB dealership trying to get the top and/or windows adjusted/repaired. The highway ride and quiet of the car are at least equivalent to the BMW. The BMW did handle the twisties a bit better, but the SC is no slouch and creates a bigger smile due to the convertible hardtop and extremely solid feel of the car. And, if the car doesn't do it the Mark Levinson stereo will put a smile on any music lover's face. Man, IT IS AWESOME and might be better with the top down.
Okay, sorry for the long winded response, but I have owned several of the cars we are talking about and had to throw in my 2 cents. Bottom line is I suspect I will proudly own this Lexus for 10 years or more or maybe more or maybe more . . . It might be the perfect car for my wife and I.
Hi. Why did you switch versions of your run flats? Did you wear them out and what was your mileage if you did? Thanks.
-Chris
that number still amazes me... figuring 90 an hour for labor, they charged him 360 bucks to mount and balance 4 tires... wow...
-Chris
I had my SC serviced at the dealer for years, also repaired after collision. I promise you I know how expensive this can be.
In a nutshell, that is what makes lexus service superior to the Euro brands. There really is an organization that takes customer complaints seriously. The net result can be a big cost to the dealer. (allotments go down, unit prices rise, etc... with bad service record.) They are not like the older dealerships.
yea right... lexus service isn't any more "superior" than any other... try 2 weeks to get an appointment (fwiw, never more than 2 days at my local "unnamed to protect it's innocence but not a lexus" dealer)... they may (or may not) have more "perks" (such as loaners, and so on), but as far as the actual work on the car, they are no better or no worse than anyone else, and they are godawful expensive (and owning a bmw, i can speak to godawful expensive!!)...
fwiw, ALL of them take them seriously... i'm even getting little stickers on my service invoices from bmw now reminding me that when the survey guy calls, i'm rating the SERVICE, not the CAR...
in either case, my original point is valid... he got killed on this bill... whether or not it's the book or not... i'd be really curious to see what the district guy would say if the original poster called him/her up and said, "is it really your policy to charge 360 bucks for 1 hour of labor?"....
-Chris
Supplies were limited for the first 6 months or so, depending on what part of the country you were in. I don't know how many of them were out on lease, because I've never leased a car, but my guess is that not too many of them were on short term (2 yr.) leases.
So they have been on the road about 15 months at the most; when they come off lease depends on the length of the lease and whether the lessee exercises the purchase option.
Consider also that the prices have been raised since April of '01, and used SC430's sell for a lot -- for a while, used ones cost more than new ones due to the waiting list.
THe shortest lease I know of is two years; three or four is more like it. Of course, used ones are around and are available, but it looks now like the car will hold a lot of its resale value.
If you only have 40K and want a hardtop convetible, you might want to look at the MB SLK; new they go for about 40, I think, and they were on the road for almost 2 years before the SC430, so used ones might be more plentiful and quite reasonable. (Of course, it's not a Lexus.)
I know mine's not for sale.
To get dealer specs, you might want to search the Road & Track or other car mag sites which probably still have those specs in their database, or just do what I did: step on it at a light and see how long it takes.
It's hardly an exact science.
For example, it has been for sale for 16 months (since March 2001) and it's still called a 2002 "model." In that same time, the sticker price has gone up at least once, and several "options" are now standard (spoiler and NAV system, I think).
It will be a while before any major changes are made, and my guess is that small changes, mostly to the accessories and gadgets, will be implemented from time to time when Lexus feels like it.
At some time, they will call it a 2003 model, but I would not expect to see any major changes.
That's a good time to bump up the price, though.
Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
I'm a little surprised that some of the newer hi-tech options (rain-sensitive wipers, park distance controls, adjustable pedal position, etc.) aren't offered on this car. Maybe those are the things they'll offer to set the 2003+ models apart? But, it doesn't dampen my enthusiasm much.
Now I'm just waiting for the cooler weather!
What's the deal with "rain sensitive wipers"?
Why is this always mentioned as a cool option?
I've never had a problem knowing when or how to turn on the wipers. I see no need for a device to to that for me.
My new SC430 has a setting to turn on the headlights, in case I don't notice it's dark outside. I never use it. Tried that setting a few times, but they never came on soon enough for me.
I do like the skid control and the NAV screen, and appreciate the nice leather and the CD player, but can somebody tell me why I should want to install a device that tells me when it's raining outside?
I feel that if I get to the point when I either can't see the rain or can't operate the wiper switch, then maybe it's time to stop driving.
I feel better now.
and i agree about the rain-sensing wipers. not that i've ever had any, but why would i ever need them? a park-o-matic or parktronic thing would be kind of nice, though, or that rear-view thing that the q45 has, especially as you're getting used to the size of a new car.
I've never had a problem knowing how to roll down the windows. I see no need for a device to to that for me.
I've never had a problem knowing how to turn the wheel. I see no need for a device to to assist with that.
I've never had a problem knowing how to read a map. I see no need for a device to to that for me.
I've never had a problem pushing my car and clutching second gear to start the car. I see no need for a device to to that for me.
I've never had a problem knowing when or how to shift my own gears. I see no need for a device to to that for me.
squidd...it is called a luxury car. The car is supposed to be luxurious and hassle free and comfortable.
Rain is not an on/off climate. Rain is hard sometimes, and its soft sometimes...sometimes its just misty outside. If you have ever lived in a rainy climate(ie not LA), you would know that it takes a lot of manipulation to keep your windshield visible and at the same time keep the wipers from squeaking on a dry windshield. I personally dont need this, but I would never try to make someone feel stupid for wanting it. Just like I would never make someone feel stupid for wanting power windows, power steering, navigation systems, or power starters.
Lexus is a luxury manufacturer, and being one, they have a buisiness obligation to do everything possible to accomodate the desires of their customers, working within a price range. There are people that desire rain sensing wipers, and they should be doing everything they can to offer them.
Anti-lock brakes and anti-skid control are worth the money, because I can't do that job myself. Anti-lock brakes do the job better than a person can.
A NAV system is a handy luxury item because it is so much more convenient than paper maps.
But as I understand it, "AutoRainSensor" wipers turn on the windshield wipers when it rains. I don't have this "feature" on any of my cars, so I can only go by reports, but maybe they even vary the wiper speed with the rainfall. This seems to me even more unnecessary than auto headlights, which might come in handy if you are driving at dusk and forget to turn on the headlights as it becomes darker.
But who forgets to turn on the wipers when it rains? I just don't get it.
What does this deal cost,anyway?
P.S. I have yet to sit in anybody's (Lexus, Mercedes or BMW's) 14 way power adjustable 3-position memory seats that fit me as well or were/are as comfortable as the manual seats in that ancient Supra or my current S2000 (both designed by Recarro, I believe). Electronic gizmos do not necessarily supercede good old fashioned quality.
the luxury is being free if incessantly fiddling with the wipers.
As you know, my main point is that I think it's important that Lexus keep its luxury cars at least even with and preferably ahead of the competition. It would be nice for technojunkies like me to have the option of what to order and not leave it up to the marketing/finance people at Lexus.
I'm certainly not loving my car any less!