gospursgo

Hi forum:

Just joined up and I'm trying to find the right SC430 for me.

This will be a 2nd car and I have a less than 7 mile commute (roundtrip) to work. Overall I'll probably be putting a lot less than 10K per year on it.

Not wanting to spend too much and have been looking at 02s and 03s. Found one that has upwards of 145K miles on it but looks to be in good condition. (I haven't been able to see it in person, just internet photos.)

My question: Is it worth the several-thousand-dollar price jump to get a model with significantly lower miles? From everything I've gleaned from reading over this forum, these cars perform well (if they've been maintained) at over 150K miles and beyond.

I will be happy to PM direct links to the vehicle I'm looking at if anyone is so inclined to give their "armchair" opinion.

Thanks!

NAmVet68

Welcome to the CL Forum. SC430s hold up very well, and are generally trouble free, as long as they are maintained properly. Probably the most trouble-free car in its class. A good clean SC that has not been abused is usually not that difficult to find.

Just be aware of the differences between the '02 -'05 models, and the '06-'09 models (six-speed tranny, different gen /NAV, different headlights/taillight/grille, and a few other cosmetics - otherwise the same car).
The 2010 model had some additional changes, but are very rare, and still somewhat pricey)....

I'm not pushing CarMax, but I bought my last five cars from them (including my 2008 SC) and they have always treated me well. I HATE going through the car-buying hassle, but they make it a painless experience...plus, if you get one with a problem, you can return it within a week and no questions asked. I had to do that with an Acura TL that we bought for my wife - it looked good in the photos, but when it arrived and we took it home, it was not quite as well maintained as it looked in the photos, and may have been in an accident. No problem - they found another one - same color, in better shape, let me drive the one I had until they transported the replacement in and prepped it (another week), all at no additional charge. I'm sold on them 100%

They have eight SC430s right now ... but I've seen when they've had over twenty in stock at one time. They have a Pebble Beach or two show up once in a while, and just a few weeks ago they even had a 2010 in stock!

:http://www.carmax.com/search?aAS=*40*.*334*&D=90&ASTc=lexus%20sc430&AZ=32771&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=0&Ep=mykmx:save%20searchage&Rp=P&PP=20&sV=List&ssid=1320540

gospursgo

Thanks for the info and the reply! I have always heard good things about Carmax. I will check those out.

Harold57

Welcome to the forum gospursgo. (From your name, I'm guessing that you are in the San Antonio area...)

Be sure to read the stickies at the top of the forum page that discuss what to look for when buying an SC430 and issues to look out for. (There are two threads with tons of information for you.)

Badhobz

Check the following in addition to the faq information

Water leaking into the trunk
Faulty navigation drive
Valve cover gaskets (oil leaks)
Water damage inside the cabin
And of course the convertible top operation

These you can probably use as leverage against a private party. If you are using Carmax get the warranty (they are more expensive but peace of mind is important). For example I bought mine 120k miles and no accidents for 10 grand. It was dealership serviced and I think a total steal compared to the Carmax prices. Just do your research