Why so much hate for the SC 430?
01-23-09, 11:54 AM
#16
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
The SC430 wheels when they first came out are IMO one of the ugliest wheels Lexus ever used. Even when the inserts to make a faux five-spoke came out three or four years later, they were weak. I think they dragged down every enthusiast's opinion of this vehicle, and there were really no other OEM options offered.
I honestly never liked the SC430 much when it came out, but the styling has actually grown on me and I like some of the more heavily modified cars of our members (mild kits, drop, aggressive fittment on wheels) enough to consider getting one as a 'fun car' as the prices on the cars continue to drop.
Last edited by DaveGS4; 01-23-09 at 11:58 AM.
01-23-09, 11:57 AM
#17
i had the sc430. honestly i think it's an extreme car, really falls into those either you love it or hate it group. i have so many people who saw the car and said it's so damn cool and nice, and i also know people who think the car looks horrible.
i can see either way. i think the lines are very smooth, interior is brilliant in most places. but there are places where people can go huh about as well
and fwiw, i think a stock sc430 is plain ugly. but a modded one (if done right) is simply one of the sexiest cars out there. so i personally think sc430 is/was a good potential car.
i can see either way. i think the lines are very smooth, interior is brilliant in most places. but there are places where people can go huh about as well
and fwiw, i think a stock sc430 is plain ugly. but a modded one (if done right) is simply one of the sexiest cars out there. so i personally think sc430 is/was a good potential car.
01-23-09, 11:57 AM
#18
I htink if it had stronger aftermarket support, it would be alot more successful. I bet if in the 90's, if lexus only made the SC400 it would not be very popular at all... but because they made it and the SC300 compatible with alot of Supra TT parts, it made it a big success.
01-23-09, 11:59 AM
#19
I'll tell you why IMO in two words.... PIE PLATES
The SC430 wheels when they first came out are IMO one of the ugliest wheels Lexus ever used. Even when the inserts to make a faux five-spoke came out three or four years later, they were weak. I think they dragged down every enthusiast's opinion of this vehicle, and there were really no other OEM options offered.
I honestly never liked the SC430 much when it came out, but the styling has actually grown on me and I like some of the more heavily modified cars of our members (mild kits, drop, aggressive fittment on wheels) enough to consider getting one as a 'fun car' as the prices on the cars continue to drop.
The SC430 wheels when they first came out are IMO one of the ugliest wheels Lexus ever used. Even when the inserts to make a faux five-spoke came out three or four years later, they were weak. I think they dragged down every enthusiast's opinion of this vehicle, and there were really no other OEM options offered.
I honestly never liked the SC430 much when it came out, but the styling has actually grown on me and I like some of the more heavily modified cars of our members (mild kits, drop, aggressive fittment on wheels) enough to consider getting one as a 'fun car' as the prices on the cars continue to drop.
01-23-09, 12:15 PM
#22
Driver
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: bc
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LOVE THE CAR....IMO, its way better in terms of styling and aerodynamics than the first gen. It looks richer in every way. One way they should have made it better is by adding a performance package option where they could have put on performance suspension and take out the rear seats (major failure of this car i think).
01-23-09, 12:29 PM
#24
It's just an old design and a huge departure from the original. Given both are luxo-GTs one has a folding top. The SC430 doesn't have the wide low classic stance of the SC3/400. The folding roof makes it look awkward, like a disfigured jelly bean shape. Dimensions were quite a bit different as well. Wheelbase was shortened, height was slightly taller, and length was shortened. Although the SC430 is physically wider the proportions made it look less aggressive.
The design is ancient. It's still running with the old 4.3 V8 while the 4.6 V8 + 8 spd auto has been available for over almost two years now. Some might argue that the 1SC was available from 92 to 2000 and that it's on the same redesign path, well at least the 1SC had several refreshes and updates. Hardly anything has changed with the SC430 since it's introduction: wheels, headlights and taillights is basically the extent of the changes.
01-23-09, 12:45 PM
#25
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perhaps people started to hate on it because it is not performance oriented compared to recently released GTs. But IMO it is perfect for its segment. It is simply a very classy and luxurious GT, an alternative to the SLKs, CLKs, and 3-convertibles. I still think it's a very beautiful car, but definitely a departure in purpose than the previous-gen SC.
01-23-09, 01:00 PM
#26
Racer
The car is a huge disappointment compare to the previous model. The previous SC was a dream car to me and all my friends back in the day. When Lexus came out with this model all my friends were like “huh”. All you needed on the previous model was a set of rims/tint and the car was sexy on wheels. I had a chance to test drive the new SC430 for a week. Other than the ML, sound system the car was a huge disappointment. The interior was nice but it wasn’t something I haven’t seen in a Benz or Audi.
01-23-09, 01:21 PM
#28
Chicago Lexus Club Moderator
There are a lot of disappointments with the new SC. The car is unique I think because it isn't that bad looking but it is:
- slow
- small inside and out
- heavy and not agile
- ugly with the early rims
- overpriced
Roadsters are generally associated with being light and agile, but this was not that. It was surprisingly tiny inside and not even fast despite having a V8. Another problem with the car is that it replaced another car that was pretty much a totally different class. So the buyers that liked their car didn't want the new SC as it was a totally different car. I also thought the car was way over priced.
All of that is funny because when I talked with a Lexus magazine writer that came out to our meet, I told him all that. The article about our meet never got written. He was asking questions about the new SC probably hoping to quote us about the SC. I totally bummed him.
I think Lexus attempted to make something special but caught interest of only a few. It happens, look at GM and Chrysler. All their car were special alright.
- slow
- small inside and out
- heavy and not agile
- ugly with the early rims
- overpriced
Roadsters are generally associated with being light and agile, but this was not that. It was surprisingly tiny inside and not even fast despite having a V8. Another problem with the car is that it replaced another car that was pretty much a totally different class. So the buyers that liked their car didn't want the new SC as it was a totally different car. I also thought the car was way over priced.
All of that is funny because when I talked with a Lexus magazine writer that came out to our meet, I told him all that. The article about our meet never got written. He was asking questions about the new SC probably hoping to quote us about the SC. I totally bummed him.
I think Lexus attempted to make something special but caught interest of only a few. It happens, look at GM and Chrysler. All their car were special alright.
