Hello everybody. I got a red 95' SC300 with 150k. The car is in excelent condition with the engine and drivetrain. My SC doesn't have a moonroof, go figure. Pics are in my sig. After I baught it I did notice some problems, esp with the interior (black).

1) The **** for the climate control is missing.
2) The climate control LCD has 1/2 alive.
3) It feels like I'm gonna rip the door off when I pull on my driver's side door handle. Is there anyway to fix this?
4) The passenger side door lock has problems. The thing will not open electronically, I have to push it. It does open with the key (from the pass side) however. i need to know what part is broken, the part #, and how much it will cost to replace (because I'm getting an alarm).
5) Passenger side window is a bit sluggish. Also it does not roll down all the way. It does work however. I need a way to fix this.
6) The previous owner must have broken the gas lid, and now if you just push it, it will open. The entire locking mehanism from the lid is missing. Also it is not aligned and has no gap on one side, and a huge gap on the other.

Thanks for your help,
David Burban

 

everything you mentioned aside of the door handle is a replacement only fix. for the door handle, you'll need a litle creative reinforcement with something like backstrap or fiberglass... or ....... replace that too!

 

I was surprised that the cluster is fully working Lol, the part that i though was gonna be a problem isn't.

About the door... When I will find somebody to install my alarm system (probably gonna be Al & Ed's Autosound) i'll ask them to secure it.

 

When I bought the car it only came with one master key which does not work with the factory alarm. Do you recomend me to go to ebay and get an uncut key and then find someone to program it, or to go to a Lexus stealership?

 

talk to steve ganz -- he can give you a good price.


You may want to look into a new center console cup holder too

 

Weird thing happened: today I turn the car on and the LCD bleed has disappeared, but the cluster has some holes in the needles

I would still like to know how to fix the window and lock problem (part numbers so I can talk to steve ganz).

Thanks
David Burban

 

1.Obviously this needs replaced. I just bought one on ebay for I think $25.
2. See OLT
3. Inside or outside?? If it is the inside remove the cover behind the handle and make sure the screw is tight.
4.I believe it is the door lock actuator that is the problem. Do not know the part number.
5. Remove the door panel Check either window regulator or the vertical track it runs on. Sometimes the vertical track gets warped at a point and will not pass the point. Alternatively the regulator could be locking up at a certain point. Try WD-40 on the regulator.
6. This sounds like the perfect example of the car being hit. When the car is hit in the rear it will move the tank like that. Happened to a car I used to have.

Hope this helps man,

Peace,

jonny

 

Thanks for the reply jonny.

1) $25 for a 1 plastic ****! WOW!!!
2) I don't think OLT fixes dead LCD displays, he does fix burned out bulbs. weird thing is that the LCD fixed itself today and the cluster got messed up with parts of needles burning out. I'm guessing that this is because of the heat in the car.
3) inside. The people who will install my alarm will have to do this because they will have to tap into some parts in the door.
4) door lock actuator - always thought it was a 2nd gen GS problem. Go figure.... as far as I remember these things aren't cheap, costing around $200ish (for the GS, hope the price isn't the same for the SC)
5) I'll ask the guys who will install my alarm to do this.
6) There does not seem to be any frame damage, everything is straight, it drives straight, has a clean carfax report. I don't think the gas tank moved, just the gas cover lid.

Thanks again,
David Burban

 

The part about the gas lid indicating an accident is really freaking me out. We didn't spend $7200 on a car that was involved in an accident! When I bought the car I though the previous owner had a malfunction with the gas lid opening mechanism and had to pry the lid open breaking the lock and damaging the hinge. The paint seems to be the factory one with no noticible differences. There is a dent on the passenger side from the previous owner running into a high curb.

 

do you have all the factory VIN stickers? (really important!)

As far as the gas lid acting up, mine is a little sticky too -- almost like it needs a shot of WD40... I'll keep you posted on my fix.

I'm on a first name basis with my autobody shop, so I stopped by and had them look at the car. They said the body panels all match up, and there's no frame damage (my car fell a few inches onto the jack point when it was transported). My car as well tracks straight, but likes to bump steer (follow the road).

So I'd check w/ a autobody shop you trust. Maybe post in the SoCal CL chapter forum to get a hookup.

I'll be in Malibu for school come Sept. 1 so if you want help w/ odds and ends, PM me... I'm a 95 red too


JT


PS: My paint seems to have been touched up ever so slightly... I think it got keyed because it looks dry on the lower section of my driver's side, but there's no body filler there. All my panels save the front bumper cover are original, so be really careful when you look over the car... although it may take a trained eye to see the differeance.

 

I can never remember where the VIN stickers are.

I feel like I should hammer mine a bit down to fix the allignment/rubbing problem. But that still leaves the mystery why the lock on it is missing, and my it is crooked.

The body shop were I go knows me because they are friends with my grandma. They looked at the car for like 5 minutes, checked the oil, checked the cleanness, and took it for a 40mph spin around the block and back. They said it was a very good buy, but they didn't check the panels. My old car (grandma's sentra) also tended to follow the road, esp scarry when you are in an intersection and the car starts to turns into the oncoming traffic I'm gonna have to go to the body shop again some time this week to secure my battery - the battery that was at the dealership was old and they took one out of a corolla, and its not secured, so I have to get a battery mount.

I don't have an eye for paint, but I dought they did anything. The car has a scrape at the bottom of the pass side door which nothing was done to. The hood and trunk also have minor scrapes.

 

One owner cars are usually your best bet.

Clean car faxes do not exclude big accidents where the insurance decided to fix instead of total or theft recovery where the insurance company decided to fix instead of total. A matter of fact, in Cali (not sure how it is anywhere else) if you have a dealers license, you can purchase a car (that if bought by the public consumer ) would normally be a salvage title ( ie. theft recovery or moderate accident vehicle sold to you or me would have a salvage title, but if you are a car dealer, you can fix and the car would have a clean title).

VIN stickers are white and gray retangular stickers along the door jams/doors, hood, front fenders, trunk, rear quarter panels when you lift up the hood/trunk or open the doors.

Sounds like the car may have been involved in accident if you can't find vin stickers. As far as your door problems, this may be do to prior accident or theft. It is really difficult to say.

This is just my 2 cents. Take if for a grain of salt. I do not mean to scare you or upset you. (i've been involved with used cars for the past 12 yrs). Like I said earlier, one owner cars are the best even if they have high mileage. There are a lot on unscrupulous sellers out there. If they are not the original owners, move on.

GOOD LUCK!

 

The dealer did not buy this car from a private party - they baught it from a dealer auction for $5625.

I always thought that the insurance companies report any accidents if they are reported to them

i've seen a few VIN stickers around, but I did not notice any in the inside of the trunk area or doors. Can they be under the carpeting?

The car does drive smooth, and the allignment is off a few degrees, nothing like the alignment in my grandma's sentra. I'm gonn ahve my mechanics look at the rear end to see if anything was replaced.

Thanks,
David Burban

 

Get used to stuff like this David, when something seemingly simple breaks know that it usually means the price of the part is ridiculous...

 

LoL... I know. The radio is being sparadic, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. I plan to do a carputer, so the radio **** is gonna be delete anyways and I'll use its **** on the climate control