Do any of you SC430 owners trying to keep your retractable top from folding up or down to a minimal? I'm seeing a lot of convertibles parked with their tops down in public area (shopping malls, work), I wonder was it because they are lazy to bring the top up or they were just afraid of over using it will cause some kind of malfunction.

 

I've only had the SC for a short time, but that is a great question. I have also been wondering what the mean time before failure would be for the tops (ie how much should I use the top without worrying too much about it breaking).

 

My rule of thumb: If the temperature is 52 or above and I am travelling more than a few blocks, the top is going down. Guess it depends on how much you like convertible. Besides, I still get a kick out of watching it do its thing! Life is short. Grab and enjoy.

 

If you are using is often, it will worn out.
If you are using it not, it will become rusty and stuck

So ...

 

So it's dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't. You just can't. But with the SC the choice is still yours. Go for it.

 

I can't imagine Lexus building the SC hardtop that would not last through many 1000's of cycles of roof retraction. These are incredibly well engineered vehicles.

A little math:
If the top is engineered to last 1000 cycles and you take the top up/down once every three days (~100 times a year) the top will last 10 years.... I'm not worrying about it. Just do it!

 

My general rule is...if it's above 50° and it's not raining, the top goes down!

As for parking it...unless I'm really just going in-and-out, I put the top up, for security.

Besides, with the LuxLink, you can look cool doing it.

Double-click the top-up button, get out, and walk away from the car while the top is still going up...and the car is still running.

Likewise, press the button the remote as you're walking back to the car so the top starts going down before you even get in. By the time you're in the driver's seat and belted in, the top's done doing it's thing.

 

I have too been worried about working out the top too much, live in florida and love the sun so as long as it isn't raining the top goes down. Will only leave it down if im running into a gas station or something like that, just for safety reasons. and the leather gets way too hot if you leave it in direct sun.

 

As the owner of a convertible, I will use it whenever the weather is good. That is most of the time in southern cal-therefore my roof opens and closes several times a day via LUXLINK. My 02 Sc430 is warrantied until 2015, So I will not worry. On the other hand, I would take my chances because Lexus is very reliable and what is the point of owning a convertible if you are going to worry about parts wearing out?

 

SOLMAN- Here's the real time deal on this. I have sitting at Lexus today my 02 . I am the original owner since birth. Lo and behold the retracto top got stuck. Bent cable mechanism. Got the top down and locked and over to the dealership where my trusted Tonto took over. He ordered the parts......about 2 grand worth for both sides with motors attached and my extended warranty which like yours is good thru 2014/ 105.000 miles I thought would take care of it. Warranty Co which was drawn from the dealership considers many parts on the top BODY PARTS and is not covered.

I am fortunate that the Lexus dealership goes to bat and called So. Cal direct and was given the go ahead to fix the top as a Good Will Deed........lucky me.
I use the top about 20% if that during the year........at 8 years old this is the only piece to fail and it was dumb cable at that.

Just a heads up on the top.

 

Fortunately for me, my warranty has a list of exclusions. It is stated that any item not on that list IS covered. That means all parts of the roof mechanism are covered. I checked that out before buying the warranty. I am in my second year of a 7 year warranty that I pruchased from my teachers credit union and they have paid over $2K for a warranty that cost $1230 for zero deductable.

 

Like you I too was under the impression all the top parts were covered but alas they even sent a rep out and he considered this a BODY part...check your policy just to be sure.

Lucky Lexus covered it ...............unreal great service on a 8 year old car.

 

Hi All,

Well since I in live in the Portland, OR area, putting the top down is a luxury and a seldom done thing. It is called rain.

A couple of weeks ago I was up at my local coffee hangout and when I came out it looked like an army of birds had decided to do some target practice on my car.

I am thinking that when I park her, the top will go up.

Jerry Baumchen

PS) Now that I have the 1/4 wondow mod, I really, really like the look with the top up also. It definitely changes the look of the car to get all of those windows down.

 

man, if you own a car like the 430 and are cautious
to use the top down, get a coupe.

 

Went into the market for two minutes, came out and some kid was sitting in my car. He jumped out when he saw me coming to it. I close the top all the time now.