This post got long so I left cliff notes on the bottom.
Hi all, I recently decided to look into buying a new car because my other car (a 2003 Mitsubishi Evo) decided to chuck a rod onto the highway.
As for why I'm here, I stopped into a semi-shady used car dealership looking for the typical beater-with-a-heater to get me through the winter and allow me to save up for a race engine for the Evo.
As I walked the lot, this black 1995 SC400 screamed at me. This isn't a new car to me, meaning I've seen them before, and quite frankly, I always thought they were pretty homely. But one look at a clean, black on black example and I fell in love just a little.
I drove the car tonight. It looks excellent mechanically. No weird sounds, leaks, ETC. Everything relating to the mechanical side seems spot-on, the price on it is awesome. Etc.
Now for the bad stuff:
The climate control system seems to be broken. The display has backlight, but none of the buttons do anything. The actual LCD display is too broken to see if anything is happening.
I couldn't get the trunk to open using the key. I tried the trunk popper and I heard it work, but the trunk did not open. Doesn't seem like too big a deal. probably just bad struts. I didn't have anyone else there who could lift the trunk while I popped it.
The killer is the passenger door. the handle is broken from both sides. I can't get in the passenger door at all. can hear something moving near the back of the door when I move the inside handle if that matters. I'm not worried about fixing the problems once I get the door open, but I don't know how I'm supposed to go about that.
Cliff notes: Found SC400. Like it. More than I think I should.
Passenger door will not open. both handles seem to be broken.
Climate control box is broken. How much will this cost to fix?
should I run screaming from this car no matter the price?

 

sc4 is a pretty good car.
the only way to fix the passenger door is to pull the door panel. it could break, and black interiors are in high demand (meaning $$$$$$$)
climate head may be bad, the screen bleeding (blacking out) is another problem area on the older models. if it's not doing anything, there may be more to it, as well.

trunk not opening is a serious eyebrow raiser. my shocks are shot, but I can pop the trunk, walk around and open it. if this one isn't doing that, it makes me wonder "Why?"

 

Yea, the door handle sounds like it'll be a fairly easy fix. I've been searching for like an hour and found a potential way in. If I did end up breaking the door panel, it wouldn't break my heart. This car, While objectively much nicer than my primary car, will be mostly for A-B travel, not so much being loved and modified. Also, as far as permanent fixes go, I have access to a full machine shop so I'll make my own replacement parts for actually fixing the door. (I'm just bragging right now.)
The trunk not opening is probably because it's frozen. It just got cold here in illinois and literally every rubber-sealed thing I tried had signs of ice holding it up. (Driver's door, both windows, sunroof, hood)
I'll be going back this weekend when there's daylight and more time to investigate further. I just happened to be driving past on my way home from work, decided to drive it and was more than a little surprised at what a 15 year old lexus has to offer.

 

everything you mentioned is common issues with the SC
fix these small issues and your good to go!
the 1UZ is bullet proof.
just sold mine with 214K with zero issues/no CEL
just check the compression and make sure the power steering pump isn't leaking(it's right above the alternator). when it goes bad(leaks), so does your alternator......obviously.
good luck!

 

How tough would checking the compression be? I have a tester, but am I going to spend half a year finding the spark plugs like in GM small blocks?
Also, I read about some seal that goes, causing PS fluid to go everywhere. is this seal something I'll be able to find?
I'm extremely mechanically inclined and I'm confident I'll be able to fix any of the small issues it has, but how difficult is working on the SC in general? I couldn't get a good feel for how difficult things are going to be in the dark as my flashlight decided to stop working halfway through finding the hood release.

 

spark plugs are EASY. pull the spark plug wire cover, they are right there. passenger side requires the removal of the intake piping, but that's easy enough.
took me 15 minutes to test my compression (did pass side first)