Newish Member Now an Owner

[Boomer54]

So, LexiGirl just had her first groom under new ownership. Nothing like washing a car to see what you've got on the outside. She is a seriously, stonkingly, beautiful piece of engineering. On day 6 (of ownership) 'god' declared I can't do better than this so for all tomorrows I  rest. I am very confident at this juncture that Jeremy Clarkson, and his team of 'experts', whose major function is to seek controversy to boost audiences, are not fit to road test my toaster.

See if you agree below.

[Boomer54]

Todays wash and go was just a let's see what we have got here. What I leaned from it is that I will next do a full decon job on the Roof/Bonnet and Bootlid. Then I will build from there . On the face of it it probably looks good to most looking, but I wear variofocals and washing it at approx 9 inches magnifies everything for me and I see absolutely everything .I am just too pernicky to leave contaminants when with a bit of elbow grease they can be removed. Frankly , she deserves to look the best she can be so that is what I will attempt to deliver. Stew did such a great job with this car I would be letting the side down not to do my bit.

[Nigel Coleman]

Yes Stephen, after recolouring my leather interior I was seriously considering next taking the plunge and buying a machine polisher and giving the old beauty a medium compound cut and polish to remove 17 years of top-coat scratches and blemishes.

Have tried hand compound cutting before but you really need a machine to get good results. Lots of videos to watch on YouTube on how to safely do it which is what I did before doing the interior.

[Boomer54]

36 minutes ago, Nigel Coleman said:

Yes Stephen, after recolouring my leather interior I was seriously considering next taking the plunge and buying a machine polisher and giving the old beauty a medium compound cut and polish to remove 17 years of top-coat scratches and blemishes.

Have tried hand compound cutting before but you really need a machine to get good results. Lots of videos to watch on YouTube on how to safely do it which is what I did before doing the interior.

Yes, I read your labour of love leather restoration. Have to say I admire that level of commitment and attention to detail.

At this point I am assuming I won't need to compound, because this car has had a respray less than 2 years ago so I think whats there is going to be relatively superficial.

[Glyn Jennings]

I bought a DA polisher many years ago when I had my BMW Z3M coupe. They are a great investment and great for getting rid of minor scratches and bring back the factory finish after using a clay bar. I was fortunate with my SC in that it had so few miles on it and been garaged all it’s life so it didn’t need much. It did have three small dings in the panels and a very slight crease in the bonnet that you could just about see if you got the light at the right angle. I used a local very experienced PDR guy and he was absolutely amazing he spent a couple of hours doing it and there is absolutely no trace now so well worth the £200 he charged as he found three more dings with his expert eye that i hadn’t spotted. On top of that if he wasn’t able to remove them then it would have been no charge.

[Localhero]

Hi Steve if you want a run out and fancy a cuppa I do have a da polisher you can borrow for as long as you like, I did not use it on your car😪as its only just over 12 months since it was painted, I did polish it every couple  of months with maguiars polish and compound and washed virtually every week, good luck and thanks Stew

[Boomer54]

Actually Stew probably take you up on that, because when we visited you my wife suggested she would really like to come down and spend a long weekend or so on the N Wales coast. She had not realised just how accessible it was from Preston.

I knew you'd polished it well just from the way the water behaved when I came to wash it. Anyway be nice to visit again. Enjoyed our chats.

You remember I said my wife never liked driving anything bigger than a mini. Well she's just started talking about driving the SC430 ! I don't like the direction that conversations going. Pity you don't have another I could give her to play with.

[Localhero]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

Actually Stew probably take you up on that, because when we visited you my wife suggested she would really like to come down and spend a long weekend or so on the N Wales coast. She had not realised just how accessible it was from Preston.

I knew you'd polished it well just from the way the water behaved when I came to wash it. Anyway be nice to visit again. Enjoyed our chats.

You remember I said my wife never liked driving anything bigger than a mini. Well she's just started talking about driving the SC430 ! I don't like the direction that conversations going. Pity you don't have another I could give her to play with.

I can get you one, and it appears to have a spare set of wheels🤩

[Boomer54]

Not car related. Just heard we lost another one yesterday and it made me nostalgic for the passing of an era.

So, In tribute to Michael.

A Touch Of Velvet - A Sting Of Brass (The Mood Mosaic) - YouTube Music

[Localhero]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

Not car related. Just heard we lost another one yesterday and it made me nostalgic for the passing of an era.

So, In tribute to Michael.

A Touch Of Velvet - A Sting Of Brass (The Mood Mosaic) - YouTube Music

and that was followed by out on the floor Dobie Gray,  just need Frank Wilson indeed I do, we're you a bit of a mover in your day Steve🎩

[Boomer54]

33 minutes ago, Localhero said:

and that was followed by out on the floor Dobie Gray,  just need Frank Wilson indeed I do, we're you a bit of a mover in your day Steve🎩

Well, I never, how did we not get to talking Northern Soul ? In no particular order, our haunts were Highland Room Blackpool, The Wheel, Casino and much less frequently Torch. However, for us the journey all started at the Wellington Keighley. Indeed, I was a touch gymnastic back then and we really won't talk about now !

Still going albeit it's more local now at Grasshoppers Club here in Preston.

[Tomtit]

22 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

Actually Stew probably take you up on that, because when we visited you my wife suggested she would really like to come down and spend a long weekend or so on the N Wales coast. She had not realised just how accessible it was from Preston.

I knew you'd polished it well just from the way the water behaved when I came to wash it. Anyway be nice to visit again. Enjoyed our chats.

You remember I said my wife never liked driving anything bigger than a mini. Well she's just started talking about driving the SC430 ! I don't like the direction that conversations going. Pity you don't have another I could give her to play with.

It is good to know that there is someone else in the Preston area with a blue SC430. I thought I was on my own.

[Boomer54]

26 minutes ago, Tomtit said:

It is good to know that there is someone else in the Preston area with a blue SC430. I thought I was on my own.

Well, apparently you now have some company.  I think it would be great to swap comparatives on our experiences with them albeit mine of course is so very recent. Having said which I cannot recall ever having been so enamoured of a car as I am with this one.

[Ken Timbers]

14 minutes ago, Boomer54 said:

I cannot recall ever having been so enamoured of a car as I am with this one.

I have a blue version, too, series 7, and feel the same way. Amazing cars!

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

Oh My Word..May you have lots of Happy Experiences.. This car Is Beautiful and in Pristine Condition.. Many Many congratulations On Buying this Wonderful car and can i wish you all the luck and enjoyment there is..Have you thought about ceramic detailing This would make this Amazing car Really stand out...Cheers Ron

[Boomer54]

4 minutes ago, RONNIE W HODGEKINSON said:

Oh My Word..May you have lots of Happy Experiences.. This car Is Beautiful and in Pristine Condition.. Many Many congratulations On Buying this Wonderful car and can i wish you all the luck and enjoyment there is..Have you thought about ceramic detailing This would make this Amazing car Really stand out...Cheers Ron

Thanks very much Ronnie. The answer is yes. When an opportunity arises then ceramic detailing is on the agenda. However, in fairness the kudos at this time all belongs to Stew who sold me this car. I have done nothing ,but pay the man, and I am very happy to have done that.

[Tomtit]

4 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

Well, apparently you now have some company.  I think it would be great to swap comparatives on our experiences with them albeit mine of course is so very recent. Having said which I cannot recall ever having been so enamoured of a car as I am with this one.

It is good to have a car with its own identity, unlike the modern euroboxes which all look alike and need badges to identify them. Our SCs have distinctive styling and cannot be mistaken for anything else.

[Boomer54]

33 minutes ago, Tomtit said:

It is good to have a car with its own identity, unlike the modern euroboxes which all look alike and need badges to identify them. Our SCs have distinctive styling and cannot be mistaken for anything else.

Absolutely nailed it for me.

[Boomer54]

4 hours ago, Ken Timbers said:

I have a blue version, too, series 7, and feel the same way. Amazing cars!

Ken,

Do we get some pics? What colour is your interior?

[Ken Timbers]

Hi Stephen,

Herewith some pics of my SC430. I hope they answer your question. The bottom two shots were taken at the Lexus Sidcup showrooms. I've not taken many further shots since the one on my driveway, but it's still looks as good as it did then, one year ago.

[Boomer54]

You must be very pleased with her. From the bit that I can see your leather work is looking in particularly good condition. Have you done some restoring work on that, or is it just lightly used due to say low mileage? I think this blue colour really takes a good shine. In fact the only other colour that might just get me in buying mode is the Anthracite Grey that someone just bought on here recently (only one I have ever seen). Coupled with a tan ,or ecru interior that would be super appealing. However, there is a lot to be said for the black leather in pragmatic terms of daily usage.

Do you drive it as your main car ,or do you just reserve it for fun days?

[Ken Timbers]

The leather is certainly in good condition, but that's how it was when I bought the car. The mileage at that point was 72.4K and it had a fat file of documentation showing everything that had been done during its life. Most of the mileage had been done during its first three years with a lady owner and there has been another one since then, so I guess they treated the car well.

I do little mileage these days—only 2K in these past 12 months. My main usage is a fairly short round trip to a hospital on a weekly basis because I'm being treated for cancer. Very well treated, I hasten to add—Guy's oncology department has got it well under control. They haven't got a cure for old age though, and as I'm now 88, adventuring far afield is no longer attractive. Nonetheless, I've been enjoying top-down motoring around the country lanes in North Kent this summer. I've always had nice cars (lots of Lexus ones as well as Porsches and Mercedes), so when I decided to give up spending a lot of money on contract cars, this one seemed a great option—very nice and no hefty capital investment. I'm hoping it will see me out, so I'm happy to keep it in as good condition as possible without too much personal effort. When I think it needs some proper attention I shall call in a detailer! 

[Boomer54]

8 minutes ago, Ken Timbers said:

The leather is certainly in good condition, but that's how it was when I bought the car. The mileage at that point was 72.4K and it had a fat file of documentation showing everything that had been done during its life. Most of the mileage had been done during its first three years with a lady owner and there has been another one since then, so I guess they treated the car well.

I do little mileage these days—only 2K in these past 12 months. My main usage is a fairly short round trip to a hospital on a weekly basis because I'm being treated for cancer. Very well treated, I hasten to add—Guy's oncology department has got it well under control. They haven't got a cure for old age though, and as I'm now 88, adventuring far afield is no longer attractive. Nonetheless, I've been enjoying top-down motoring around the country lanes in North Kent this summer. I've always had nice cars (lots of Lexus ones as well as Porsches and Mercedes), so when I decided to give up spending a lot of money on contract cars, this one seemed a great option—very nice and no hefty capital investment. I'm hoping it will see me out, so I'm happy to keep it in as good condition as possible without too much personal effort. When I think it needs some proper attention I shall call in a detailer! 

The docs on mine show virtually the same data. 71,000 and circa 40k of those done in the first 3 years.

Looking through the docs I appear to be the 4th owner.

88 ,well done mate. I really don't see me getting that far, but like you I'll take what fun I can get whilst I can still enjoy it.

Forgive what may be inappropriate Northern humour ,but is there any chance I can get in the will for the SC430 ?

[Boomer54]

Well following the healthcheck the consensus ,here and elsewhere, is that I have a keeper. Therefore I shall  start my to do list without further ado.

1. Order the SCMODS reversing camera . I do miss that, and frankly maybe I am not quite sharp enough nowadays not to need one.

2. Off to see a local recommended garage to take care of small peripheral stuff.

3. Scouting the Preston area to see if I can get use of /hire of, a car pit ,or ramp. I really would like to get under this thing and work my magic. I spent 1 1/2 days at the top of my steps using some modelling tools to undercover over 100 years of crap on that ceiling rose below. Before you could see nothing,too many coats of paint had wiped out the lovely sculpted motifs (formed I might add from small pieces of woods). Anyway if I spend a few days under that car you will be able to 'eat your dinner off it' !

4. detailing the rest of the car myself. Not sure I will have the weather to do the outside fully before weather makes that difficult. However, already started inside.

Anyway, quite chuffed to own this. At my age I think this is going to be my forever car !

NB  Anyone around Preston know of a car pit/ramp I can access, please PM me.

 

[Malc1]

2 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

Anyone around Preston know of a car pit/ramp I can access, please PM me.

I'd think your local car sales or indy garage with a ramp would happily rent you an hour or two of their ramp on a quiet day for them  .....  from time to time

Malc