Advice for purchasing

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Hi there Guys & Gals,

I'm a newbie to the SC Forum I'm usually more at home on the GS & RX hybrid Forums, the time has come i think to part with my beautifull GS450h, I love lexus & have more or less set my heart on an SC430, there's somethiung about them?

Anyway, any advice on common issues & problems & what to look for would be very much appreciated, I'll probably have up to 10k available.

Thankyou in advance

[Philip Pearson]

Richard, I’m no expert but I also like the SC430. The consistent message I’m consistently picking up on is the Cam Belt and  Water Pump and should be fitted by Lexus.

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Ah ok noted thankyou Philip, anything else? I saw a youtube video that said at 2006 they got a facelift & better suspension?, I'm guessing you love yours?

[Neil E]

Hi Richard, if you have £10k to spend it should be possible to pick up a very nice example. The 6-speed face-lift model is the one to go for as there were a few improvements for the 55 plate model. It's just a matter of finding a good one in the right colour and selecting a suitable hat for when the sun shows up. If it has been well maintained with a good service history an SC430 should be no trouble at all as they are extremely well put together. Just avoid anything abused or highly modified like mine....unless it's a cure for a 'full on' mid life crisis. Though I would definitely recommend MeisterR coilovers if you find one that has had that particular suspension upgrade done. 

Most discussion on SC430's is about replacing normal serviceable parts, improving the ride, and debate about which colour car looks best/goes quickest. Cambelt service and water pump at 10 years or 100k. Lexus parts but it doesn't have to be by the main dealer, there are a number of highly respected independents too. Check the air bag recall work has been done. Some have modest cat-back exhausts fitted to release a little more V8 growl, check the operation of the roof is smooth and check for any signs of rainwater leaking into the boot and any check engine lights that might indicate O2 sensor failure, etc. All usually easily diagnosed and fixed.

On the SC430 forum you're more likely to hear of age related health problems with the owners than you will hear about issues with the cars, even mine at 140k miles is utterly reliable and drives without fault. 

 

 

 

[Ian M]

I bought mine last summer as a second car alongside my RX.  It's an '09 with now 68k on the clock.  It had the cam belt and water pump done when I bought it and since then it's done nice day cruising but also some horrible wet winter motorway trips for various reasons - not what I planned but it performs brilliantly at that too.  I'm really pleased.

 

 

 

[hybridbatterysolutions]

heheheheh that made me chuckle! all good invaluable stuff, I would be unlikely to go for a modified version unless they were sensible mods. My days of Carlos Fandango wide wheels & fury dice are well & truly over but I do feel i would be at home in an SC, i'm just wondering if it feels & drives similar to my GS? i suspect there are similarities but 'hey' thats a beautiful car too!

Was tempted by a 350slk but i suspect the ride is harsh, Z3 allthough sexy at the time a bit skitish for the middle aged gent, heres hoping I wont be dissapointed, being a huge Lexus fan I doubt I will! Thanks Neil!!

[hybridbatterysolutions]

She's a beauty Ian!

[olliesgrandad]

'Z3 allthough sexy at the time a bit skitish for the middle aged gent, heres hoping I wont be dissapointed, being a huge Lexus fan I doubt I will! Thanks Neil!!'

Done the Z3 thing some years ago - Limited edition 1999 Orinoco 2.8 wide body with the later twin vanos engine. Skittish isn't the word..... a real brute of a car. I did consider a Z3m but too many vanos and spot weld issues (although the 2.8's were also capap

ble of pulling themselves apart.

By the way the car was factory standard spec. The only non M car to have clear front and rear indicators. 

[Neil E]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:39 PM, hybridbatterysolutions said:

heheheheh that made me chuckle! all good invaluable stuff, I would be unlikely to go for a modified version unless they were sensible mods. My days of Carlos Fandango wide wheels & fury dice are well & truly over but I do feel i would be at home in an SC, i'm just wondering if it feels & drives similar to my GS? i suspect there are similarities but 'hey' thats a beautiful car too!

Was tempted by a 350slk but i suspect the ride is harsh, Z3 allthough sexy at the time a bit skitish for the middle aged gent, heres hoping I wont be dissapointed, being a huge Lexus fan I doubt I will! Thanks Neil!!

Having owned 2 GS430s I can say the SC certainly does have some commonality with them. They share a good number of parts. It's built and trimmed like the earlier model but drives more like the later GS430.

I have a GS front anti-roll bar and an ISF rear anti-roll bar (they act as a zimmer-frame to compensate for my cornering inadequacies) so that gives you some idea of how similar they are in suspension set up. If you want a practical, comfortable ride, one of the guys in our friendly circle of aged SC430 owners has an air-ride suspension set up. It's awesome, and I'm jealous but it does limit the space in the boot. 

@Ian M That's a stunning looking late model you have. Rare to see one in that colour too.

[Ian M]

11 hours ago, Neil E said:

 

@Ian M That's a stunning looking late model you have. Rare to see one in that colour too.

Cheers, when I was looking, my main criteria was 'not silver' but was quite flexible on other colour combinations.  When I saw that one appear on Autotrader, I absolutely loved the colour and interior so rang the garage.  Unfortunately, it had already been sold. 

A week later, the garage rang me to say that the guy buying it hadn't managed to get ahis loan in place and was I still interested?  Deposit paid over the phone, I took a train trip iwn to the west country a few days later, had a good look round the car and drove her home. 

The following week, my friendly local mechanic put it up on his ramps and pronounced it perfectly fine, which was good news.

Since then, she has had 4 new tyres and been in to Lexus Derby for the airbag recall but otherwise given 3k miles of trouble free motoring.  A touch more V8 burble wouid be nice, but that's my only observation. 

So far as I can tell, the only people who knock them are those who have been unduly influenced by Jeremy Clarkson. 

 

 

 

[Britprius]

Richard watch out for the high road tax on the face lift versions. I do like the look of the SC, but after test driving a couple I was put off by the ride, after having the GS450H, and the slightly slower acceleration. In my case the lack of usable rear seats as I do carry passengers in the rear of the car regularly also was a down side.

John. 

[TDP]

I have owned an 06 SC since January and replaced the standard suspension with meisterR and roll bar upgrades (same as Neils) and the improvement is awesome. On standard suspension it wallows around at higher speeds and rolls like a boat in corners. In comparison to an SLK 350 (also an 06) the SC is slower (but still pretty fast) and not so direct in feel but is much better built and a more comfortable and satisfying car to own. I would recommend bigger wheels and a louder exhaust to make it look and sound better. As far as more mechanical mods go I am fitting a front strut brace but that's as far as I think it's worth going. 

[hybridbatterysolutions]

How much do all these mods cost? I'll need to factor them in unless I can get one that's already tricked up ! I didn't really want to have to spend a fortune?

 

[TDP]

Meister R's £722

Front ARB (second hand ebay) £30

Front bushes for ARB £17

Rear ARB (from Japan) £104

Rear ARB links £29

I fitted it all myself which was hard work but not technically difficult.

A strut brace from Cusco (again from Japan) is £145 + possibly import taxes.

 I have 19" wheels with 245/30 and 285/30 tyres. 

Front ARB is the 28.6mm diameter solid version (part no: 48811-30560)  (£30-60 second hand). New from Lexus UK: £254

          Standard links are ok as long as you are not radically dropping the ride height.

          I  also replaced the steering rack bushes with poly versions (£25)

Rear: ARB is the ISF version (model no: 48812-30400). Seems to be as rare as hens teeth in the UK. A Lexus dealer quoted me £228 so I ordered mine from Japan. 

          The bushes ideally need to be the ISF ones to fit the 17mm diameter bar (48818-30180). but I used the old ones. You can use the standard SC430 bracket. 

          The links need to be the ISF ones (they are slightly shorter - necessary if you are lowering the car) (48830-30090).

This is a useful site as it gives you OE part numbers:  https://www.toyodiy.com

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Blimey, thanks so much for all that detail, thats fantastic! Thanks so much for doing all that work with part numbers too!

I've come across toyo before & have often used it, I've bought stuff from Amayama & Partsouq as well for my GS.

Everytime I think about selling the GS I get a bit of a knot of reluctance, its been my baby & I've lavished on it, it's the best car I've ever owned! but the SC has that certain something else going for it & Clarkson & his mob are just idiots IMHO

[Paul Brooksbank]

On 2/15/2020 at 8:39 PM, hybridbatterysolutions said:

heheheheh that made me chuckle! all good invaluable stuff, I would be unlikely to go for a modified version unless they were sensible mods. My days of Carlos Fandango wide wheels & fury dice are well & truly over but I do feel i would be at home in an SC, i'm just wondering if it feels & drives similar to my GS? i suspect there are similarities but 'hey' thats a beautiful car too!

Was tempted by a 350slk but i suspect the ride is harsh, Z3 allthough sexy at the time a bit skitish for the middle aged gent, heres hoping I wont be dissapointed, being a huge Lexus fan I doubt I will! Thanks Neil!!

Do not buy an SLK, they rattle like hell, break suspension springs and the brake callipers seize regularly, it's the worst car we've ever owned. We went back to an MX5 very quickly. And BMW? Get another mortgage to cover parts failures and taxi journeys. 

[TDP]

I bought the Meister r's from KAM racing, the rear ARB from Megazip and the bushes (front arb and steering rack) from Problem solving bushes. I've ordered a Cusco strut brace (the solid carbing strut brace is discontinued) from Nengun Performance. I found them all to be the best price/value. Any part bought from Lexus will be between double and quadruple the price elsewhere!!

 

[Neil E]

Some of the standard servicing parts from Lexus are quite reasonable, it's worth checking before going elsewhere.

As for the costs of mods, if you want more power it's an eye-watering amount (done that) but for cat-back exhaust, improvements in ride and performance it's not too bad. As a project car mine owes me more than £20K and I will hope to get close to £8k for it when I can find the right RCF. 😀

Another mod I would recommend is the Sprint-Booster. It really does make the car feel quicker even though all it's doing is opening the throttle quicker. 

[TDP]

Yes I guess I should have said I was referring to parts like the suspension etc not to servicing items 🙂

The Sprint booster is on my list but I've spent enough in the last two months! All I need now is some sunshine and dry roads.

[Neil E]

Sunshine and dry roads. I've tried but apparently they're out of stock and on 'back order.'

[Melbury]

Hi,

I am selling my SC430 and I wondered if you were interested?

Please feel free to PM me if you want to ask any questions. It's a lovely car in great condition, 55k miles, with full Lexus service history and under warranty with Lexus until August 24th and is the facelift six speed with the low tax rate as it was registered on March 9th 2006.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Neil E]

Hi Chris. A very nice car in a rare colour. New on here but known to the SC430 community.👍

[Melbury]

Thanks Ian.

Car now reduced to £8999 as I'm doing a deal with another car but It must be sold / paid / collected by this Thursday (27th)

Please feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks,

Chris

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Hi everybody, I haven't got the money for one as yet, I am just gathering information for when I do so keep it rolling in I'm all ears! & a big thankyou! 

[LexIS200Sport]

On 2/17/2020 at 12:45 PM, Britprius said:

I do like the look of the SC, but after test driving a couple I was put off by the ride, after having the GS450H, and the slightly slower acceleration.

Being put off by the ride after coming from a 3GS is really saying something!!  😱😅