lkirchner

If you peruse previous posts using the search function you will find cowl shake with attending rattles as a major annoiance. Run flat tires are stiff and don't add to the comfort. Rear seat is good for carrying small objects. Style and grace are strong suits. I'd rather have a new Corvette.

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I'll second both of the annoyances; cowl shake, rattles and runflats that are horrible on the car. You will also find that the power is OK but not great. The transmission is sluggish in my opinion.

The paint on the car is very soft and susceptible to acid rain etching. I owned a 2004 and traded it with 1,750 miles on it. I was not pleased with the car.

well i listened to you guys and i jsut orded a 16ozof klass all-in-one on ebay for 23 with shipping and ordered the 10 oz of that sonus from autopia for 16 with shiopping. i read good stuff about these things,so ill be using it for my wheels and i guess instead of my meguars wax, isnt it much better then the meguars wax.... And also so this should help get rid of the water spots and everytime i rewash my car i wont need to dry it?(for a month or so b4 reapplying wax)

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The Klasse will help to keep the wheels cleaner and the detailer will make them easier to clean. However you are still going to have to dry them. For a month or so I think you will have to wash them in between. Other than that your only solution to not having to care for the wheels is to leave the car in the garage!!!!!

I'm new here, and I'd really appreciate any feedback from SC430 owners who can relate to my "issue". I have a new, 2005 SC430 (approx. 450 miles). When driving at virtually any speed, changes in grade at overpasses, or even minor unevenness in the road surfaces will cause a loud rattle in the inside of the roof strut on the left side (when the top is up) on the left side, behind the driver's ear. The dealer has been great, and they're working on trying to quiet the car down for the fifth time in two weeks. The people in the Lexus Customer Satisfaction group have gone out of their way to be unresponsive to my requests for assistance, which was quite a shock initially, given what I consider to be Lexus' well-deserved stellar customer service reputation at the dealer level.

So has anyone experienced any really annoying, intermittent, highly isolated rattles in either side of their roofs, when the top is up (of course)? If you have, and you've been able to correct the problem or can even provide some insight on how to minimize it, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. Lexus (not the dealership) has made the statement that "Lexus roofs rattle", which the dealer says is total nonsense, and from my perspective, is consistent with the total lack of any customer service focus in the Lexus "Customer Satisfaction" group. Their position is that as long as the roof opens and closes, it works as designed, and they couldn't care less about interior noise, however loud and however isolated. In my view, this is a less than an impressive example of a luxury car maker standing behind its products.

Other than the roof rattle, which one way or another, I'm confident will be corrected, I think the SC430 is a fabulous car.

Thanks in advance for any insight into this problem anyone may be able to provide into the roof rattle problem.

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:chairshot::chairshot::chairshot: I had the same problem with my departed SC 430 and it was never resolved. The SC does have quite a bit of cowl shake as reported in many tests of the car. My advise: turn up the radio.

On the other hand I am now driving a SL55 AMG and do not have any roof rattle problems. The car when the top is down feels much more sturdy than the SC did. I think this is an inherent problem with the SC.

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Say it ain't so, Lou! Did your roof rattle in one specific place in one of the braces, and was any attempt made to repair it? I've been in two other SC430's, and although I agree with you that they both had a fair amount of cowl shake, neither had a highly isolated persistent rattle. Both had relatively minor squeaks coming from a variety of places, but nothing that would drive you nuts like I have. Thanks for your feedback and any additional information appreciated.

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Mine rattled at both A pillars (the pillars where the winshield is). It also had a rattle at the Passenger side hinge on the roof panel. The one that drove me the most bonkers was the passenger seat. The only cure for this was to firmly hit the back of the seat back with my fist.

This was all on a car that had 1,750 miles on it when I traded it.

I'm new here, and I'd really appreciate any feedback from SC430 owners who can relate to my "issue". I have a new, 2005 SC430 (approx. 450 miles). When driving at virtually any speed, changes in grade at overpasses, or even minor unevenness in the road surfaces will cause a loud rattle in the inside of the roof strut on the left side (when the top is up) on the left side, behind the driver's ear. The dealer has been great, and they're working on trying to quiet the car down for the fifth time in two weeks. The people in the Lexus Customer Satisfaction group have gone out of their way to be unresponsive to my requests for assistance, which was quite a shock initially, given what I consider to be Lexus' well-deserved stellar customer service reputation at the dealer level.

So has anyone experienced any really annoying, intermittent, highly isolated rattles in either side of their roofs, when the top is up (of course)? If you have, and you've been able to correct the problem or can even provide some insight on how to minimize it, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. Lexus (not the dealership) has made the statement that "Lexus roofs rattle", which the dealer says is total nonsense, and from my perspective, is consistent with the total lack of any customer service focus in the Lexus "Customer Satisfaction" group. Their position is that as long as the roof opens and closes, it works as designed, and they couldn't care less about interior noise, however loud and however isolated. In my view, this is a less than an impressive example of a luxury car maker standing behind its products.

Other than the roof rattle, which one way or another, I'm confident will be corrected, I think the SC430 is a fabulous car.

Thanks in advance for any insight into this problem anyone may be able to provide into the roof rattle problem.

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:chairshot: :chairshot: :chairshot: I had the same problem with my departed SC 430 and it was never resolved. The SC does have quite a bit of cowl shake as reported in many tests of the car. My advise: turn up the radio.

On the other hand I am now driving a SL55 AMG and do not have any roof rattle problems. The car when the top is down feels much more sturdy than the SC did. I think this is an inherent problem with the SC.

Here is a list of Mercedes that I own or have owned as well as other cars that I have owned. Call me car crazy

Mercedes That I Have Owned ( Not in order of purchase)

Family Model Year

W198 300 SL Gullwing 1956

W188 300 SC Roadster 1957

W188 300 SL Roadster 1962

W115 220 1968

W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe 1971

W113 280 SL 1971

W115 220 D 1972

W108 280 SEL 4.5 1973

W116 450 SEL 6.9 1977

W124 300 CE 1988

W126 560 SEL 1991

W201 190 E 2.6 1992

W210 E320 1996

W210 E430 1998

W208 CLK 55AMG 2002

W220 S55AMG 2003

W215 CL 55AMG 2003

W209 CLK 500 2004

R230 SL55AMG 2005

Other cars that I have owned

Corvette 365 HP 1964

Corvette 375 HP Fuel Injected 1965

Corvette L88 427 CI 1967

Jaguar XKE 1968

Jaguar Mark X 1966

Corvette 1971

BMW 2002 Tii 1973

Mini Innocenti 1973

BMW 530i 1976

Buick Skyhawk 1976

Datsun (Not sure of model) 1982

Ford Taurus 1986

Ford Taurus 1989

Ford Taurus SHO 1992

Chrysler LHS 1994

Oldsmobile Aurora 1995

Mazda Miata 1990

Honda Prelude 1992

Honda Passport 1995

Toyota 4 Runner 2002

Lexus SC430 2004

Lexus LS 430 2004

2 cars were very similar; beautiful to look at in my garage but was afraid to drive them because problems kept creeping in the more I used them;----The Jaguar XKE and-------The Lexus SC430

I am new to this forum. I am looking at an SC 430, as well as a CLK 500. I am curious to know what people like and dislike about the 430. I am also curious to know if there are any plans for a replacement to be out soon, I would hate to buy one, and then have it be replaced by a new generation.

Thanks

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 :chairshot: :chairshot: I have also owned both and got rid of both after less than a year.  Both have their drawbacks.  As far as problems with the cars I was very surprised.  One minor problem with the CLK and 8 or more with the SC.  I was very disappointed with the SC and the dealer service.

Let me try to give you an unbiased over view.

Paint and finish--- The paint on the SC is much smoother than the CLK but was very soft and prone to chipping much more than the CLK.  In addition it was prone to acid rain etching.

Sheet metal----  The SC's metal was much more fragile than the CLK's.  I have a paintless dent removal perso who took out several door dings in the SC and one in the CLK.  He stated that the Lexus sheet metal was not nearly as heavy as the MB's

Drive Train---  The SC felt sluggish in comparison to the CLK especially when you  consider that the CLK only has 2 HP more than the SC.  The transmission in the SC is not as responsive as the CLK.  The brakes on the CLK hauled the car to a much more quick stop.

Interior--- From a visual point of view the SC is absolutely stunning and makes the CLK look cheap in comparison.  However the seats in the SC were self destructing and the dealer gave up in trying to repair them.  From a wear prospective the CLK was more durable.

Audio--- The Levinson  was a tad better than the Harmon Karden in the CLK.

General appearance--- The SC is a real head turner and the CLK kind of blends into the crowd.

Glass--- The glass on the SC was as fragile as the paint.  It chipped easily especially when you consider that it spent most of it's time on surface streets.

Ride and handling---  This is probably not fair since the SC had the dam run flats on it.  They truly degrade the ride quality of the car.  I think Lexus made a big mistake by putting these on the car.  That said the CLK corners much better than the SC with not nearly the body roll that you will experience in the SC and at that it is firm but not harsh.   The steering in the SC is rather numb in comparison to the MB.  There is almost no road feel to it.

Resale value --- The SC holds it value better than the CLK.  I traded both cars at the same time and the SC's trade in value was approximately 20% higher.  Interesting when you consider that they were traded at a Mercedes dealer.

In summary, my experience with the SC has soured me on Lexus to the point where I won't buy another one as long as the dealer choice is limited to the dealer in the area.  The reason for trading the CLK was that I purchased an  '05 SL55 AMG and traded both cars on it.  

Here is a list of Mercedes that I own or have owned as well as other cars that I have owned. Call me car crazy

Mercedes That I Have Owned ( Not in order of purchase)

Family Model Year

W198 300 SL Gullwing 1956

W188 300 SC Roadster 1957

W188 300 SL Roadster 1962

W115 220 1968

W111 280SE 3.5 Coupe 1971

W113 280 SL 1971

W115 220 D 1972

W108 280 SEL 4.5 1973

W116 450 SEL 6.9 1977

W124 300 CE 1988

W126 560 SEL 1991

W201 190 E 2.6 1992

W210 E320 1996

W210 E430 1998

W208 CLK 55AMG 2002

W220 S55AMG 2003

W215 CL 55AMG 2003

W209 CLK 500 2004

R230 SL55AMG 2005

Other cars that I have owned

Corvette 365 HP 1964

Corvette 375 HP Fuel Injected 1965

Corvette L88 427 CI 1967

Jaguar XKE 1968

Jaguar Mark X 1966

Corvette 1971

BMW 2002 Tii 1973

Mini Innocenti 1973

BMW 530i 1976

Buick Skyhawk 1976

Datsun (Not sure of model) 1982

Ford Taurus 1986

Ford Taurus 1989

Ford Taurus SHO 1992

Chrysler LHS 1994

Oldsmobile Aurora 1995

Mazda Miata 1990

Honda Prelude 1992

Honda Passport 1995

Toyota 4 Runner 2002

Lexus SC430 2004

Lexus LS 430 2004

For the second time my sc430 has lost the ability to memorize the seat positions.  Happened when brand new and happened again today after the dealer disconnected it to replace the carpet.  Service dept no help on phone - want me to go back in, but it's time and distance.  I know there is a way to re-set the seat program so it will "learn" again.    Usually it's done when the car is new and doesnt have to be done again.  When I try to set my seat positions nothing happens - no beep - no nothing.    Yes, I'm holding it for three seconds with the car in park and my foot off the break.  HELP

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:P The same thing was done to my car when they replaced the seat. You have to move the seat all the way forward and then all the way back or vice versa, put the seat where you want it and then set the memory as normal. It is somewhere in your owner's manual.

Lou K

its a thicker gauge

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LOL, no way its a thicker gauge.

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Have you personally checked it? I have both Marques in my garage and the MB is much more solid feeling and I have to believe a person who works on auto sheet metal daily as to the real evaluation.

its a thicker gauge

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:cries: It is definetly a thinner gage./ I had a paintless dent repair person remove dents on my LS 430, SC430 and my Mercedes CL. His comment was that it was amazing how thin the metal was on the Lexi in comparison to the MB's. You can also tell the difference if you tap on the doors of the 2 brands. THINNER on the Lexi.

Here's your chance to vent. Just the bad and the ugly, we can do Lexus dealer good stories next week.

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:chairshot: Lexus of Sacramento is staffed by Larry, Curly and Moe plus their relatives. My experience was so bad with an '04 SC430 that I traded the car after 9 months and 1,750 miles on it. The experiencve was so bad that I will never buy another Lexus as long as they continue in business in the Sacramento area.

Lou K

ikir- No offense taken at all. Have you tried the new Menzerna Caramiclear polishes?

nc- Are you sure the paint is thin? That black paint is pretty thick.

LexKid- yes, Toyota metal is quite thin. German cars have much thicker metal as do American cars IMHO. Toyota metal dings and dents very easily.

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Yes I have. That is what I meant by Menzerna on steroids. I also used it on my wifes LS and compared it to the FP. The gloss is so much more brilliant than the regular Menzerna

On my old car, I had a stick on wood dash put in.  It lasted the whole time I owned the car and looked ok.  If I had to do it again I would not get it and just stay stock.  It just looked cheap everytime I looked at it.

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I installed one on my wife's LS 430 from www.exoticwooddash.com. It is not a perfect match but it does look very nice. I have had it on for about 9 months and it still looks great. I would steer clear on the e-bay stuff because you really don't know what you will get.

I had another kit from a different manufacturer and it was absolutely terrible. So be careful on what you buy.

MBs do have beautiful paint no denying that. The new ceramiclear paint is superb.

I have detailed MANY high end cars and I know their paint, Lexus does have some of the best paint out there. The only two I'd say have better are MB and possibly Audi. Modern Audis have flawless paint. BMW paint is terrible, all kinds of orange peel and uneven finishes. Cadillacs have nice paint too, believe it or not.

And no, the black on new Lexus autos is not clear coated across the board. SOME cars come clear coated, they always have. No way of knowing whether any particular vehicle will be clear coated, but most are not. I've only encountered a couple clear coated black Lexuses ever.

My dad's 98 silver LS was pristine after 160k, some chips in the front but it was a highway car. His 04 LS in flint mica is still pristine with 40k or so now I guess.

My ES is getting close to 50k, paint is perfect again save a few rock chips from highway use. It does scratch easily (i.e. soft) but it also is easily polished to correct.

The difference is care, if you stay on top of it the paint will retain its beauty. In my professional opinion as a detailer, no paint cleans up as nicely or is easier to return to a like new state as single stage Lexus black. I've seen and had some amazing transformations with Lexus SS black, cars you'd think would need a repaint being brought back 100% with just a PC.

My guess is your problems with your paint come from the fact that it IS clear coated. CC black is a real pain to care for, thats why Lexus doesn't routinely do it.

And they may make primers in colors other than white, but again I detail a lot of cars and I've never seen one.

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:chairshot: I don't want to make this a career but the black Lexus that I own is clear coated. In addition on my silver MB's the primer is black, whereas on my black cars it is white. That makes little or no sense to me but who am I to question???

I will have to agree with you that even though the Lexus paint is soft it does polish out easily. That is not what I can say about the Ceramiclear paint. On the Lexus I can get rid of the clear coat scratches with a Porter Cable and "regular" Menzerna. On the ceramiclear I need to use a rotary, the most aggressive cutting pad and the new Menzerna polishes that are on steriods. In addition the key to a good finish is to properly maintain it ALL THE TIME. I really love those people who regularly take their cars through the car wash and then ask what they need to do once a year to get the scratches and swirls out. Answer: stop the car washes and use a little elbow grease.

Finally, the key to keeping the chips away is a clear bra. I have it on all of my cars and being as anal as I am, I am very pleased with the results.

Don't take offense to my previous message, since it was not meant to offend. I find the people on this forum to be the most friendly and least hostile of any that I frequent,

All cars have white primer, its the only color primer they make.

Lexus paint is actually some of the better car paint on the market, the new environmental regs cause the paint to just plain be more brittle and chip easier. Its a problem across the board.

The black Lexus paint is single stage (has no clearcoat) so it does require more care, but if you keep it detailed twice a year you wont have any problems.

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 :chairshot: Lexus paint is soft and not at all durable.  I would take exception to the fact that it is some of the better paint on the market.  In comparison to the paint on my MB's it is pure crap.  In addition the black on the new Lexus autos is in fact clear coated.  I own one and when you take a polishing compound to it there is no black residue; the true test of single stage vs. clear coat paint.  By the way they do make primers in a color rathe than white.

Do you think a new sc430 is really worth 60-70k dollars? Really, how much better is it than a celica? Is it worth that much money for a 2 door? Even if it is a lexus?

This is just an opinion question ;)  I just want to know how many of you would throw that much away when you could get a loaded Ls430 for the same price.

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:chairshot: I did and am sorry I did it. Problems and quality issues galore. Horrible dealership experience. Have an LS430 and it is a better car.

As far as power it is underpowered for a semi-sports car. Feels like it has a boat anchor attached to it.

I have a 2003 black LS 430. Had perma plate done at purchase. Recently having extensive pitting of the paint. Lexus does not know what could be causing it. Anyone with similar experience.

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:cries: I had an SC430 and experienced pitting. When I took it to the dealer they determined it was acid rain damage. The car was in the rain less than 10 times and never allowed to dry in the sun. Their explanation was that the paint is very soft and fragile. One of the many reasons I dumped it in less than a year.

Just bought my first Lexus 3 days ago.  I have owned many fine cars in my life and hope this Lexus falls into that category. I am more than a little concerned with the way the transmission shifts, and especially the way the car is so sluggish in pulling away from a stop.  It seems like you are in third gear in pulling away.  Once underway the shift detents are almost imperceptable.

I cannot tell which gear I'm in once moving unless I hand select a lower gear.

The car has only 150 miles on it.  It sure does not seem like 300 horsepower!

Will it get any better once I have accumulated milage?  Stereo is outstanding and the car is beautiful. <_<

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It will get a little better but not much.  I had an '04 SC430 and always felt that the car was underpowered.  The Lexus engines are not very high on the torque side and the transmissions are geared and calibrated more for smoothness and imperceptible shifting.  While it was a beauty I was terribly disappointed with its build quality and the horrible dealer service.  I sold it with 1,750 miles on it and bought an '05 SL55 AMG---no underpower and no imperceptible shifting and best of all no return visits to the service departmenmt.

Whats your name on Autopia? I'm "GoodnClean"

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Rather unimaginative "lkirchner.

ikir- Are you an Autopia member?

There are actually a few polishes out now directly designed to work with the Ceramiclear paint. I have heard that it does help guard against swirls and things of that nature.

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Yes, I am an obsessive detailer and have been since I was a teenager (more years back than I would like to admit). I am continually amazed at the new products that are constantly being released; polymer sealants, polishes such as Menzerna, micro fiber towels, etc. It has come a long way from Simoniz and baby diapers.

Lou K

Who uses dent resistant panels though? Not most manufacturers because there are drawbacks to them.

Mercedes just came out with a new paint called ceramiclear which is much more resistant to scratching and to etching from fallout. Seems to be pretty good although its harder to polish out when problems do occur.

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I recently purchased a 2005 SL 55 in black. The car was on the showroom floor and naturally had the fine scratches where looky loo's had to man handle the car. I can attest that the ceramiclear paint is a real bear with which to work. It took me 1 1/2 hours using Menzerna Intensive Polish, followed by Menzerna Final Polish and finally Meg's #16 to work out small scratches on the trunk lid. This was all done using a dual action buffer. I hope the advantages to the hard clear coat are worth the effort to correct minor blemishes.

Lou K

I have a black ES 300 (01). 

Like most who have dark cars I have a love/hate relationship with it. 

My latest "emergency" question is why does bird chit stain ?.  This last week a bird poo'ed on it.  I quickly cleaned it with a little warm water but there still is a "stain".  A little "mark" where the chit was.  The car has wax,  whats up ?!

Any suggestions on how to remove the poo stain. 

George

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The bird stain is probably not a stain. The poo is very corrosive and if you do not remove it immediately, it will etch the paint. Try to buff it out with a polishing compound. If that doesn't work, the spot will probably have to be wet sanded with 2000 git sand paper and then buffed to restore the shine.

Lou K

Nice, I'd love to see more pics.

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More pics at dawn on a gloomy Sacramento day.

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Nice, I'd love to see more pics.

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More pics at dawn on a gloomy Sacramento day.

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Nice, I'd love to see more pics.

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More pics at dawn on a gloomy Sacramento day.

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