uras300

iTrader: (2)

Even if the 93 is well kept, it'll still require you to do significant amount of maintenance on it. If you're ready to pour money into it, you should get it. Also, 99 SC400 is a lot faster than 93 SC300 so aside from the fun factor (manual), there's not much appeal to the 93 SC300 since you're plan is to leave it stock and not go FI. You should keep your SC400 and pass on the SC300.

BartleDoo

iTrader: (1)

Either way keep the 400, but also go all out and be the first here with a manual VVT-I 400!

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

ive recently learned that there was only 905 99 sc400's made.

He has a real gem already ---why not get the 300 for cruising and beating on---keep the 400 for those really nice days.

but like someone said earlier---its all up to you and all the points everyone has made here are quite valid-------the 300 will seem like a step down from your 400 perforrmance wise and it does have less luxuries----but ifd u have the money get it man----youll have the best of both worlds

just my opinion

strongsail

OK. We got a bunch of opinions.

But nobody stated the obvious.

"A two-car garage? Dude, get a bigger house! And, yeah, buy the SC manual!"

Hey, I'm at least gonna drive the thing. Unless somebody beats me to it.

Thank y'all for your deep, intellectual, considered opinions. Much appreciated.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

lol i sort of forgot your issue was with parking and not with getting the car lol

blacksc4

iTrader: (1)

do it in this order
1. drive it
2. love it
3. buy it
4. park it at my house
5. find a bigger house/garage
6. forget u left it with me

lol id say go for it, fun car to drive, may not be fast but still fun, and fun to work on wenever u get bored and need sumtin to do, and if it dumps... parts car so 400/300 interchangable parts and sell wht u cnt use... id say win situation

Joey-E

iTrader: (1)

Black on black

I would consider keeping the clean Black on black 99 SC4 for sure and pass on the 93 5spd Sc300.

Unlesss its a clean Midnight Indigo Pearl/Black/RSP on black

strongsail

Bumping this thread to bring y'all up to date on the '93 sc3 manual. A friend and I took a ride down I-5 to have a look at it.

First impression was not good. This car is rough. It's probably spent its 18 years outdoors in the Northwest, with all the expected problems there: oxidized, scratched-up dark green paint, yellowed headlights full of moisture, mini front air dam missing, and a big scuff on the passenger door and rear QP. Power antenna stuck half way up. Trunk lid won't stay open.

Inside was no better. Split door panel bolsters under the windows, and the typical stuff: black climate control LCD, almost no working cluster backlights (the needles all lit up, however), dash vent bezels cracked, worn out driver's seat. All the motors in the seats, steering wheel and mirrors worked, though.

We test drove the car, and it ran great! Motor was strong, tranny shifted pretty smooth even though the pedal top play suggests the clutch is worn out, brakes and steering seemed fine.

It's in such rough shape, it's doubtful if it's had much maintenance. No "timing belt replaced" sticker on the valve cover. Doubtful that the lower control arms have been replaced. I felt some vibration on decel through the shifter that suggests a bad motor mount.

But dang, it ran strong! This would make a great hot-rod project car. It's far gone enough that it's not worth keeping stock. But I just bought a boat, so I'm set for projects! And my MDX will be here in a week.

The podunk little used car lot that's got it has it way overpriced at $5900. Edmunds says $2300 max, and KBB says $5500 for an "excellent" one, which this one ain't. I wouldn't pay over 2 grand for the car. It's got 145,000 miles on it.

But, if you're interested in a project car, this one could be a candidate. Drive it away, flog the poo-poo out of it, and build a Frankenstein monster. We had fun driving the thing. It wound to 6500 smooth and strong. We're old enough to remember the first-gen Datsun Z-cars, and it reminded us of them. I'd never driven a manual SC before, and it sure is a different animal from my 99.

The car is in Salem, OR at a dealer called "Good Cars, Good People." I don't think we can post links to commercial sites here, so just go to Auto Trader, and do a narrow search for a 1993 SC300 close to zip code 97301.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

well it sounds way overpriced so i doubt anyone will care to go see it---but u never know.

FatBrian81

iTrader: (2)

Some small lots like that would rather you make payments on their hugely overpriced cars instead of buy them outright. I test drove a 95 300 with about 180,000 on it, it had been wrecked, most of the electronics were broken , the stock radio was gone and is replacement didn't work, the power steering pump was louder that the engine running, truly a sad lot. The guy wouldn't budge off of $5,900, not a dime off, he had gone head and installed a switch that allowed him to disable the car if you missed a payment. He had no intention of selling it outright.

OaklandLex

iTrader: (1)

Stick shifts are rare but that one is overpriced

strongsail

This was exactly that kind of car lot. Old, overpriced inventory and a big sign that says, "Buy Here - - Pay Here!" He doesn't need to sell cars, just loans. Some poor slob will buy this car from this guy, he'll pay too much and get hosed on the payments, but the car will just keep goin' - -

jadu

iTrader: (42)

Just buy it if the price is right

vipsoarer2

iTrader: (1)

Your opinion of the pre 97 front end is ugly is crazy. Check out my car and tell me that still. And ya but u know how uncommon it is to have a original manual sc . Didn't make that many each yr. My soarer is auto and 94 and all that other crap that is listed that the 94 doesn't have are things ppl don't care about much. I got a full digital soarer cluster but idc if it was a sc cluster. And who needs homelink hahaha or outside temp... roll down the window stick ur hand outside

vipsoarer2

iTrader: (1)

so anyway buy it dude. U know women they'll get over it