SC430 - 2nd Gen (2001-2010)

SC430 A claim to fame

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Old 03-01-11, 06:20 PM
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KaiserSea1
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Default SC430 A claim to fame

The very last production car to offer a cassette deck SC430

Submitted by Bryan Usrey on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 15:48
It seems the cassette deck, or tape deck as they are sometimes referred too, is a thing of past, as the last car to feature one rolled off the line.



A once classic part of every vehicle, the tape deck, is on its last legs. According to the New York Times, the last new car to be equipped with a cassette player was a 2010 Lexus and now, for the 2011 model year, the cassette deck is dead.
“Lexus was the last holdout,” said Phil Magney, vice president for automotive research for the IHS iSuppli Corporation, a firm that does technology industry analysis. “We actually stopped tracking cassette players in cars some time ago. Now the question the automakers are asking is, how long has the CD got to go?”
It’s honestly hard to believe that the tape deck has been around as long as it has, as even the CD has been trampled on by the iPod and now, Internet radio applications, such as Pandora, are taking the glory away from Apple. Three generations of musical equipment have come to take all the glory and the tape deck has withstood them all, until now.
For more than two decades, the cassette deck was king. It offered up quality sound that was a massive improvement over the eight-track tape and it just so happened to work perfectly in cars.
Then came the compact disc, a thin circular object that was able to give out quality sound, the ability to skip certain songs and longevity that the cassette could only dream of. This media form became standard equipment in most vehicles.
Many analysts believe that CD will eventually go the way of the cassette and it probably will down the road, but for now, the CD lives on in each and every vehicle produced, unless of course its bargain basement, then only a radio is offered.
Don’t worry though, as aftermarket cassette decks are still on the market and buying one and having it installed shouldn’t cost that much. One can even install the deck themselves if they feel up to it. Want to listen to some Led Zeppelin on an old cassette deck but don’t own a car that complies, head over to Best Buy and numerous other automotive audio websites to find the right system for you.
So, if cassettes are still in your heart and you’re in the market for a new car, the 2010 Lexus SC430 is the only choice, although it’s not recommended that you buy one.
[New York Times, antonfortunato]
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Old 03-01-11, 07:10 PM
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Bon
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Only one problem. There's no cassette in the US 2010 model. 2009 was the last year.

Old 03-03-11, 04:16 AM
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azkaty
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Correct.. I wish they did have it.
Katy
Old 03-03-11, 08:01 AM
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westxype
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^ Why would you want a cassete player?
Old 03-03-11, 08:10 AM
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Sapherynth
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To listen to my Agatha Christie books on tape, silly!
Old 03-03-11, 08:12 AM
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offroad200
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They haven't made cassettes in 10 years. And they degrade over time. So when you put an old cassette in a new player, I would assume you're bound to have problems. We've had to replace a couple under warranty for that reason. The tapes would get stuck in the player.
Old 03-03-11, 08:15 AM
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Sapherynth
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Actually for the non-modded ML audio system, the cassette deck works nicely with an audio in cassette tape for playing Pandora or MP3s.
Old 03-03-11, 09:54 AM
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robertrios
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^tape adapters are horrible! SLU all the way...I wonder if I can retro the new nav/and audio controls into my 04...There is no more Nav drive in the trunk with the Gen 5 nav right?
Old 03-03-11, 11:06 AM
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Sapherynth
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Originally Posted by robertrios
^tape adapters are horrible! SLU all the way...I wonder if I can retro the new nav/and audio controls into my 04...There is no more Nav drive in the trunk with the Gen 5 nav right?
Meh. I am not an audiophile and have no interest in digging into my dash electronics, so the adapter works just fine IMHO. I would rather spend my $$$ on Luxlink and a backup camera .
Old 03-03-11, 01:57 PM
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SteadyEddy
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Sapheryth, what kind of back-up camera are you looking into? And what were you thinking of spending? Thanks
Old 03-03-11, 02:37 PM
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Sapherynth
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This one is first on the list along with NAVTOOL (will override the signal to the nav screen when the car is in reverse). About $300-350 and I am going to attempt to install myself. Just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit (don't tell me how nice it is in FL right now ;-D).

http://cgi.ebay.com/CCD-LICENSE-PLAT...item3c9fd7bc18

And NavTool : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus...fAudioQ5fVideo
Old 03-03-11, 03:11 PM
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Bon
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This is the model that I just installed on two of my vehicles (along with Navtool) and it's going onto a third as well. It's a Boyo VTL375. The built in illuminators areen't needed as your backup lights are more than bright enough to do the job very well. The image is reversible, the frame is metal and the field of view is HUGE! The camera barrel rolls up and down to adjust he picture and is locked in place with set screws.
Old 03-03-11, 03:20 PM
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Sapherynth
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Originally Posted by Bon
This is the model that I just installed on two of my vehicles (along with Navtool) and it's going onto a third as well. It's a Boyo VTL375. The built in illuminators areen't needed as your backup lights are more than bright enough to do the job very well. The image is reversible, the frame is metal and the field of view is HUGE! The camera barrel rolls up and down to adjust he picture and is locked in place with set screws.
Bon - How much did you spend on the camera? I have a plate frame I really like but I could be convinced to move it to the front since you give this one a really good review.
Old 03-03-11, 03:33 PM
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Sapheryth, OK I won't mention the weather. So I have to get a camera, $300. to $350. for the camera. And I also need a navtool? How much are they and were do you get them? Also where do you purchase a camera? Where do I start to look?
It was 81 and a little windy, but beautiful out! I lied!!!!!!! LOL Sorry!! Yeah right!
Old 03-03-11, 06:02 PM
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Bon
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I paid $137 delivered. You can find them on eBay auction such as #330505677912. They're also available in Chrome plate.


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