Should I sell or should I keep a 92 SC 300 5 Speed
10-15-15, 10:16 AM
#1
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Should I sell or should I keep a 92 SC 300 5 Speed
Can't decide whether I should sell or keep and perk up performance on my green 1992 SC 300 with 107000 actual miles, straight, no wrecks, great body and paint, 2nd owner, 5 Speed manual, ,car is basically stock, plugs, wires, rotor and distributor cap just replaced, no leaks car runs great but I would like a little more performance. Looking for modest performance upgrades,(50 to 80 hp) any suggestions or recomendations and approximate costs ( I can't do the work myself but I have a good and reasonable mechanic).... Car is not a daily driver, I bought it because I wanted one when they were new and couldn't afford it.... I'm just not sure If it is smart to put a lot of money in a car that won't increase in value after the mods or sell it and get something that performs a little better...
Appreciate your thoughts..
Appreciate your thoughts..
10-15-15, 12:55 PM
#3
you really wont know the value of these cars right now but in another 10 years I can see a jump in value if its a nice manual sc, like ^ said, dont do it and think you will get your money back, the best ive seen is a 50 to 60% money return in any car. even supra dont sell for the asking price
10-15-15, 01:45 PM
#5
Just like I've got a Firebird that's one of 751 made, and only 377 in my color (not sure of the overlap between the two.) It may need a engine and trans rebuild, among lots of other work, but the body is good and I'm not getting rid of it.
10-15-15, 03:04 PM
#6
I'd keep it if it was me? Remember this was a car you always wanted and couldn't afford it at the time. Sounds like you're in need of Inspiration? 
check out some of the members in the SC 300/400 build threads. You can see some formerly left for dead come back to life. GL and keep us posted.
check out some of the members in the SC 300/400 build threads. You can see some formerly left for dead come back to life. GL and keep us posted.
10-15-15, 06:38 PM
#7
Might as well keep it
I have bought 2 in the last 3 months, both manuals, one a 92 and the other a 93. I paid $1,800 for the first one and $1,000 for the second one so they are just not worth much if they are not tricked or modded in some way. Great cars, fun to drive even when they are old and worn like both of mine are. I combined interiors and made one pretty nice on the inside, needs a paint job but pretty solid and straight. The other one has a future as a gutted track car which I am really looking forward to completing. Anyway, my advice, keep it and drive the wheels off of it.
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10-15-15, 08:37 PM
#8
I have bought 2 in the last 3 months, both manuals, one a 92 and the other a 93. I paid $1,800 for the first one and $1,000 for the second one so they are just not worth much if they are not tricked or modded in some way. Great cars, fun to drive even when they are old and worn like both of mine are. I combined interiors and made one pretty nice on the inside, needs a paint job but pretty solid and straight. The other one has a future as a gutted track car which I am really looking forward to completing. Anyway, my advice, keep it and drive the wheels off of it.
10-15-15, 09:13 PM
#9
Welcome to the forum, OP!
I think you should keep it. It's a low miles car, rare original 5-speed, good paint and in good mechanical shape with no accident history. Those are several plusses already.
The biggest one, however, is that you wanted one of these when they were brand new but couldn't afford to get into one until now. Currently they aren't worth a lot and may never appreciate in value much as time goes on but you never know with classic cars. And I do think there is a difference in values between stock SC's and modified ones, depending on what's been done.
As to your concerns for more performance, you can still make the chassis more fun with the stock NA engine but if 50-80 more horsepower is your goal, I'd look into a stock 1JZ-GTE or stock 2JZGTE swap or an NA-T build with an early Soarer R154 5-speed or converted MKIII R154. And LS400 front brakes and an LSD. Then call it a day. Any one of those in "stock"/basic form will be plenty of car to enjoy.
Upfront it's going to be a bit of cash either way but there isn't much of a worthwhile NA alternative. Swapping to a 4.27 final drive will be the biggest difference you can make with the driveline while you're NA, with some modest tradeoff in highway rpm.
Take a look at Ali SC3's TT ECU mod thread if you think you'd like to go the NA-T route. Your engine block is built for it (once you change the head gasket) and it's by far the least costly reliable engine management solution for boost using your existing non-turbo engine.
Whatever you choose to do, let it be because you like this car and want to continue enjoying it. The one you have sounds like a very good example. There are other cars out there with the capabilities you want but you can very easily add those capabilities to your SC and still have a completely reliable weekend car. They were designed for much more than was delivered from Lexus USA with many factory higher performance parts being an almost 100% bolt on affair.
I think you should keep it. It's a low miles car, rare original 5-speed, good paint and in good mechanical shape with no accident history. Those are several plusses already.
The biggest one, however, is that you wanted one of these when they were brand new but couldn't afford to get into one until now. Currently they aren't worth a lot and may never appreciate in value much as time goes on but you never know with classic cars. And I do think there is a difference in values between stock SC's and modified ones, depending on what's been done.
As to your concerns for more performance, you can still make the chassis more fun with the stock NA engine but if 50-80 more horsepower is your goal, I'd look into a stock 1JZ-GTE or stock 2JZGTE swap or an NA-T build with an early Soarer R154 5-speed or converted MKIII R154. And LS400 front brakes and an LSD. Then call it a day. Any one of those in "stock"/basic form will be plenty of car to enjoy.
Upfront it's going to be a bit of cash either way but there isn't much of a worthwhile NA alternative. Swapping to a 4.27 final drive will be the biggest difference you can make with the driveline while you're NA, with some modest tradeoff in highway rpm.
Take a look at Ali SC3's TT ECU mod thread if you think you'd like to go the NA-T route. Your engine block is built for it (once you change the head gasket) and it's by far the least costly reliable engine management solution for boost using your existing non-turbo engine.
Whatever you choose to do, let it be because you like this car and want to continue enjoying it. The one you have sounds like a very good example. There are other cars out there with the capabilities you want but you can very easily add those capabilities to your SC and still have a completely reliable weekend car. They were designed for much more than was delivered from Lexus USA with many factory higher performance parts being an almost 100% bolt on affair.
Last edited by KahnBB6; 10-15-15 at 09:18 PM.
10-17-15, 09:39 AM
#10
Our cars are the ones that are cheap if they need repairs and absurd if immaculate .
I'd keep it. Do all the maintenance on it asap and when you boost remember aggressive driving does speed up the need for more repairs.
I'd keep it. Do all the maintenance on it asap and when you boost remember aggressive driving does speed up the need for more repairs.
10-18-15, 05:42 AM
#11
A nicely boosted Sc is such a blast that it has changed my life. All I want to do is drive my car. My friends call me daily for a shot of adrenaline if I'm off work.
I can't wait until my hangover subsides so I can go blast around Manhattan some more!!
It's a whole, new, different, incredibly fun machine now...
I can now toy with Supercars when I see them. I smoked a Maserati yesterday then chatted with him proudly later at a light..... Hung with a GTR and got to talk to him as well.
Sc300 NA/T TT ECU Mod R154 Torsen DONE!
The sweet, hellish, industrial, racket this thing makes when the waste gate open dumps and turbo spins up does not even sound like a car to most people as you blast by!
I can't wait until my hangover subsides so I can go blast around Manhattan some more!!
It's a whole, new, different, incredibly fun machine now...
I can now toy with Supercars when I see them. I smoked a Maserati yesterday then chatted with him proudly later at a light..... Hung with a GTR and got to talk to him as well.
Sc300 NA/T TT ECU Mod R154 Torsen DONE!
The sweet, hellish, industrial, racket this thing makes when the waste gate open dumps and turbo spins up does not even sound like a car to most people as you blast by!
Last edited by Studiogeek; 10-18-15 at 05:48 AM.
10-18-15, 06:23 AM
#12
I cannot tell you what to do but if you sell you will regret it, a boosted SC is so much fun as indicated by another member especially yours is a 5 speed already
it is a great vehicle and your starting to see less and less of them on the road especially the orginal 5speed
it is a great vehicle and your starting to see less and less of them on the road especially the orginal 5speed
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