How reliable are these sc300 and 400? I want to trade for one and it has plus 200k miles compared to my 240sx with 100k miles...

 

an sc will last a lifetime if properly maintained

 

just like it was said above....
i got 105k and had nothing major done to it.
I drive it hard around the corners, and all i do is the basic maintenance... very reliable.
Many people around here also have over 200k with no problems.... just make sure when you buy the car, the owner took good care of it.

 

thanks a lot, I was really skeptical by the mileage for being 200k. The car overall is very clean inside and out with no problems. That was the only thing that held me back from getting it.

 

The SC is a very very reliable car if proper maintenance is done. Keep in mind that the maintenance will be quite a bit more expensive than on your Nissan, and to really keep up on it because one thing leading to another can cost quite a bit. The fact that the car is clean is a good sign that it's been well cared for. The 2JZ is a legendary Toyota motor as is the 1UZ used in the 400. Can't go wrong. I would personally trust the 200k+ Lexus over the 100k+ Nissan anyday.

 

at 200k miles does anyone think that the head gasket or valve gasket would need replacing? I heard that those usually need to be replaced around that area.

 

i would ask if the previous owner had this done already. replacing them isnt very expensive and definetely wouldnt hurt. i would buy the car, maintain it, and not worry!

 

I spent months deciding between the following: Nissan Maxima (or Altima 3.5), Acura Legend, Honda Accord (v6), and a few others. Although all of these are Japanese cars with high reliability ratings, when I stumbled upon a Lexus SC 300 (which I had been avoiding as the brand is so "high scale") I found its reliability ratings were even higher than that of any of the above listed cars. Not only that, it was rare, classy, and REAR WHEEL DRIVE! Oh, and did I mention I could get it in a 5 speed? Heheh very nice all around, and have loved the car ever since!

Go SC 300 or 400.

 

Thanks everyone for your humble opinions. I am actually trading my 1989 240sx coupe silvia s13 conversion for a 1994 lexus sc400....

 

the cars are reliable as hell, mechanical parts are fairly inexpensive. my first sc300 had something like 242,000 miles on it, ran like brand new and everything worked great.

what does start to cost is the small things.. the little bells and whistle things that need replaced over time.. that and exterior/interior parts..

 

They're not reliable at all. Why do you think there aren't any around anymore with high mileage?



...oh wait.

 

^^Haha.

Yea, seriously dude. Mine has just under 217k miles on her and i've never had a problem besides regular maintenance.

 

I'm not going to throw any mods aside of a lip kit. I want the 1998 front end look with a lip kit. The car comes with some 19" gold xxr 962 rims. The car is gold color, but thanks everyone...keep them coming..

I do not know much about the sc, but like the 240sx when it gets up to 150k to over 200k miles the timing chain guides start to wear off. Is there anything in the sc that needs to be replaced like that?

 

210k miles, runs like a dream.

 

Seeing as you're new to the SC3/400, http://www.intellexual.net/faq.html should give you a good start with questions about the car.

If you're wanting the car to run and drive the way it did off the lot, you're going to have to change out anything rubber, especially suspension components all under the car (bushings and such), and of course do all the regular maintenance and it'll be fine.

Give the car some love, and she'll love you back. Haha, 252k here and still awesome.