alphacat

I have recently had the paint sorted so mines not bad but I take your point.. Trouble is in the Summer you want to use it all the time and in the winter the demand and therefore the price of convertibles does drop in real terms.

Just being my usual suspicious self.. I have been driving for 52 years I know a number of car mechanics and dealers. I was a Marine Engineer (seems like it was another life now) and used to race power boats and I know quite a lot of the tricks dealers use to rip of people... Its very easy to make plastic bottle leak at the seams(its a classic easy to do money earner and very difficulty to argue with even if you had seen it without a leak that very day. They are not cheap and the profit margins are high. Its easy to fit usually to so a great way to add to the bill. So many people just don't have any idea bout how easy they are to fleece by a smiling main dealer and the half trained crew they have working for them. The other money earner for dealers is corroded brake pipes. They make lots of money (that really doesn't need spending) on that one. At least you knew.. Have a good summer with the roof down .............

Looks good . I think its a good choice of wheels and it suits the car.

I have a 2005 (November) MK2 (6) speed SC430 In Black with Ivory Leather and Walnut. Its brilliant and I love it.. but the thing is we also have a Jaguar its only a 3ltr X type but my wife loves it and its manual which is what she is used too.. We have a 9 year old daughter who is growing (fast). at present we can all get in the Lexus for days out but going to the airport with luggage etc is out of the question and we have to use the Jag. If I go away of course the 430 is great its even more economical (not that it matters) than the Jag.. I used to go away often and I was semi retired but now I am working less and less. We just don't need two cars. The 430SC costs obviously its only £280 road tax and I only pay about £240 insurance but that plus servicing all adds up and then there is depreciation. I am thinking of doing the unthinkable and selling the Lexus......... Eventually I may get rid of the Jag and get another Lexus but one big enough to be all things to all people.. But that's plan B the Jag is worth very little.. The Lexus about £12000 I should think ..... What would you do ?????

I will have another go because it did make an improvement last time.. Thanks

Another Jewish Racing Gold example.... The VSC light and the Engine Check Light on together is often indicating one of the O2 sensors.. I believe the SC430 has 4, 2 before and 2 after on each bank. I have had two go. Over the last 2 years it was the heater coil in each. The underside of your car does look bad but most of the pictures show components that will clean up if you can find someone to do them. I don't believe its not worth cleaning up you just need to do a bit of research and get some quotes. Rust is often not as bad as it looks.

There is no Aux input but you can buy a kit to do it. Instructions and a video are on U Tube on how to do it. Late 2005 on models have Blootooth. I think if its got the 6 speed box it will have Blootooth. Mines Nov 2005 (6) and it has it.. I don't use it much as there is enough music to satisfy my needs and its the best sound system I have ever had. I do use a transmitter sometimes on FM radio with music from an SD card quality is superb. I just use plug the transmitter into the 12v inside the centre armrest. Can be bought from Amazon or e-bay from about £15 upwards even comes with a remote control. I have to admit my phone isn't even set up as I have changed phones (over a year ago now but I don't like using then phone in the car I prefer peace an quiet) I did have a problem with my old phone passing all my contact info by Blootooth but I understand that's just some types of phone. I have found prices for mk 2 SC430a are quite high but it is work going for the mk2. One point not to forget is that if its registered before march 2006 (not sure of the exact date) its only £280 Road Tax instead of £480 (due to a particularly stupid Labour Party Chancellor.) Late 2005 and early 2006 Mk2 SC 430s are the best bet. I cant see the point in buying a one after that if you intend to keep the car, as price go up with years when its really mileage and condition that counts.

Just thinking about this.. Has the car been locked with the valet key instead of the master key? Trying Locking and unlocking the car with different keys...

I have, but I sold it on e-bay .. there's always someone..

That would explain it..

Good result if your happy with the price..

They must have changed that for mk2 SC430s... They are very different to look at.

Yes black does show up the orange... I thought yours was known as Jewish Racing Gold (sounds better than beige) ....... Its the preferred colour in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Driven by elderly ladies with violet hair (apparently) That how it was referred to on one very positive review I read once...

The valet keys are gray with two buttons lock and unlock. The master is black with three buttons lock unlock and boot.

I have had a dodgy retracting door mirror for some time. Like yours its intermittent which is a pain when tring to identify whats wrong. Last thing I tried was to spray WD40 into both door mirrors till it ran out all over the place and I hade to clean the doors. But it does seem to have helped!! I think if they get knocked it puts one out of sync with the other..... but how to get them back in sync ??? I am still thinking about.

I notice Pistonheads only have 4 430SC s for sale and there are 28 or so on Autotrader.. I sold my last car on Pistonheads. Some dealers are asking very high prices for MK2 (6)speeds.. I would try Pistonheads as the car does get someone looking for it who usually has done some homework.

I like the wheels... Looks good. I do think its a pity that we cant de tango the cars yellow reflectors very easily. I did trace a kit to do just that from the states but it cost about $400 dollars a side.. which makes it far too expensive for 4 bits of reflective plastic.

Its the best for you.... But many people think differently.. Naming a colour combination as 'the best' seems to me to be 'used car sales speak'... Just like 'fully loaded' it means nothing. I wouldn't by a car from anyone who used such meaningless descriptions.

Looks great.

Yes I have driven a couple of Mk1s and have owned a Mark 2 for nearly 2 years the suspension difference is very noticeable. My Log book even has an addendum notifying that the cars is fitted with the 2006 uprated suspension. The poor suspension on the Mk1 was legendary. That said my Mk 2 is effort less and great fun on Uk motorways and back roads. ( I hate Europe) I also owned a Humber Sceptre for a few years bought it in 1972 (I think it was a 1966 car) in Mettallic green with a 1600 cc engine (later ones had the all aluminium Rootes 1725 cc engine) It had over drive in 3 and 4th brilliant car in all sorts of ways.

I think your wrong for all sorts of reasons...mainly engineering ones. I would admit if cars have 'equal' mileage the one that has done less runs of low temperature and less stops and starts is far better. By comparison but your not making a comparison. Although I admit cars do need to be driven, high mileage has its pitfalls and they are of course huge. Materials and components are only made to last so long, not in time but in hours of use. Issues such as wear and tear are obvious, not so obvious is temperature cycle degradation. Stops and starts give more wear than many miles of motoring so when you buy a car with high mileage it could be an indication of the issues mentioned but it could be much, much worse if the car has had many stops and starts or short runs below optimum working temperature etc. On average BHP will drop by 30% for every 100,000 miles unless particular measures are taken (often expensive ones) to make some of this this up. The fact is if you have a car from new or from very low miles you know the history and that's important. But when buying a car you have no idea, apart from whats on the clock, so a healthy respect for the deterioration caused by high mileage is sensible. wow my v8 soarer with 225k had 250bhp when new so now its only got just over 100bhp :eerrrmm: Very probably ....

I was looking At Maserati's before I bought the Lexus.. But your right good ones move out of the garage very quickly. They also move back in quickly to get repaired sadly.

I have used both for a time I used that expensive Shell stuff just to see if it made any difference but I didn't notice much however I do think it did give slightly better MPG, not enough to warrant the extra cost. There is no need to use higher octane rated fuel in the SC430

Did you know you needed a new header bottle before the car went in ?

Seems to me quite intrusting to look at how many SC430s are for sale at any one time. I noticed the other day that on the Pistonheads classified site there were only 3. When I bought mine in April 2 years ago I remember there was between 12 and 9 during the time I was looking. Autotrader has about 20 but when you look some are not for sale adverts and some are repeat adverts. There is no doubt about it if you are thinking of selling one Spring is the time to do it....