I'm seeing a lot of high mileage (120K+) SCs out there. Most are 92s. I was wondering if any of you could give me feedback about possible expensive fixes an SC400 with 120K+ would be needing. For example I own a 1st Gen Q45 and at 120K you need to do the timing chain ($1200 typically). What ususually breaks(down) with age?

 

Like with all vehicles, such as your Q45, the maintenance needed totally depends on how the car was driven and if the service intervals were followed accordingly. I just bought my first Lexus last month, a 1995 SC400 with 68k miles on it and it feels great. In my opinion, if you can find a 120k mile SC400 that you feel was well taken care of and you can get a better than KBB price on it, do it. Believe it or not, I am more nervous about a car's leather interior than the tranny. Tranny's will cost about $3000 to replace. The leather hides are about the same ($1200/seat plus $1500 for the rear) , but no one ever bothers to seriously look at the leather, yet they always have a mechanic look at the engine and tranny for excessive wear and tear.

Will you buy the 120k mile SC400 with cash or will you have to finance it. If you're paying cash I'd say definitely go for it, car's that are paid off are so much easier to have repairs.

That's just my .02. I have not owned my SC400 long enough to give you any further repair bills. I am having my rear deck Nakamichi speakers replaced. I thought the bill was going to be outrageous, but each speaker was only $84 plus labor.

Good luck!
Jayson

P.S. There was a guy on eBay selling his weekend toy, a 1992 Lexus SC400 with only 26k miles on it. I will be looking for great finds like that one forever. However, due to the low miles, I thought it would be a risky investment because some owner's like someone in my family who I love and doesn't drive their car, but more than 5k miles a year usually fails to have the oil changed at the presecribed 3500 miles OR 3 months.

 

Jayson, check the pwr steering pump and alternator (the pump can go bad and leak onto the alternator, shorting out the windings and wiping out the unit), check for timing belt replacement (supposed to be a little decal), check rear control arm bushings, heater control valve, water pump, and gauge cluster needle illumination. Considering the mileage, i'd recommend that you perform a leakdown test, but these are pretty bulletproof motors. If not done already, replace the timing belt and the water pump, the thermostat and o-ring, serp belt, serp belt tensioner pulley and idler pulley, inspect the cam and crankshaft seals, and backflush the cooling system, refill with DexCool and check out all the coolant and vacuum lines. A good tune would consist of pr. caps, pr. rotors, chg rear axle lube 80W90, chg trans fluid Toyota T-IV, chg motor oil 5W30 and filter, chg PCV, chg fuel filter, new Denso Platinum plugs, new Lexus plug wires. Leather replacement on these cars can be done perfectly for less than $3000, talk to the Ikon, or see leatherseats.com or importtoys.com or Katzkin. The trans is a strong unit, basically the same as the Supra, but the torque converter can fail if fluid is not changed regularly. I would be sceptical of a '92 SC4 with 26K original, there's many many tricks that can be done to make a 126K mile car into a 26K mile car, if you've checked out that car and it appears legit then i'm sure your judgement is sound, just remember, 20K or 120K, it's buyer beware! These are fantastic cars, but unfortunately many of the pre-owned SC's turn out to be $50K-$60K 'beater' cars for someone's wife, i've seen many well-worn coupes for sure, but the gems are there to be found, no doubt about it.

 

Lex,

I am looking for one as well and i am going to use your guys advice along my experiences and get the right one out there.

 

Water pump started to leak. Changed WP, timing belt, and 2 idler pulleys. About $220 in parts. Did the worlk myself; I have the manual. So far, except for failure of brake fluid level switch, coolant fluid level switch, and A/C temp display, all is well; didn't fix these.

Bill

 

Maybe this is obvious to others--but why does a high mileage Lexux make sense if you pay cash and not if you finance it? the logic eludes me

 

Bottom line is if you buy the car used and froma private owner, and you pay in cash, you have more negotiating power 99% of the time. I lucked out a few months ago I got my 1st SC400 (92) with 57k for only 10,600, the couple was asking 16,500. But, they were loaded. Rich neighborhoods are a good place to start if your looking to buy a nice car privatly. Some can be tight but if you catch the right one you got it made. MONEY TALKS AND IF YOU SHOW SOMEBODY A TON OF GREEN IN THEIR FACE MOST OF THE TIME THEY WILL BITE AND GO LOWER THAN WILLING.

 

Thanks smart a$$. I left out a word at the end the sentence. I Said the sentence in my head, but wrote it differently. How it should have read is that it is easier (more affordable) to make repairs on a vehicle in which the owner has no monthly payments, rather than having to have repairs done a vehicle in which it is falling apart or in dire need of repairs when you are already strained because you are having to make that monthly payment. Example: I would not hesitate to buy a 1999 LX470 with 100k miles on it for $35k cash, but I may think twice if I would have to finance this purchase.

Even my Lexus service writer told me yesterday that the way to buy a used Lexus is to purchase it in CPO program. The factory warranty is inclusive and she recommended not to opt for the extended warranties as it is extremely limited in what is covered.