Hello all. Let me preface this post by saying that I have already searched and am familiar with the differences in specifications between the 300 and 400.
Let me first explain my motivation for considering an SC, and my thoughts on which version I should be considering. I formerly drove a first gen Q45 and loved that car's power and refinement. I have always adored the early SCs styling and it seems that it is similar if not equal to my Q in terms of performance. I work in advertising for Toyota so I would like something that I can proudly park in front of HQ, but for anyone who as ever worked in the ad business, you know I can't afford a whole lot. Modifications would be kept to a minimum - wheels, suspension, exhaust, and that's about it. Not looking for a hot rod, just a refined looker.
Given the above, I have come to the following conclusions. First, given that these cars have a resale value trend roughly akin to a death spiral, I think it is worth forgoing a 97+ model as they are still commanding a serious premium over the earlier cars, even with similar mileage. Next, the 260 hp cars don't seem to have any real performance edge over the 250 hp cars, so I can't see any real reason to prefer one. Is this a safe assumption? That being said, I think my best bet is to find a '92-'95 400 with low miles (under say 80k). These cars are quite affordable, and I am not aware of any real disadvantage they have compared to the earlier cars.
It seems clear that SCs are damn near bulletproof, and from what I have been able to glean from most of the posts here neither 300 or 400 models seem to be appreciably more prone to issues than the other. Is this a correct assumption? I have read of issues mostly centered around the accessory drive (ps pump, alternator, etc.) - these are repairs I could easily handle so I am not too worried about them. I am assuming they are similarly common in both models? Finally, for more involved maintenance like timing belt changes, can anyone advise the difference in cost between 2JZ and 1UZ cars? Any other issues that should make me think twice before choosing the V8 car?
Sorry for the length of this post but I figured it was best for me to get all my questions out of the way first and hopefully give you all enough info that you could answer them easily. Thanks very much in advance and I'm looking forward to hanging out here on the board.
