Cheech

My 4 spd AUTO '92 Lexus SC 300 has 145 K miles on it. I just found out it needs a tune up, along with a timing belt change, and a whole (BLEEP load of work) etc.......

The auto work is going to run me 1 - 2 K. (BANGS HEAD ON WALL)

My friend is selling his '97 Manual BMW M3 Coupe. He's lowered it 2", changed the exhaust to a top of the line brand, tinted the windows, has '17 Stock rims, air filters, etc....

It has 60 K miles and the dealership is asking 28 K. He's offered to sell it (Financing) to me for 23 K (Just enough to get out of his lease).

The dealership offered me ONLY 5 K FOR MY LEX!!!!

Should I trade in my lex and get his M3??????

I need help on this one guys.... I love my Lex so much. I was planning on spending a good 3-4 K on it this summer to fix it up with a new body kit... etc......... but my car does have a lot of miles.......


WHAT SHOULD I DO?!?!?!?!?


A fellow brother in need... who is close to the edge.



UP in SMOKE


Cheech

rhart00

without thinking twice I would buy the M3 and sell the Lex. But don't sell the Lex to a dealership because dealerships always rip you off. I think you would be much happier with an M3 than with a Lexus with almost 150k miles on it.

1stLexus

What is wrong with the transmission?

if you go for the BMW don't trade your car in on it. Sell it yourself, should not be much harder to beat their offer by a few thousand dollars, as long as the car is clean and in good running condition.

Cheech

1stLex.

Some things I caught when the mechanic started blubing stuff out....

The Timing Belt needs to be changed, coolant needs to be re vamped, power steering fluid tubes blah blah, filters for this and for that, some of the valves need to be replaced (They're all the original dealers), and much more BLAH BLAH BLAH.

A nice thing he said though was that my car was the best Lexus SC they made. The body is sweet and the engine itself is straight up 6 (Solid like a rock) and he's seen MANY MANY MANY LEXUS SC 400s. (That's not a good thing because he's the mechanic, you know?) He tried hard to convince me to change the transmission into a 6 spd MAN and TURBO the car!!!!!

Believe it or not... this is the first time I have ever had to take the car in to get major work done. Up to this point the car was running w/ out any problems! Hell... I only asked him to look at the car because I was thinking about upgrading my car!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LEXUS MAKES A QUALITY PRODUCT. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND ABOUT IT.



Up in Smoke...

CHEECH


ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON WHAT I SHOULD DO ABOUT THE M3?

Do you guys think that $ 23 K for a 60 K mile car is worth it? That's about 500 a month... and for that money I can get the new LEXUS IS 300....... Decisions... Decisions.....

vj604

23 K is a good price for that m3 , plus you still get the 3.0 litre engine i believe which is more friendly to modding. i think.

m3 vs. IS, no comparison..go for it dude, especially if youve got the cash...

CmputerWiz

Only thing to think of there is do you want a brand new Lex, or the used M3. Personally I'd get the M3. I "almost" traded my SC300 in a week after I got it for an M3, but I had already fallen in love with the car.

Now If I had been offered the deal your getting? I would get the M3.

But you'll have to talk to the moderator of this board, and see if he'll let you still post on here with a BMW. lol

SR

KCLARK

I recently test drove the same two cars at a nearby used car dealership. The SC300 was also a 5-speed as was the M3. I just so happened to drive the M3 first, right after someone else had just brought the car in from a test drive. The first thing I noticed was this guys face, he was literally drooling, and got somewhat disturbed that i was taking it out (because he wanted it right away apparently). Anyway, I got in and everything (visually) fit perfectly, I pulled out on to this nearby winding high speed twisty back road. Instantly i mashed down the accelerator and took off! The car just pulled to redline, as i was snapping thru the gears the car was taking turns like a sportbike, and the brakes were incredible! Came back and I was amazed and full of respect! (felt just like the guy before me). Soon after I laid my eyes on this SC300 5-speed (same dealership). I asked salesman to drive this next, so off I went on the same winding back road I was on before. I kept wringing the rpm's seemingly just to match the speed of the M3, braking in the turns were wallowy, not as tight and under control as the M3. Both cars look good, but in first view opinion when i see the two cars i will give props to an M3 first without blinking an eye. My wrap up on the two cars: NO COMPARISON !! The M3 needs nothing done to it, and it will keep you faithful without a penny spent extra. On the SC300, you better plan on having some serious modifications done to it; brakes, suspension (especially), and whatever your money could afford on mods to the engine (turbo would do the trick) to get any respect from anybody who owns a M3.

Sc400on20s

Hey Cheech,
Do you want to be $1K down and satisfied with your SC?

OR

Do you want to be $23K down and probably overwellmed by an M3?

MY OPINION,
I love my SC and I've personally owned a 200K+ miles on my Toyota Corolla!! So it's not out of the question.
If I had the $23K to spend.......why not it's a M3!! but I don't so SC all the way!!


Good luck - Tanner

Cheech

Now I know that the M3 has 63 K on it....

What type of work is required and should I be prepared to pay for on that car? You see... the biggest reason I am really inclined towards the used car is because my Lex is OLD whether I like it or not. Old car is old car and used car is used car and NEW car is NEW car.

How long do M3's last?

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP!!! I really mean it.


Up in Smoke....

CHEECH

Cheech

I'm going to take the M3 to the mechanic on SATURDAY.

WHAT SHOULD I ASK HIM TO LOOK AT IN DETAIL SO I KNOW IM NOT GETTING JIPPED?!?!?!?!?!?


UP IN SMOKE..........


Blunted Cheech

CmputerWiz

M3's have good engines....I've heard of 200k ones. Only problem with them that I often hear about is the manual transmission. Place I got my Lex from had an M3, and they said the tranny was replaced at 17k. THey said that's a little early, but they hear of them going at low mileages all the time.

Have the mechanic check the tranny well, look for crap in the gear oil. And check the differential, I seem to remember something about M3's and the driveshaft/diff.

SR