Advice for a possible SC430 owner....
10-02-07, 05:04 AM
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Advice for a possible SC430 owner....
I’ll get right to the meat of the matter. A couple of years ago I copped an SC430 at a great price and less than 2 days after finalizing the deal traded my SC430 for an XKR. I’ve loved my XKR and have done a decent amount of work on, its up to about 420 at the wheel now and has GPS, XM, NavTraffic, Integrated Bluetooth, Ipod controller, auto start and top down and a host of other features. A couple of weeks ago I took my car for its normal maintenance and it turns out that both the engine and the transmission are being replaced due to some bad parts (thank god for warranties or I’d be crying).
A lot of people would proclaim this as a “new car” but my mind simply tells me it will never be the same car, that it is on the road to many, many problems to come. With the car on its last 10k of warranty miles I feel it is simply time to move on. I greatly admire the new XKRs but I typically don’t spend more than $60k on a car and these ring out at $95k give or take. So once again my eye is on the SC430. But before I borrowed the first one (it feels shameful to say “bought” when I owned it for 2 days) I did a lot of my initial research here, and I’m pretty sure some of these questions are the same questions.
1. I think the SC430 needs just a touch of work to look its best. One of those touches is new wheels and tires (no more than $1000 a wheel however) and I’ve included that cost in my assumptions. I think a wald body kit is in order as well (or some competing product). Can someone give me a round number on what that costs painted and installed?
2. Is there an available Ipod controller for an SC430? I’d really like one that let me see my playlists and such but I’ll take anything over nothing. I’ve done searches and found kits (VIAS among others) for Toyota and Lexus cars but see varying degrees of information as to how well those work in an SC430.
3. Does anyone here have an auto top down feature installed in their SC430? Hows it working for you, what company did you use?
4. What about auto start? I recognize that these units are frowned upon in general but this is a nice little treat yourself in my opinion. Anyone out there that can recommend one?
5. Waffling between several cars from 04 to 07, if I get a pre-Bluetooth one is there a reccomended bluetooth kit?
I know these question seem like small things; but it’s a Lexus so I’m pretty sure the big things are well taken care off. That and the small things are the things that really make a difference over the life of a vehicle.
I appreciate any advice you guys hand out.
A lot of people would proclaim this as a “new car” but my mind simply tells me it will never be the same car, that it is on the road to many, many problems to come. With the car on its last 10k of warranty miles I feel it is simply time to move on. I greatly admire the new XKRs but I typically don’t spend more than $60k on a car and these ring out at $95k give or take. So once again my eye is on the SC430. But before I borrowed the first one (it feels shameful to say “bought” when I owned it for 2 days) I did a lot of my initial research here, and I’m pretty sure some of these questions are the same questions.
1. I think the SC430 needs just a touch of work to look its best. One of those touches is new wheels and tires (no more than $1000 a wheel however) and I’ve included that cost in my assumptions. I think a wald body kit is in order as well (or some competing product). Can someone give me a round number on what that costs painted and installed?
2. Is there an available Ipod controller for an SC430? I’d really like one that let me see my playlists and such but I’ll take anything over nothing. I’ve done searches and found kits (VIAS among others) for Toyota and Lexus cars but see varying degrees of information as to how well those work in an SC430.
3. Does anyone here have an auto top down feature installed in their SC430? Hows it working for you, what company did you use?
4. What about auto start? I recognize that these units are frowned upon in general but this is a nice little treat yourself in my opinion. Anyone out there that can recommend one?
5. Waffling between several cars from 04 to 07, if I get a pre-Bluetooth one is there a reccomended bluetooth kit?
I know these question seem like small things; but it’s a Lexus so I’m pretty sure the big things are well taken care off. That and the small things are the things that really make a difference over the life of a vehicle.
I appreciate any advice you guys hand out.
Last edited by Addiction2; 10-02-07 at 05:15 AM.
10-02-07, 09:06 AM
#2
1) new probably 1600-1800 before painting, which is another 1000 to 1200. or if you get a white sc430, i have one for sale 
and if you do wheels and body kits, i definitely say you need a drop. i have a set of tein cs for sale too (how shameless...)
2) you can get products from vaistech with ipod interface. they are running group buy now. i am pretty sure they work with the sc430, look at their application list
3) i had it, luxlink from lmw. it's pretty good product. the new version can roll down rear quarter windows as well
4) the same unit from luxlink can be have with autostart too.
5) no idea on this one since i had 05 with bluetooth already
welcome "back" to lexus, hope you can find a car you like
and if you do wheels and body kits, i definitely say you need a drop. i have a set of tein cs for sale too (how shameless...)2) you can get products from vaistech with ipod interface. they are running group buy now. i am pretty sure they work with the sc430, look at their application list
3) i had it, luxlink from lmw. it's pretty good product. the new version can roll down rear quarter windows as well
4) the same unit from luxlink can be have with autostart too.
5) no idea on this one since i had 05 with bluetooth already
welcome "back" to lexus, hope you can find a car you like
10-02-07, 09:13 AM
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I'm sure I'll find something I like, I've got a line on 3 great ones in my area or relatively close. I'm waiting to pull the trigger until I can chase down all the details and be certain of the purchase this time. I'd also like to look at the newest GPS disc and see if it includes my address, it woudl be nice if my car could actually tell me the way home lol.
Also check your pms on those for sale items.....
Also check your pms on those for sale items.....
10-02-07, 11:38 AM
#4
I'm sure I'll find something I like, I've got a line on 3 great ones in my area or relatively close. I'm waiting to pull the trigger until I can chase down all the details and be certain of the purchase this time. I'd also like to look at the newest GPS disc and see if it includes my address, it woudl be nice if my car could actually tell me the way home lol.
Also check your pms on those for sale items.....
Also check your pms on those for sale items.....
and pm replied
10-02-07, 01:36 PM
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Today I replaced V3.1 with V7.1 in my 02 and see very little difference if any. It still doesn't take my home address of 20 years.
I put my home address in manually. At least I can tell when I get home..
I haven't been out on the hwy yet, but doubting they'll be a huge difference. May not be worth updating to some.
lar
I put my home address in manually. At least I can tell when I get home..I haven't been out on the hwy yet, but doubting they'll be a huge difference. May not be worth updating to some.
lar
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