LeslieRC

As a former SC400 (1) and SC430 (2) owner, I have a lingering and distinct fondness for this car (especially for the SC430) and I like to keep up. I found the following review in the September 10, 2007 AutoWeek. WARNING - this article contains stark pros and cons.

ROSS: The interior is immaculate, the only downer being the useless back-seat area. Legroom and seat adjustability are excellent, and material quality and fit and finish are Lexus strong suits.

From there, it becomes a matter of preference.

The exterior design is stunning from some angles, off-putting from others. There’s something about the rear end that doesn’t come together for me. The drivetrain is on par with other cars in its class, maybe one of the smoothest out there, but the added weight of the SC 430 sucks away whatever brisk acceleration this V8 might be capable of cranking out— not to mention sucking down fuel. On the other hand, the hefty car is a nice highway cruiser, with just a little more body roll than you would expect.

HART: This is an okay cruiser; it’s comfortable, smooth and quiet rolling down the freeway or the boulevard. But overall, the SC 430 is getting pretty long in the tooth.

The exterior has some swoopy lines that still get your attention, but the interior is really where things fall apart. This still has a cassette deck. Need I say more? The chassis really gets upset over larger bumps, which racks the car with wobble and a ton of cowl shake. The powertrain, on the other hand, is smooth and effortless, but the next generation (assuming there will be a next generation) will have to make available at least a bigger V8, maybe even a hybrid powertrain. How’s that sound? A convertible hardtop hybrid. Go green, and let the sunshine in.

FLORADAY: The V8 feels stronger than the 317 lb-ft listed on the spec sheet.

The rest of the car does nothing for me. The cassette player is a joke in 2007. The rest of the world is struggling to bring iPods into the factory radio, and Lexus is still letting you listen to MC Hammer tapes. Is there a record player in the trunk? I can remember a BMW X5 we had last year that cost about this much and had a tape deck as well, so Lexus might not be the only OEM still doing this.

If I could spend $60,000, there’s no way I could pass up a Porsche Boxster S.

built one through the Porsche website and optioned it out exactly as I would want it. It comes in $15 more than the base price of this Lexus. It wouldn’t have a folding hardtop or back seats, but the back seats in the SC are a joke anyway, and I find folding hardtops overrated (and this one takes forever to open and close). I know the Lexus is more GT than sports car, but the Porsche is more than capable of touring duties.

This is one of the few Lexus products that feels old and in need of an update.

JohnnyCake

"Is there a record player in the trunk" -- that one had me laughing!

The rear seat is great for one kid, if there is another kid in the passenger seat so the seat can be forward a bit. So, if you are a typical family of four and sometimes have to take the kids places (e.g. few miles to school), the car is perfect. Try that with the Boxter. If you need to take the whole family -- that's what the wife's car is for.

Cloud9

iTrader: (2)

I generally agree with the review...but that's the reason why there are mods
- tons of engine bolt ons for more power
- coilovers, non-runflat tires for better ride
- I actually love the cassette player. I can finally listen to all my oldies since I got rid of my walkman years ago - boys to men, shai, michael jackson haha
- comparing the boxter with the SC doesn't make sense...totally different cars. plus i prefer the folding hardtop for more security and noise reduction.
- hybrid SC doesn't make sense either. it's already a heavy and cramped as it is.
I still love the car

dogwalker

When we buy cars, we buy the entire experience, not just the car. This includes dealership service departments, dealership relationships, vehicle reliability, etc. These attributes were not mentioned in the article, and for some reason typically omitted in most reviews. I for one have owned many different cars and without a doubt, the best overall experience has been with Lexus. The product is excellent and only one part of the total Lexus ownership experience.

moose66

Well said dogwalker! Those reviews never consider how the customer service, service visits, etc. experience is in conjunction with the drivability of the reviewed vehicle. As an owner of multiple brands at once, I can certainly say that of the vehicles brands I have owned, Lexus is hands down the leader with the "after purchase" experience. It also helps that I don't see them for other than routine appointments!

Roofless

Remember, these are informal off-the-cuff comments, not reviews based in part on numerical data.

AutoWeek also has an 2007 LS in their long-term fleet and they love it. The updates on this car usually mention Lexus quality and service. They know about the full Lexus experience.

Lexus chose to put poorly designed runflats on the SC and do nothing with body roll. Fixing these two shortcomings alone would have given the car more street cred with the automotive press. Had I not corrected these two areas, I would have sold the car within its first six months. But now it's a great cruiser with a great sound system.

FunGuy

^^^^^^^^Everything said is TRUE.

LexFather

Is having a tape deck that serious? Wow, how about spending more time on something useful, then complaining about a tape deck.

PVlexus

The cassette tape is good, easy plug in for your ipod.

MrSkinny

the back seats are only there so you can tell your insurance company that you drive a coupe instead of a roadster and get a cheaper rate

1NICESC430

Well, I was lookin' for a nice 34-year-old woman to date, but had some trouble findin' one, so I found myself a pair of 17-year-old twin gals; stuck one in the front and one in the back and off we went. Pleneeya room back there.