Is the SC430 an old person's car?
02-18-09, 04:02 PM
#61
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SC430 is NOT an old person't car!
On 3/12/09 it will be 8 years since I took delivery of my "mid life gift" . What a joyful car to drive for this 62 year old Ca. lady, and by the way my 6'+ sweetie has no problem with its size. We take road trips and get great mileage but then we're lucky, as we also have a 2000 RX300, inherited from my Dad. Truly the best of all worlds.
02-19-09, 05:01 AM
#62
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02-19-09, 09:55 AM
#63
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I was 60 when we bought our '06 and just traded it for an '09, even knowing this was the last year it would be made. I grew up driving 'Vettes and still love them - great looks, wonderful power and speed... but alas, it's no longer easy to hop in and out of them. Plus, they are small and cramped for me and hubby's age group! Lastly, we live in South Texas, home of a zillion 18 wheelers and 'Vettes are hardly much taller than the back bumper of most of the trucks down here! 
Our 430 is just the right size for the two of us (hubby is 6'3" and fits fine), has just enough zip, and doesn't look like any other model out there. We love it and will probably drive this one until the wheels fall off.
Our 430 is just the right size for the two of us (hubby is 6'3" and fits fine), has just enough zip, and doesn't look like any other model out there. We love it and will probably drive this one until the wheels fall off.
02-19-09, 11:00 AM
#65
try raising the front of the seat bottom to its highest elevation. and lowering the back to its lowest elevation. this will stretch your legs out more. i have bad knees from high school wrestling and find this to be the most comfortable setting.
02-20-09, 12:53 PM
#66
Intermediate
I drove from Palm Springs to Seattle Non Stop except for 4 gas stops and I was comfortable the whole way 23 hours. I felt great getting out of the car where I don't think I could have done it in my old Porsche. I actually enjoy driving at night best as the headlights are wonderful.
02-21-09, 10:40 PM
#67
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Lol, I dont think its a old man's car man... I get alot of people telling me its a girls car but guess what I get the girls and they dont. Hmmm, well I dont think your the youngest person here. Lets see I got my 2003 sc430 when I just turn 17 and that was about 4 or 5 years ago I got it a year before the 2nd generation one came out.
02-22-09, 08:41 AM
#69
YES!!!!!!!!! And I own one...I am 34
Unfortunately I have to agree that the SC430 is an "old" person's car if you consider middle-aged old.
I would also tend to agree that it is more suited for a female.
I am not basing this solely on my opinion, though, more of a metanalysis of many things:
1) Sales statistics. 70% of SC430 owners are female, according to my dealer
2) Ride/Comfort/Accessories-suited for a female and older
3) Color choices-again...white, gold, etc.
4) Personal experience and observations: 9/10 drivers I see, and I see a LOT of SC430's in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are Female and middle aged. Whenever I got to the dealer, I and the only one driving a SC430 without white hair!!!!!
I would also say that based on the fact that they haven't updated it with ipod integration, sportier options and paddle shifters kind of tells you that Lexus/Toyota (who definitely KNOW their target markets) knows exactly who their owners/buyers for this car is. Same thing with the SL500, CLK, 645 BMW, etc. Same demographics.
The nail that sealed it shut for me was the other day I am at the dealer getting a car wash and this 75 year old woman says to me, "nice car". I thanked her and then watched her very gingerly get into her gold SC430!!!
I didn't care at first when I bought it, because you like what you like, however now that I long for something with more driver-spirited options like ipod integration, paddle shifters, cooled seats, etc, I want a younger, hipper car. Can you add these things to a SC430 and MAKE it sportier? Sure...maybe. I have considered doing a 6speed tranny swap and adding paddle shifters. Hard to add cooled seats, and ipod integration on a 2002 is somewhat difficult from what I understand and not great.
For the under 40 crowd...similar price points but more hip cars would be the Boxster S, M3 Convertible, G37 Convertible Sport. I am looking at all three right now.
I will miss the comfort, quiet ride, dependability and status/service as a lexus SC owner, but I will not miss the numbing feeling of driving it. The SC430 feels like a LS or RX or any other AWESOME lexus vehicle just with an open top option! I have owned a LS, ES, RX and SC300 and can say that I have loved them all, but was never "wowed" or moved by their spirit.
I would say, barring the GS and IS, Lexus in general is an "older persons" car based on options, colors, styling, price and other items. BMW may be the only luxury car company that truly caters to the younger generation, but certainly has some older person segments...like the 6 series, etc.
I wish the LF-A hadn't been cancelled and I wish Lexus would have made a Venza-version with 21" wheels, paddle shifters and cooled seats that would have been cool. The SC430 could have been updated in 2006 to include cooled seats, paddle shifters and ipod integration when they did the Gen 2 IS models, but obviously they knew the target market better and chose not to.
Case and point: They eliminated my RED and came out with matador red. Senior crowd doesn't like RED-RED cars, but they like burgandy!
This is all, of course, my opinion as a 34 year old SC430 owner.
I would also tend to agree that it is more suited for a female.
I am not basing this solely on my opinion, though, more of a metanalysis of many things:
1) Sales statistics. 70% of SC430 owners are female, according to my dealer
2) Ride/Comfort/Accessories-suited for a female and older
3) Color choices-again...white, gold, etc.
4) Personal experience and observations: 9/10 drivers I see, and I see a LOT of SC430's in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are Female and middle aged. Whenever I got to the dealer, I and the only one driving a SC430 without white hair!!!!!
I would also say that based on the fact that they haven't updated it with ipod integration, sportier options and paddle shifters kind of tells you that Lexus/Toyota (who definitely KNOW their target markets) knows exactly who their owners/buyers for this car is. Same thing with the SL500, CLK, 645 BMW, etc. Same demographics.
The nail that sealed it shut for me was the other day I am at the dealer getting a car wash and this 75 year old woman says to me, "nice car". I thanked her and then watched her very gingerly get into her gold SC430!!!
I didn't care at first when I bought it, because you like what you like, however now that I long for something with more driver-spirited options like ipod integration, paddle shifters, cooled seats, etc, I want a younger, hipper car. Can you add these things to a SC430 and MAKE it sportier? Sure...maybe. I have considered doing a 6speed tranny swap and adding paddle shifters. Hard to add cooled seats, and ipod integration on a 2002 is somewhat difficult from what I understand and not great.
For the under 40 crowd...similar price points but more hip cars would be the Boxster S, M3 Convertible, G37 Convertible Sport. I am looking at all three right now.
I will miss the comfort, quiet ride, dependability and status/service as a lexus SC owner, but I will not miss the numbing feeling of driving it. The SC430 feels like a LS or RX or any other AWESOME lexus vehicle just with an open top option! I have owned a LS, ES, RX and SC300 and can say that I have loved them all, but was never "wowed" or moved by their spirit.
I would say, barring the GS and IS, Lexus in general is an "older persons" car based on options, colors, styling, price and other items. BMW may be the only luxury car company that truly caters to the younger generation, but certainly has some older person segments...like the 6 series, etc.
I wish the LF-A hadn't been cancelled and I wish Lexus would have made a Venza-version with 21" wheels, paddle shifters and cooled seats that would have been cool. The SC430 could have been updated in 2006 to include cooled seats, paddle shifters and ipod integration when they did the Gen 2 IS models, but obviously they knew the target market better and chose not to.
Case and point: They eliminated my RED and came out with matador red. Senior crowd doesn't like RED-RED cars, but they like burgandy!
This is all, of course, my opinion as a 34 year old SC430 owner.
02-22-09, 08:46 AM
#70
Super Moderator
02-24-09, 08:59 PM
#73
In my month and a half of owning it - I have never received so much attention from the females about a car... and I did own a RED 350z
03-15-09, 12:31 PM
#74
about 4 weeks ago the wall street journal had an article about the demographics of high-end car purchasers.. SC was 48 years old and 163,000 income. The young man who made 40k and worked in the casino is in way over his head.
Last edited by tromly; 02-22-10 at 05:17 AM.
03-15-09, 12:36 PM
#75
i have owned many different types and styles of cars throughout my life. The common thread linking all of my purchases has been that i have bought the best car that i could afford at the time. One of the determining factors has been that the car i bought had to provide me with what that period of my life required.
By this i mean, transportation for me when i was single, transportation for my family once i had one, transportation for business purposes and finally, a car that provided all the style and quality that i desired for my retirement years.
The sc meets my retirement criteria, needs and desires. I love the look of the sc, luxuriate in its riding comfort and ambiance. I revel in the speed the sc produces when i put the accelerator to the floor. Lastly, i marvel at technical excellence of its bells and whistles.
I am one of those “elderly” who have chosen the sc because i can afford one financially and have given myself a reward earned through a lifetime of labor in the workforce.
By this i mean, transportation for me when i was single, transportation for my family once i had one, transportation for business purposes and finally, a car that provided all the style and quality that i desired for my retirement years.
The sc meets my retirement criteria, needs and desires. I love the look of the sc, luxuriate in its riding comfort and ambiance. I revel in the speed the sc produces when i put the accelerator to the floor. Lastly, i marvel at technical excellence of its bells and whistles.
I am one of those “elderly” who have chosen the sc because i can afford one financially and have given myself a reward earned through a lifetime of labor in the workforce.
