seang

Well... good news and bad news in my search saga. The car I saw on Sunday was very nice. 1992 SC300 red/tan 82k miles. The interior was immaculate, while the outside had a few dings and major, repeated, scratches across the front emblem and extending 8 inches in either direction into the red paint. No big deal... The car seemed mechanically solid, but I am no trained ear. He even let me take some pictures of the car. I told him I needed a day or so to think about it and consult with a knowledgeable friend. The car was sold on Monday to someone else... I missed out. The good news: I might have found a nice green gem. I will be looking at 1993 SC400 w/59,000 miles in two Saturdays from now. 2 owners, no accidents, all original, power everything, 12 disc changer, etc. Since 1996, the car has been driven less than 3000 miles a year, as carfax.com shows very good records on this car. I think I can get him to reasonable price with car-worth printouts from www.edmunds.com, or is that rude? He wants 2k more than I am willing to spend on it. That day I will have it checked out at a Lexus dealership for mechanical integrity. He mentioned that he had already had it checked out by a mechanic, and there were no problems, but I need this for piece of mind. Plus, Lexus charges the same inspection fees as a random mechanic inspection. Thanks for any input, Sean

Ahhh, I love it. Very nice color, rims. I wish the one I'm going to see this weekend was that color, but it's bright red. Thanks, Shnookie. I just hope the owner of that car doesn't read these forums :)

Ahhh, nice find! and CONGRATS! It seems like you scored big time. Show us a bigger pic than your avatar, please. Speaking of high miles, check this out... 335,000 miles! He admits some work needs to be done, but under $1000 in repairs. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2421862167 This car I will see on Sunday is owned by a couple, not a dealer. I was worried about not getting spot insurance and a warranty when buying from a private owner, but I found out that I can get spot insurance from basically any dealer and there is a dealer in my area that will sell a warranty for a car not sold by him. I'm honestly sick of looking, or finding out that I cannot reach the vehicle, or the vehicle was sold, or never available, or it had a salvage title or any accident, or it had major problems when I see it up-close, etc... This new one I will see has just about everything I want (mentioned above) plus it is a 1 owner, they will pick me up from a neighboring town's train station. Carfax found it perfect. I'm a little concerned that it spent its entire lifetime in New Jersey with all the snow and bad roads, but they say it was garage kept. I did find it on autotrader.com as well as Ebay. His starting bid on Ebay was $7500 and ended at $8100 with the reserve not met. He was asking $9500 on autotrader. Edmunds.com says its worth $8700 as "outstanding condition." What is a fair price to offer? Any advice is, once again, greatly appreciated. Thanks, Sean

Well, I did find something I do like alot. It has all the right qualities so far. I will test it on Sunday. 1992 Lexus SC300, red/tan, 82k miles. I would really buy any year, since the car really didn't change from 92-2000. The miles mean alot to me. This one is only a few miles away, was owned by a woman, well-kept, garage kept, premium sound with CD changer, great looking leather, power all, etc. I'll let you know what happens :)

From what I have read and have been told, sometimes the date has been drawn onto the engine somewhere. Apparently, Lexus repair guys do this the most, but it isn't always recorded. I need to find out the same about a cars I am considering buying.

Yep, the Pep Boys will be the way I go. I checked out the 93 SC400 with 129k miles. At first I kinda liked the thing, but after I got home I did some research and thought of that needed to be fixed on it. The dealer wants only $7500 for the car, but now I can see why (other dealers have very similar cars for $9-10k). The car seems to run fine even with the miles on it. Mechanically, it seems stable, but there so many other problems with it. I want a car that looks good right off the bat, without dents and other problems. This car: moisture in the driver's side front headlight, cracked driver's side rear light with moisture, 50% paint on the rims and a rough surface, radio antenna didn't go up, CD changer didn't function or the button didn't respond, heavy creasing on the front seats and a tear in the seat driver's seat, the floor mats are quite stained, AC wents were cracked, the doors were windy at 60 plus, 2 big dings in the passenger door with scratched paint, heavy rust on the part behind the rims, rear seatbelt feed partially cracked off... I'll keep looking, as I would rather pay more money for a car in better overall shape... I forgot to check to see if the timing belt had been marked as changed recently. At 129k miles, it should have had at least 1 or 2 (depending if you think 60k or 90k changes). $700 to get it done at Lexus I hear :/

That is very good advice. I do have some time to buy a car, like 4 weeks. However, there won't be many new (used) Lexus SC300/400 cars for sale in the area by then. I just want to get this over with soon and own my first car, a Lexus SC. Going out of my area to see a car would be the best option, but I don't know if I should do that. I have little knowledge of cars and what I should look for. I do see cars on Ebay that I would buy on the spot for BuyItNow, once I have cleared them with carfax.com. If you have to fly to see them, after you buy it, then I would probably waste thousands of dollars... I watch Autotrader.com alot, as they have the best range of vehicles. Thanks, Sean

Fellas, I'm pretty set on a Lexus SC :D I live in Jersey City actually. As for the black SC300 with the shake (prolonged shake), the dealer gave it a tune up and he says it's just fine now. However, I looked into the history a little more. After its supposed slight rear bumper accident (guardrail hit) the car was driver for 2 miles total in over a year. This doesn't sit right with me... I decided not to take a chance with that. BUT, when I emailed him and told him I wouldn't be considering that car, he said he had just gotten a 1993 SC400 gold/tan with 129k miles on it and he is asking $7500 for it... Hmmmm :) I checked into the history of it. 8 years in Florida with regular service records reported. Sold to a guy in Mass who put like 60k miles on it for its latest 2 years. No accidents, no funny business with this car's history. I am definitely considering this one. It also has the Nakamichi with CD changer in it, which I must have. I asked about the rims and he said they were not rusted but not in tip-top shape. My friends says for a little over $100 I can have them redone. The only thing I dont like is the 129k miles, the gas mileage and the color. He offers a pretty good warranty with it, which will cost me about $200 extra. As for the color gold, uuugghh. Remember, I am an artist :) I could always paint it later, right? As for the timing belt... it should be changed every 60k miles on these cars? Doesn't it say on the engine when it was last changed? One last thing... Like the other guy mentioned above, if I am going to buy a SC with alot of miles on it, I should have 3k in reserve for repairs. I can get the SC400 for under $7,000 probably, leaving me $3000 for repairs :) Any help is appreciated, as I am going to see this car on Monday. Thanks, Sean

Yeah, I know... I probably should, especially since the black/black combo is rarer. KBB says the car is worth $12,675. Unfortunatley, it doesn't give you options to take into account cracked AC vents, windy sunroofs, door seals that seem off, the lack of the original Nakamichi system, passenger seat damage, small dings, etc. I'm sorry I'm keeping this damned thread going, but I really need your help on this. I really have no one else to turn to, I've never owned a car and I want my $10,000 not to be wasted in a money pit of repairs. Yes, I know, buying Lexus is the safest thing out there when it comes to this. I just got a bad feeling when we test drove the car and it shook. He said he was going to get new spark plugs today to see if that solved it, but I have not heard back from him. Lexus are supposed to handle bumps in the road extrememly well, but I wasn't impressed. Maybe I just don't know how well it actually did handle them... I wanted to test another SC300 for comparison, but that won't happen for days. Everything else in my area is either sold or unreachable by public transit, or a piece of resculpted salvage. I expected the motor to be totally quiet too at 40 mph, but it wasn't. Maybe I am expecting too much. The carfax search did show an accident in May of 1998, "Accident Reported/Involving a rear impact/or collision/It hit a guardrail" I thought, maybe he spun out in snow? Not in May, even in Mass... He sold it a month later. Also, I don't like the idea of the car being sold twice in the last 2 years. It makes me think something is wrong, especially after 100,000 miles. Then I see Ebay, with its abundance of seemingly nice SC300s and 400s. I think "Man, I would pay $xxxx for that!" Or, "Buy it Now for only $10k? Nice!" Apparently, only 1% of cars are sold this way. I wonder how many have problems when they arrive to the buyer. And then what do they do? I want to start a forum poll on people's opinions of buying through an out-of-area dealer. (Can you tell I'm obcessed? :) ) However, I did find this... A local car dealer will issue warranties on cars not sold at their lot, meaning I could buy a privately sold car, and get a warranty through them. Sounds refreshing and secure. Damn, I just don't know. I usually spend months deliberating purchases, even if it is a $1000 TV or computer. I've never spent close to $10k on anything! With the 92-97 Lexus SC cars, I see it this way... Since the car really didn't change during these years, a 92 = 93 = 94, etc. The only thing I should consider is the mileage and they expectation that Toyota parts start to give out at 100,000 miles. Right? But then I read about a person having a SC for 200,000 miles and only needing a new radiator at that point... I hope it doesn't take me forever to decide. Thanks for reading my long posts and any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Sean PS- You can tell me to shut up now :)

I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to inheret any major problems. I found your other post... wow. After calling alot today, I'm frustrated. Either the Carfax check left it unwanted, or the dealer sold it, or never had it, or I can't reach it... I'm starting to lean toward the 95 SC300 black one again... How much should I offer cash on it? He wants $9995, but he ain't getting that :)

Damn, you shouldn't have told me about the wiring problems... :D Out of curiosity, what kind of wiring problems? As for the 1995 black/black I saw yesterday, after thinking about it last night, I don't think I will pursue it very much. I want it as original as possible (Nakamichi, etc), not to mention the other problems I saw. And he wants $9995 for that? I dont think so... There was a 92 w 49000 miles (garage kept) on Ebay for $9750 which no one bid on, but its in Illinois... I'm not sure I want a car delivered to me that I have not tested. There is the 95 in Queens (98k miles), but that is such a pain in the !Removed! to get to...

One last thing, they do offer more extended warranties for decent prices... The car comes with a 1yr/15,000 mile one covering the engine, transmission, drive axle assembly, seals and gaskets, labor, rentals, towing, and 24-hour roadside assistance.

Well, I went down to the dealer and checked it out. I had the seller drive it, since I need to practice a little more with driving first :) We took it for a spin. It turned out a little embarrassing for the seller as the car shook a little bit. He said it was the first time that had happened. I saw some typical problems with these cars (AC vents cracked). The sunroof didn't make any noise until he opened and closed it again. Maybe he didn't close it the whole way, I'm not sure. It didn't take bumps the way I expected it to, as the ride was a little bumpy. However, overall, it was a nice ride. I checked the passenger seat controls, which worked fine. It even had the cell phone stand in the armrest. The stereo had been replaced with a Kenwood AM FM casette and the speakers had been replaced with these horrible purple things... I would have to get the Nakamichi back in there... When we got back, his mechanic said the shaking was due to the sparkplugs. He then ordered factory plugs on the phone, and would have them installed on Monday. I told him if that fixed the problem, I would come back to look at it and drive it myself next time. He gave me a ride to the train station, and when I got out of the car and the car drove away, I noticed a non-typical "Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" coming from the muffler. This could be related to the spark plug problem, right? I asked about rust on the phone and he assured me there was no rust. The only rust I saw when I got there was behind the rims on what I am guessing is the anti-lock break thingy. Is this common? The wheelwells were fine and free of rust though... Any suggestions? The asking price for this 95 SC300 is $9995. Should I still pursue this car? I will take a ride in another SC300 just for comparison soon. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Sean

Thanks, Throbble, that is what I was looking for! This is the car I have my eyes on... It is 3 miles away. It has 112000 miles on it. They just lowered it from $10500 to $9995 online. Its a "fully loaded" black/black 1995 SC300. 1yr/15000 mile warranty and a slight bumper accident in 1998 when the back end hit a guardrail. I want to pay cash. I don't think it has the very nice stereo system in it. What do you think I can get them down to and is paying cash gonna get me a better price? I don't know about other states, but having no note means I don't have to have collision insurance on it, and as I've said, insurance prices are the worst in the nation in New Jersey. I really appreciate any replies! Thanks, Sean

Oooops, there is nothing wrong with being 17 and having a SC300 :) I was hoping for a "Hell YEA!" and some support here! I need to know if my reasoning is correct. Maybe I should have posted in a general car forum somewhere... Yeah, insurance is hell here. $2500 would be the worse case senario. I'm hoping for $1500. I guess they call the SC300 a sports car, but I don't see it as such... There are alot of cars to choose from here. The unfortunate fact is that I have no car and no way to get to some of the further out locations.

Before you even say "Kid, get a Honda", let me explain. No, I'm not 17, I'm 32, single, no kids. However, I've never owned a car ever. In fact, I have a total of about 3 hours behind the wheel, and I don't know anything about cars, engines, etc. (Please excuse the long post) I've lived in areas with great public transportation and I've never really needed a car. But this is changing. So, my first thought was "Hey, I have the money and I can buy what I want." I limited myself to $10,000 simply because I wouldn't want to wreck anything over $10,000. Moreover, I want a used car so I wouldn't have to pay for the insurance for a new one. I live in New Jersey curently which has the highest insurance in the nation. It's so bad here, State Farm (and others) don't offer car insurance in New Jersey because they were losing money. Ok, so my first inkling was BMW or Mercedes! "Yeah, a German car is well made and reliable." Well, not neccessarily... I started doing some research and found that, well, for $10,000, I could get a 10 yr old BMW or Mercedes with 100,000 miles. I searched Consumer Reports and Edmunds.com about BMW and Mercedes reliability. The findings didn't make me happy... So I called a friend who knows about cars, and he said "Nope, don't get a BMW or Mercedes, get a Lexus." He told me about how expensive BMWs and Mercedes are too repair, especially for something 8-10 yrs old. He also told me a story about his father, who owned a 1991 Mercedes which blew out the AC compressor. He went to a Merc dealer, who wanted $1500 for the part/labor. He then went to a trusted mechanic who explained that the compressor was actually an $80 AC Delco part, and that Mercedes only slaps a Merc sticker on there to make it much more expensive. This turned me off. So... ok BMW it is then. Nope... their reliability with Consumer Reports/Edmunds/J.D. Power was average or poor for a $10,000 93-95 used BMW. Ok, Lexus? I was blown away by the reports on Lexus reliability. It made the BMW and Merc look like Yugos. Wow, I gotta get a Lexus, I thought. For $10,000 I could probably get a decent Lexus. My first Lexus experience was with a 1990 Lexus LS400. My friend's father had just purchased a new one for 40k. He turned on the engine, and I didnt hear a sound from it. I didn't know the car was on. The ride was even more amazing. I started to do more research online to see what I could get. I checked Ebay, Cars.com, Autotrader.com for Lexus cars. I learned that some are just too expensive for me, the ES is basically a Camry, the SUV's are 20k and up even for old ones, I want a 2-door and I want to spend under 10k. Why a 2-door? I'm single, no kids to stuff in the back seat, and I don't want to park a huge limo-sized Lexus in my cramped city area. Oh, the SC's are nice, I thought. Do I need a more expensive SC400? Nope. Do I need 8 cylinders? Nope. Is the SC300 just as attractive to buy? Yep. I'm an artist and I like style. I like the look of things. The style of the SC's are unique and gorgeous. Nothing really comes close to the look of a Lexus SC. Some of the Acuras (CL) can try to mimick a SC maybe, but not even close to the look of a SC. Moreover, since reading the Lexus messageboards, it seems that you Lexus-owners are really quite proud to own such an excellent automobile. I'm amazed at the amount of websites there are totally dedicated to pictures of the owner's Lexus. I see nothing but pride and satisfaction. So, is a Lexus SC300 as a first car for me ridiculous? I don't think so. As for my limited time behind the wheel, for the first week or two I will only drive around my neighborhood streets to get used to it, then venture out onto the evil New Jersey highways to get to work. My co-worker asked me, "Why don't you get a Pos to just get you to work and back. Insurance will be high on a sports car?" I said, "What's a Pos?" He said, "A Piece Of S***." I said, "I don't want a piece of s***." I've seen what $10k can get me in a Lexus... ~ a 1995 SC300 with 100,000 miles. $8000 or less can get me a 1993 SC300 with 120,000 miles basically. I have my eye on 3 more SC300s. There is one in Queens, NY, at $9500 for a 95 Blue/Tan with 100,000 miles (clean). It will be tough to get to Queens from where I am, but not paying tax is nice. There are 2 SCs 3 miles away in my state, a 95 SC300/112k miles/black on black/$10500 (1yr/15k miles warranty included) (slight bumper accident in Mass) and a 93 SC300/128k miles/light green on tan/$9800 (clean record) (1yr/15k miles warranty included). There are many more examples, since the area I am in is quite populated, I can find one close. Should I spend $7000 on a higher mileage 93 and save $3000 for possible repairs... or spend $10,000 right out on a nicer 95 SC? Insurance will be about 2-2.5 k/yr. Are you going to tell me to get a Honda? :D I appreciate the help. Thanks and sorry for the huge post. I just see you guys posting about buying a 92-94 Lexus with 100,000+ miles and being totally happy. It's amazing, I have to have one! Thanks, Sean