TMaxxTim

I've found 2 cars that I like, one's a SC300 5-spd, the other is a SC400. Both are 92's, the 5spd has 140k, the 400 has 169k. I'm trying to decide which one I would like in the long run better. I've heard the SC300's don't last as long as the 400's do, just because the V8 engine is built better. I know all Lexus' are good, but is there any truth to this statement? Also, how does the 5-spd compare to the V8? Iv'e driven an auto sc300 and the sc400, and I LOVED the get up and go on the 400, the 300 felt like it had none. I've driven the 5spd 300, however it was my first time driving a stickshift so I really didn't have a good idea on how to punch it well and shift well to get a good idea of the speed it has. Can anybody help me compare? I know most people base their decisions on the fact that they will be modding their 300's engine, however I probably won't be. The only reason I'd buy the 300 5spd is just so I can have a manual car. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Maybe since you can only get 91 octane you should buy a bottle of the octane booster and see if that makes a difference at all with the pinging. Just a thought.

Alright, I'll call around and see what some estimates are. Has anybody ever done this theirself? I think I saw something in the LS400 Forum that showed how somebody did it on their 95. I don't think the timing belt is off a few teeth only because the engine runs very strong, its not weak or feels like its losing power at any gear.

I saw a very nice 5-spd Black SC 300 close to me. I REALLY REALLY like it, however there are some problems with it. The seller is an older gentleman who said the car was his son's and he bought it from his son, they are having a new grandbaby so he needs to get a car he can put a seat in. 1 - Leather Torn, not that big of a deal because finding a 5-spd SC 3 is hard! 2 - Bad vibration on acceleration and while driving in the 2000-2500rpm range. IT had the same vibration at idle that another SC300 Auto I drove had. When idling at a standstill with the hood popped there is noticable engine movement, probably contributing to the vibrations. If the mounts are the problem, how hard are they to change? He just recently had it serviced with new spark plugs and timing belt and everything and he said it was running GREAT after that and it slowly faded to the vibrations again. On my 4cyl accord with bad mounts, I changed the plugs and did service on my engine adn found it ran smootly for a little bit also but slowly faded back to vibrations. He said he wants $4800 OBO and if he doesn't get the problem fixed he's be willing to significantly discount it. I was origninally thinking I could get it to $4300 (if in good condition), but I wonder if I can get an estimate at a shop for mounts (if thats the problem), and take that off the price. I just want to know if its safe to assume the mounts are the problem and I can get an estimate on that, or if I should pay a mechanic to find the problem. I just don't want to pay more and have him come back and tell me its the exact thing I thought it was. The car also only has 140k, which isn't that much to me. Thansk for any opinions

I tried to find some crash test reports for my dad on the SC Copues (I'm looking at 92-94 models). I can't find anything, and now he is convinced there are safer cars out there. I know there will always be a safer car out there, but I know by no means is this an unsafe car with poor crash ratings. Its a 3600lb, 2-door coupe, not a 2200lb Honda 2-door. Is there anything else I can use to convince him, he just has this mindset about 2-door coupes that they are unsafe! I've found several good deals on these cars but I can't get him to buy one for me!

We hit a deer and had State Farm and it cost $2600 in damage in about 94 or 95, Smashed the front hood and bumper but they covered everything.

Its a 1993, I'm nost sure what size the tires are or if they had been adjusted.

The Escape feels faster...not excursion. The escape is the small 200HP V6 SUV, not the huge monsterous tank one. I'll see if I can get my dad to look at it again, his first impression wasn't good, mainly because he thinks the SC coupes are not as safe as a 4-door sedan, like a Taurus would be, any tips for that front?

I think I'm going to call him and ask the previous owner about it, see if he really knows about what he's done like timing belt, etc. or if he's clueless as to the last time the oil was changed, that should give me a good idea.

A Local SC 300 popped up at a local dealer this week so I went today to take a look and test drive it. It has a spoiler with LED lights on it, 150k and its $5950. Its a local trade in and the KBB shows trade-in at $3400, so I'm thikning I could get this car for maybe $4500-$4700 from the dealer. Overall the interior is in GREAT condition, no cracking leather no rips in the leather AT ALL! The last owner put a nice wood trim kit on the inside and a big L on the cup holder lid, it looks nice! The engine needs a new serpentine belt on the front (its cracking). There was some oil residue on the cover thing below the distributor and some areas below it, not bad, but what could be doing that. The guy said it could be a headgasket leak and they haven't had a chance to take it through their normal inspection company to let them know what needs to be fixed. The real "different" part on this car is it has some 19" or 20" Lexani rims on it. When I test drove it, it had a vibration at idle, I'm thinkint transmission/engine mounts. How hard are these to replace and could it be the problem? I changed a transmission mount on my accord, wasn't the hardest thing, but itw as the front mount so it was pretty easy. Actually when I drove this car, I found it not to have as much kick as I thought it would. My dad's escape seems faster than it. I hammered the gas from a stanstill and it gets up there but it just seemed to go through 1st gear forever. When I opened up the oil valve on the engine there was a little bit of sludge on it, not much but is this normal for a toyota engine at 150k or should it be completely clean looking? The last part is convinceing my dad this is a safe car, which has proved hard being that there's no real crash-test ratings for the SC coupes, let alone any Lexus car. Anything I can refer to or use to let him know its safe?

Headers will add HP, however it will be minimal amount. And they won't add that much torque, the thing about the SC's is that they are such a big car, you really need something with a huge boost to notice a difference at all. I'd say the HP/$ for headers doesn't really make it an effective upgrade unless somebody has proven it to help with a supercharger or something along those lines, but from what I've heard it really does not help that much. Same thing goes for a CAI, but people buy those for the sound instead of the performance sometimes.

You could get at least $9 if not $10+ for that car if you sold it privately or on eBay. Even if you put the starting bid at $7300 its bound to go up in price.

No, My dad told me he was waiting for the middle of the month so he could organize his finances a little better. The 93 LS for $6500 sold and I'm looking at a 92 SC for $4900 now, hopefully I can get him to the dealer this weekend to look at it. I'll keep you guys updates if and when I do get a car ;)

I was looking at a 1992 SC 400, it appears to be well maintained, except for the interior. The engine seems to have good oil in it, brakes are good, everything is mechanically sound. My question is how long do the hood struts usually last, the 2 that hold the hood up? The ones on this car look relitavely new and they hold up the hood well. I was just wondering if they could potentially still be the originals? I figure if the owner has the want to replace something as small as that, he would keep up on the maintinace also. I know its a lot to infer from something as small as that, but I thought I'd ask anyways!

Still got parts available? I’m looking for: Driver’s Side Window Buttons Gearshift Knob Subwoofer Cover Full Interior Seats (Shipping might be too much for this) Power Antenna Back Wall for Trunk (Carpet Piece) Thx Tim

An 95-97 LS 400 got bumped off of a parking garage in Anger Management

Are you reaplceing it because the needles are out or because of another problem, maybe that could answer the question better.

I e-mailed out Lexus dealer and asked about trade-in purchases and they said if the car is in good condition and hasn't been in an accident they will keep it. However the only car below a 98 on their lot is a 92 ES 300. Carfax.com shows cars the dealership may have (ones they have run a carfax on I guess), and I've seen several LS's and SC's (older) on the lots with no license plates (obvious trade-ins). Maybe I need to just go in there and talk with them, but I'm having a hard time finding any good condition Lexus's around Nashville so I was hoping I could snatch up a trade-in from a dealership. Do they just not really want to sell you their trade-ins at all? I'm not expecting it to be cleaned inside and out and things fixed like the 92 ES300 had (it had new floormats, brakes replaced, tires replaced, etc.), but I'd think they'd be glad to sell me the car for whatever they could wholesale it for and they could probably make a little bit more, is it just too much hassle for them?

Tried resetting your ECU yet?

How old are they, I know sometimes when the rubber gets real old or dried out it will jsut kind of flop back and forth making a clunking noise. The rubber should be somewhat stiff so if you can jiggle the handle a lot and make it flop that might be the problem.

Thats different, I bet something is just tapping, might be hard to find though but maybe they can retighten everything for you on the sunroof.

A SC 400 I was looking at had a bad battery, this is exactly what it did, anytime anything electral put a strain on the battery the RPM's would drop. Everytime I hit the gas and dropped it (around the parking lot) the car would almost die, yet it started right up when he hooked up cables to it.

Has anybody tried it with the Traction Control OFF?

Sounds like a simple battery problem. I'd take it back to wherever you got it and get a new one under warranty. My bet would be that is the problem.

This is actually common in most cars with sunroofs, just crack a back window about 1" and you'll notice it completely gone. My dad's escape does the same thing, and other cars I've test driven also do it, its not really a design flaw but something thats unavoidable. Replacing it will do absolutely nothing, and I'm pretty confident another ls430 would do the same thing.