I have a 96 ES300 that I will keep in the family forever (give to wife who also loves it). I like the refinement and reliability but long for 100 more HP.

Been looking at the SC400 and would like to hear how it compares to the ES in terms of ride, comfort, ease of entry/exit (this is important), accelleration and quietness. I'm 60 years old and don't want anything too high strung, but also don't want to get dusted off by a Maxima either. Anyone ever own/drive both the ES and SC long enough to know? I don't care about back seat room, but I am 6'/230 so it must be big enough up front.

How many "generations" of SC400 are there? What years did they change? What are advantages? Any to avoid? Sure would appreciate any information. What could I expect say for $15,000? Thanks.

 

pm the moderator 1sicklex who is also the Es forum moderator. he has had all of them.

 

go to http://www.intellexual.net/ and you should find all the answers to your questions.

Tommy

 

lexiss_sc400: The gentleman's 60. I am sure it's probably more helpful if we can just stick in some info he wanted to find out.

Back to answering the questions. I have driven various Lexus cars (RX300/ES300/SC400, etc.) so I am sure my comparison is somewhat valid. The SC, while quite comfortable compare to other sports cars, is a tad less comfortable than the ES300. The muffler is also a tad louder (like all the other domestic V8s from Cadillac and Lincoln) and you won't have as much headroom as the ES. However, in a SC400 you'll have plenty of leg room up front. And as long as you're not too much over 6ft., you should be okay driving a SC400. By the way, Lexus' done a fantastic job in keeping its interior quiet. So it means that even at full throttle, your ears won't be irritated at all.

The easy of entry/exit is not so bad. The seating position is slightly lower than the ones on the ES300. But it's by no mean as low as Camaros and Corvettes. The doors will swing wide enough for most drivers. However, given the fact that it's a two door, you might have to watch out when you park in a tight space because you won't have room to fully extend the door.

Performance wise, I am pretty sure a stock SC400 is more than adequate for your needs. You won't be able to beat Vipers, Corvettes and some V8s Mustangs but that doesn't mean that the SC4 is slow. Punch the throttle from stand still and you'll see 60mph coming up in less than 7 seconds. That's enough to outrun many domestic V8 equipped sedans and keep the same pace with the quickest stock Maximas.

Before the SC430 convertible came up in 2001, there was only 1 generation of SC sold here in the States. They're mainly differentiated by engine size only; SC300 and SC400. The SC400, of course, is the V8 version of the two. The SC400s sold from 1991-1995 had the 4 liter V8 that produced 250hp/260lbs of torque. 96-97' version had the same engine but the power was bumped up to 260hp. VVTi came in 98' and it helped further bumped the power to 290hp.

Styling wise, the SCs pretty much looked all the same. The taillights and front bumper was slightly revised in the 95' model year to freshen up the look. In 1997, Lexus made the front bumper and rear bumper a bit "sportier" looking by extending the bottom of the bumpers to cover up more area. Sideskirts were also added in 1997.

In 1998, the plain looking shifter/shift gate was switched to the wood version with gated shift mechanism (similar to the ones found in Mercedes). Lexus upgrade the steering wheel from the traditional four spoke version to the sportier 3 spoke version in 1999 and the car was virtually unchanged until the end of its production in model year 2000.

For $15,000, you should be able to get a maintly maintained 1996 or 1997 model. You might be able to get a 98' but it would probably have some flaws.

There's really no advantages or disadvantages any particular model year SC400s throughout the years. Maintenance is mainly what differentiates a well driven SC400 from a bad one. I would check the Power Steering pump, timing belt (should be replaced every 90k miles or so), transmission, and suspension bushings to see if they've been replaced. Other than that, check the instrument cluster and see if the needles' lighting is burned out. With proper maintenance, these cars will last forever. My SC400 has more than 170k miles and it still runs smoother than my BMW, which has only 54k miles.

With that said, best of luck and hopefully, you'll find a SC400 that suits your needs.

Jon

 

Here is the performance stats for 99-00 SC400 from Lexus.com:

- 0-60 mph acceleration 6.3 seconds[1]
- 1/4-mile acceleration 14.7 seconds[1]
- Top track speed 149 mph[1]
- Fuel consumption 18/25 mpg city/highway[3]
- Aerodynamic drag coefficient 0.32 (0.31 with optional rear spoiler)

If you get a pre-98 SC400 then you will get dusted by the 02 and newer Maxima with manual transmission, Acura TL Type-S auto or manual.......

I searched in autotrader for 98 and newer SC400 for all distance and didn't find one for less than $15,000.

Here is a link to Lexus Model library:
http://www.lexus.com/cpo/model_library.html

 

Sorry Jon I was just trying to help out, but thank you for spending ur own time on it and explaining it for us.

 

No problem!

I've actually learned all my knowledge from people like yourself, Lexus enthusiasts.

Cheers.

Jon

 

ES300 rides more comfortable. SC400 more fun to drive.

Verdict: 98-00 SC400 VVT-i 290 hp 300TQ..You can murder even the new maximas

 

I have both, a1995 ES300 and a 1995 SC400. The SC is much quieter on rough roads but is only good for 2 people. The trunk is much smaller in the SC so you must be more selective in what you pack for a trip. 2 sets of golf clubs and luggage for 2 people can be tricky. The SC is faster but the ES isn't bad either.

I keep very detailed records for gas mileage and repairs and the SC has averaged 23.46 MPG for the last 11,280 miles. The ES has averaged 25.61 MPG for 25,694 miles. The main difference in gas is that the SC requires premium and the ES uses regular.

I do all of my own maintanence work so I don't know about the cost of labor but the parts for the SC are usually more pricey than for the ES since many of the ES parts are the same as Toyota parts.

Overall if I had to choose one of the two cars as my only vehicle, I would choose the SC as long as there are usually no more than two people.

 

I am 100% confident that if you get a 98+ SC400 you will be completely satisfied, from looks, to luxury, to performance you will love it. Also it will last forever with the right maintenance, and a little work here and there.


Tommy

 

I'll add my 2 cents because I also have both a 99 es300 and 95 sc300. You asked about sc400 but they are visually and physically the same except for horsepower, especially after the 97 model. I'm 6-2, 270 pounds. I have no problem geting in and out of the sc. It is lower than the es but not as low as the most sporty cars. As far as leg room, the sc has more, especially if you adjust the sear for maximum room by tilting the front up. The sc has a better suspension and the comfort is almost equal. I have performance tires on both cars, the sc's are ultra high performance. This means the ride should be much rougher than the es but it is only marginally less comfortable. I believe the es has 217 horses and the sc has 225. It's set up differntly though because the sc is faster. The es is right there though, especially since it takes me longer to reach high speeds with the 19's on the sc. as far as what you can get for 15,000. Here in south florida, that will get a car between 94 with 40,000 miles on it up to a 97 with 80,000 miles on it.

 

Well, it seems your questions have already been answered, but I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. I have a '96 ES300 and a '92 SC400. Unfortunatly my SC doesn't run right now, but I bought it that way to fix up. A friend of mine had a SC (actually the one I now own!) that I drove many times and loved it. The ES is a great car and I agree with you about keeping it in the family (I just gave mine to my mom), but the SC is MUCH more fun to drive. I don't think you will be disappointed if you get a well maintained SC400. If you can afford it I would definatly go with at least a '98 though. I think the upgraded shifter in the '98 makes it look much classier and the HP increase in always a plus! Once I get my '92 running I am considering selling it and getting a '98. Good luck in whatever you choose to go with and welcome to Club Lexus!

 

my 97 Maxima 5spd rips the SC400 a new one off the line it evens up on the freeway though, the SC is QUICK on the freeway

entry exit- the doors are HEAVY, if you're on an incline, sometimes the door wants to close back on you and it get a tad bit difficult

SC400 is an amazing car, i love mine, even if it does get dusted by my maxima

 

MY 2 pennies worth.
IF I was 60 years old. What would I be driving? something with a little power, a little torque, classy, fun to drive, just me and the old lady out for dinner on weekends. And I got 15g to play with. HMMMMM

I got it ! a 97+ white or black SC400!

You cant go wrong with a Lexus SC400, to look fresher and newer, I would find a 97 and newer.

 

My aunt has a '96 ES300 and I've driven it a couple times. Performance-wise, the ES300 seems to have all it's juice off the line and the power thins out the faster you go. With my '95 SC400, it seems to be the opposite; the power builds up the faster you go. I have much more confidence in traffic with my SC400 because of it's passing power on the roll. Also the ES is a front-wheel drive platform and that totally affects the driving experience (IMO). There's nothing like getting thrown back in a RWD car. I realize you're probably not a big drift racer at 60 yrs old, but the SC can handle like a champ in the twisties too! Oh yeah, and I have no problem pushing around three passengers. Hell I've fit seven heads in my car before! I wasn't pretty though...