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Lexus SC 430
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Comments
my budget allows only arond $20k - have found 2 sc-3's - both 1 0wner, all records, perfect
1 is 97 w/ 28k mi for approx $18k
1 is 98 w/ 34k mi (and lexus cert. sold thru dlr) for $21.5
thoughts? thx in advance (btw, congrats to all lucky sc-430 owners)
Good luck.
What do you think is a fair retail market value for this car?
so here's the question for everyone: i'd prefer to not spend $63,000 on a new 2003, since according to edmunds the car depreciates close to $10,000 in the first year alone.
what do you all think about buying a 2002 that has between 5-15K miles on it already? there are a number of them at both south florida lexus dealers, and they're priced in the low to mid $50K range. is it a dumb idea to buy someone else's problems? or will i be making a smart choice to let someone else take the initial depreciation?
thanks for your advice.
Remember this: if you buy a year old SC430, you have years of warranty service left, and you are paying less than list price for a great car.
I have bought nothing but used cars (including an SC400) for the past 20 years and have been very happy every time. My SC430 was my first new car since sometime in the 1970's.
My guess is that the previous owner found that this unusual car was not his cup of tea, or he got transferred or divorced or just wanted an SUV like everybody else. If the Lexus dealer is selling it, he has gone over it pretty well and I doubt that your chances of getting a problem car are any different from someone buying a new one.
Go for it.
Nothing wrong with the car. It's just sitting there covered in the driveway (I am waiting for the title next week), and paying for insurance and license is money out of my pocket.
thanks, squid and kdude, for the advice. actually, i wasn't worried about buying someone's lemon - moreso i was worried that one of the early production cars (may 2001 is when one of them went into service) may have more of the "early car bugs" like the rear bushings problem, the rattling issue, the tire problems that people have described on this thread. what do you guys think?
kdude, my offer still stands: if you feel like trading lives, call me!
by the way, my last three cars were all purchased 1-2 years old; it's just that none of them were totally new models, which is what i'm more concerned with.
I have never had any problem with the top whatsoever, I have had no rattles and no problems with the stereo.
I had the rear bushings replaced because of what I have read here, then raised the pressure to about 38 psi, and that helped the ride.
My white (excuse me, ecru) interior is easy to keep clean, although I have no dogs and no kids). It runs like a top and hits 100 mph without breathing hard.
I think the car is just great in all respects (for my purposes) and don't think that buying one "used" is at all a bad idea.
I bought a used SC400 about 10 years ago; at the time the car had about 20,000 miles on it, and had about 2 years of warranty left. I drove that until April of last year without any problems at all. I don't think I ever had a part go bad or need replacement, although I did replace the battery.
Buying a used Lexus is, I think, one smart car-buying move, and the next best thing to buying a new one.
they have a 2002 with 15K miles on it in my colour choice - blue with coffee interior (officially, "indigo ink pearl with saddle interior"). asking $53.9K. put into service 5/01. what do you think?
It's black/saddle, 2500 miles, "perfect condition" in the dealer's words, chrome wheels added. They bought the car from the guy for $54K. So i figure i can get it around $55 - $55.5
What do you think of this deal? I could *really* use the advice of all you experienced owners out there! Thanks. (i only am interested in black/saddle or blue/saddle)
I don't know if this information is helpful or confusing. Perhaps a check into the local area market or online sales sites may be helpful. Everything I have seen seems to be in the low to mid 50s, in line with what you are paying.
it seems to be in line, especially with the chrome wheel upgrade and only 2500 miles. i'm still trying to figure out how you trade up to a newer car every two years, and how i can become more like you! your life sounds way more interesting than mine. maybe i'll put my currently pathetic existence up on ebay and use it as a downpayment
The run-flat sensor system allows for this, and can switch easily between two sets of sensors quickly when the tires are changed. The cost, however, is very high, as you need 4 extra pressure sensors also, if you really want to do it right. Talk to the dealer for all the details.
Or just look at something in 4 wheel drive.
It's too bad you did not get that transfer, because I bet it would not have taken you long to learn that folks out there love convertibles and never spell it "Cali."
And keep that heavy coat, too.
(speaking as a native californian)
Stories?
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
black with saddle interior. my god, is this car awesome. even in south florida, where people are so jaded that *no* car gets attention, people were staring and giving multiple thumbs-up (at least, i sure hope those were thumbs).
thanks to everyone for your advice here - it helped me make my final decision. i'm sure i'll be asking for owner's advice along the way.
Look for a little story in a box.
Welcome to the Club! I purchased my 2003 SC430 (silver/saddle) in September. I also live in So. Florida and have really been enjoying top-down driving these days.
I haven't actually gotten the "thumbs up" yet, but I've had people stop me in parking lots to tell me what a great car it is and to ask to look inside.
Did you trade in an Acura TL? I also owned a '99 TL, so we seem to be following the same path with cars. Also, judging by your user name, you live in Weston. I'm in Pembroke Pines. If you do live in Weston, I'm sure by now your know the rush of doing 80 mph on I-75 with the top down!
I've seen some gorgeous black SC's on the road, so I'm assuming one of them was yours! Enjoy!
Your dealer will have them in the parts department.
Or they could be late.
Does anyone else see any irony in paying extra for air-conditioned seats in a convertible?
I'm driving a 88k ES300 right now. All my maintance & regular oil change is not doing in Lexus dealer. 1 year ago I replaced a OEM timing belts & water pump. I find that the engine noise is very noisy than normal & also the ticking sound comes out. Is anyone know how to reduce an engine noise and also the ticking sound. Is it the timing belt installed to tight or too loose?Thanks
Except the sounds ES300 is running pretty good.
Until now I still think Lexus is more reliable then European car.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Move to Florida where I am, and that irony will quickly evaporate. I was *most* displeased to find my new SC 430 came with heat warmers, but not coolers. Just like my Toyota Sequoia, I'm wondering how many times I'll actually use them. Not many.
Leather is hot. Period. Much of the country doesn't need heated seats, but cooled seats.
I'll be most displeased if they change this next year, as much as I was to find out the Luxury Tax was no more on New Year's Day, the day after I bought my new SC430.
..........Bob
Some drivers have reported good luck with 4 snow tires, but that's a lot of trouble and expense for the joy of taking a fine car like this out into the snow where some crazy lady in her Oldsmobile will slide into you.
My solution was to buy a mini-suv so I could get about in the snow and so I could have some space to haul around larger items that I want to buy or move.
This gives me the best of both worlds.
My suggestion would be to stay in Florida for the winter, and only go to New England in the summer.
That's like having the best of both worlds.
luvinmylex, i just have to ask: is that short for "loving my lexus", or literally, "getting some LUV IN MY LEXUS", in which case you clearly have more backseat room in your sc430 than i have in mine?
and yes, i traded in a '00 silver TL. strangely parallel lives, huh?
by the by, i'm in miami. weston is purely coincidence, although i have a satellite office there - so i enjoy that i-75 drive as much as possible. problem is getting from here to there.
After the rain continues, it washes the oily stuff away, and the road actually becomes less slippery than it was previously.
This is what you may be experiencing.
Of course, in a very heavy rain, with lots of water on the road, some car/tire combinations will hydroplane.
Both of these slippery conditions are most noticable in cars like the SC430 which has wide tires, lots of torque and lots more weight on the front tires than on the drive tires.
On the other hand, when the road is dry, the sun is shinning, and the top is down, . . . . .
Thanks,
In Ohio, my dealer said a few weeks ago that although he no longer has a waiting list, but that he seldom has more than 2 or 3 on the lot at any one time, and thus is still selling all SC430s at sticker.
This situation is subject to change without notice.
Also, with my car being made in 12/02, the rear bushings should have been updated, right??
Thanks.