I love burl. Here’s some pics. I should wait because my car just had a $500 interior-only detail and is waiting to be picked up lol. LS430 burl:





Rumor has it that they used the same tree in each car for the wood. Also, those ARE NOT hairline cracks on the wheel. Specks that are part of the grain look like it, but my wheel is free of any hairline cracks. Not one.

 

LC has rougher finishes. Lexus was better in the SC430 days.

Here are some of my observations. Don’t get me wrong…the LC500 is a Wards list warranted.



Missing stitches.

Tacked on.

Tacked on.

Two piece.

Messy.


All this looks unfinished.




Attention to detail is much nicer in the SC. Lights as well. Nice gold Lexus plate on trim,

This is not as well finished.

 

This latest generation certainly is not. At best this latest Q3 is at par with its competition. Vehicles like the GLA improved while Audi's interior got cost cut compared to the previous generation, hence the press commentary.

 

I have to agree with Jill. This is arguably the best Lexus interior ever, although the back seat was basically just a package-shelf.

Sometime around the mid-late 2000s, the bean-counters at Lexus started to take over, and beautiful interior materials like this one are now just a distant memory.





The light-blonde wood is also attractive...and stands out more than the darker wood.

In fact, the SC430 interiors of that vintage remind me in many ways of the older Jaguars...but with a lot more reliability.

 

Pretty sure I did say “I”…yes. When did I say everybody or anybody agrees with me?!

EDIT: Yup, I did:

The interior of the LC is every bit as high qualiity as the SC if not moreso. LC has injection molded vinul on the dash and doors and the LC is all stitched leather. The difference is the design, that SC interior was designed in another era, and the LC is much more modern. Angles, exposed stitching (all of those areas Jill pointed out as "two peices" are actually leather stitches) and the use of real metal and floating components is in style now.

 

I've always wanted a 2004 SC 430 Pebble Beach Edition in perfect condition. They are beautiful!

 

While not a fan of the SC430, I do admit the interior was nicely done. I still prefer the original SC300/400.

And though it's outdated, I still think my GS has an incredible interior, with fine stitching, solid build, and soft touch materials pretty much everywhere.

I also liked the first gen GS300 interior.

I remember being absolutely blown away by the original LS400 interior the first time I sat in it. I had never been in anything like that before (my parents were Camry people).

 

It absolutely does

 

I loved the interior of our LS400, excellent quality materials everywhere, just the right amount of wood, I loved the way the console swept up to the radio controls and the way the light reflected down on that wood panel



I also love the interior of my S560, I love all the stitching and the organic way the wood trim counters the flat and square gauge panel...




I also LOVE the ambient lighting

 

I think you read too much into what I said. You said you disliked the blonde wood and "a lot of it is about color". I was just showing there are people like me who find that color that you don't like stunning. The example you posted looks great, but it's a rather boring color and tone of wood in my eyes. That blonde wood is drop dead gorgeous, I think.

I also love that LS400 but it should be noted that without that wood wheel and shifter the interior would look noticeably more dour (wouldn't have enough wood). The extra wood options didn't come around until the '98 refresh, it wasn't standard.

 

I mean, you responded to me in all caps lol. All I said was I hate that color wood, and I do...I think you're the one that read too much into what I said. The color has a huge impact on how an interior looks.

Some people love tan interiors...or grey interiors...I hate tan interiors and generally dislike grey interiors. That doesnt mean lots of people don't like them, they're really common for a reason.

 

Call me old school but this looks awesome to me.
This would be a "keeper" car for me.

I'll have to wait and find one of these on the used market with some miles but what's not to like.
Impressive,


Tacky!
I give it 3 stars on my tacky-meter,
Oh, I'll admit it's kinda cool but I'd prob never use it. lol

This is my favorite wood color.

 

I totally agree. The wood was made a little lighter in 98 and they added that small strip over the HVAC controls, and the wood wheel and **** were optional, made standard in 99. Almost all 98s have it though

This is a 97, same interior without the wood:




I love wood/leather steering wheels too. I actually passed on an S560 simply because it didnt have the wood/leather wheel. The salesman couldn't believe it lol

Of all the cars I have had, its the only car I really miss.

Its cool lol, there are 64 colors and like 10 multicolor schemes, and the schemes fade in and out different colors. They're not all that bright and in your face. Really makes the interior feel special at night...

 

I gave the detailer full permission to shame me on FB. (He’s a friend of a friend.). Here are some of his pics.. Seats are as comfortable as ever, still. The wrinkles in the cushion is just sorta how 430 seats are.

are.

 

Give those seats the Leatherique treatment!!!! They will look so much better. If you get rid of that car you're nuts, IMO of course.