Dennis62

Hello, I have become very interested in the LS 400 I have read quite a bit about the car and am searching!
In my search I have come upon a SC 400 and love it.
I am looking for some advice on buying the car older Gentleman owner Arizona car 138K miles.
he has replaced timing belt 1K ago l, new Michelins mounted on brand new Lexus wheels.
he has had the A/C unit replaced recently all paper work last 10 years all Lexus dealer device.
it is Gold in color not my first choice but can live with it. $5500. It's been well cared for and low miles for this car.
what do you think keep looking?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thank you

- V -

iTrader: (1)

Need a bit more info than that. What year is it? how is the paint? is the interior in good condition? also what are your plans for the car. Most people here that get a SC400 tend to keep it stock in the engine department. Some do manual transmission swap. If you plan on keeping it stock in then your best bet would be a 98+ SC400. 98s came with VVTI which gave the engine a bit more power and they got a little better on fuel economy. I have a 99 SC400 and its the smoothest engine ive ever seen. You should also search the forums for similar threads. There is a TON of info about buying these cars but bottom line is what you want to do with it. I will say that for $5500, if the car isnt a 98+ id pass on it or try to get the guy to drop the price by atleast 1k if not more. 138k is pretty good for mileage but ive seen these engine go up as high as 600k if properly maintained so i having a bit extra on the odometer wont really hurt you much. Get the front LCAs checked, the ball joins on those cannot be replaced on our cars so if the LCA ball joints are bad you gotta buy new once which will run you $250 each if you get them for a toyota supra (which are identical to the SC 300/400 but with a bit firmer bushings) or $750 each if you go to lexus. Other than that look for the same issues any other cars would have, rear main seal, oil leaks, odd noises from engine bay, hard shifting, etc...

Once again though without pictures and abit more info on the car its hard to give proper advice
Cheers!

Dennis62

I am a new enthusiast on these cars, I'm sure you can tell.
1992 SC400, I do intend on keeping it stock. Although the owner said it has a Borla cat back exhaust on the car.

The interior is a 7 the paint is again a 7. Owner had the bumper repainted because of the heat in Arizona.
My apologies I do not have any pics to send at this time.

As I spoke to the Gentleman he told me in the last three years, he has done 22 different repairs and replacement at the dealer. I mentioned the big ticket ones that I know of. He spoke with real passion for the car and compared it to his BMW and Mercedes, pros and cons of each.
This would be just a cruser for me, I do not plan on turning this in to a race car at all.

Thanks again.

- V -

iTrader: (1)

Im not sure what the prices are like in Arizona but here in FL he would never be able to sell a 92 for $5500 unless it had under 80k mileage. You would definitely be overpaying if you get it. I'd check to see if it has any accidents. Be prepared to drop some more money in it when you get it. A 25 year old car with no issues is a rare thing to find. Id still suggest waiting to find a 98+. They had an updated body style, 5spd automatic transmission, VVTI which also means computer controlled ignition as opposed to a pair of distributors. Also in 96 the cars got upgraded to OBDII which makes pulling check engine codes easier. The newer once are more rare though so if you do decide to go a 98+ route, be patient. It took me 1.5 years to find the 99 SC400 that im driving now. Paid $3200 for it, had to do the waterpump/timing belt service on it but other than that no issues other than a few cosmetic things here and there. Repairing the interior in these cars is very expensive so do your best to find one with good cosmetic shape. The usual wear and tear will always be there like the armrest being crusty or the shift **** leather peeling. but those are very cheap to replace. Cracked dash, door panels, ripped seats, those are the big bucs.

Dennis62

Thanks so much for taking time out for my questions. I'll keep hunting, I'll get one soon!!

Maserati

iTrader: (1)

Ditto what Vteruni said, 98+ is the way to go for 400 models. I also have a 99 and its amazing! i bought mine damaged for 1,000$ and fixed it up. The refinements are worth it. Just keep looking you'll find your unicorn.

Dennis62

The quest goes on! gentlemen thanks so much for your insite!