Sc300 Or 400? Personal Preferences?

[sgunitkc]

Hello!

I've actually been around this forum for a while, but I finally decided to register because I'm planning to get a sc300/400 in the next month.

I was pretty much settled on the 400 for stock power w/o any intense mods, but I've started to think otherwise due to gas mileage. So far, I've been pretty much happy with my '04 solara, but there just isn't any potential for any kind of mods (big or small) nor the power.

That's just the short background on where I am, but on another note, I just wanted to kindly ask everyone what your preferences are. Is it worth losing the extra gas for more horsepower? This goes to both sc300 and 400 owners. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[lemaylexus]

Honestly from what I've ready on the forums I'm not so sure that there's a large difference in actual gas mileage between the V6 in the SC300 and the V8 in the SC400. I have a 300 and I generally get around 20mpg (up to 23 or 24 on the interstate, and as low as 15 or 16 in the city). I think you would be looking at around the same for the 400. If anyone knows different, please feel free to correct me! Haha :)

[Ezgoin]

Hello!

I've actually been around this forum for a while, but I finally decided to register because I'm planning to get a sc300/400 in the next month.

I was pretty much settled on the 400 for stock power w/o any intense mods, but I've started to think otherwise due to gas mileage. So far, I've been pretty much happy with my '04 solara, but there just isn't any potential for any kind of mods (big or small) nor the power.

That's just the short background on where I am, but on another note, I just wanted to kindly ask everyone what your preferences are. Is it worth losing the extra gas for more horsepower? This goes to both sc300 and 400 owners. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

I own a 99 300, and drive about 70 highway miles a day to and from work, along with running around town. I average between 25-26 mpg, with easy driving. I'm not quite sure about the break down in years, but I know that, at least for a couple years, the 300's with the auto trans had only 4 speeds, while the 400's had 5 speed trannys. Given this, I think the highway mileage was pretty close.

I've never owned an SC-400, but I have driven them, and to be honest, have never been very impressed by the power/performance. I would love to have more power out of my 300, since I am a bit of a piston head, but I did'nt buy this car for it's output or performance. It seems odd to me, but I really think my wife's LS-430 feels much stronger than any SC-400 I've ever driven.

I too was struggling between a 400 and a 300 before I bought my 300, and had actually decided on the 400 until I talked to a dealership service rep. who explained the differences in repair costs for various parts. Food for thought!

[jzz30]

i say 400 if you are going to keep it stock. only if you are going to turbo. otherwise the 300 is kind of a dog...

[VIPSOARER]

If your looking for somthing to mod your best bet is a sc300 it has the 2jz in it the same engine in the supra and theres crazy mods for it from simple to intence ...its a lil bit harder to find sc 400 parts... plus with the 300 you can find in 5speed if your into that ...keep your toyota as the gas saver

[GrnHrnt]

A stock SC300 has more underhood room for easier do-it -yourself maintenance. A stock SC400 has faster acceleration, but either car can comfortably cruise at double the double nickel. If you want potetial for serious mods, the SC300 is a good place to start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyTpvwLXNYo&NR

[Brendon Bosy]

MPG is virtually the same between the two because the SC300's 2JZ-GE engine uses performance wide angle DOHC while the SC400's 1UZ-FE uses economic narrow angle DOHC. The result was that early on, the two engines made almost the same HP (250 HP vs. 225 HP). In terms of acceleration, an SC300 is probably only half a second slower to 60 than the early SC400s. If you get an SC300 in manual (which is rare and hard to find), it could probably keep up with the early SC400s.

Starting in 1996, the story begins to split. Toyota retuned the V8 to make 260 HP, then again in 1998 with valve timing to make an impressive 290 HP. Also in 1998, manual trannys were discontinued for the SC300. Comparing a 98 SC400 to a 98 SC300 would show a significant difference in performance:

http://www.lexus.com/contact/pdf/1998/1998SCspecs.pdf

You can use this link above and suplement the model year your looking to see side-by-side manufacturer's original specs.

So in the end, its all up to the buyer. An SC300 is slower from stock, plus it doesn't have that V8 sound to it, but its generally cheaper to buy and has a much bigger aftermarket for tuning. Also if your looking for a late model (97 or later, after the restyling), its generally easier to find an SC300 since by that point, more SC300s were being produced than SC400s.

[sgunitkc]

Thanks for all your advice. I have decided to get the 400.

I'll post some pix when available. :D

[JIBBBY]

The 400's can still be modified to make 400whp... It's got to be the Sc400 all day long... The Sc300's offer the manual transmission and that is the only bonus when modifying...

Keeping it Stock, I would still go with the SC400, but would have to get a torque converter change definetely... They are just so doggish out of the gates..SC4's and SC3's..

[Brendon Bosy]

Isn't it true that a TC with a higher stall rate like the Dragon one will wear the tranny significantly faster?

[JIBBBY]

No it will actually make the tranny last longer... Why you may ask... The torque converter basically transfers the engine torque power to the drive train more aggressively... This allows the transmission less clutch slippage at launch which actually will create less wear on the tranny itself... Shifts while moving remain the same.. The torque converter will last longer too because it locks up faster and less wear will happen on that as well...

The torque converter is only good for the car... You may wear out the drive shaft joints and transmission and engine mounts a bit faster just because of the more sudden off the line power that the car has to deal with... Maybe wear out your rear tires faster too from burning out from a dead stop... ;)

[Brendon Bosy]

Thanks for the info, I was considering a dragon tc, i just was worried about wearing my tranny out. I'll just have to remember to keep a feather foot when im in stop-and-go traffic.

[JIBBBY]

I have the dragon torque converter in my SC400 for what is going on 4 years... It's not like you have to have a feather foot at launch just the throttle is more responsive..You can still have very mellow smoothe takeoffs while holding coffee in your hands... It's a pleasant mod and probably the best...