WISLUGGO

Hi everyone,
I just purchased a 2002 SC430 today with low miles (only 44K) and I love driving it. I have poked around on this forum for a bit, but still had a few questions maybe you all could help me answer.

1) Rough ride - I read the combo of the run flats and the old bushings make for a rough ride over bumps. Would my car (assuming the bushings have not been replaced) be eligable for a repair? Does it really make that much of a difference or does most of the rough ride come from the run flats?

2)Antenna is sticky - I degreased it and re-lubed it but the mast is still a bit sticky. Is it an easy repair to have a new mast installed?

3) Ongoing care - What products do you all prefer to keep the leather (mine is saddle) soft and clean?

Thanks everyone!

Yes

1) I don't think they'll still replace the bushings for free. Just replacing the tires is night and day different, so that should take care of it.

2) It's not that hard to replace the mast. If you search, I remember seeing a thread with instructions. You'll need 2 people. One to turn the stereo on and off. One to feed it in. What makes you think it's sticking anyway? Is it not going all the way down? If that's the case, it's probably bent. If it's not going all the way up, that's normal. It'll adjust up and down a bit to get a better reception.

3) I use Lexol cleaner and conditioner. Works great.

WISLUGGO

Thank you for the fast reply. I see you have an 02, did they all come with run flats? Are run flats in general a harsher ride?

The antenna goes all the way up and down, it just kind of sounds like it is sticking/grinding. I added a bit of lubricant to the mast and it seems to be helping.

Yes

All SC430s come standard with run flats. They are a much harsher ride. After you replace them, you'll want to get a mini spare. I only use mine for road trips. I have a portable compressor in case I get a flat in town.

You probably have a little dirt in the mast. A new one from Lexus will run you about $100. There are aftermarket ones for cheaper, but I can't vouch for their quality.

VVTiBob

Run flats are, most likely, the culprit for your rough ride. There's been endless discussions here.

If you go to comment #4 in this thread I posted the TSB on the antenna. Make sure you don't remove the "grease" lubricant. It's necessary for smooth operations. ..https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-problems.html

WISLUGGO

Thank you for the tsb for the antenna. If I press the two radio buttons to fully extend the antenna without undoing that nut will I do any damage? I ask because I may need to clean that little area that extends and then retracts when I turn the radio on.

coach1

Tire question.....getting rid of the run-flats with change the ride "night & day difference" Huge upgrade.

Antenna.....remember the antenna height will vary with station selection....lower frequency stations will change the antenna mast height. Don't confuse it with a sticky operation (not saying you are, just a hint that maybe overlooked). I owned my car for a year before realizing this.

scorpio74

Welcome to CL! Post pics of your ride. Coach1 is right about the height of the antenna. Use some antiseize to lubicate the mast.

WISLUGGO

Thanks, this may be a stupid question but the tires on the car now are Pirelli P6 All Seasons...are these run flat tires? And/or are these stock to the car?

I am afraid if these tires aren't run flats then I may have a bigger suspension issue.

Here is the car...it is deep blue (colbalt-ish) with saddle

scorpio74

Congrats! Very nice and clean looking car! Wow, this is the exact same color combo when I first started looking for my fisrt sc430 last year. I always loved the deep blue color. But I got the 07 SGM with lo miles and the deal I couldn't pass up.
I think the AM stations will raise your antenna height higher than the FM stations.
It looked like you have FM stations on.

Harold57

I don't believe that those are run flats. Pirelli does make a run flat with a different name, though sometimes they make both with the same name. Those are not stock to the car. I believe that the Bridgestone 040R are the OEM tires, at least they were for my year and I got the impression that other years did the same.

You might ask a tire guy whether they are run flats to be sure (I don't know if there are specific markings on run flats to indicate so or not). You also might check the inflation level. I've seen some cars where the mechanics (or some misguided soul) inflated the tires up way too high (40's or 50's). You only need around 31 to 33 psi in them.

I got the blue (indigo) with saddle also. I think that is the prettiest and deepest blue on a car I've ever seen. I had claimed that I wouldn't own a dark car since I live in Texas but couldn't pass this one up.

cjs18

Nice looking ride. Your situation (low mileage '02) is similar to mine. I purchased in April and have been busy learning about this car ever since. By the numbers your tires should have been replaced at least once depending upon how the car was driven. The former owner of my SC replaced the run-flats at 27,000 and said they were definitely due. He chose to replace with Bridgestone all-season conventional tires and ran "naked" so far as the spare is concerned. I am doing the same because I value the minimal trunk space I have.
Regarding your bushings, one of the best indicators of whether this service has been done is to check the online service history. Lexus dealers make entries when TSBs are done. On mine the bushings were specifically called out so I know they were replaced. The lexus.com website has an owners' feature that allows you to register your vehicle by VIN to view and maintain those maintenance records. On an older vehicle there will probably be a lot of information that will be very useful particularly if you don't have all the printed service documentation.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Wisluggo-congrats on the purchase and great color combination! Fairly rare too!

Looks like you just may have some dirt/lube issues with your antenna or a small bend in it (can't tell from pictures) that are preventing it to run smoothly. Antennas on just about all older luxury cars eventually go-it's just a matter of time and luck and frequency of use.

On my two SC's I think I "accidentally" put the antenna up twice in over six years of ownership! ipod or cd's in the old days for me.

P6's do not come in RF's so they are just v-rated tires. Hope you have a spare in the trunk...if not you may want to consider wheels/tires as your first upgrade to the car!!!

There are THOUSANDS of threads I'm sure on this topic-just do a search.

My take is if you need new tires and are planning on spending upwards of $1k for RFT's you SHOULD be looking at new wheels/tires for a little more and get roadside assistance or a compressor or small spare (or the pricey spare tire kit) for your piece of mind.

Or if you are like a bunch of us weekend cruisers you may just not care.

"Rough ride" could mean a lot of things. Many P6 drivers complained of the tires after a few thousand miles making loud noise. See this: http://www.allworldauto.com/comments...7-51700-1.html AND http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...763&vid=007208

Rough ride diagnosis can be expensive and lengthy...I would ALWAYS recommend starting off with the cheapest, simplest diagnoses to begin. Sometimes it might just be FREE air!! In your case, I would start with tire pressure, then rotation, then treadwear and alignment. After you eliminate tires, then it's times for control arm bushings and maybe even other issues. The tires can keep you busy for a while!!! I've been chasing wobbling steering wheel on several of my cars for months sometimes years...it's a constant battle especially with larger wheels and cars that don't get driven much.

Good luck and let us know how the two issues work out. I wouldn't worry about the antenna. BTW-how many miles are on the P6 tires? Most people in the reviews I read said they got 15-20k out of them. You should check treadwear too if I didn't mention.

WISLUGGO

Thanks for the feedback guys,

The car is now without runflats, and some Perelli P6s are on all around. I also tuned to an AM station and degreased and relubed the antenna and all seems to be working well...next up, some new wheels.