Have you ever realized that the subject of our cars and their value, has come up thousands of times herein, and it seems to be the one subject, nobody has had a solution for, nor any explanation about?

Who's fed up with that fact?
I know I am.

I think it's time we start brainstorming, and coming together as a community to really try and develop a solution to this issue, because the Z30/31 chassis DOES NOT deserve to be in the place that it is amongst Tuner Cars, in regards to it's worth. They're too good a car, and severely undervalued!

If we were one of the "Hero Cars" in the Fast & Furious franchise, our value would skyrocket!
How can we accomplish something like that?
This is a Tuner Forum, and we ain't no Honda Civic's; somebody has to know somebody else, somewhere ... Can we get an SC in a movie or sumtin' ?
I know money is money, and when you need it, you need it, but could we just as a group, decide, to simply stop selling our cars so low?

I dunno ... Anything ... Let's find a solution to this issue, because our cars are too good!
We can do this! Let's show people what the SC is about!
It's Beauty, it's Badass, it's WORTHY of a higher position in the world.
How does a $45,000.00 car, go on to being a $3500 car???

UNACCEPTABLE.

Welcome to the official mark-up thread.
Lets put our minds together, and think of some ideas; let's formulate a strategy for putting us out there, back where the SC belong's!

 

Anything is only worth what somebody it willing to pay for it. Our cars don't have the fast and furious tax. Even though they cost plenty more than a supra in 1993 it is nobodys dream car. How many of us ended up hear because we couldn't afford a supra? But ended up spending 2x as much swapping in a gte. To most the sc300/400 is not a highly sought after car. Therefore ended with a not so sought after resale value.

 

Personally, I've liked the SC since it was still on the market, regardless of the Supra's existence. I bought mine 'cus it's always been a favorite; the 2JZ engine was just an added-bonus really ...
I disagree that it's not a sought after car however; I think people have simply become disheartened by the cost equal to that of a Civic; its degrading, and as a result has lost it's place as a status symbol.
I bet (honestly), that if our cars, used, still went for $12,000-$15,000, they'd be more desirable.

We need to find a way to apply some other kinda tax onto the SC's (that was a great expression btw).
Isn't Fast 6 being filmed? They need an SC300 ... Hell, they'd even save money on their budget, due to the very fact that they could get 6 SC300's for close to nothing, and still have a movie with a wicked hero-car.
Think about Tokyo Drift, they had that Silvia (which was nice as sh-- btw), and it only starred in one scene, but suddenly way more people started liking 'em!

Theres gotta be some idea ...
What about D1, how's that Soarer doing, is it still a champ? (I don't really follow Formula D).
Maybe we can start a fund-raiser, and sponsor the team; just give 'em whatever we gather, and hope he kills it.

What about crime? LOL.
Say we did the first-ever SC300 Canon-Ball Run?
We could make it go viral; make national headlines.

Sumtin' ... Theres gotta be a way to inject some fame into this car. The AE86 was made famous in a "cartoon" ... Come ooon.
Anyone got any connections in the UK? Can we get on Top Gear perhaps?

You guys, this is only helping ourselves!
We all want our cars to be worth more; they deserve it, and they're friggin' Lexus's!

Y'know what too?
I've seen sooooo many articles, like "Top 100 Cars", "50 Greatest Sports Cars", etc. in a variety of magazines, TV shows, and websites; yet, regardless that the SC revolutionized auto-design, when other cars were still boxy in '92; NONE OF THEM EVEN MENTION the SC300/400's ... Out of 100 Cars! ... Not "1" SC.
Its like they forgot, that one of the most beautiful, and timeless designs, ever existed!!!
How did such a gorgeous car ever enter obscurity? Seriously, the look lasted 10 years virtually unchanged; WE know this; yet its somehow just ... faded ... nothing but a memory, long lost in limbo. WTF!

What if we én-mass, wrote emails/letters to as many magaizines/networks as we can?
Say we take a day; we'll all agree on a day (maybe a month from now, e.g.), and we'll all just chill, and email Car & Driver, Modified Mag, Motor Trend, etc. ALL OF 'EM, just talkin' about SC's and expressing our interest in seeing them show us support, for this undeservingly-unappreciated car ... All of the sudden, they'll be like "Woah, we just got 300 emails, talkin' about SC's ..."

How'bout Craigslist?
We don't have to actually sell our cars, but say we flooded Craigslist w/ SC listings, ALL OF WHICH are inflated $3000 (min.)
Suddenly, people looking for cars who see SC's, are gonna be like "Woah, SC's are gettin' expensive ..."
Don't even include your phone number, just post a listing. The more SC's people see for that price - The sooner they'll start believing thats its value, like: "Hmm, well all the other one's are goin' for around that price also ..."
Why? Who knows? What're they gonna question every listing?
You get an email: "Why's it so expensive ..."
You reply: " 'Cus it's a Lexus SC300 ..."
Then include all the reasons this car's awesome; talk about it's luxury, it's reliability, it's durability, it's capability, AND it's mark in history.
They don't like it? Pfff, buy an Accord! They won't be as happy and we didn't wanna sell it to ya anyway!

Just an idea ...
What are your ideas?
Thats why I made this thread; lets make a difference.
We have to put a dent somewhere.

 

A poor man's Supra. I ain't paying $30k+ for a Supra whatever when I can spend $3k for a car, the SC, that is virtually like a Supra. Sexier, too, IMO.... it's a LEXUS!

I mean Supra... wow... cool... fast and furious.... drift.... everyone wants one.... yea... not me... Which is why I heavily dislike Civics... everyone has one. Unlike the Supra, there's more Civic than the population in China. So, because not many Supras were made with a lot of people wanting one, price is up there. Now the SC, not as hot and coveted as a Supra. So, low price.

Put it this way. If SC lovers now do work to make it as popular and coveted as a Supra is now, as the number of existing SC's fall, who knows... our SC's may become $30k worthy. It's all about how much people are willing to pay.

 

Old luxury cars depreciate pretty fast. high mileage, just enough motor to make the car move smoothly, old leather, there are a lot of them. all contributing factors why the SC is cheap 15 or so years later after its release

 

I know I havent posted in a while, but Im pretty sure this has been covered over and over again even including myself.

Bottom line, raising the value of the SC isnt going to happen, regardless of how much effort is put into it. I see where the effort is, but Top Gear has already done a review of the SC/Soarer, SC's have been in movies, Im sure used in a few crimes, D1GP, and 99% of everything you can think of....fishing in the dark. Face it, they are old, overweight, under-powered (stock form), luxury sport coupes. Comparing them to the Supra, which keep in mind for a long time was considered a Japanese Super car (the SC never even came close to this category), is like comparing a Miata to an FD.

I dont like saying that, I dont think the SC got the recognition it deserves, but even with my SC, Id be lucky to get $8k for it with the swap and mods.

 

You guys aren't using this thread correctly ... LoL

 

I'm planning on getting my SC into car shows local to me. Maybe further depending on many factors. Each SC in a show is one step towards putting us SCers on the map.

I bought my SC because I wanted a coupe. When I was in the market looking for a two door coupe, I heavily considered the 1993-1998 240SX especially the shark eyes. But the 240SX is too well known for me. Also 4cyls. THEN the SC came into the light. On top of that, I prefer and love Toyota. Because of my SC, now I want nothing but Lexus. Or Toyota. And with the SC, depending on how deep you want to dig into your wallet, you can make them fast!

 

I agree with you and your intentions are right on, but in away these cars are getting more rare as time goes by, the value will most likely will stay around the same for years to come.

Not sure if being a "Hero F&F car" can be a good thing it can be just as bad and everyone will want one and rice the heck out of it. I kind of like the SC to be unknown sort to say, even tho its well known to car enthusiast especially lexus lovers.

Also think the value would of remained high if they designed the SC430 like the SC, Maybe when Lexus comes out with the LF-LC and people do their research the value will be a little higher. Who knows.

I think for the value to go up just a bit every SC owner should keep making them clean

 

Thats a bit of a overstatment dont you think?

I would place the Soarer and Supra in the same category, each car appealing to different people

 

supra is above the SC in many ways. more after market support for the chassis(interior/exterior and more already made upgrade kits), lighter, better resale, and fan boys!

 

Supras have more aftermarket parts simply because they're popular. And those who owns them would likely have disposable income, plenty of, if you were a very reputable company, you'd want to make parts for it.

The SC has the same engine as the Supra, still RWD, etc. If you actually wanted to and I'm sure people has, you can probably properly gut the SC and get it superlight. As said, the SC was meant for luxury so of course there's going to excess weight to give that luxurious feel versus cheap plastic parts and crap.

I place the SC/ Soarer in the same category as a Supra as well. What you can do to a Supra can be done with the SC. I love Titans' 848HP SC.

 

Who said it was a "tuners" thread. Why do I care if someone else thinks my car is of a certain value or not?

 

i don't see the point of this thread. lets be honest most people are here because they want a sporty car but don't have the cash to spend on a $30+K sports car. The whole reason i bought my sc is because its different and has everything I was looking for in a car and it was affordable. I really don't give two ****s what other people think about my car because i like it and thats all that matters. Can i sell it for anything over $5k? hell no! but I don't care because I knew what i was getting into when I bought it.

youre trying to compare apples and oranges. supras are a rare japanese sports car with some get up and go and some decent features for the time. much like an fd rx7. these cars are timeless and way ahead of their time when put into production in the early to mid 90's. the sc is still way ahead of its time but is still a tank with leather inside. its designed to be a luxury cruiser, not a mountain carving monster.

 

Bingo. Why assume everyone wants to be a boy racer?

For $10K you can buy a nice C4 vette and turn it into a monster. What is the point?