Glyn Jennings

More details on Facebook page Lexus SC430 Club UK

I have a small traction engine as well as locomotive I restored.

Thinking about what I have said I would imagine you can still play CD,s in another tray in the player but would lose the Bluetooth phone function until you select the tray where the SC430 mods disc is loaded. I never play CD,s any more so I confess I haven't tried it so can't verify if that is the case. Next time I go out in the car I will try it.

My experience of CTEK chargers has really gone down hill. I had one years ago and it was great. I bought a new one a couple of years ago for the SC and it packed up after 3 months. I returned it to CTEK and they sent me a new one which only lasted about a year. NOCO seems the way to go.

I have been using the SC430mods.com one for a couple of years now to connect to music and calls on my phone via Bluetooth. The steering wheel volume works but you cannot change tracks. You do lose the ability to play CD’s as it uses the CD player to connect the adapter. It is also pretty easy to install. My version is the early version where the tape and radio volume is reduced using the adapter. This has now been addressed with the current one so no longer an issue. Is is a cheap option compared to fitting a new head unit and the sound quality is great. https://www.sc430mods.com/product-page/2005-bluetooth-music-and-calling-adapter-with-mic

My 2004 looks like it was never suppled with the netting in the boot and hasn’t even got the side retaining clips so I assume this was an optional extra.

Looking on Trustpilot the dealer has some good reviews but some are dreadful so any prospective purchaser will need to have wits about them. Lovely colour combination though.

Just seen this one on Facebook for sale. Lovely Matador Red. Probably a scam as on Facebook but I like the red seatbelts and how they compliment the ecru leather.

Considering it looks pretty much all original it’s odd the silver below the grille has been painted. To me the asking price seems way over the top for a 2002 with that mileage but I do like the colour a lot. I didn’t pay that much more for my one owner 2004 with only 7600 mile done and had the timing belt, radiator, tyres and battery replaced by Lexus just before I bought it.

The brackets really have a very poor paint finish. Mine were brand new 30 months ago and this is what they look like now. I think they are going to need repainting from time to time.

Saw this on the Club Lexus forum.

Thanks Nigel and for the roof tip. I will look at obtaining some fabric tape.

I would as well if I were to drive through Europe. Now if I intend to do that again it probably would be in the RX.

Today the mileage for my 2004 SC430 reached 10,000 miles. It will also be 20 years since it was first registered on the 1st April 2004. So that is an average of 500 miles per year and I have done a little more than that since purchasing it from the first owner when it had only done 7600 miles. In my ownership it has been as good as gold needing only a new battery. I am hoping that driving it a bit more the headlight levelling system will sort itself out as today it was back on at first but then went out after a couple of miles and stayed off. I do have an annoying little rattle which seems to be coming from the roof behind the passenger seat which when the weather gets better I will look to solve. I am looking forward to many more years of ownership.

The problem I had is the price you see for the manuals and delivery is not the same when you go to buy. For some reason substantial extra charges are applied after you have committed to buy. I guess they are hidden import and tax charges. Once you are at that stage you have to ask the seller to cancel which they did in my case as you cannot cancel the order yourself. I don’t understand with ebay why you don’t see the full price until at the checkout and by then you are committed to purchase. It may be different for someone else but that is what happened to me a while back. The whole reason I went for them in the first place was because they were at a discounted price. Very frustrating I have to say. I do tend to only use ebay but their charges can be very high. I had up for sale a model steam engine and because of a limited market it was slow selling so they offered to enhance the listing which I agreed to. I should have looked at the extra selling fee of 10% because on a £550 selling price after 23% fees I only got £406.

I did some research on buying some 2004 year manuals a while back and it seems the only new ones available are from the US as a company over there hold the licences from Toyota to print them. The cost is quite high already but when you add on taxes, import duty and shipping it gets really expensive. I saw a new set of two from them on ebay for £124 and put them in my basket only to find at check out the cost doubled so I didn’t go ahead with the purchase. So second hand sets like these really do hold their value.

The RX was in the dealership today for a service and MOT so I asked what is happening about the airbag for the SC. Apparently the parts guy said it is on back order and could take another month to come into stock. I am not sure I understand what he meant when he said they do a recall every 5 years for the airbag. He also said they need the car for two days to fix it. I willl give them a ring in a months time for an update.

Went for another drive today and the warning light was on for a few miles then went off. Then on and off intermittently every few miles. I think it is probably something sticking or poor connection as if light on if I drive over a speed bump it goes out. I also think as Colin has suggested the levelling works all the time regardless of the lights being on or off.

I have had another thought in that I have only driven the car a couple of times at night requiring the headlights to be on. So if the self leveling function only works if the headlight switch is in the on position then it has not moved hardly at all in the two and half years of my ownership. Bearing in mind the low mileage of the car when I bought it I suspect this would have been the same for the previous owner. If this is the case then it would be prudent for owners like me who only drive their car in nice dry weather mainly in the day to put the headlights on on a regular basis to make sure nothing seizes up.

Out in the open Thanks Bob, I will check it out again when I have time and if it is still the same I will look at the bits you have highlighted.

I haven’t driven the SC since the middle of Jan due to poor weather and a bad knee but as it was sunny today I took it out for a drive. Everything was fine but then the headlamp warning light came on then after a few miles went off and then back on again. So it went on and off several times during a 20 mile trip. By the time I got home it was on again and I discovered the neither high or low beam bulbs were working. I then turned the ignition off then on again and both were back working again and no warning light on. I am hoping that it is down to a period of no use and the fact it has been pretty damp and cold lately bearing in mind the car sits out side. According to the manual the warning light indicates a problem with self levelling system but it doesn’t say any thing about loss of headlights however perhaps it is a failsafe to save blinding other drivers if it’s not working. Any thoughts?

If someone has a preface lift workshop manual set for 2004 model they no longer need I could be interested.

I think it will be down to whether or not they were fitted by the manufacturer or not. If they were then they have to function as intended. I see the Celsior is a Japanese version of the LS400 so wouldn’t need to comply with UK regulations as it wasn’t intended for UK use.

According to this yes as HID lights are fitted. https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/vosas-customer-service-centre-commonly-asked-questions/

I bought the dash cam over two years ago and later bought the SC430mods.com reversing camera which uses the existing Sat Nav display so I have two side by side now but the is a picture when I only had the dash cam one.