Are SC prices going up?
 

Just did a check on AutoTrader for 1999 SC 400 and was shocked at the prices. One was asking nearly $10,000 and it didn't seem that nice — damaged rear bumper. I know there is a huge difference between "asking" and "selling", but are these trending up?

There are definitely not a lot of clean stock ones left. Most you see are just ragged out these days. Maybe that has something to do with it.

IMHO, 10 years or older cars doesn't really have a book value. It can be as how much as you may value it at that point. It's just matter of if someone values it the same and willing to pay that price. That pretty much what's driving classic cars prices up too as a matter of fact.

Not now and not ever. It's an excellent car, but nothing special and will continue to rust into oblivion with the rest of the cars that didn't change the world. "Ain't no Supra". It is, if anything, honorable mention by association to the real hero.....afore mentioned.

Philip is right that these cars are kind of going into a gray area where each car has to be judged by itself because each one can vary so much due to how it's been treated. They're also getting hard to get a loan for due to their age, I had to have a special exception to buy my 98 last month. The book value is getting low to the point that you'll need cash or a loan based on agreed value to buy a clean or well taken care of car soon.

Every year for about 10 years I shopped around my collectible car insurance with my primary criteria being "somebody who will accept the SC." Every year - nope, it's not on our list.

Finally about 18 months ago a couple of those insurers said "yes."

People who came of age with the SC are just now getting into their peak-earning, car-collecting years, so there's a chance that that will affect things going forward.

When I was in high school we drove 60s-70s cars that are crazy expensive today but they were $1500 beaters back then.

I certainly don't expect to see SCs jump in price like those cars did, but then nobody expected those cars to jump when they were at the bottom either...

I don't disagree with most that's been said. I don't expect these cars to be considered collectable or ever be serious money. But my question was more intended to assess current market trends. For those that pay attention, are prices generally going up, down or staying level (for, original, good condition examples)?

I think these cars could fall into a "cult" following that could potentially bring values of stock clean cars up in the future. However, I appreciate that these cars are so special, yet don't command money close to what Supras, RX7's, and cars alike from the 90's do these days.

Prices are pretty level where I'm at. It depends on how fast the owners want to sell their car. I shop for nice examples all the time. These are approximations of some of the ones I've considered buying in the last 7 months. I only look for cars with very good condition interiors and decent paint. At this point, a clean interior is the hardest thing to replicate on our cars since everything is getting discontinued.

Great - 99 SC400 black on black with 87k miles - owner was asking 11k - took him a few months to sell

Great - 97 SC300 dwp with tan - 170k miles - asking $4.3k, sold in 4 days

Good - 98 SC300 black on black - 97k miles asking $5.4k, been for sale for almost a month now

Great - 98 SC300 black on black - 180k miles - asking $4.5k, sold in 7 days

Pristine - 97 SC300 black on black - 84k miles - asking $5.4k, sold in 3 days

The 99-00 SC400 always have a huge premium on them, but they also pop up for sale the least. I see 98 SC400's for 5k pretty often, but they're never in a condition I would consider buying.

There's a lot of early 90s SC400's and they're dirt cheap and definitely not rising in value. The 98+ 400s are always going to cost a lot more, but otherwise SC's won't ever be a collectors car.

They are the first 2-door Lexus car produced which should account for something if the Lexus brand continues to trend the way it has over its lifetime. I'm talking up my own book but still...

Just enjoy your cars guys. It's a good thing they are cheap. Look at Supras... every owner I know either does not drive and enjoy their cars at all or if they do, they don't have fun in it because it's too rare and expensive.

If you want to invest money, there are far better options than buying a Supra and having it take up half your garage space with hopes and dreams of it making you more money some day. I don't get that mentality at all. Just use the car for what it was meant for. Don't preserve it for the next guy. Where is the fun in that?

The prices on these cars are all over the place and have been for some time. It is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I didn't buy mine to collect, I bought it to drive. As with any auto you have to put money into it to keep it road worthy. So will I put more into it than it is worth? Most likely! But I will have years of driving pleasure out of it and maybe when I'm gone, someone else can have a bit of fun with it.