alphacat
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Everything posted by alphacat
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I am not surprised WBAC offer such low amounts they are just rip off merchants from what I have heard they even haggle on the price when you take the car in. Claiming its not as described etc. They do have customers who just want to get rid of their cars and don't like to advertise etc. In fact some people are happy to just give the car away to places like cartake back .com etc . These vehicles often end up in car supermarkets at silly prices and even bigger idiots buy them.. As for the SC in resale I don't think we are the only ones who appreciate it. It does have unique qualities. Smoothness quietness, lack of thirst too for a 4.3 V8. effortless cruising . A great roof a wonderful sound system and top build quality. But I don't think its a sports car. Not really. It doesn't handle well enough but that's not what most of us buy it for. Fact is it seems to sell very well the numbers for sale (very few) compared to the numbers on the road (not that many either) seem to suggest they sell very easily when reasonably priced.
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That's quite right but there are many cars out there just asking to be brash and loud so picking one that was made to be the opposite and messing it up does seem a little irrational !! Makes me laugh.
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I think some on this board are driving the wrong car. The whole point of an SC430 is to travel effortlessly along the road at good speeds without a sound. That's what it is built to do best. I overtook a row of traffic today and a boy racer in a 250bhp (ish) VXR (who had just overtaken them too) without a sound. Magic carpet motoring. You cant beat it because those who want to make a fuss just are satisfying needs some of us just don't have (or got over, years ago). Noise is unwanted sound. The sound of others in a car is unwanted sound. The sound of my car is unwanted sound. That's why I listen to music on a mark Levison Sound system. No point in having one on a noisy car. If you want a V8 burble buy another car with a burbling V8. Don't mess up an otherwise excellent vehicle that does something special.
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Not true. Winter tyres are designed to perform better than Summer tyres when the temperiture is below 8deg, but there is no sudden change in performance. They don't 'fall of a cliff' as the temperiture rises, the same as Summer tyres don't suddenly go off as the temp falls. You just go by the average temp at the time. Last year I put mine on at the end of November and kept tham on till mid April. The real advantage is the extra grip you get in ice, snow and slush, When it's like that they transform the car from a liability to a safe means of transport. John N The only people who think its not true are those who have made money promoting the sale of a second set of tyres and those who believed them. No one really needs except for 4 or 5 weeks maximum a year. If you used them between November and April you were on a less effective tyre most of the time. I didn't drive my car in ice snow or slush more than 3 times in the whole of last year and it was the worst year we have had for a long time. You get nothing for nothing and winter tyres are less efficient most of the time and les effective too.
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Winter tyres ??? Now that always confuses me. In the Uk we would have to change tyres every few weeks. Marketing wins on this one. Do people know that if its not cold, snow and ice then winter tyres are much less effective on dry roads and increase the stopping distance.? In the Uk we rarely have winter conditions and when we do it can clear up for weeks and then return. So most people who swap would have to do so three or four times a year and at the right times. Do they ?? No they don't.. I would bet (and so would others who don't sell tyres) that those who have winter tyres are much more likely to be on the wrong type of tyre, for winter in the UK, at anyone time, than those who just rely on a good all round tyre.
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But the 430 SC is already Bluetooth compatible. ? so why fit Parrot ?
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If you want the 430sc to have more throttle response/ Press the button provided it works very well. messing up a perfectly good exhaust system isn't going to help. If you want your 430 sc to make more noise. Drill a few holes in the exhaust with a small diameter drill (maybe 4mm) though why anyone would want to do so defeats me. The only two reasons for fitting a stainless steel exhaust system on an otherwise Ok 430SC are: 1. its cheaper than a Lexus part. 2. It will last longer (but that means your going to have to exceed around 50,000 miles on the new system).. Power ?? Acceleration?? Smoothness?? no chance. The only ones who try to confirm this are those that want to sell stainless exhaust and those that have bought them. (cognitive dissonance rules)
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I really dot see the point of this comparison. They are not even meant to be comparable so why try?
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Been driving the car no problem since reporting the last issue. Cant hear anything in the boot nor is there any heat source. Everything on the car works fine. I just have this nagging doubt now that if it is left for over two weeks the battery will be dead. 7 days no problem. 10 days ?? Not sure.
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I don't think I have ever seen one even in adverts. I have seen a sort of light cream colour one that looked good but never white.
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The unbelievable bit was finding the wheels in the first place!!
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Thanks for that.. I will investigate..
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Unbelievable.......
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It wasn't the heater switches. Just read somewhere that its often the Mark Levison Amp that does have a current drain. But it should last well over three weeks unless the battery is sulphated in some way. Just charged mine and I am going to try a load test with a multi meter (using the starter or all the lights and gizmos !!.)/
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Looks great in white...
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Go on to Amazon.. you can buy a device that fits into the 12v socket in the central consul or cigar lighter. It has a connection for your MP3 (USB). It then transmits the music to your radio on FM and you choose a channel to listen to it. It has as small remote control too if needed. Works great. To search MP3 transmitters. in electronics. There are about 25 of them from £6.50 to £45
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Good to know Avons work OK as Continentals are so expensive. Thanks
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Have Received Letter Re The Air Bag Recall
alphacat replied to Essex chelle's topic in Lexus SC430 Club
Yes its the earlier models up to 2004 I think.... Mines a 2005 Mk2 (6 speed) and I am not expecting a letter. -
Nothing will make a 430SC 'smoother' its just not possible. The SS exhausts are a type of straight through systems in theory they do have less back pressure so can improve performance and economy 'marginally'. They offer various 'sounds' and the only 'sound' natural for a 430sc is no 'sound' at all. That's the whole point of the car. So I would only go for a bespoke SS system for the price they are cheap compared to a Lexus System.. Thee is no way the SS bespoke fit could match the original. I once considered it for cost and was recommended a 'mid sport' system at a good price. When I said I wanted it kept as the original I was told, 'I would love to say we could do it but we just cant'. luckily I went into a pig field just after that destroyed all the exhauset and ripped of the end finishers (£80 each) the insurance has given me a brand new system and a re sprayed car.. Back of the net.
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White sounds good... Any pics ?
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Easy to check the mileage if its used but Edward Lloyd are excellent and reliable and cheaper than leaving the car in a car park I have used them for years sometimes 6 times a year. Just returned from Singapore and Thailand after a two week holiday my Lexus was left in the garage at home as I used the Jag to LHR.. Just been out to check the 430 this morning and the battery is flat again. That's about 3 weeks without use. I have just put it on charge. While in use even only twice a week about 50 miles a day. It seemed fine but now I am concerned. I am beginning to think the BM who said its common after 2 or 3 weeks may be right and others have changed the battery with no improvement. Also When putting mine on charge it is charging at the right rate as far as I can tell. So that indicates the battery is OK to take and hold its charge. Looks like there is drain over time (about 3 weeks). One problem could be the seat heater switches as they are so easy to knock and not notice. I hope they are inactive with the ignition switch off !! I am just going to check !!!
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£333 for two fronts seems a lot but I am sure you will like non run flats. My son has just sold a BMW 335 to a dealer in Essex. He sold it for around £11000 (good price up here) they came up paid transfer and took it away. Its on their forecourt at nearly £14000 now. Prices down south are so much higher than the north. I can get two tyres (non run flat) and not budget. For around £130 each.. budget would be about £40 cheaper each. Did you put on Continentals ? there is a big difference in tyre prices.
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On the topic.... I have experience of Longlife from a friends car. it was a very economic alternative but ended up too noisy. He went for what they call mid sport but it sounded like more sport than mid !! It seems these are all straight through systems and they never deaden the sound like the original. I think it spoils the car as its meant to be quite with a capital Q.
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I like it the way it was meant to be.. completely quiet. I really have no need to advertise my cars engine. it does what it does very effectively and is soooo comfortable on a run who needs boy racer dramatics. thats not what its for.
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Yes the boot is surprisingly accommodating isn't it. It looks quite small but the boot lid is curved and its very useful. I left my 430Sc at LHR for 12 days and no problem. I usually do meet and greet as its much more convenient. Once I had my sons gold at Manchester airport and it didn't start thy started it for me with a batter on a stick !! I wouldn't worry Chelle ... If its LHR I recommend Edward Lloyd meet and greet..
