am I nuts here ?? thinking to get a Sc430 ( as well as )

[Malc1]

I'm posting this on my usual Ls400 forum too  ............  of course

Saw the most amazing Vauxhall Cascada yesterday in a shopping mall car park .  wow it looked a stunning car .  but on-line investigations show that even the best, the 2.0D Elite ain't really up-to-much

BUT it does look a stunning car and with big rear 2 seats too  .......  I'm a little tempted  .........  barmy I suspect

NOW, if I was to go for a convertible I'm supposing it should really be a sensibly turned-out, well serviced and nice looking Sc430

......... bearing in mind I've forever been driving a Ls400, well for 20+ years at least ...  and she wouldn't be pensioned off at all either 

 

Any useful specific thoughts here everyone ?  ...........  apart from seeing my shrink / psychiatrist !

Malc

[Linas.P]

Just go for it... why not?

I know that 2006+ models are little bit more responsive and maybe slightly better on fuel due to new 6-speedgearbox being used. Sadly... and as usual in UK, expect to pay £695 road tax on 2006+ model compared to £395 on older, less economical and presumably less clean 2001-2005 model.

Apart of that usual things to be considered - service history, mileage, that roof works, but otherwise reliable cars, just expensive to fix when they go wrong as usual for Lexus.

[Spock66]

Another option would be an MX5 if it's just going to be a weekend car.

[Las Palmas]

The CS is a beautiful car and it was built before Lexus started resting on it's laurels, so there are no reasons to not like that.

Good luck finding one.

[Las Palmas]

1 minute ago, Spock66 said:

Another option would be an MX5 if it's just going to be a weekend car.

I would any day prefer a Smart Roadster to a Mazda. Or a MR2 spyder. Have had both.

[messi]

Hi Malc

My advice to you having had 2 sc430's is that they are not that reliable as people make out.

Yes they are more reliable than a bmtroubleyou, Audi and merc etc, but not  the most reliable lexus. I've had 2, besides the engine, and a few misfires, it's not that reliable. But each to their own. 

Oh word of advice, never buy one from that dodgy dealer Rich Walker who calls himself lexusman in Gloucester, I'm sure there are others who have dealings with him and will tell you a few stories about him, hence why his website Lexusworld has been taken down

[Cactus]

18 minutes ago, messi said:

Hi Malc

My advice to you having had 2 sc430's is that they are not that reliable as people make out.

Yes they are more reliable than a bmtroubleyou, Audi and merc etc, but not  the most reliable lexus. I've had 2, besides the engine, and a few misfires, it's not that reliable. But each to their own. 

Oh word of advice, never buy one from that dodgy dealer Rich Walker who calls himself lexusman in Gloucester, I'm sure there are others who have dealings with him and will tell you a few stories about him, hence why his website Lexusworld has been taken down

I second this

[Spacewagon52]

If I were to go for a convertible then I would probably have to go for the SC430. The cost of repairs /parts would concern me.

[Malc1]

My summertime aberration maybe 😄

2 x Sc430s with issues …… that I’ve never experienced with my Ls400s ……. advises  me it should be a  “ non “  AND there’s heaps of Sc430s for sale too ……. That tells me something tbh 

And so so few Ls400s …… and the back seats rarely get used 

The Mazda thingy should make me think coz we also had a BRILLIANT  Mazda 323f for many happy reliable 150k miles of years …….. rust in huge quantities killed it I’m afraid 

my thoughts on Vauxhall Cascada are now zero …… it’s a modern Vauxhall and the mechanical write-ups are challenging too BUT it’s an extremely attractive car in looks alone …….. much better in real life than piccys ….. a rare car to find, they sold very few ……… but 10 x more than my 2006 Honda Legend that really is quite a remarkably fine car 

So there we are  …..  my summer Sunday afternoon loopy moment scotched …… thankfully …….  everyone 

Malc 

 

 

 

 

[Las Palmas]

Honda make fine cars. Problem with CRX is that it is not a convertible. Only has sun-roof.

[Linas.P]

27 minutes ago, messi said:

they are not that reliable as people make out.

Well... I guess depends on perspective. If you comparing it with LS which is the most reliable car ever made, then probably yes... but if you are comparing against any other convertible... then I think you will struggle to find something even close.

Then we need to talk condition, you can choose best car ever made, buy it in shockingly bad condition and then it will not be reliable. So is that cars or manufacturer fault that somebody simply neglected the car and some sucker eventually pick one-up? Again I would argue not - I have picked-up several IS250s, GS300s in shocking condition, knowing they were in shocking condition and for very cheap, but they were all shockingly bad. At the same time I had other Lexus that were maintained and with good history and they never gave me trouble apart of normal maintenance parts and occasionally some preventative maintenance that I have failed to do and now I know better. So is SC430 reliable... Yes it is reliable car generally speaking.

16 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

there’s heaps of Sc430s for sale too ……. That tells me something tbh

It is simply kind of weird car, it is GT car, but it has useless back seats and no boot when roof is down, it has quirky looks... so it is not for everyone. It is not amazing daily, it is not amazing for very long drive, but I reckon it is perfect Sunday car, just cruising around on the sunny day. But as you can imagine, the number of people who have dedicated car for Sundays and then the ones who actually want old Lexus is very small. 

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

I would any day prefer a Smart Roadster to a Mazda. Or a MR2 spyder. Have had both.

MX5 are one of the best small roadsters, extremely simple, agile, well handling, rewarding even at low speeds and generally regarded as one of the best affordable drivers cars EVER. So Smart Roadster should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. MR2 spider interesting car, but has nothing on MX5... Toyota tried, they lost and it was the end of MR2. Toyota GT86/GR86 are competing quite well nowadays, but in MR2 era again MX5 were eating them for breakfast. Now again - MX5 and SC430 are like polar opposites of each other and I am not even sure how MX5 got into this discussion, but there is one car kind of in between... and that is IS250C, has little bit more usable seats, it is more nibble etc. but I reckon it is less reliable than SC430 and it just doesn't have V8, IS350C would be cool, but we never got one here. There is other alternative, and the one I myself considering carefully - that is SC300/400. Not roadster obviously, but classy LS-Coupe. 

[hockeyedwards]

My dad had an early SC430 whilst I was a growing up, was an amazing car and I have only favourable comments about its reliability and used to revel in the drives when we would go to events. Saw us up to nearly 200k before being swapped in for an RX as the little me became medium! 🤣

I like the hard top convertible as I feel cloth can ruin the lines of a car, either an SC or the IS250C are the Lexi based options, the IS is rare and I don't know too much about them.

[Las Palmas]

The IS coupé is a very nice-looking car. The owner of the tyre shop where I just got new rubber on the CT has a red one and it looks like he is taking very good care of it. Shining and beautiful. Maybe even more than the SC. Do not know if 250 or 350 or whatever as nothing on the rear.

[Las Palmas]

31 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

MX5 are one of the best small roadsters, extremely simple, agile, well handling, rewarding even at low speeds and generally regarded as one of the best affordable drivers cars EVER. So Smart Roadster should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. MR2 spider interesting car, but has nothing on MX5... Toyota tried, they lost and it was the end of MR2.

Do not like mid engine?

The MR2 Spyder was far more nimble and agile than the MX of same age. How the new MX is, I have no idea. The Smart was really funny and the gear shifters on steering wheel were functioning just great. Did you try one or just read about it?

 

[Malc1]

If i did get myself another it would need to be a proper convertible tbh

I have the brilliant and well proven Mk3 Ls400 that does me for everyday runaround and trips just about everywhere .  and a sensible 4/5 seater .  with back seats that's hardly ever been used .  and that cavernous boot too

my Honda Legend is ULEZ free and I don't need to concern myself over that when visiting friends and family in what's going to be the extended London ULEZ boundaries come end August

AND of course, for the future, I can just whisper that I'm awaiting my Hydrogen power Toyota Crown whatever to rebadge as my personalised Ls700  ....... 

Malc 😅

[Howplum]

How about a Lexus IS250 convertible? Preferably in red, as featured in Last Tango in Halifax a few years ago.

[Malc1]

8 hours ago, Howplum said:

Last Tango in Halifax

that's what's set me off really, thinking about a Lexus convertible ..  but being utterly sensible now with two of my neighbours having Bentleys and parked roadside, along with their other cars ,,,,,  seems daft to clutter up the parking lot .  the road .....  with another rarely to be used   " I want one "   car 

Ho hum, the Ls400 it will be, well, at least for the time being .  I suspect forever maybe !

and how on earth can two people in a household justify 3 cars 

Malc

[BigBoomer]

My 2 person (and 2 cat) household has 2 cars and 3 motorcycles and would have more if we had room for them. 
To get more I first need a bigger house with several garages,... so a lottery jackpot win is needed. 😞 

If you are feeling the convertible itch, try a Honda S2000. Fast, fun, reliable and the best engine ever. It's a screaming backroad blaster!
Comfy and spacious too as it accommodated a big fat George for a day (courtesy car when my Legend was in for service).
I recommended one to a neighbour who loves her convertibles and she test drove one but couldn't get on with the 9,000rpm redline, so she bought an MR2 (W30).
The poor MR2 rarely gets driven these days as her hubby has a Merc SLK.

[Malc1]

when did the Honda S2000 first appear  ?  I remember long back but can't remember quite when, I was going thru some sort of divorce or other and/or had made lots ££££ on a house sale ..  and wondered about buying one Brand New .  so when was that ?  they had only just appeared in the UK

Malc

[BigBoomer]

The S2000 was made 1999 -2009 and they are all pretty similar apart from minor cosmetic tweaks.
I had my test drive in a 2004 model.
I'm not particularly a fan of convertibles but that engine is a hoot and she handles just as good as an MX-5 despite the extra 250Kg weight.

[hockeyedwards]

3 hours ago, Malc1 said:

two people in a household justify 3 cars 

uh oh, was up to 4 last year 🤣 and between my dad and I, it would have been 9...

one can never have too many toys 😉 - however, back down to 2 for now, as @BigBoomer has said, a bigger house with more space for tinkering and I would gladly have more, again!

[Las Palmas]

Never been in the S2000 but I am sure it is some kind of really nice cabriolet. It is probably just as nice, or a bit nicer, as any other from that period. And with front engine it will handle like such do. Only car with a front engine I have tried where I could be fooled into thinking it was a mid engine car is a Porsche 928.

Would prefer the S2000 any day far ahead of any other front engine cabriolet.

All depend on what you are looking for in a cabriolet, sun on the knees and wind in whatever is on top of the head or something else.

Yes, I like Honda, the Accord Coupé is one I still miss, just like the Datsun/Nissan 280ZX, so next car for us need not come from Toyota. It still could.

[plastic orange]

I replaced my LS400 18 months ago with a lovely C5 Corvette. Drives as nice as my LS did, but with a bit more go, zero rust, and not far off the same mpg, plus spares are easily sourced at sensible prices.

[Las Palmas]

13 minutes ago, plastic orange said:

I replaced my LS400 18 months ago with a lovely C5 Corvette. Drives as nice as my LS did, but with a bit more go, zero rust, and not far off the same mpg, plus spares are easily sourced at sensible prices.

The green one is beautiful.

[Howplum]

Early 50s Chevy?