Considering An Sc

[That weird kid]

Hey all, so I got my license a few months ago and am now looking for a first car. The SC300/400 is one of my top picks, so I came here for some more detailed information. I've looked at all the easily found info, such as horsepower and performance figures, but I'd like to hear from some owners about the more "mundane" details. So first question is, how reliable are they? What sort of mileage do they get? Are there any infamous problems worth knowing about before I get my heart set on one?

And though practicality dictates I should get a 300, it seems there are three 400's for every 300 around here, so I'll most likely end up looking for a 400 should I decide to get one. Any help is appreciated.

[JohnH]

I've had my '95 SC300 5 speed for 15 years now. (It'll be 16 years this July) Just can't find a reason to replace it. Still Love it.

Other than the normal maintenance, a starter motor, Oxy sensor, Clutch, Trunk Opener Shocks and a Radio Antenna, I haven't had to put any money into this work of art.

My 16yr old wants it now, but I'm afraid something might happen to it.

Out of the 15+ cars I've had in the last 42 years of driving, this is by far the best car I've ever owned. 20 MPG "Average" to boot.

BTW, the 5 speed models only account for 5% of all SC300's. A nice rarity if you can find one.

The SC400 is a real power house, but having a stick is a lot more fun in my opinion. Both cars are expertly built.

Good Luck...

[kevin4747]

I've had a '92 SC400 with 90K miles for about 6 months now, but I'd stay away from SCs unless you have a few thousand dollars saved for repairs within the first year, or know a good mechanic outside of a Lexus dealer who will do good work. They are moderately reliable, but with the age these cars are getting to parts are going to fail and Lexus parts are very pricey. If you do have your heart set on one it is worth it if you find a good example and can afford to get warrantied parts and labor at a Lexus dealership. I'd recommend looking at GSs or ISs after year 2000, and you'll probably get a more reliable example and a rear-drive Lexus.

[That weird kid]

Appreciate the offers guys. My father and I are both very mechanicaly competent, as we are doing a mild restoration in our garage as we speak, and I have access to my auto shop at school right now. I know that stick-shift SC's are rare, and I don't expect to find one in my price range, but a man can dream. I'll definitely look into SC's more now, as I've excluded an E36 BMW from my list due to several people telling me they can be very unreliable.

[That weird kid]

You guys think this is worth checking out? High mileage, but real cheap and looks pretty decent.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/2228868629.html

[sc_owner]

I assume you have already bought but I will add this for anyone else following this link:

92 SC300 with 289,000. Bought 8 yrs ago at 173,000 for $3k. Up to that point only had valves adjusted when new, oil changes, brakes, etc. But had slow main bearing seal oil leak (quart per 3k miles) - didn't fix it. In 8 yrs only cleaned fuel injectors once, ran regular gas, never officially changed oil, used Mobil 1 oil. Current condition: A/C has lost charge, speedometer has lost 1/2 of it's lighting, and 1 muffler has hole. Basically I have neglected the car yet still had little go wrong with it: however, I would drive it coast-to-coast tomorrow. I drove it 140 miles per day on interstate for 8 years.

2000 ES300 with 212,000. Replaced oxy sensors several times, ECU, couple of electronic control components (can't recall which at the moment), brakes/rotors, oil, etc. I just put 30k miles on it in the last year.