PhilthySC3

Hello all,
I am not an SC owner yet but might be very soon. Tomorrow I am going to look at a 92 SC300 manual with 75k on it. Car looks nice, not my favorite color (gold) and some small cosmetic blemishes. The main thing wrong with it is the speedo is inaccurate. I always loved these cars and 15 years ago when I was a teenager valeting them I always wondered what it would be like to own and drive one. Now I can do that for way less than if I bought a newer car.

My question for you all is there anything I should inspect or look at when I go see and drive it tomorrow. One owner low miles and a manual really seem great but if the car is going to be problematic and expensive to maintain please let me know! Any info would be greatly appreciated. I will keep you posted as to how it all goes. Thanks CL!

-Phil

- V -

iTrader: (1)

Manual SCs in general are rare, low miles and 1 owner is extremely good. Go to mylexus.com and do a search using the cars vin. This will give you a good idea of what kind of maintenance the person did without having to buy a carfax. As for cost....this is after all a Lexus. So expect that anything done to it will cost more than your average Honda or Toyota. Though a lot of the parts on this car is interchangable with the supra which will help bring your cost down. Now dont let that scare you though. I bought my car 2 years ago and other than doing an oil change i havent done a single thing to my car in terms of maintenance. I bought a set of rims....

these cars are reliable and as long as you dont abuse them they will last forever.

SC300NW

iTrader: (1)

I have a Sandstone Beige (color will grow on you) 92 SC300 5 speed, too. Except mine had 250,000 miles on it when I purchased it.

Here's a few items to look at off of the top my head. Look at the valve cover gaskets, look in the valve cover valley where the spark plugs sit for oil/water buildup, alternator (check for how much oil is on it), weatherstripping leaks on the door and trunk, crankshaft pulleys are known to separate from the balancer when they get older, and check for slop on the shifter (it may need new bushings which are fairly cheap). I'll post more when I can remember them.

After all that, my car runs like a champ.

Also, many interior lights will probably not be working. Instrument cluster lights, climate control screen burned out, etc...

2GSC300

iTrader: (6)

As long as the car is not or has been wreck buy it. There are basic this that usually go out on an SC, but they are all easily repairable with the help of the junkyard and classifieds.

yatssdaa

Though a lot of the parts on this car is interchangable with the supra which will help bring your cost down. Now dont let that scare you though.

- V -

iTrader: (1)

^ok so i should probably have changed the order of those sentences....but you get the point!

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

That mileage and a 5 speed is exceedingly rare, great find if it rides good.

Ask if the 90k mile service has been done (timing belt an water pump. It is rather costly but necessary.
The power steering pump above the alternator tends to break and leak PS fluid onto the alternator which can fry the alternator, like stated earlier check for fluid on it, if there is fluid on it check the cars voltage when the car is on to make sure it's operating.

Also as stated the harmonic balancer tends to seperate from the crank pulley at about 120k-150k so expect to replace that in the near future.

Honestly though, the prices of keeping this car on the road is actually not that high at all. Things don't really break that often, and for the most part things are cheap.

Do your basics when buying a used car.
Replace all the fluids, bushings in the suspension will start to go out and make the ride rough. Some people replace the fuel pump after a while, engine thermostat tends to go out eventually, might as well do it when you flush the coolant.

Make sure the car hasn't been in an accident or anything like that, listen for squeals from the belts or pulleys when the engine turns over when it's cold or whines while the car is running. The engine should get to operating temp pretty quick but shouldnt go any farther past that. Should idle around 600-900 rpm once at operating temperature.

Gauge cluster needles tend to burn out, along with the climate control unit, which is normal with time. Clutch tends to squeal with these cars, pedal just needs to be greased so isn't something to really worry about.

This isn't a BMW or anything, so parts costs aren't exorbitantly high, but it isn't an integra either so parts aren't dirt cheap. If you do buy it, understand you've got an extremely rare and sought after a car. There were only about 3,500 5 speeds sold in the Us, and at this point I'd bet less than 1,000 of those have under 100,000 miles.

PhilthySC3

Thanks for all the info and things to look for. My last fun car was a 91 BMW E34 M5, while I loved it made all to familiar with rare BMW parts prices so I am sure Lex/Yota parts can't be as bad. I'll report back with my findings tomorrow.

SC300NW

iTrader: (1)

You are correct for the SC400. But on the SC300 it's the distributor O-ring that fails and then allows engine oil to leak onto the alternator. Just for clarity's sake.

duhafnusa4

dont do it




lol JK.

check for cracking interior bits, slop in steering, and oil leaks.

Lokz

iTrader: (1)

Try to get all the paperwork as far as maintenance goes from the previous owner. This way you know what has been done to the car, what more it might be needing. If the clustor is giving inaccurate speeds, it could be your speed sensor gone out. Make sure you go under the car to get a quick look and see for oil leaks. Your motor could look brand new up top but be leaking oil from the bottom. Start the car and just keep it running let it warm check for smoke from exhaust etc. Hood struts, trunk struts would be another thing to look at. See if the CD changer works ( it doesnt in most of the cars ) still no harm in checking. Condition of interior, see how the tranny shifts and how the clutch feels.
If you are really worried, i would rather have you take it to a shop and get it checked for like 60-70 bux and you'll get all your answers.
Cheers!

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

Thank you, I did not know that. I actually own an SC300 and always assumed it was PS pump that caused the problem for both cars. I'm probably going to replace this soon now knowing that this may cause a problem for me in the near future.

PhilthySC3

Looked at the car today and have it on deposit and hopefully will have it in my possesion by Friday or Monday. Learned that it was a woman's 3rd car that wasnt a daily driver hence the low miles. The interior is amazingly nice for a 21 year old car. The outside has a few dings dents and scratches. I am so happy I found this car in this condition. The engine is really clean. I feel almost guilt getting this car without having a garage!

The good:

Low miles
Leather looks feels and smells fresh
Shifter and clutch feel solid
Radio Works
Has a Car phone LOL
Engine is clean with no visible leaks
Keyless entry works
AC works
TIres have plenty of life left

Not So Good:

Small dent on quarter panel needs paint and shows light rust
Several dings scratches and paint chips here and there
Headlights have condensation in them
Motorized Antenna motor is broken (sounds like a broken gear)
Speedometer is stuck at 15-20 mph
Missing SC300 badge for the back (found 300 part in the trunk)
No Spoiler
Not a big fan of the rims on it

Don't get me wrong this car is in great shape for its age. Any tips for the issues I listed or where I should start when I get her home would be appreciated.

-Phil

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

OP, from what you described after looking at the car I don't think there is a lot to worry about. Costmetically you're happy? Did you notice any glaring quirks while driving?

The upper window trim on the inside of the doors tend to crack with age on these cars. The A/C vents tend to crack due to the design. Both are extremely common, in addition to the climate control LCD and gauge needles having issues. I wouldn't worry all that much about a few interior issues.

The speedometer may need repair or else you may just need a new speedo sensor located on the side of the manual transmission. Does the needle go down when the ignition is off and back up to 15-20 when the car is started?

Many 5-speed manual cars did not come with a factory wing. Mine didn't. I actually prefer it that way. You can always add one later or simply swap over a trunk from an SC400 with the spoiler and LED light.

All the "L" and "SC300" badging is easily sourced and replaced.

The radio antenna can be repaired to factory spec (I had the same issue) usually by replacing the antenna on the big retracting motor assembly. You can also follow a guide here to delete the motor and use an S2000 antenna. The factory antenna does get great reception, however, and despite being old technology has a great feature to adjust itself dynamically to achieve a better signal.

Headlights can be restored. I'd further recommend you install a quality aftermarket plug-n-play 4200k HID system. The factory headlights can be quite dim by today's standards.

The rims? You can change those to anything you wish. If you want a 17" or 18" rim you can upgrade the front brakes with LS400 or Supra TT calipers. Either is far superior to the tiny stock front brakes and really should have come on the car from the factory or as an option. If you plan to drive in a spirited manner I recommend this.

Overall it looks like you found a really nice gem! You'll have it soon to enjoy. Congratulations!

These cars don't cost a whole lot to keep going as long as they are in good shape. Yours sounds like it's fine. It isn't inexpensive to do large maintenance items to but it isn't the most expensive car to maintain if you are willing to look up the many DIY fixes and writeups on these and other forums and cross-reference parts with the Toyota Supra. There are many discount Toyota/Lexus parts dealers and many reputable aftermarket companies that can get you parts cheaper than your local Toyota dealer or especially local your Lexus dealer.

Don't take this car to Lexus, honestly. It is better and more affordable to learn about the car yourself and/or take it to an independent mechanic.

1JZPWRD

iTrader: (59)

Check out the FAQ section on the 300/400 just above this section as a sticky. This will cover all the basics of normal things to look for in these cars. Make a note and do a visual check. GL and I hope you become part of the family.