1997 SC300 worth buying at this time?
#16
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Thats a nice size stable you got there. If you want a car you can really fall in love with. Test drive a few on your mind first. SCx00 are meant to be kept forever. You hardly see a nice one around now a days.
My ideal stable would be:
Fun Car - SC300
My Daily Car - ??? -
Wife's Car - ??? - if you have one
Family Car - ??? - if you have one lol.
4 Cars would be perfect + any toys on the side.. bikes/quads/boats
Fill in the blanks with whatever model you want =) Good luck. If you do buy it welcome! and pics!
Be prepared to spend money either way. Just updating the looks and making it clean will cost a few 1000s. Once you get into the motor and upgrades your past 10,000 mark easy on mods. lol
I easily have $20k+ in mine but its finished, so something to think about.
My ideal stable would be:
Fun Car - SC300
My Daily Car - ??? -
Wife's Car - ??? - if you have one
Family Car - ??? - if you have one lol.
4 Cars would be perfect + any toys on the side.. bikes/quads/boats
Fill in the blanks with whatever model you want =) Good luck. If you do buy it welcome! and pics!
Be prepared to spend money either way. Just updating the looks and making it clean will cost a few 1000s. Once you get into the motor and upgrades your past 10,000 mark easy on mods. lol
I easily have $20k+ in mine but its finished, so something to think about.
1) you say your SC is finished....I understand that mod wise, but what about maintenance wise?? A Timing belt is a replaceable item which needs replacement every 90k so the more you drive, the more often you'll replace it. Similarly, I assume tie rods, ball joints, axles etc all have a shelf life to some degree.
I replaced everything in my legend thinking it was the car I was literally going to be buried in (i.e. Men in Black's last suit you'd ever wear). But driving it daily has proven to be expensive. I've went through 3 sets of axles in the 4 years and 30k I've owned her. I'm due for another it looks like (legends break axles like I sneeze)
I wasn't looking for this scenario with the SC300. THe car is mint, except for the fact that it has ugly 16" aftermarket wheels and no-name tires which means off the bat, I'm looking at $1,000-$1500 for GS430 17" chromies with some michelin pilot or bridgestone pole position rubber.
Bottomline, I don't want a car I'm going to have to throw $5k at just to get her to where I want her to be. THe black paint is clean, but old.
I do understand that nothing is free-you either buy an older car and pay maintenance or buy a new car and pay a payment monthly. Just trying to find the best possible medium.
#17
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if your an OEM guy and won't be changing anything to aftermarket(like engine swap), definitely go for the SC400 over the 300...
if this is just going to be a nice cruiser car, 1UZ all the way...
with that being said, if you're going for the big 4-door sedan.... LS430!
OR may i suggest(since your such a huge Acura fan), a 2004 Acura RL.
Last year of that body style with standard navigation, upgraded steering wheel, in dash 6-CD player with upgraded speakers/amps etc.
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22436-E.jpg
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22439-E.jpg
i want one of these for a DD, 6 cyl for economical MPG, and FWD for those NY winters...not to mention, they are bullet proof...
Good luck, i put myself(& my girl) through this every couple years...
if this is just going to be a nice cruiser car, 1UZ all the way...
with that being said, if you're going for the big 4-door sedan.... LS430!
OR may i suggest(since your such a huge Acura fan), a 2004 Acura RL.
Last year of that body style with standard navigation, upgraded steering wheel, in dash 6-CD player with upgraded speakers/amps etc.
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22436-E.jpg
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22439-E.jpg
i want one of these for a DD, 6 cyl for economical MPG, and FWD for those NY winters...not to mention, they are bullet proof...
Good luck, i put myself(& my girl) through this every couple years...
#18
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I agreed with 96SC4, if your not into turbo your car and driving around for cruising, I would pick 400. Also remember, SC are not fast, so don't think you are the king, SC are heavy and awesome cruising car.
#19
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if your an OEM guy and won't be changing anything to aftermarket(like engine swap), definitely go for the SC400 over the 300...
if this is just going to be a nice cruiser car, 1UZ all the way...
with that being said, if you're going for the big 4-door sedan.... LS430!
OR may i suggest(since your such a huge Acura fan), a 2004 Acura RL.
Last year of that body style with standard navigation, upgraded steering wheel, in dash 6-CD player with upgraded speakers/amps etc.
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22436-E.jpg
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22439-E.jpg
i want one of these for a DD, 6 cyl for economical MPG, and FWD for those NY winters...not to mention, they are bullet proof...
Good luck, i put myself(& my girl) through this every couple years...
if this is just going to be a nice cruiser car, 1UZ all the way...
with that being said, if you're going for the big 4-door sedan.... LS430!
OR may i suggest(since your such a huge Acura fan), a 2004 Acura RL.
Last year of that body style with standard navigation, upgraded steering wheel, in dash 6-CD player with upgraded speakers/amps etc.
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22436-E.jpg
http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...rl.22439-E.jpg
i want one of these for a DD, 6 cyl for economical MPG, and FWD for those NY winters...not to mention, they are bullet proof...
Good luck, i put myself(& my girl) through this every couple years...
I think I might just hold out for a mint pearl white SC400 (of the 97+ variety). I do miss my 1UZ from my old GS4...
BTW no need for a winter cruiser, I already have my 4 Runner winter beast If she breaks down, I tell my mother I need my QX4 back
#20
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thanks...I know all about the 3.5RL. My best friend has an 04 RL vip'd out (Mode Parfume kit, 19" SSR staggered rims, air ride, etc). I like the RL but its a bit "oldmanish" for me lol (I'm still relatively young- 32)
I think I might just hold out for a mint pearl white SC400 (of the 97+ variety). I do miss my 1UZ from my old GS4...
BTW no need for a winter cruiser, I already have my 4 Runner winter beast If she breaks down, I tell my mother I need my QX4 back
I think I might just hold out for a mint pearl white SC400 (of the 97+ variety). I do miss my 1UZ from my old GS4...
BTW no need for a winter cruiser, I already have my 4 Runner winter beast If she breaks down, I tell my mother I need my QX4 back
good choice on the 97+ and the 1UZ
but....even better, 98+ with the 1uz
#23
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1) My 95 Legend Sedan is my DD (car I plan to drive until I can't get parts for it anymore or 500,000 miles, whichever comes first )
2) My 05 Monte SS S/C- wife's DD (which we're going to sell very soon)
3) 2001 4 Runner- my winter beast and house stuff hauling beast
4) 01 Infiniti QX4-my ex winter beater that I handed down to my mother (I still own and insure it)
5) 95 Legend Coupe-my ex garage queen/cruiser that I sold because I outgrew it, and wanted to cut my losses while it still had some value
6) 2011 Hyundai Sonata-this is a hard one to justify....I was really mad at my legend sedan one weekend (we weren't talking lol)....I decided to replace her, but not really.....I'm way tooo impulsive LOL
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#28
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Thanks...couple of points to touch on here...
1) you say your SC is finished....I understand that mod wise, but what about maintenance wise?? A Timing belt is a replaceable item which needs replacement every 90k so the more you drive, the more often you'll replace it. Similarly, I assume tie rods, ball joints, axles etc all have a shelf life to some degree.
I replaced everything in my legend thinking it was the car I was literally going to be buried in (i.e. Men in Black's last suit you'd ever wear). But driving it daily has proven to be expensive. I've went through 3 sets of axles in the 4 years and 30k I've owned her. I'm due for another it looks like (legends break axles like I sneeze)
I wasn't looking for this scenario with the SC300. THe car is mint, except for the fact that it has ugly 16" aftermarket wheels and no-name tires which means off the bat, I'm looking at $1,000-$1500 for GS430 17" chromies with some michelin pilot or bridgestone pole position rubber.
Bottomline, I don't want a car I'm going to have to throw $5k at just to get her to where I want her to be. THe black paint is clean, but old.
I do understand that nothing is free-you either buy an older car and pay maintenance or buy a new car and pay a payment monthly. Just trying to find the best possible medium.
1) you say your SC is finished....I understand that mod wise, but what about maintenance wise?? A Timing belt is a replaceable item which needs replacement every 90k so the more you drive, the more often you'll replace it. Similarly, I assume tie rods, ball joints, axles etc all have a shelf life to some degree.
I replaced everything in my legend thinking it was the car I was literally going to be buried in (i.e. Men in Black's last suit you'd ever wear). But driving it daily has proven to be expensive. I've went through 3 sets of axles in the 4 years and 30k I've owned her. I'm due for another it looks like (legends break axles like I sneeze)
I wasn't looking for this scenario with the SC300. THe car is mint, except for the fact that it has ugly 16" aftermarket wheels and no-name tires which means off the bat, I'm looking at $1,000-$1500 for GS430 17" chromies with some michelin pilot or bridgestone pole position rubber.
Bottomline, I don't want a car I'm going to have to throw $5k at just to get her to where I want her to be. THe black paint is clean, but old.
I do understand that nothing is free-you either buy an older car and pay maintenance or buy a new car and pay a payment monthly. Just trying to find the best possible medium.
I get everything that is old or looks bad/to soon fail a replacement within the first month of a used car ownership. After that I mod. Simple I Care About My Car Treatment. Make it run realible than mod if you want.
OEM sexy timeless car for car cost + $3-5k at most to bring everything up to date depening on your standards (paint/decent wheels/engine tune up/suspension fix/check) and your good for the next 10 years easy.
If I had the chance I would get a 2000 SC400.
#30
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