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Lexus SC 430

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Comments

  • zuma13zuma13 Member Posts: 35
    I understand that Lexus will make the LS model available in a LS 500 next year. Does anyone know whether this displacement increase will extend to the SC model? If so, imagine what the possibilities would be. Added horsepower, a beefed-up suspension, and better brakes. WOW!!
  • squidd99squidd99 Member Posts: 288
    If a 500cc engine were put into the LS, then Lexus would probably put that into the SC also. Historically, and I owned an SC400 for 10 years before I got my SC430, so I followed this a little, the changes to the LS engine were usually put onto the SC engine pretty soon thereafter. As a result, the two cars have always had the same engine, after a little transition time.

    They do not, however, upgrade your old car like Mr. Valentine does with his radar detectors. You have to buy a whole new one.
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    I think it is reasonable to criticise any over
    $50 K car that misses the mark on some front. So in all fairness it is just criticism to expect a 64K sc430 to handle much better than it does. I think Lexus would have done well to push the limits more in terms of visceral thrill and ultimate handling aspects of this car. While it is both fast and rewarding to drive.......it does feel a bit bloated and isolated from the road.

    All that said...............Is it worth $60K?
    If you think of this car as an LS430 with far more
    style, open air thrills and a large dash of porsche/SL prestige..............YES. And unlike mercedes and porsche you can expect this "toy" to be "trouble-free". Reliability and luxury are always STRONG reasons to consider any LEXUS.

    Despite all the automag dis of this cars handling........I drive this car on twisty mountain roads often! Even under spirited and fast driving the cars reflexes are reassurung and the wheels (20" pirrelli's on mine) never screech or leave the road.

    D
  • 43810774381077 Member Posts: 31
    For those curious why on paper (including the paper stats issued by Lexus) the SC should perform better than it does the answer could be they have electronically dumbed it down. MY CLK cab is almost a second slower than its coupe counterpart. Benz finally admitted they dumb the soft top down owing to the loss of strucural integrity inherent in the loss of the solid roof. They feel the car can't take the same amount of twist off the line as as the coupe. In the case of the CLK you can remove the electronic control box in the car and ship it off for reprogramming. The after market guys simply reset everything to coupe standards. You lose the car for 10 days and shell out $1200. A friend of mine's GM at a Lexus dealer and he says he knows of noone doing the same at present for the SC...but acknowledges that Lexus does dumb the low end down for the same reasons.
  • timwalker69timwalker69 Member Posts: 3
    Looking at an 02 40 w/ 7000 miles for $51k. I am concerned about the run flat tires, and the future expense of replacing them. I live in Houston and the roads are pretty bad and get extremely hot in the summer. What are the replacement costs and how many miles should i expect to get from them?

    Thanks in advance, Tim
  • timwalker69timwalker69 Member Posts: 3
    Looked at an 02 w/ Ecru Leather and Birdseye Maple trim. was not crazy about it but like the Birdseye w/ Dark leather. Any comments on this would be appreciated.

    Tim in Houston.
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    TIRES: Replacement costs vary depending on whether you decide on RF's or non-RF's. As for mileage most owners are reporting at least 20K miles. For more in depth discussions go to the clublexus.com SC 430 board and you can see what most owners are doing.
    LEATHER: I have read some discouraging comments about the ecru as regards stains and keeping it clean. I would stay with the darker leathers. I have saddle in mine and have had no trouble with either stains or cleaning. Again for more info go to clublexus.com
    Ron
  • squidd99squidd99 Member Posts: 288
    The maple wood trim comes only with the ecru leather. The two darker interiors, the "tan" and the black, both come with a very dark red/brown walnut wood trim.

    My 430 is black with ecru, and I really love the light wood trim. It only took me a day to get used to it, but it always gets positive comments from others.

    The almost white leather is a bit harder to keep clean, but it's worth the very small extra effort. Remember that the darker leathers are just as dirty, it's just harder to see it.
  • intmed99intmed99 Member Posts: 485
    I thought this was more due to the electronic drive-by-wire with strict emission control.
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    I purchased my 2002 sc430 used about 3 months ago.
    For reference , I paid about $45K with 30K miles. WHile I still have reasonable warranty left on the car.....I am considering buying the extended warranty good for 100,000 miles and 7 years (from orig purchase) for about $2200 (platinum plan). I was told that I must purchase the plan BEFORE the car reaches 36K miles. Seems like a good idea knowing how many "minimotors" and tech go into this car and the potential costs to fix. I also found out that the runflats would run about $450 each to replace at the dealer.

    My car is Black ext. with saddle leather.....I was VERY impressed by the unique look of this combination. But given the high fit and finish of these cars (and I have no estrogen in my system) I think ANY of the color combinations would grow on you.

    D
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    D;
      As a point of reference I paid $1800.00 for the Platinum plan when I bought my SC 430 new in January. Point is I think you can negotiate that price lower. I also purchased the plan because of the complexity of the car and high cost of repairs,ie,replacement of starter @ Lexus dealer $1000.00. But if you want to play you got to pay.
      As for tires, most owners replace them with non-runflats when it's time for new shoes. If you go that route Lexus has a kit that converts the trunk to carry a mini-spare or you can carry a can of fix-a-flat or just take your chances on not getting a flat. We report you decide!
    Hope this helps.
    Enjoy the car it's a great cruiser and problems will probably be minimal.
    Ron
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    Thanks for the info on the platinum warranty. I am going to try for that $1800.

    The previous owner already put 20" MoMO rims and Pirrelli tires on this sc430.This set him back over $3500 but the rims do make the car look more like a "hot rod " Lexus. With Black exterior and the gold trim package I was immediately sold on this car. He also gave me the 18" factory rims with run flats.

    I have noticed that this car STICKS to the road maybe even better than our Miata. I assume the tires add to the cars performance. I think the ride is a little less composed (unlike my prev LS400) and some tire noise is apparent with these tires. I would be interest to see how the run flats change the ride
    (whenever I get to it).

    D
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 4,686
    So, has anyone actually used the back seat for people? While waiting for my evil wife's RX to be washed, I fit my 7 year old daughter in the back seat, with the front passenger seat all the way forward, she seemed to fit fine. Next, I'll have to see if my 4 year old son fits on his booster seat behind me at the wheel. If he does, could someone mail me a check for $60,000 so I can buy a new Indigo Blue w/Saddle interior SC430? Much apprecitated...

    '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...)

  • squidd99squidd99 Member Posts: 288
    My kids are a little too big to sit back there, but I have had my friends' grade school children back there from time to time. They seem to fit well and enjoy the ride, up to about age 10.

    For a short ride when there is no alternative readily available, an adult can squeeze in there and sit sideways. Shoes go on the seat, so the leather can take a beating, but it's fun, especially if the top is down.

    Generally, only the groceries ride back there.
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    When we test drove this car my wife sat in the
    back seat. It can accommodate one adult for short stints (albeit with the front passenger seat too far foward to be really comfortable).

    In our case the back seat is perfect size for our
    Golden Retriever who insists on joining us on trips to our mountain vacation home. This seat is a profound improvement over the back window of a Miata (where she used to pout). Interesting enough this was a real reason for us buying the Lexus over the Boxster (which has less space than the Miata). WE cover the back seat with thick material for doggy trips. NO! car is that good that it shouldn't be enjoyed by all!!!

    D
  • odonnells2000odonnells2000 Member Posts: 3
  • odonnells2000odonnells2000 Member Posts: 3
    Boy, am I tired of reading comparison messages with Mercedes Benz models! Enough is enough! How about help with a real-life problem? I have a 2002 SC430 with 9500 miles. Sometimes, not all the time, when I turn my car off and remove the keys from the ignition you can hear the sound of a small motor running somewhere in the rear of the car. The sound of the motor running is SO silent you have to listen for it. To silence the motor, you put the key back into the ignition and turn the key to the "on" position. Turning the key and removing it once again usually solves the problem, but... If you leave the car in a hurry and then don't drive the car for a few days, you come back to a dead battery. The motor is much quieter than the motor that runs the antenna up and down. The car easily starts again after the car is jumped but it is a major inconvenience and very embarassing given the type of car it is. Has ANYONE else experienced a problem like this and what was the solution? I have run it by three different Lexus dealership service advisors and none of them had ever heard of this problem before. Your help would be very much appreciated.
    Frank O'Donnell
    Aiken, SC
  • ipsadoodleipsadoodle Member Posts: 35
    I bought the car over 2 years ago..have l0,000 miles on it..but do not like the run flats..they pull at will at anytime..I do not think they are safe.but do not see many complaints on line about this..have complained many times to dealer..they say it is normal..baloney..I have owned over 50 cars.most exotic..never never had them pull at all..this car..runs swell.but the pulling is unbelieveable..wrote Lexus in Cal about it..they ignored me..the dealer ignored me..svc mgr politely told mme they could no nothing but I could buy another kind of car.did complain in writing to NHTSA last week..lets see if they look into it..does anybody out there agree?? should I live with it or buy new set of regular tires?? (probably Michelin) would appreciateyour feedback...Irv
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,497
    like me, buy another car. I had it with the ride and handling of the run-flats to the point that it soured me on the car.
  • odonnells2000odonnells2000 Member Posts: 3
    I have owned only 20 cars in my lifetime, but don't sell the car, toss the run flats and get regular 18" tires. It's not the car, it's the tires, simple as that. Anyone willing to pay $60,000 for a car can afford $1000 worth of tires. Don't buy from the dealer, buy from The Tire Rack at the discount price (plus shipping), and then have an experienced local tire company install the tires correctly on the rims. You WILL have to use your other car to transport the new tires to be installed, however! Join AAA, use your insurance policy or extended warranty to fetch a tow truck in the unlikely event of a flat tire. Trust me, it will solve the problem.
    Regards, Frank
  • ipsadoodleipsadoodle Member Posts: 35
    I do appreciate the 2 replies received so far...if there was any car on the markket I liked better, I would have already traded..not crazy about spending 100K for a Mercedes..drove them for over 20 yrs and had too much trouble with the last 2 even though I only drive about 4000 miles per year..am on the fence of putting on new set of Michelins..if I was sure it would solve the problem..the money is no consideration...I was hoping Lexus would do it..but alas no luck that way..they really dissapointed me on this one..but thanks again...Irv
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    I would concur with odonnells2000"don't sell the car". Further info on this subject (RF's vs Non-RF's) can be found on clublexus.com. Look under SC 430 and tire forums. Many owners say the tires transform the car and also give recommendations on type of tires to purchase. These are owners opinions.
    Good-luck
    Ron
  • drgreydrgrey Member Posts: 10
    It's time to replace the run flats on my 2002 SC 430. I am leasing the car, have 21 months remaining on the lease and have to turn it in with run flats. So I can't look at any non run flat tires. The Tire Rack tells me there are only 2 options for run flats in size 245/40-18, the original equipment Bridgestone Potenza REO40 or Dunlop 5000. I had read somewhere that Goodyear and Yokohama had come out with run flats in my size, but the rep at the Tire Rack says the closest Goodyear is 275/40-18 and the Yokohama is not out yet. The Bridgestones have been OK re the ride(though it is the typically harsh jiggly ride of run flats) and they've given me 21000 miles. But they are noisy, especially now!!

    Has anyone had experience with the Dunlops, or been able to compare the Dunlops with the Bridgestones? Are the Dunlops quieter or do they have a more compliant ride? Or does anyone have any other ideas. All thoughts and suggestions will be much appreciated

    Many thanks,

    Howard
  • zuma13zuma13 Member Posts: 35
    I was so dissatisfied with the Bridgestone RF tires I had them replaced with the Dunlop RF when they were made available for 2003. The ride and handling were immediately improved. The Dunlops with 38 lbs of air pressure are a sheer joy.

    So, dgrey, don't give-up on the run flats. If possible test drive a new 2003 equipped with the Dunlops before you purchase replacement tires. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    If you are looking for a closer ride to say , an LS430.............non-runflat tires.....Michelins or ? would be the pick. In my case the 20" rims with non-runflats (pirrelli) give this car a sporting flavor but the ride is choppy on uneven pavement.
    I might consider trying my 18" rims with the best Non-runflats money can buy to see if the perfect balance between ride and handling can be achieved.
    What tires would that be?????

    D
  • drgreydrgrey Member Posts: 10
    Zuma13

    Thanks for sharing your experience with the Bridgestones and Dunlop run-flats in response to my post. Was that on an SC 430?

    drgrey
  • squidd99squidd99 Member Posts: 288
    Now is the time to see T3.

    Just in case you have not heard yet, the (very hot) terminator babe from the future not only drives around in an SC430, it gets blowed up, too. (Terrible waste, but there are probably too many silver ones out there, anyway.)
  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 4,686
    New plan: Enter limited charitable raffle (1200 tickets). Win Lexus SC430. Console 1199 non-winners (nobody is a loser who contributes to this worthy cause!).

    Problem: Need 27% of msrp to pay taxes (thanks, IRS...). Any suggestions?

    Good plan.

    '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...)

  • zuma13zuma13 Member Posts: 35
    In answer to drgrey's inquiry, yes the Dunlop RF's were installed on the SC430. The difference was amazing. I actually contemplated changing over to non-run flat Bridgestone Potenza's for what was touted as a far better ride than the Bridgestone RF's. However, I didn't want to sacrifice the cargo area by installing the spare tire.

    The Dunlops were THE choice and I still have retained the trunk space we all need when the top is lowered.

    TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT.
  • zuma13zuma13 Member Posts: 35
    I currently own a '02 SC430 with 19M miles on the odometer. The car has been relatively trouble free. I do have a peculiar sulfur-like smell emanating from the vehicle pursuant to heavy acceleration.

    Has anyone on this link experienced this anomaly? If so, was there a fix? My dealer, after a test drive, said there was nothing wrong.

    Thanks for the input.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Your catalytic converter stinks. You might try another brand of gasoline and also having your car checked for over-rich mixture at WOT.
  • qibbleqibble Member Posts: 26
    drgrey - You should just hold on to your original run-flats. Buy the tires of your choosing and ride out the rest of your lease on them. When it's time to turn in the car just put the original run-flats on and let the dealer deal with the worn run-flats. This way you'll get to have the tires that you want and probably save some money in the process.
  • karklin1karklin1 Member Posts: 10
    I own a 2002 Lexus SC-430 with run flat tires.I don't like them they are noisy hard riding and seem to pull sideways when hard braking.
    I am thinking of getting high performance tires
    is there enough space in the trunk for a doughnut spare? Any help would be appreciated.
               Leo-K
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    Just visited northern california for the holiday weekend...................my first 1000 mile trip in my sc430. Needless to say this car coddles and delights all senses with the top up or down.

    A few notes...........The tire low pressure gage lit up and I discovered that one of my tires was at 25 psi. After several air fills it was obvious I had a flat. Since my 20" pirrellis are near bald I decided to buy 4 new tires . I purchased 4 new tires for about $900 . They are Z rated VENTUS tires . I never heard of them either......apparrently they are korean tires. Other tire choices (pirrellis and Toyos) would have run about $500 more. These tires so far do feel smooth and sporty and I'm told they will last longer than my prev pirrellis. I'll keep posting my thoughts on my next mountain trip.

    Also.........After considerable GPS use.......I must say the User friendly nature and helpful attributes could be alot better on this Lexus GPS.
    Aside from often missing streets and addresses.....it does not give you the "next street approaching" info or the street address numbers as you drive................I use a Garmin streetfinder 3 in my suburban which has MUCH better information as you drive. I also HATE that you cannot set the GPS coordinates as you drive. This unit also has an altimeter and voice commands. For these reasons I may just consider an aftermarket GPS system in a future car purchase (though the 7 inch touchscreen does look great!)

    D
  • ipsadoodleipsadoodle Member Posts: 35
    They are the worst..I have the car 2 years only 10,000 miles..the tires pull 20% of the time..I have completed to Lexus USA they said its a tire mfg problem..nothing they can go..the servcie mgr advises me to keep them..the tire dealer tells me it is what it is..says nothing I can do..even new tires will act the same..I would spend the money in a heartbeat for new tires if I thought it would solve the problem.but prefer to stay with runflats..otherwise I have reg tires and no spare..might be a problem selling like the car otherwise..I am getting conflicting advice..anybody have a suggestion?? Did have advice from a few people on line but after investigation found out they dont own a 430SC
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ... They are just super .. if you have a great Dentist and you don't mind having your fillings put back in once or twice a year ..... no matter what vehicle you get ~ PASS .. I have had 3 SC430's.

                     Terry.
  • jratcliffejratcliffe Member Posts: 233
    My God, do the lightposts in your area have an issue with Lexuses?
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    Check your navigation manual. Under split screen you will see an option for next street turn, actually it will list three streets before your turn.
    Ron
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    Actually I was referring to a feature in my Garmin
    GPS whereby the next upcoming street/intersection is displayed continuously as you drive. This has proved valuable to me since I often look for addresses at night and cannot see street signs. It is often that the address I am looking for is not in the GPS software since southern california has alot of new developments.
    I just think the Garmin units offer some very useful features.

    My milage is now just over 35000. Iwas told (true or not) that I must purchase the platinum warranty before the car reaches 36000. Any tips on getting a better price on the warranty would be appreciated ( I know you said you paid about $1800....cheaper than the quotes I so far have received!)

    D
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    No tips that I can offer. I negotiated my warranty when I purchased the car. I would negotiate for a price close to $1800.00 and purchase from whichever dealer gives you the best offer. Any Lexus dealer will honor the warranty regardless where it was purchased.
    Good Luck
    Ron
  • howiemhowiem Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone else had trouble adjusting to the seats in this car. My original SC400 was a great car that I could drive all day with no complaints (and did for almost 200k miles.) The SC430 seats makes my back numb quickly and dispite constant adjustments, I cannot seem to get it right. It is souring me to the point of not liking the car and considerating dumping (with less than 4000 miles on the clock). Any suggestions ? Anyone else with the same complaint ?
  • damorminodamormino Member Posts: 82
    Has anyone seen or heard anything useful on the 2004 SC 430? Will there be changes? When will they be available?
  • damorminodamormino Member Posts: 82
    Good news and bad news:

    Good news: Next set of changes to SC430 will include sequential shifter (aka tiptronic), voice-activated navigation, integrated cell phone kit.

    Bad news: There may be no changes for 2004. Above may be rolled into the 2005 model.

    More news: This is strictly rumor (I just made it up, as the forum has been too quiet.)
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    I just purchased the extended warranty (platinum)for about $2000. Quite obvious to me in my comparing dealers was that they ALL had different price quotes for the same policy and this quote was in Lexus cost sheet as if it were some how "standard" . The sheets at different dealers read $2200, $2375 and $2500 for the SAME warranty.
    One dealer (owned by PENSKE corporation) wanted to sell an "equal" platinum policy for about $1600...............but after inquiring....it was not a LEXUS warranty (though they said it could be used at ANY Lexus dealer for a $50 copay.).

    Bottom line.....when it comes to pricing of EVERY automotive offering......IT IS negotiable. I bought a LEXUS and platinum warranty because I believe they are the LEAST likely to "play games" about what is and is not covered .

    While my prev ls400 was very reliable and the dealer generally good......they did still try to find a reason why some "little" things were not covered in my certified warranty (a sticky accelerater pedal). After a little pressing....they fixed it under the warran ty.

    Unfortunately........ALL dealers (evedn Lexus) like to nickle and dime when it comes to warranties!

    D
  • ron36330ron36330 Member Posts: 69
    I agree the dealers will try to make some extra on warranty work. However, I still feel more comfortable knowing that if something LARGE should go wrong I will protected from the massive repair bill. The complexity of these cars ie, number of computers, motorized everything and digital electronics is what scares me. Although, as you say Lexus/Toyota is very reliable, I like the thought that a little extra insurance is available.
    Ron
  • devokedevoke Member Posts: 33
    This won't necessarily help those folks who have driven off the showroom floor, but Nalley Lexus of Atlanta sold us an extended warranty with our car (Black/Ecru purchased in Apr 2002). I believe the price was also $1800. The catch here is the warranty was sold with the caveat that if we do not use it, then Lexus will give us our money back after the warranty period is over (yes, it's in writing). We could not turn that down, because as everyone here has said, one problem with the top will cost more than the price of the warranty. I am personally hoping for the money back. I had a MB (SLK) that knew its own way to the MB garage and the mechanics all by their first names. So far, the SC has only been back to the dealership for oil changes. What a great car!
  • devokedevoke Member Posts: 33
    Last month, there was a discussion regarding the performance of the MB SL versus the SC. From reading that discussion, I thought there must be a big difference in acceleration since one of the areas most heartily jumped on was the 0-60 times. I just read the article "Three Kings" in Motor Trend and noticed the difference in 0 - 60 times between the SC and the SL is only 8 hundreds (6.75 versus 6.67 = 0.08) of a second. I don't know the error factor applied to these tests, but less than 1/10 of a second would be considered negligible under most methods of gathering statistics (except drag racing) and I am also pretty sure it would take a very well calibrated butt to feel the difference. I have not driven the newest SL and I understand it is much better, but the previous model was not a great handling car. It was a great touring car though, which is the niche I think Lexus is filling with this smooth and graceful convertible driving machine. He who has not experienced a top down drive through the Smokey Mountains with your best girl with the stereo (yes, it might sound even better with the top down), and the car's purr teasing the aural senses while the perfect day and "postcard" scenery tease the others has missed a truly wonderful experience. I think I'll go driving . . .
  • mbukukanyaumbukukanyau Member Posts: 200
    Anyone cross shoped these two yet?
  • 43810774381077 Member Posts: 31
    The motor trend article is right on IMHO. XLR is quicker, but rough around the edges fit and finish-wise. The SC has the best interior but is last in performance and handling. The Sl is the overall best, but coincidentally carries the highest price tag. What they don't talk about is reliability and I'm sure Lexus wins that one. I've been wanting to move into an SC or GS but can't get past the visuals. If they could pretty up the SC, get it to move forward and handle a bit better, loose the cowl shake and those dreaded run flats you'd have near perfect car...like an SL!
  • vetlexvetlex Member Posts: 24
    I think it is obvious that the SL merc is a more
    sporting car with a faw more high tech gizmos. The question is always ...............is it worth an extra 30 grand for a car that is less reliable
    and not really MORE luxurious than the SL. Many
    obviously think the SL is the ultimate luxury coupe/convertible.....and if you have the bucks!

    The previous SL (in my opinion) was NOT worth the price......this one at least make a good case for the money.

    Devoke.............enjoy those smokey mountains....they are gorgeous! (I lived in knoxville TN for 4 years (UT!).

    D
This discussion has been closed.