crubrexus

I currently own a 98 GS400, and am looking to pick up an 04 SC430. After reading the 9/03 Road and Track comparison of upscale convertibles, I was a little put off by how poorly handling and braking were rated in comparison to the other cars. ("... a distant last in driving excitement." "... floats and wallows more ... than the other cars.") BTW, if you haven't read the article, they do note many positive aspects of the SC throughout the text. The gist of it seems to be: a very nice car with some excellent features, but not optimized for what we (R&T) prefer.

My question to you guys is this: if you have ever driven a GS, how does handling, braking, and ride of the latest SC compare with the GS? I'm pretty satisified with the GS handling, braking, and ride -- not exactly taut or nervous, but able to be driven comfortably fast in the curves and quick from the stoplights. Quite frankly my own priorities place comfort above the ability to carve up the turns.

Thanks for any observations.
Pat

Leslie Cra

I am a former GS300 owner who now drives a 2002 SC430. I think I have a unique perspective regarding your question about comparisons between these two vehicles because I also drove a 1994 SC400 prior to owning the 1999 GS.

First, don't believe everything you read. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; I like to judge for myself.

Second, the GS and the SC are two entirely different cars. Indeed, there is even a world of difference beween the SC430 and the SC400. I believe that the GS is an almost peerless high-performance sedan. In this connection, for the price, the GS offers an excellent balance between performance (handling, acceleration, good braking and quick starts) and luxury (quiet ride, ammenities, and comfort). In contrast to the GS, I would say that the SC is a luxurious performer that is not intended to be driven on the edge. [And for that matter, for a car that looks as beautiful as the SC430, why would you want to drive it on the edge?] At 300 HP, the SC430 can nail your back to the seat in an instant either from a dead stop or while moving at highway speeds. Braking is also impressive. However, while the SC may not take corners as if it's on rails, steering and feeling through corners are precise and smooth. The SC430 is one of the few cars on the market that delivers on the promise of its appearance. This last comment is all the more noteworthy given the fact that the SC430 prices-out considerably cheaper than its peers - the Jaguar, the Mercedes, the new Cadillac XLR, and the Maserati.

dseag2

I have also owned both cars... an '01 GS300 and now an '03 SC430. I agree with Leslie re: the GS's ability to provide both sportiness and luxury. The SC430 is definitely weighted toward luxury.

Whether you decide on one is really dependent on what is important to you. I've owned my SC430 for a year now, and IMHO there is no feeling like cruising down the highway with the top down and the Mark Levinson sound system cranked up. It is absolute bliss. With the top up, the SC is like an isolation chamber. You can barely hear the throaty V-8, but you know it's there. (I compare it to driving a convertible LS430.) It also has one of the most beautiful interiors available. I happen to think the exterior design is beautiful as well, but that is somewhat more subjective as you've read in the auto mags.

The downside... if you occasionally like to drive your cars "close to the limit" (and I do), you will most likely be disappointed. I've always felt that the wonderful V-8 in this car, which does provide some serious push, is limited by the transmission and suspension. The transmission is a bit slow to downshift, the steering could be a bit tighter, and there is noticeable body roll when cornering. You can overcome this somewhat by downshifting manually. When I want to take a corner fast, I always downshift into 2nd gear. That gives me the pull I need to get out of the corner... and very quickly. However, I always have this weird feeling that I could lose control at any given moment, so from a performance aspect I've never really been satisfied. That's just my opinion, and I'm not faulting Lexus. They delivered exactly the experience many of their customers are looking for, and it's top-notch. You'll see that there are many satisfied owners of all ages on this forum.

It really comes down to whether you want tomb-like quiet, a killer stereo system, decadent luxury, and a serene top-down driving experience with a little straight-line speed thrown in (SC430) or whether you want
a reasonable luxury mixed with a reasonable sporty driving experience (GS300). If I had decided to stick with Lexus, my personal preference would have been an '03 GS300 Sportdesign. With the Saddle leather interior and Mark Levinson sound system it gets you pretty close to SC430 luxury with a little more sport. Hope that helps.

DSeag2

crubrexus

Many thanks for the replies! This is very useful information to me as I contemplate the purchase, and try to align some of my expectations with the product.

Pat

DeniskaGS4

I had a 00 GS400 prior to my 03 sc430.. I think the sc drives much better then the GS.. I also had Ltuned setup in my GS4.

dseag2

By the looks of your car in the gallery, you put on 19" rims and (maybe?) lowered it. I stuck with 18"s and no lowering. If that's the case, it may explain the difference in interpretation. If not, isn't perception a funny thing?!

toyemp

I current have both an '02 GS430 and an '03 SC430 (with orders for '04 models of each on the way) and I enjoy each car, but in diferent ways.

The SC to me is more of a "cruising" car. The ride and handling is a little less sure-footed than the GS. Especially at either high speed or in tight turns, I feel much more confident in the GS that I am not going to lose control than in the SC. Not that I would ever claim that a GS is a true sports car compared to a 'vette though! The GS has a more comfortable ride than the SC in my opinion also.

On the plus side though, the interior on the SC wins hands-down compared to the GS. The quality of the leather and the rest of materials is much higher than what is used in the GS. And anyways, driving with the top down just doesn't compare to driving with the moonroof open!

Just my 2 cents

LexPro

I dont remember the GS winning any handling contest or getting good review in the handling dept. (I have had both, i think the GS and SC are very similiar. So are there suspensions.) The only Lexus I remember getting good marks is the IS.

iamcdn

I'd like to echo the comments from these earlier replies. I have been fortunate to have driven an SC400 and GS400 for four years respectively......and I'm now enjoying my SC430 for six months. The GS definitely is quicker off the start than the SC, and was capable of more aggressive driving. But during my four years of ownership, something was missing, the excitement, passion and pure joy of driving, that I had had with my SC400. But I can honestly say the SC430 has revived these lost feelings! The enjoyment that I experienced with the SC. is now surpassed, making this car my new favorite in 30 years of driving!
The luxury, comforts, Mark Levinson etc. along with UNBEATABLE QUALITY and VALUE compared to other competitors, make the SC430 special in my eyes.

(As to the Lexus competitors, be wary of quality problems with these hard-top convertible systems..........
notably Mercedes SL and a recent comparison of luxury convertibles gave the new Cadilac shining stars DESPITE having the roof close improperly for the reviewer. Thank God for Lexus!

Enjoy,

iamcdn

LexFather

It did, that is part of the reason it was Car of the Year and was a 10 best winner for 2 years. The Press said it handled like a sports coupe. Basically, it was said it was not as sure-footed as the standard the 5 but was more fun-to drive.


Whatever the hell that means.