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Paul Cook

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Everything posted by Paul Cook

  1. So Mr Palmer. Did you ever get any assistance on this subject? Do you still need assistance? Paul
  2. Hi Julie. I am so glad you found exactly what you wanted. 2008. Pretty rare bird there. Can you give us more details like color, interior mileage, Pebble Beach Edition maybe? Although I'm not 100% sure of years that the Pebble Beach covered. I wish I could give you more information. I actually know exactly where you should be. But I cant. LOL. Very cryptic I know. Keep in touch and I can help you more. Hope to hear more about your dream car. Im in mine right now, with the top down, enjoying a 75 Degree day in Southern California. Hope your day is going as well. Paul
  3. That's about what I get too in SoCal. I between 20 and 21 MPG depending on what I am doing. And that is mostly freeway miles. I don't know who these people are getting 26 +, but I would like to talk to them. Paul
  4. Run a couple of cans of Catalytic Converter Cleaner. Just a thought. Paul
  5. Not really much more to say. I have found that the i905 seems to have the entire SC430 fault code library as part of its programming. But it does not work on my 97 LS400 which is what I bought it for originally. After checking the website, it confirmed that that year make and model was not supported. My bad. But I ended up and lucked out when I bought my SC430 after the fact and was surprised at how well it actually did work with that model. The only update I can add is that not all codes are retained in memory and must be read while in operation like some of the retractable hard top codes. The B2502 code turned out to be dead on. I did some testing and found that indeed the passenger side motor had gone bad. I found a replacement on ebay for less than $70.00 and it took a couple of hours to change and all is well again. :-) A lot of our fellow SC430 owners use the Toyota "Techstream" software and OBDII adapter that you can purchase on ebay. It is Chinese knock-off and it is almost certainly an unauthorized product for resale. But if you know anything about Japanese, Chinese history, you would understand why the Chinese government doesn't care what Japan thinks about it's intellectual property being compromised. If you decide to go that route it is up to you. This is not an endorsement for or against it because mainly, you can't get the software from Toyota without being an authorized Toyota Service Center. All that setup requires is an old laptop running XP, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 and the proper version of adapter which is 1.4.X or 2.0.X. If you have an old laptop laying around collecting dust, the ebay software and dongle can be had for less than $20.00. Welcome to the forum and "I LOVE MY SC430!" Paul
  6. LOL. Oh you poor thing. Get a nice low mileage SC430 for a price you couldn't pass up. I love my Pie Plates. They take about 15 seconds to wipe down. Paul
  7. Megan. That was the other company I came across that I couldn't remember. Thanks Scott. Paul
  8. I have to post a correction now. Thanks to Scott aka ppine. I said there was no aftermarket support for the rear shocks and apparently I am wrong. He found some replacement coilovers from a company called K Sport USA Aftermarket Performance. Always glad to be wrong about expensive parts. Even though we have coilovers already installed (the term "coilovers" is used as kind of a marketing ploy to make it sound like its super exotic and better), K Sport has a pretty wide selection of coilover options if you are looking to do a little more tricking out including big brake kits and even air suspension. Thanks Scott. Paul
  9. Cool. Let me know what parts you end up using. If you dont need the parts today, I would suggest ordering online and saving a significant amount of money. Paul
  10. Well, to be technically correct. You already have coil overs. And there is no aftermarket for the rear anyway. But if you do find something, lets us know. There is aftermarket for the fronts. Upgrading the suspension on our SC's is a mix of different parts from different models of Lexus cars like beefier front and rear sway bars, end links and tires. If done wrong or half hazard you can make things worse. If done right I understand that ripping through the twisties is a blast. Maybe not so much for the passenger though who doesn't have a steering wheel to hold onto. LOL. Good luck in whatever you decide. Come back and let us know. Have a great day. Paul
  11. Good morning Julie. That post you are replying to is three years old. The person has not been on the board in a long time. Just so you know. Keep looking. You'll find that dream car yet. Paul
  12. WOW. I have been away for awhile. Hey ppine. The SC430 is a heavy car at almost two tons. And as I was just informing another possible future owner, the suspension wears out on any car and at around 100K miles, you should be thinking about rebuilding it regardless of the make and model of the car. No one ever does that of course due to the expense but you should. The SC has always had a reputation for being a rough ride especially if you are still riding on the run flat tires. Their sidewalls are much stiffer and transmit road conditions right on up through the chassis. You can improve that by switching tires to something more like a touring type tire. But then you need a spare which many of us do not have. It sounds to me like you are ready for a full inspection of your suspension. Shocks, struts, ball joints, bushings end links. There are definately upgrades for the body roll through corners when being aggressive, but thats another subject. Paul
  13. OK. Time for Part II. Any vehicle with 100,000 miles has things that wear out. And the SC430 is no difference. You want to make sure that the Timing Belt AND water pump have been changed recently. You also want a complete and thorough inspection of the suspension components. The SC430 had approximately 14 thousand units sold in 2002. By 2010, they sold approximately 300 from my understanding. Even though the SC430 was the Lexus Flagship of Sports Coupes, the low numbers prevented the aftermarket from bothering to make products for our SC's. The only place you can get a rear shock is Lexus. How do you feel about $350.00 a shock. $700.00 a pair. Control arms that have the Ball Joints and bushings, $400.00+ from Lexus. There are 4. That doesn't include lower Control Arms etc. Which there are two each in the front plus the rears and various components that wear out with everything else. + labor at $150.00 an hour at a dealer. Owning an older Lexus is for people who have deep pockets or really like wrenching on their cars because I don't care what car you buy. If it's over ten years old, stuff wears out. Rebuilding major components up front and completely means no more maintenance for another 100,000 miles. It's like a new car. Check for missing parts like the two Engine under covers. Oh and lets not forget possibly having to pay upwards of $700.00 for a new Power Antenna if yours stops working. If you know someone in the SC community that would help you out with an inspection, even if you have to pay them a little, it could save you thousands later on down the road. I do all of my own maintenance when I can. There's a lot I can't do though because I live in a Condo. So, how do I save money? #1. You find where to buy your parts that don't cost you full price. Heck, it's a Toyota. A lot of parts are Toyota parts. And some parts were even installed on multiple Lexus Model Lines like the GS300, GS400 and GS430 in relation to suspension components. Owning an SC430 is fantastic. As long as you are aware of exactly what you are getting into. Me personally, I like the 2002-2004's because there were more of them built so there are more salvage and new parts available. You will find that Lexus really doesn't care so much about your beautiful low mileage SC after it leaves the lot because they don't make any money. Besides, most people couldn't tell the difference between a 2002 and a 2010. And that includes me without a serious look around. Lastly, lets talk about that top. It's beautiful. I've had people just stop and gawk while I was opening and closing it just to watch. It's controlled by three ECU's (Computers), Ten Motors and thirteen Switches. And it all has to work in unison like a mechanical ballet. Toyota Engineers never cease to amaze me with what they come up with. But they also forgot the adage of KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid! All of these things together make the SC430 what it is. A beautiful, ultra reliable car when properly maintained. So, as long as you know what you are getting into, I say go for it. But if any of the problems I have described are there, start knocking the price down accordingly so you can still afford to fix your new baby AFTER the sale. Good Luck. Paul
  14. I personally think the price is a little high. I paid 8K for my 2002 SC430 back in April I think with 100641 miles. The biggest difference in the line is in 2005 I think, they added a six speed tranny versus a five speed. Could have been 2006 so don't hold me to that specific. The headlights and taillights were upgraded and that's about it except for conveniences like bluetooth and phone. Navigation got upgraded as well but few of us actually use it. The last maps were updated in 2013 if I remember correctly. Your phone is better with current maps and turn by turn navigation features. But if thats important to you then go for it. The stereo system originally was the Mark Levinson system. The bad thing was the foam around the speakers rotted. Replacement foam can be purchased for about $45.00 but then your tearing your car apart to pull them and fix them because they are unique and there is no direct replacements. You can replace the whole system but you need a special harness and you loose some nice features that I love like the mode control on the steering wheel. I could go deeper but I need to take a five mile walk. Its been a less than stellar day. Lastly, I would recommend you go to the Lexus Drivers website AND the CarFax website (free app in Google Play Store or iTunes?) and enter the VIN and download the ENTIRE history of the car. Take your time. Its a truely great car that I absolutely love and if properly maintained is good for 300,000 plus miles. Good luck in whatever you decide. Paul
  15. So Leah. Good news and bad news. You can replace the disc drive for your navigation unit without modding anything up to 2004. But the disk updates stopped at 2015. And even used drives are still going from $130.00 to $300.00. To be perfectly honest, unless you wanted to go with a completely new aftermarket system that gives you backup camera etc., it's just not really worth it for the benefit you would get. Most people today just use their phones anyway. But I do know how we like everything to work in our cars. You could try a CD Disc cleaner. I tried one and I saw no difference. But I was also trying to upgrade my disc with one from ebay that wasn't a very good copy I guess. If its something you really, really want to do. I'll give you a hand with finding a replacement. Paul
  16. He's right Leah. But It depends on money. Sorry to hear she is falling apart but its more likely from lack of use than anythjng. A car with that few of miles still degrades. Grease gets old and hardens, seals dry out etc. If the navigation is a feature you really care about and have a couple of hundred laying around, find a GEN 3 Nav disk player on ebay. They are used in multiple Lexus and Toyota models so they are pretty easy to find.That allows you to get the last update disc from 2015. I dont have the P/N handy right now but I will see if I can pull it up later. Paul
  17. Well Thank You Leah. I'll keep that in mind next time I need them. 🚘 My other problem now is the drivers side map light bulb won't light. Its a very cheesey way they put that particular piece together. Maybe Ill pull it today and fix it. Things have been slow at work the last couple of days. Paul
  18. So Dave. Your failure is actually #6 in the "Operation of Roof Opening " then because you never get to Step #7 where the Package Tray folds down is that correct? Thanks. Paul
  19. Hey Dave. If I read your situation correctly, you are failing in Step #7 also of the "Operation of Roof Closing." When you get a second Please confirm. I can tell you how to get that troubleshot. Thanks. Paul
  20. Hey Leah, If I interpret your description correctly, your failure happens in Step #7 of the "Operation of Roof Closing." Is that right? If so, it's fairly easy to troubleshoot if you know someone who is competent with simple tools to remove the plastic clips holding the trunk plastic together and a multimeter. Thanks. Paul
  21. Hey. Thank you Sir. Your the one that got this ball rolling. I just wish I could be more help. Paul
  22. LOL. Well that is a recommendation for short trips in nice weather. The previous attachment has in it complete instructions on how to manually open and close your roof. And if you have a leak, the red light on the open/close switch stays on then your top is definitely not latched shut. Here is the top open/close routine that if you can follow along to where you are having your problem, it will point you to the right place to investigate exactly what your issue is. Read it and get back to me. There is another thread in the SC430 section titled "Why you should own your own personal code Reader". It has all of the equipment I personally used to diagnose my problem. Look that over too. Thanks. Paul Sliding roof overview with trouble codes.pdf
  23. This should be helpful. Paul 74.pdf
  24. Hey, I just had another thought trying to save you some money. Can you get the car to an Autozone or equivalent? They can run a free scan and if their scanner has the lexus DTC Top library, maybe we can find out for free. One thing I can tell after changing my motor, that top is heavy due to the gears. As far as the ding ding ding goes, turn up the radio or use the wrench in the trunk and try to lock the top through that plug just off center foward in the roof. Someone sent me the roof overhaul instructions while you were away plus I found how to manually open the roof etc. Paul
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