http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...g=en&cardist=7

I drove the car ~ a month ago when they had it on a online auction and they didn't get one bid with the min bidding starting at 14.8. At the time they had a sticker on the car asking 16.9k. Now they are asking 14.9k. I've seen this car on their lot for over 6 months now, do you think it's possible to get it much cheeper just because they've had the car soo long? I almost feel like calling up the saleman and offering 10.9k just to see what he says. I've noticed that a lot of the same SC's are in the paper for a long time, I think the market up here in MN is just not there.

Have any of you been in used car sales before? Do they have any incentive for turning cars quickly? Or do most just sit on them untill they sell (even if it takes a year)?

The car is in pretty good shape becides some paint peeling on the side mirrors and the spoiler. The tires are pretty good with new brakes. It's missing a little piece for the shift lock overide.

Also one more question, being that this car is a 98 it has the vairable valve timing. Do you think this car would get better gas mileage compared to the earlier SC3's?

Thanks

 

MN, with it's brutal winters, is not a great place for RWD. That's why you see the same SC's listed for so long. Most of the owners on this board, in that type of area, have a winter beater.

Used car people have no incentives to sell a car quick. The only thing it's costing them right now is space. I doubt you'll be able to get it for less than the dealership paid for it unless they're hurting for cash.

I'm not sure on the mirrors but on the spoiler, it is very common to get oxidation.

Those tiny parts that are broken should be easily replaced.

 

Maybe it's just me, but it seems small used car dealers will rarely drop their price on a vehicle, unless they're hurting for money like vegassc400 said. Big dealers are easier to deal with when it comes to pricing.

~Josh

 

Yeah, I kind of think it depends on the dealer. 6 months is a long time to hold onto a car for ANY dealer. Depending on whether they own it outright or have it on floor plan (which means they are paying interest on it) might make them sell it cheap or hold onto it. One rule of thumb here - What do you have to lose by offering $10.9k? I say go for it!

 

It's in the used car section of a Isuzu dealer so i guess it's not a small side lot. It's kind of a strange dealer though, they have a lot of luxury imports for sale and they sell new Isuzus If I remember right he said some lady traded it in on a new car (why trade a SC in for a Isuzu??).

Maybe I'll offer him 10.9k and if he says no I'll leave him my phone number so when he still has it in June he can give me a call

I checked on the MPG question I had, seems the pre 98's got 17-23mpg while the 98 and later got 19-25mpg. Does that seem about right from what you guys have seen?

I'm still trying to figure out how the VVTi engine is rated at the same hp as the older 3.0. With VVTi did they just flatten out the torque with no real hp gain or what? I did notice that this car had a little more "pep" down low compared to the other SC300's I've driven.

Thanks

 

I'm not too sure about the vvti thing, but you might want to check out intellexual.net for a lot of SC info. Let us know how you make out with your offer and as always.......post pics of it if you buy it!! We love pics!

 

ive seen cadi's in teh used section of a Saturn dealership. So it wouldnt be hard to belive someone trade in a nicer car for a cheaper car.

 

A lot of used cars guys use that line. I'd be willing to bet that if you ran a CarFax on the car, you would see that it was sold at an auction.

 

I've seen that SC300, it is in nice shape. I bought an ES300 with 62,000 miles from there as well. Got an OK deal.

You should shoot me an e-mail at rubens@umn.edu. I have a high mile SC400 in nice shape listed on autotrader. If I don't sell it before summer I am keeping it.

Rubens

 

http://www.duluth.com/~rubens/lexus/sc400.htm

 

rubens- I saw your car on the autotrader a few weeks ago but didn't call because of the miles. If I'm going to spend 10k on a car I'd like to think I can find one with under 100k on it. You car does look nice from what I can see in the pic's though. Maybe if the price were to drop far enough I'd be interested

I've decided to not make an offer on that SC300. Bright red sticks out in a crowd too much and it's just asking to be keyed by some lowlife in a parking lot.

 

blue book on the car is right about 10,200 and I've had quite a few buyers who wanted to buy the car but were unable to get financing because of that very reason - the high miles.

either way - shoot me an e-mail : rubens@umn.edu. we'll see what we can do. The car is in pretty nice shape.