Pleb

Just sold my 355 El camino. Looking for a fun daily for uni. Gas miliage isn't an issue, seeing that I was getting 8mpg on premium before. Just want something that is reliable, and relatively affordable. Gonna keep it pretty stock. Im considering sc300 (95-00), and gs300 (00-04). I really love the appearance of the SC though.

I wanted to hear from the community of what it's like daily driving either of these cars (110k miles about). I've read contradicting things; some say it's a headache and I'll go broke/need to get rides often, while others say theyre the most reliable and practical used cars on the market.

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

Pleb,

Nice classic there in the El Camino! I've always liked those

I'm biased but SC's are definitely a timeless look. And also those 2000-2004 GS's have always caught my eye with their distinctive headlight and tail light arrangements.

But if you're looking for the sportier of the two chassis that can be tuned to deliver sharper handling responsiveness then the SC will deliver.

If the car has been maintained well and is kept up the normal running costs are usually not high. High mileage isn't really an issue with these cars although just as with any old car you will occasionally have to address some issue or other once in a while. But the overall design of the chassis and components are high and that is why they tend to do very well even into high mileage. Again... these are old cars now and every once in a while you will inevitably encounter some OEM part that may need attention after 19-27 years of flawless service.

But in general if the car was taken care of well before you bought it and if you continue to maintain it as the manual dictates you'll have a good experience with an SC. The design is very good and generally very reliable. Just take into account that as with any older car that is in the classic range you *may* need to address something or other once in a while outside of normal maintenance.

And a lot of the most common somethings we've addressed here on the forum to help make the SC easier to repair outside of the exorbitant costs you'd encounter at a Lexus dealer's service department and most Lexus dealer parts counters that charge MSRP or above for parts. There are many reasonably priced and semi reasonably priced available sources for both OEM Toyota/Lexus and key aftermarket parts that make living with an SC somewhat easier.

Now with all that being said, in stock form you'll find that the SC300 is going to be a very sporty cruiser. 5-speed manual models (or converted autos) are more involving but the chassis themselves and how they drive suspension and handling-wise are the same. The 2JZ-GE puts out a decent stock 220-225hp (about 170-180whp on the dyno) which I enjoyed quite a lot for many years and found to be adequate with a manual transmission.

As a college car I would say that the SC300's engine should be maintained as stock as you say is your preference. Gas mileage is about 15mpg city and 21-23 highway. Premium 91-93 fuel only. But it will have enough power. Not so as to blow the doors off the 350 in your El Camino but enough to enjoy the sportiness of the car as a whole and treat it as the driving machine that it is.

Things that I always suggest from the get-go for safety:

-- Restore the headlights and high beams and install a quality 9006 single beam 4200-4300K HID plug and play lighting system in the main low beam housings. The stock Halogen projector lenses in the headlights work well with such a drop-in system and the visibility versus the stock Halogen bulbs is much better for safety

-- Consider upgrading the front brakes to OEM calipers and rotors from a 1995-2000 Lexus LS400. The safety difference and braking response is night and day. You will need at least 17" rims with a certain offset for this. No more is needed in the braking department after that.

-- Inspect the front lower control arms and make sure their rubber bushings are not worn out. If they are, replace them with OEM front LCA's from a 1993.5-1996 MKIV Supra which are cheaper and have stiffer rubber than the Lexus front LCAs.

-- Inspect the power steering rack bushings and if they are worn out replace them with those from Figs Engineering made for the SC300/400/Soarer.

-- Always use quality summer performance tires with adequate speed rating and good rain traction customer reviews who also used those tires in RWD cars.

-- If the suspension is worn out you have a range of sporty aftermarket options from very mild to DIY to more expensive bolt-in. Most of it cross-references to the Supra MKIV application.


Spark plugs, timing belt, new camshaft seals and distributor cap and rotor are all due every 60k and any time the transmission comes off after a lot of mileage has accrued it's a good rule of thumb to replace the rear main seal with a new OEM part. Every other timing belt change keep an eye on the water pump in case a new one is needed. Replacement PS racks should always be OEM Toyota/Lexus remanufactured units, not aftermarket. And PS fluid in these cars is actually Toyota's Dexron II/III/IV compatible ATF fluid, NOT any "power steering fluid".

And around 200k or so check the front crankshaft damper for cracks in the rubber due to age long term use-- best to replace it with a new OEM one pre-emptively if cracks are detected. Around or above 200k you may also need to replace the OEM mechanical fan clutch assembly. Neither are huge deals to address.

So, using one as a daily practical car?

Other than not so great fuel economy by today's standards an SC, whether stock or turbocharged and tuned up is a cross between a driver's machine and a comfortable cruiser than can be used every day with practicality. The rear seat is not too small for passengers and there is just enough legroom back there with the car's wheelbase. And the trunk is decently sized. The gas tank is between it and the rear passenger seats so there is no pass-through but I've never found it to be a problem and I've hauled a ridiculous amount of luggage and equipment in mine.

Occasional classic car issues or quirks here and there, considering it's still a reliable over-designed 90's Toyota, I think you can do well with one of these cars.

It is when you get very ambitious in terms of modifying one of them more than just beyond the basic stuff that the costs tend to add up However even when very modified they tend to remain quite reliable if modified well and thoughtfully.

But while you're at university I would say anything you might want to modify will be fine with the exception of the engine. Just let that remain stock, maintain it well and enjoy the rest of the car. I guarantee you that while not fast in stock form these cars are still respectably quick and very engaging to drive. And you can rely on them and do normal things with them.

BUT... they are at this point classic cars just like any other car of the same vintage. So if you can handle doing some minor repair and maintenance work yourself (and this forum and its many DIY resources and troubleshooting threads are always here to help) then you should have a good time with an SC.

And a *good* and *trustworthy* independent mechanic or trustworthy Toyota dealer that also works on Lexus vehicles is good to have when you need help for the larger services.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

If you kept a 355 camino turning, you won't have any issues with the sc300 or sc400. just needs regular oil changes and occasionally they might leak something but usually easy to fix.

RudysSC

^ These two summed it up. A lot of us have owned multiple of these cars, daily'd them, raced them, and continue to love and recommend them wholeheartedly.

Pleb

Thanks for the replies, amazing feedback! pretty familiar with most of those repairs because my El Camino needed almost all of that done lol. I know nothing about cars, but i was able to diy most of it and bought tools with the money i saved. the Chevy forums taught me a lot so i knew asking y'all was the right thing to do. It needed a little extra TLC and a lot of gas, otherwise it was a good daily (only put 5k-7k miles per year on it). I'll post a couple pics for y'all.

Is there anything big i should be cautious of when looking for one, like worst case scenario?

mnewxcv

A Lexus is a better Toyota. There aren't really problems that plagued the cars. I had a 95 with about 150k on it, only problem I had was stuck brake calipers which are not uncommon. Other than that..... nothing to note. Drove great, fun, reliable, and I think I got 22-24mpg in it (5spd).

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

Pleb, no really there is no major bad thing to watch out for with an SC300 or SC400. If you scan my long post reply above I went though pretty much any of the big things to look out for. They are generally very reliable cars. As Ali mentioned it's mostly the regular maintenance schedule as laid out in the owner's manual and making sure you do regular oil changes and check your oil level every so often in case you have a leaky valve cover gasket or something like that.

Again, given the age you may have to address something out of the ordinary like the crank damper pulley (just check it for cracks in the rubber insulator and replace it if you see cracks) or the mechanical fan clutch.

There is also the ECU health as the capacitors sometimes need service replacement after 20+ years if the ECU has never been serviced before but we have Tanin Auto Electronics as our usual go-to for that. Once an SC300/400 ECU has been serviced it is good for another 20+ years. However this is also not some major issue that everyone who buys a used SC has. If it's needed then the service will take care of it and then that's that.

1992-2000 SC's were designed very well and handle the long haul very well so long as they're maintained... which isn't as cheap as with a Honda Civic but isn't crazy either as long as you get your parts from a combination of Lexus discounted dealers, Toyota discounted dealers, Rockauto, Denso, Driftmotion and some other specialty companies and service outfits that support these cars.

Beautiful pics of your El Camino! Was it an early 80's model? '83 or so?