Well, the LS isn't as small and sporty at the SC, or as efficient as the ES at gas and economy in general so I say ES and SC for this poll, but even the first gen GS guy's can take a whack at this thread.

The 92 ES is currently at about $3k and the 92 SC is currently at about $5k with the first gen GS about the same. The prices are getting so cheap it seems like everything is changing for our Lexus and their exclusiveness. We are continually seeing changes in the owner base moving to a younger crowd (which isn't always bad), or a crowd that normally wouldn't own a Lexus (draw your own conclusions).

Here's the question.......... Do you feel this is impacing us as Lexus owners negatively? Do you feel these persons are representing Lexus negatively by their actions or words in the way they present themselves? Even here in the forums, I see the cross of changes.

I must say......... I do. Discuss.

its a fact of life. Mass produced cars get old and get cheap. Yes, it's bad because you'll see a lot more junk put on a nice car.

BUT, it's also good.. because now people can afford to MOD them nicely! Have you also noticed that there are a lot more SC owners lately with very NICE wheels on thri cars?

It goes both ways...

ES's are pretty much junk imo... they are just a glorified Camery. ES's have sold for 1-3k for several years now... :thumbdn:

I agree on the mod money. Now, if we can only agree on what mods :cool:

Has the price dropped too much? That's a tough question, especially when the idea of owning more than one SC pops into your mind ;)

Honestly, I don't know if it's changed the demographic of the SC owners age, or if it's a function of the sleeper potential coming out of the closet... the 2JZ-GE is no slouch

I've noticed over at SF, MKIV Supras which were typically more of an exclusive car with older owners now are being purchased by younger individuals... this is in part due to a slight decline in the value of the car and also parents who are willing to shell out 20k+ for a car for their kid.

I think a bit of the american affluence is coming through on both fronts -- SC, ES & Supra owners. These cars appeal to younger owners because of the name, the potential, and the quality they deliver.

I think as older & more mature members of CL we need to constantly be on the lookout for things that hurt the lexus image, such as tasteless mods (lightning bug wiper nozzles) and educate our members.

I've somewhat come to terms with the fact that as I get older, everyone younger seems to get even younger ("that kid can't be old enough to drive!")

It's the education that will make the differance, IMHO.

JT

I agree on the mod money. Now, if we can only agree on what mods :cool:
LED replacements for everything that shines within the car. easy as that, right? ;)

as far as the topic at hand... i don't see this as a bad thing at all. if more people are buying lexi, then it's more of a chance more people will continue on with the brand down the road, keeping them in the family. now if lexus would offer more in the way of a manual transmission these days, they'd have more of a shot at keeping my own business in the future. however, for younger buyers looking for a good car, i really can't blame them for wanting an older used lexus over a used civic. as we discussed a bit ago, people do tend to see a lexus in a different light than honda.

Yes i've noticed this.. and its unfortunate.

LED replacements for everything that shines within the car. easy as that, right? ;)

as far as the topic at hand... i don't see this as a bad thing at all. if more people are buying lexi, then it's more of a chance more people will continue on with the brand down the road, keeping them in the family. now if lexus would offer more in the way of a manual transmission these days, they'd have more of a shot at keeping my own business in the future. however, for younger buyers looking for a good car, i really can't blame them for wanting an older used lexus over a used civic. as we discussed a bit ago, people do tend to see a lexus in a different light than honda.

I think you can go "too far" with led's (yes, i said that :yikes: ). Sticking them everywhere light is in the car depends on how you do it. I wouldn't do my entire interior in .... say .......blue. The white is a nice touch because it is just a better version of stock IMO. Blue needles are pretty though :D.

Yes I agree the "hand me downs" and overly giving parents contribute to the younger Lexus owners, but overall I suppose my gripe is the lack of knowledge, respect, and overall attitude of some of the newer owners. They don't HAVE to be young, we have plenty of younger persons on CL that are well educated and spoken. However, as it is said... one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch when it comes to perspective, so I suppose persons are to be weary of the more dominant traits that appear in the younger crowd as opposed to the select one's that are great guy's to both be around and to speak with here and elsewhere.

however, for younger buyers looking for a good car, i really can't blame them for wanting an older used lexus over a used civic. as we discussed a bit ago, people do tend to see a lexus in a different light than honda.


YES.. i totally agree with this... i'm just a poor college student and in need of a good car. with the small amount i have in hand. 97 ford contour, 96 Civic or a 93 ES300... :rolleyes: what a no brianer.. the es300 has a timeless look to it..

hahah yeah, these cars are getting really cheap. in fact i am looking at some 92 es300 just as a beater around town ;)

hahah yeah, these cars are getting really cheap. in fact i am looking at some 92 es300 just as a beater around town ;)
an ES300 AND a new mini van? someone is really planning to add to their fleet. ;)

an ES300 AND a new mini van? someone is really planning to add to their fleet. ;)
haha the minivan "project" is scrapped for now. but don't worry, it is STILL in mind ;)

that's why we wanna replace the minivan project with a super beater for now ;)

Ya the average buyer is younger, I bought my first SC at 19 and my current SC at 20. I also have friends in the same age group with new lexuses (lexi). Maybe we should have a poll. What price range did you buy your lexus for?

my lexus was the first car i ever bought i spent a chunk of change on the car(a little more than a fully loaded camry) but you know what? Yesterday i took a friend the the dodge dealership because he was buying the SRT4 and i like my car and its styling is classier than all the cars on that lot. I was parked next to a brand new car and my 9yr old es's pant job still looked better.

Yeah ive recommended the es and IS to friends buying cars. but for the mod market(ricer if you wanna call it that) its soooo much easier and cheaper to mod a civic than any lexus no matter the age. I guess im lucky in Colorado Ive seen some trashed camry's but not to many lexus that are destroyed from bad modding or weather.

The younger crowd will go for the cheap car when the budget is the concern.....i just dont see to many ricers buying lexus.

so all in all. Yeah younger people will by a lexus because they are in the 5-15k range for a good condition one. But i still think the price and the myth of how expensive a used lexus is that really weeds out many kids buying them these days.

Ya the average buyer is younger, I bought my first SC at 19 and my current SC at 20. I also have friends in the same age group with new lexuses (lexi). Maybe we should have a poll. What price range did you buy your lexus for?

actually you see the same for the 2gs as well. right now people can spend low to mid 10k and they can get a decent high mileage gs3 or gs4 already, so to me i definitely see the avg age of gs owner dropping. i think that's always teh case for everything :)

I'm seeing so many SCs on 22" spinners and ugly, ghetto-fab single stage baby blue or green paint jobs on them from Earl Scheib. And they look worse than a VW riding on stock suspension...

Yes i've noticed this.. and its unfortunate.

Its not unfortunate, look at it this way now we can conceive in making SCs track cars and if anything happens replacement price will be that much more bearable.

IM not into this whole prestige thing so I dont think of it as a bad thing.

I'm seeing so many SCs on 22" spinners and ugly, ghetto-fab single stage baby blue or green paint jobs on them from Earl Scheib. And they look worse than a VW riding on stock suspension...

well just be fair i see a fair share of ls400 and gs (either 1st of 2nd gen) with those :)

The other day at a restaurant we parked next to a '92 ES that clearly had been bought second-hand. It was the spitting image of our old ES, but the color.

The car was in average/poor condition...spots in the paint on the roof, and tears in the leather seats. But it remains, proudly, a Lexus!

Well, the LS isn't as small and sporty at the SC, or as efficient as the ES at gas and economy in general so I say ES and SC for this poll, but even the first gen GS guy's can take a whack at this thread.

The 92 ES is currently at about $3k and the 92 SC is currently at about $5k with the first gen GS about the same. The prices are getting so cheap it seems like everything is changing for our Lexus and their exclusiveness. We are continually seeing changes in the owner base moving to a younger crowd (which isn't always bad), or a crowd that normally wouldn't own a Lexus (draw your own conclusions).

Here's the question.......... Do you feel this is impacing us as Lexus owners negatively? Do you feel these persons are representing Lexus negatively by their actions or words in the way they present themselves? Even here in the forums, I see the cross of changes.

I must say......... I do. Discuss.

That is why us O.Gs gotta inform the newbs what is right and how to do things and LAYETH THE SMACKETH DOWN on those that want to ruin the way so many have worked hard for.

GREAT topic.

Our jobs are simple. Give peopel CLublexus cards. Mod OUR cars correctly and keep them running like a Lexus shoud. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. People will still do what they want but A LOT of people still don't know much about LExus let alone modding them.

One by one, we must preach and teach and spead the Lexus gospel. We must forgive those that do things they're way and accept them as well. I've seen BMWs with Altezzas, Benzs with weak rims, you name it. Its not just Lexus.

I've seen BMWs with Altezzas

Yeah, but you run the same board I do and you know what we do to them :D

Yeah, but you run the same board I do and you know what we do to them :D
:D :D :D :D :D :D

It's a fact of life. It has it's good sides, and it's bad sides.

Good side: I was able to buy, restore and build an SC to 400hp for less than a new base 350z ($27k).

Bad side: The financially optimistic will buy the car with every last cent they have and file chapter 11 when they need an oil change.

Yes, the demographic is changing. 10 years ago SC owners were VERY different from now. Now these same people are naturally in other newer cars. And people like me are in the SC.

I'm reminded of this every now and then by talking with former SC owners that now have Benzes and Bimmers. More than a handful of times have I heard the "WOW, I remember this car, I bought it brand new in 1992 and it was the best car I have ever owned. I miss it so much."

Shouldn't have sold it, Doctor! ;) Now it's my turn to me to enjoy it on my terms. :D Thanks for keeping it so nice thru the depreciation so I could scoop it up mint for $5k. :p

This is really going to hurt me. I'm trying to sell my SC400 and everytime I look in the local papers I see SC's and LSs going for less and less. Now, my car is just a daily beater and not in tip top condition, so I'll either have to sell it dirt cheap (Lucky if I can get $6000), or I'll have to invetst money into a car I want to sell anyway.

As other people have said, its a fact of life. The advantage of Lexus being such a new company is that all of us have gotten to enjoy the golden age. Especially back in the 90's... there were no 12-13 year old models people could buy for 5,000. We had our exclusivity because of that. Now I see all sorts of people who'r the "non-stereotypical" buyer driving older 90-96 models.

Unforutanately i've seen a couple of recently acquired (i mean within the last couple of years) early ES's on that are so gaudy and painful to look at that I almost wish I had explosive diarrhea instead. But that just means we're coming to the same point the MB and BMW owners have been at for a while.

^^^ This is true.

I have only seen the poorly modded and riced Lexuses online. Around here there are pleanty of 16-19 year olds that take great care of their cars. I mean in the short amount of time I've had mine, I have been working on many projects like a 1jz swap and car PC... some may consider it rice to mod a lexus in that way, but most of us here do not as it is adding power and function to a great car while keeping it basically stock. I'm only 18, but I see it as an entry level car to get into the Lexus family. Now that all of my cars are paid off and I don't really want to use my SC as my daily driver, I will be purchasing a 99+ ES300 or a GS300. The quality I've experienced in my old SC is enough to convince me to buy Lexus for a LONG time. We all have to start somewhere :)

Well, I don't really see a problem with it. For the modded club, I also think they would much rather buy a Civic to mod than a Lex because it is cheaper.

As for the Lex cars with 22' spinners, its just me but I don't really see anything wrong. Then again, I grew up in the 'hood ;) I think it looks better than one with a big cheap unpainted body kit or candy paint.

u gotta realize that a '92 is a 13 year old car... a 13 year old car deserves to be cheap, no matter what kind of car it is.

This is now the time when people can actually buy the car and do some impressive things to them. Like it was said before, the engine has much potential. The other problem is that after some people buy the car for $5k, they realize that it isn't that cheap to maintain and they let the car go to waste.

In time, the guys with 22" rims and gaudy mods will fall by the wayside. Their suspensions will go, alternators, PS and unable to afford the repair, soon they'll get rid of the car. Then you'll be left with people passionate about their cars, exactly what BMW and MB went through.

As other people have said, its a fact of life. The advantage of Lexus being such a new company is that all of us have gotten to enjoy the golden age. Especially back in the 90's... there were no 12-13 year old models people could buy for 5,000. We had our exclusivity because of that. Now I see all sorts of people who'r the "non-stereotypical" buyer driving older 90-96 models.

Unforutanately i've seen a couple of recently acquired (i mean within the last couple of years) early ES's on that are so gaudy and painful to look at that I almost wish I had explosive diarrhea instead. But that just means we're coming to the same point the MB and BMW owners have been at for a while.

Very well said.

This very topic is the reason I am now driving my SC400 as a daily driver and loving it. I would always be so disappointed if I left my 3000GT in the garage and took the Civic. I would run into a situation that would warrant the need for a better car...in other words a race or hot chick:rolleyes: Then I started looking at the prices and why drive 1 of 10 trillion Civics when I could have a timeless car like the SC with the prestige of the Lexus name for the same money :egads: Now, I catch myself driving the Lexus on pretty days just as much as my VR-4. I hate to see the older category go downhill, but at the same time is the very reason I now have a beautiful SC. I have had so many people mistake it for a 2000+ model because of its condition, but also because of the beatiful and timeless design. I would never have considered this car if it were $9,000+ so for the market price going down....I am grateful. Of course, now that I am an owner.....THIS SUCKS!!!!