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So the exterior of the car is in great shape. Seems mechanically sound. It's listed for cheap so I'm thinking of picking this up depending on repair costs. The interior is pretty beat up. I would probably replace the drivers seat and live with the passenger seat as is. At least for awhile. I'm curious about fixing the passenger door. Apparently it doesn't open from the outside and he's got some sort of setup to open it from the inside. Any questions in particular I should ask the guy? Also the center console part is pretty beat up. How easy would that be to repair or fix? Any advice would be great thanks!
That's gonna take alot of time (labor, looking for parts, waiting for parts), and obviously money to restore to where it looks okay.
It seems very trashed TBH. Thing people need to understand is that money you may be saving up front with these neglected examples ALWAYS catches up in the end. Unless your goal is to just drive it like this just to have a vehicle than go for it!
That's gonna take alot of time (labor, looking for parts, waiting for parts), and obviously money to restore to where it looks okay.
It seems very trashed TBH. Thing people need to understand is that money you may be saving up front with these neglected examples ALWAYS catches up in the end. Unless your goal is to just drive it like this just to have a vehicle than go for it!
That's a good point. I appreciate that. My main concern with it would be the door not opening. The beat up seat is bad but I could just get a cheap cover until I find a replacement. Also something to add. The yellow is just the flash and not like some paint or anything like that. Definitely looking for one in better shape but I can't find one that's not overpriced near me.
I'd be weary of any SC with a bad interior. I know from experience that fixing up your interior can get expensive REALLY fast. My driver & passenger seats were shot, drivers side door wouldn't open from inside or out, carpet was shedding, drivers side door panel was broken, cluster and climate control were both shot and that's just the stuff you would normally see. I would have spent atleast $1k trying to get it halfway decent and that's not to mention the exterior which also looked like crap. I say try your hardest to look for a clean one if funds allow. It will save you so much time and money in the end.
It depends a lot on your budget. For instance, if you pay say 1k for it, put 500 bucks into it then cannot afford to keep it running, you shouldn't be looking to purchase an SC. Reality is these are not cheap. I cannot say it enough. If you don't have another 1k lying around I wouldn't buy a project. With that being said, that is just me. As long as I have a good 1k extra lying around as an "in case" scenario, I'll buy one that is a great deal. Just be sure to expect bad control arm bushings, flexible driveshaft coupler, and maybe a strut or 4. People that let their cars look like that usually couldn't give a crap if their carrier bearing roared on the highway. If you choose to purchase, everyone on this forum will be happy to help you along the way. It's what we do. GL on your decision.
There are exceptions to every rule but someone that let the interior get to that level, may not be on top of mechanical issues either.
If your budget is low, there are probably better cars for you right now. Sc's survive best with a medium to high budget unless you do your own work. These cars are best if you can afford to take the plunge, and fix everything wrong and anything that comes up over time with mostly OEM parts.
Treated this way, they can last indefinitely. If you are always chasing repairs, it will suck.
Thanks guys for the insight! Very good point regarding them not caring for the interior so they probably weren't great at keeping up maintenance either. I have a friend who's going to give me a great deal on a 98 Mustang with low miles (don't kill me lol) so I'll probably pursue that for now while I save up a bit more. Definitely going to be getting an SC300/400 in the near future though. Absolutely love the styling of them. As for plans when I do get my hands on one. I wouldn't do too much to it. Definitely not swapping in a turbo or anything like that. As far as performance mods I'd probably just get an exhaust and call it good. But I'd probably just focus on wheels and possibly coilovers. Hopefully I'll be able to snag a 98+ with VVT for a decent price when the time is right. I'll definitely be back
Smart idea. I'd think the Mustang would be cheaper to own and I hope it serves you well. Let us know when you are ready to return. We will be happy to help you choose one and get started. 3K to 5K should net you a great one.
Thanks guys for the insight! Very good point regarding them not caring for the interior so they probably weren't great at keeping up maintenance either. I have a friend who's going to give me a great deal on a 98 Mustang with low miles (don't kill me lol) so I'll probably pursue that for now while I save up a bit more. Definitely going to be getting an SC300/400 in the near future though. Absolutely love the styling of them. As for plans when I do get my hands on one. I wouldn't do too much to it. Definitely not swapping in a turbo or anything like that. As far as performance mods I'd probably just get an exhaust and call it good. But I'd probably just focus on wheels and possibly coilovers. Hopefully I'll be able to snag a 98+ with VVT for a decent price when the time is right. I'll definitely be back
Not a bad choice at all, unless its a v6 lol. These SC's are very reliable when maintained but the one you are after was not, you made the right decision and will realize that later when you get a good one. Hope to see you around.
My main concern with it would be the door not opening. The beat up seat is bad but I could just get a cheap cover until I find a replacement. Also something to add. The yellow is just the flash and not like some paint or anything like that. Definitely looking for one in better shape but I can't find one that's not overpriced near me.
I can help regarding the passenger door. A month ago, I picked up a 93 SC300 for my wife. Exterior passenger door handle inoperative. Interior handle lever mostly broken off. (And the window regulator needed replaced also.
On the exterior handles, it's usually a $2 plastic retaining clip which holds the actuator rod into the handle assembly. They are side-specific, so I bought both on eBay for a song. There were two different diameters (where they go through the hole in the handle mechanism). I bought both, but believe the 7.5 mm was the one that fit. Easy fix once the door panel is off. Also, when that clip fails and the actuator rod falls out of the handle, it's common for them to fall toward the front of the door, then get hooked under the bottom of the power window going down, getting bent, and sometimes, broken.
The interior handle was a duck. Purchased a new one on eBay from a Lexus dealer in Scottsdale, AZ. About $40, and a breeze to replace, if you have the door panel off already. remove the two cables on the back of it, lay it down and unscrew a few 8 mm nuts. Nothing to it.
I did the interior and exterior handles and the window regulator in 3 hours. Most of that time was trying to get clearance to get the regulator out of its mounting holes and back in. Tight squeeze.
Good luck. I know I feel a lot better about our SC with both doors working.
If its close enough to me. I like to buy them in the condition you describe.
Originally Posted by Rmcguinn
So the exterior of the car is in great shape. Seems mechanically sound. It's listed for cheap so I'm thinking of picking this up depending on repair costs. The interior is pretty beat up. I would probably replace the drivers seat and live with the passenger seat as is. At least for awhile. I'm curious about fixing the passenger door. Apparently it doesn't open from the outside and he's got some sort of setup to open it from the inside. Any questions in particular I should ask the guy? Also the center console part is pretty beat up. How easy would that be to repair or fix? Any advice would be great thanks!
10-20-15, 06:23 PM
Thinking of buying cheap sc300
GL on your decision.
