zachc6464

I currently have a modded 1995 acura Integra,
A girl offered to trade a 95 sc300 with 186k miles, completely stock.

I don't know much about toyotas, should I do it?? Please help!!!
easy to work on? drive well? handling?

She would also give me a honda civic as well lol

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Depends on your thoughts regarding highs and lows. The SC is a much better car, but the Integra will give you much less heartache. The SCs are easy to work on, but they'll put your willingness to work on them frequently to the test!

mecheng10

you come to a sc forum and ask that?
hahahaha there wont be any biased opinions.

but yes, you should trade.
1)RWD>>FWD
2)the car can cruise! it feels great going down the highway.
3)there is so much space in the engine bay, you can almost stand in it!

brerrabbit

T2, well said... And great play on the name there...

This is a car that will keep a goofy grin on your face when you drive it and a frown when you reach for your wallet. But truly a rewarding experience, and given their build quality one you'll enjoy a long while if you maintain it. Plus, Integras are plentiful, but SCs are becoming rare (IMHO).

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

It's my second Toyota product (T2), and I'm a Double D (D2) kinda guy ... my initials!

soarrabun

sc 300 is a different animal than an integra, civic, prelude , etc. Sc 300 is a large heavy sluggish car. it is very comfortable cruises well on the hwy.

it really depends on what you are into. if loud tacky sounds are your thing stick with the Hondas.

The sc300 design, engineering, and lines are second to none.

Sc300 is a pleasure to drive . With lots of time and money you can build a fast very fun car that will command respect.

good luck.

maaaaackle

i have my feet in both camps at the moment.

I currently own a 2JZ swapped SC300 and a simple EF hatch that I daily.

Honestly, it depends on waht you plan on doing with the SC. If you want to go for power and speed then prepare to murder your bank account. thats one thing i found out the hard way.

Overall, the SC is a great car but costly. The integra is a great car, cheap, but definitely doesnt satisfy the soul (from a driver perspective)

PJSC300

The Lexus SC300s are amazing cars. Just make sure you provide all the needed maintenance and use quality parts. Tbh I would trade unless you have alot of investment or sentimental value with your integra.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

I would trade in a heartbeat. And of course, no biased opinion. Of course. You should ask the Honda forum to tell you the truth. They wont be biased either.

chnk

iTrader: (12)

First off how much money are you willing to put into a car, everything for the sc will be roughly double what it is ifor a integra,

mecheng10

that would be cool...
but it would never be as good as an sc with a turbo on it!

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

zachc6464, should you get *AN* SC300?

As above, depends on what you want it for. It's better built and longer lasting than the Integra but the older Integras are fun and zippy economy cars (that are major theft magnets). I owned a Gen 5 Prelude SH 5-speed while I think that was a pretty good car for what it was, the SC is better.

The SC is a luxury cruiser. Modified a lot ($$$$) for horsepower and it becomes a Japanese muscle car. It can handle very well and make you feel like it's smaller than it is. But it's not going to be particularly fast until you spend a lot on turbocharging the engine or swapping to a factory turbo engine. And given that you're in Cali like me, there are only a couple of very difficult and expensive ways to do that legally, be forewarned. Outside of that there are LS1 V8 swaps which few have done, cost a lot but can also achieve the same goals. Outside of Cali the options are much easier for more power.

Otherwise it's a great and fun car even without a turbo. It's not as "luxurious" as modern cars are but you can tell that it was its day and it has a timeless interior and exterior.

To own one of these, however, you would do well to learn how to repair some things yourself. SC300's share the same engine as the non-turbo 93.5-98 Toyota Supra non-turbo and you can wholesale use parts from Toyota's 2JZ-GE inline-six on the Lexus SC300. Same goes for a host of suspension parts, braking systems, control arms, etc.

But do be aware that in stock form it's not going to be a powerful car with impressive handling.

The SC400 is slightly better on power but not by much. For the sake of comparison, the SC300 5-speed manual cars were actually faster than the SC400 V8 cars of the same era. Until the 1998 SC400.

Figure out what you want to do with one of these SC's. They are great cars but have a plan for what you want out of it and be realistic about your investment into one if you're thinking they are inexpensive to modify. Fuel economy isn't great but it's acceptable (15mpg city / 21-22 highway).

aznxenon

Had a 97 GSR, much happy with my SC400. Yes

CatManD3W

iTrader: (18)

These cars can become a lot of fun.....As stated in stock form they are nothing to brag about...

But after the GTE swap or NA-T....better brakes....and coilovers....its a whole different beast...

There is a lot of potential in this platform.....Just takes time and $$$$.....

IMO I wouldnt trade my SC for anything....

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

^^ Agreed. I'd get another new car eventually but for the long haul with time and money to convert a lot of things the SC is a great and unique car from the perspective of the driver's seat. The Soarer 1JZ version in Japan is well regarded and that's generally what a lot of investment turns the SC back into. Lexus did a lot to tone down the great Japan-market mechanical design for USA sale.