Lexus SC430 - any owners here?

[0a]

I look forward to hearing more - I have always rather liked these. I even like the orange wood you get in some models!

[deltashad]

Aethsatics are really important to me. The wheels are fantastic.

[jhonn]

Tryke3 said:

Biggest gripe is that the car is not settled on our roads, it drove me crazy on how difficult it was to drive

Mercedes is much better

I cant recommend this car and i think you will want to get rid asap once you buy it

Thanks for your feedback - it's good (I think!) to hear from an owner.

Some of what you've said is not a surprise, well apart from the bit about rotten eggs - haven't heard that before.

Can I ask what year your car was? If it was pre-2006 that might account for the poor ride. I've heard that it doesn't flex as much with the roof up; I've got relatively low expectations, so I shouldn't be too disappointed!

Objectively and measurably the Merc probably is better, however they just don't inspire me.

[Löyly]

Erudite geezer said:

Do not wish to insult existing SC430 owners, and am happy to be corrected, but was this car not universally lambasted by mainstream British motoring journalists on launch?

It was derided by the motoring press here but really, it was never meant for the UK. The design team were obviously thinking of the American market every step of the way - and if they shifted a few in Japan, fine! It's a car made for lazily cruising to the golf course or going from sunny southern state to sunny southern state to state.

[daveofedinburgh]

The criticism most commonly/ loudly levelled at it was 'it doesn't know what it wants to be' (I'm sure you've seen the old TG piece).

I can kind of see the validity in that, but honestly if it ticks the boxes you are looking for (and it seems it does!) then go for it (oh, you have).

I'd have one in a heartbeat, because I love V8 Lexii and am inexplicably drawn to stuff that was widely disliked at launch (and indeed well beyond launch).

I hoped that decent early ones would be knocking about sub £5K but it would seem not. Good, I say- they're better than that.

It's not the most classically handsome car, but to my eye it's not as poorly resolved a design (rear included) as many people think. May even be one of those strange left-fielders that suddenly 'ages well' seemingly overnight...

At the end of the day, it's a reliable, folding hard-top V8 wafter for not much money. You've done the right thing in buying a car that YOU like, and have done so while avoiding that naff champagney colour. Bravo.

[rodericb]

daveofedinburgh said:

The criticism most commonly/ loudly levelled at it was 'it doesn't know what it wants to be' (I'm sure you've seen the old TG piece).

I think journos were expecting some sort of V8 MX5. I do remember an Evo review of it going on about boats. I like them.

[Tryke3]

jhonn said:

Tryke3 said:

Biggest gripe is that the car is not settled on our roads, it drove me crazy on how difficult it was to drive

Mercedes is much better

I cant recommend this car and i think you will want to get rid asap once you buy it

Thanks for your feedback - it's good (I think!) to hear from an owner.

Some of what you've said is not a surprise, well apart from the bit about rotten eggs - haven't heard that before.

Can I ask what year your car was? If it was pre-2006 that might account for the poor ride. I've heard that it doesn't flex as much with the roof up; I've got relatively low expectations, so I shouldn't be too disappointed!

Objectively and measurably the Merc probably is better, however they just don't inspire me.

Car was a 2001 model. I really cant recommend it sorry, try and push for 24hr teat drive, lexus are very good when it come to stuff like. I replaced with a brand new 250sel and they gave me a hire car for over a month which was very nice of them

[mr_fibuli]

Having had an LS400 I'm a little bit fascinated by these. I think it got bad press as it was reviewed as a sports car, but I think of it more as a rare and interesting looking re-bodied LS barge.

It's also important to remember that was the car of choice for the naked lady robot in Terminator 3.