Fun car
 

I presently own a LS 600 hl (I'm keeping) I found a great deal on a 2002 SC 430 just wanting to know what are the bad and good things about this car.Thank you

Check out the stickies at the top of the SC430 forum and there is a thread discussing the things to look for in a SC430. Good luck and let us know what you find.

You must be a social person because people will come up to you all the time and say, "hey, nice car!" They are usually amazed to learn that it is a decade old.

Thanks Harold57 I will let you all know if I buy it for the wife

Our '02 SC430 is our weekend vehicle. It's a fun car, always have people coming up to us and asking about it or taking a picture. You would think you were a celebrity the attention this car gets. The dealer even asks if I want to trade I tell them it's not for sale.

Of course the good is it's incredibly reliable (both our daily drivers are Lexus vehicles), the bad not much. I think we've replaced a couple hoses since we've had it but that's to be expected for a 15 yr old vehicle. This is our toy and we were looking for something with "character", this car definitely has it. We purchased ours for $12k a few months ago and in few years if we wish to move up in SC (hopefully an '06 or newer) we could still probably get that much for it.

I was in the same condition until recently -- driving both an LS600hL and an SC430... I recently traded in my 2008 LS600hL on a new Genesis G90 (too scared of the inevitable battery failure, and wanted the latest and greatest safety features), but I plan to keep my 2006 SC430 pretty much forever. In my opinion (and you'll hear a lot of this on this forum), there is no car on the road today that can match the unique looks, quality, and reliability of the SC430. In 2002, the SC430s were basically hand-assembled by the finest auto craftsmen in Japan, and their attention to details was phenomenal. These cars have rock-solid reliability for 300K+ miles, with very few reported problems. The market is fairly stable for these cars, so if you can find a nice one, you can drive it for a few years and recoup most of your original investment, as long as you take good care of it.

I say go for it! Good luck. Please keep us posted on your SC430 journey...

Update on Car.I waited to long someone bought it yesterday. From what I'm reading I should look for a 06 model instead of a 02

If you are smitten by the SC430 (as most of us here clearly are), I do recommend you invest in a 2006+ model with the best history/lowest mileage you can afford. I paid $26K for my 2006 SC430 a year ago. It came from an estate sale from a prominent attorney in Oklahoma City. The car was (and still is) flawless. It had 17K miles when I bought it, and has just over 20K miles now. It still smells like new! The price of these mint-condition, low mileage SC430s actually seems to be rising a bit this year, so it would be a fairly good investment as far as cars go. If you have any specific questions on what to look for, you've come to the right forum. The folks here are extremely helpful, and know this car inside and out. Feel free to shoot us any questions you have as you continue your search.

thank you I think I will look at a 2006 and above . would like to have a pebble beach addition LOL

Just purchased an 06 black with saddle interior here at an MB dealership in Florida. Been shopping around for sc430 weekend vehicle for awhile but I finally found the right vehicle in the best condition for the year at the right price. Have it now for about 2 weeks and the only complaint I have now which I didn't notice whilst the initial test drive is the handling. It takes bumps rather rough and at high speed its a bit unpredictable depending on the road condition. Other than that cruising at low speeds driving down the beach is great. Also, parts are hard to find as well. Have a bad switch on the map light which I thought would be an easy find. Nope! But nonetheless, I'm very happy. The engine and tranny are bullet proof and the top seems very mechanically sound. Overall satisfied. Good luck!

JB

Welcome to Club Lexus and congratulations on the 2006 SC430!

be sure to read some of the threads at the top of this section...good info up there. Also, post some pics along with mileage and price paid if you care to share.

if the car has run flats, get rid of them.
second, if the shocks are original, you probably need to replace them.

these two items alone usually fix ride and handling issues.

Jack, there is a thread on repairing the dome light switch (you'll have to do a search to find it). You're correct in stating that finding a replacement is no easy task. They don't sell the switch, just the full assembly, electronics, housing and all. Sometimes you can find a used one that you could buy and make sure that it is in good shape prior to installing it.

Oh and welcome to the forum.

Just for my FYI, why did you choose LS600hL over LS460?
What did you enjoy most of it?
I ask this as most 600hL owners I know are in entertainment business, real estate, doctors, and lawyers. They all have similar answer.

Saw your last post Harold in another thread. What do you mean "cycle"? How's that switch holding up 4 years later? My switch is dead. Or at least I think its the switch which i'm sure it is. Also the garage door transceiver is not functioning properly as well. I've been trying to find a replacement but no luck. Not a big priority but I'll get around to it whenever I find the part.

thx for your help.

JB

ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-03-04-05-....c100005.m1851