I joined close to three years ago and all was relatively quiet with issues on the SC. Occasional minor issue, RFT issues, wind noise and occasional speaker. Obviously age on a luxury car that has just about every option is always a culprit but I am a little surprised as to how many larger issues there are: Tops, Transmission, Navigation to name a few.

I know that the SC and many have claimed it to be a very reliable car. I have been one of the unlucky ones, but I wonder why there are so many issues (and major ones) popping up right now on our SC's?

I used to think it was because I didn't drive mine enough. For me, my Platinum Warranty expires in July and these issues clearly are driving me towards finally trading my SC in on the new G37 convertible, if not for anything else (i know the opposition says this is a "me too" car not as luxurious, interior not as plush) at least for the technology and new warranty. Cooled seats, up-to-date nav, bluetooth, paddle shifters and a fresh new car might be just the ticket for a 7-year old aging beauty queen. Plus not to mention performance and more spirited driving.

 

Although both are hardtop convertibles, both do address different populations.

If you want something sporty and full of technology, yes, the G37C will do.

However, if you want a comfortable cruiser, the SC430 will coddle you.

Perhaps the SC430 is ultimately not the right car for you, especially one that has caused many unfortunate issues. Perhaps your dealer couldn't do the right things to address your concerns with the car. You'll find lots of people who love their SC, and I'm pretty sure that when you do find the right car for you, you will proclaim your love for it as well.

Good luck in your search and research.

 

my friend has a regular G37, not the convertible. and personally, it feels like a downgrade to me. the interior feels cheap and the car itself feels a little flimsy. but it does have better technology and it is a bit faster. so i suppose it's a tradeoff. but if you're looking for a different hardtop convertible, there's not a lot to choose from out there.

 

If i was going for a luxury hard top convertible, I would lean towards: another lexus, a Mercedes SLK or SL. If you want a full 4 seats, then the BMW 335i is a good mixture of luxury and sport performance.

Just my opinion.

 

+1
My best friend has a G37s and Ill still take my SC over his car.

 

Issues ?? did I miss something.. I only check in maybe a dozen times a day

 

I couldn't agree more about the G35/G37 coupes. I owned a 2005 S myself and it is completely different. The G37 convertible is all new. They offer things (ventilated seats bose headrest speakers, self-healing paint) that the G37 has never offered.

I have to have a backseat, I've got a son. I am considering a used 911 (996 bodystyle) but am scared of maint costs on that too, but am gaga over the performance, history, etc. The interiors SUCK on German cars. I have a hard time getting over that. My in-laws have a SL and it is not half as posh as the SC's interior.

Have you all been in a 2008 or 2009 model of an infiniti recently? Although they are not wooded out as much as Lexus, they are VERY nice inside. I have a 2009 FX35 and it is really plush inside. Infiniti has come a long way. Perhaps in the top three for foreign luxury? Lexus...BMW...Infiniti? MBZ has fallen off quite a bit with JD Powers. Infiniti always has the G's in the C&D top ten every year as well as the M a few years.

I wish, man I really wish Lexus had updated the SC in 2005 or so with modern luxuries, better gearbox and some slight body changes to keep her around. My warranty is up in July and with all the maint issues I have had on her, I don't think I want to gamble too much past that.

As we speak, she is in the shop for brakes, convertible top (a-pillar) noise (fourth time) and front suspension creeking noise (repeat issue as well) along with oil change and inspection. 28k miles should not be in the shop for a couple of these things. The top has never seemed to close properly. They have done a lot to it, not sure what else they can do???

I'm glad that others have had much better experience. My observation though is accurate that a lot more problems have been circulating on this site recently. It seems that the five to six year, 50k-70k milestone is where things start to go wrong. Mine is there on years obviously but what baffles me is the so few miles I put on her.

 

As any car gets older, problems crop up. The top thread involves only 2002 and one 2003 models and four reports really aren't enough to draw any conclusions.

You could just take the $15K difference between a new G37 convertible and a 2002 SC and just trade up to a newer model of the SC.

 

So much ripping on the SC..... there's been so much of it going on here lately

Yours is 7 yrs. old; of course a new model car will have more bells and whistles. Too bad yours has had more probs than most, but w/the Plat Warranty they should've been fixed. Overall the SC has a rep for outstanding reliability. The real question is how well will the G hold up 7 years from now.

Buy the G and be happy with your new ride.

 

get the IS convertible when it comes out next year

 

That's what I was thinking, why not move up to a 2007, I've seen nice ones on EBAY for 35k-38k with low miles. I think it's the interior of the G37 that has no impact for me, the SC just spoils you. Good Luck

 

I think part of your perception of the reliability of the car can be attributed to this forum. There are more people here, and it grows everyday. When you check out Car Chat, there's 140 people in there at any given time.

Often times though, people are only here to ask a question about a problem, so what you see is all the negative issues. Nobody comes on and posts that they drove their car today and didn't have a problem, right? So out of the 100,000 or so SC430's on the road on any given day, a couple times a week there will be a problem with 1 or 2 of those 100,000 cars. Not too shabby.

Great thing about this forum is the wealth of experience here. I haven't seen a problem that you couldn't get great advice on to get it fixed quickly and inexpensively.

The other thing I've noticed, or better said, haven't noticed, is major problems with this car. Have you heard of a blown engine, trashed tranny, munched rear end, or even a motor in the top mechanism actually be bad? A lot of the the problems are the nit-picky variety associated with an aging (in the case of 02, 03's, etc) relatively high technology car when it was produced. I can live with those issues, confident that it's really not going to give me major problems.

Can you tell it's a slow day at work today??!!

 

Great point. It's like message boards I've seen dealing with health issues. Doctors tell people to stay away from them for a good reason. Many times, all they do is give people something else to worry about. People get on the health boards to discuss the way they are feeling with others who have the same problem(s). It might look like a lot, but the information is very skewed. Healthy people don't get on the computer and tell sick people how great they feel. You tend to only get one side on message boards.

 

The SC 430 has recieved the lowest problems per 100 of any car made, I believe 44. What makes this even more extraordinary is the car is a complicated hardtop convertible. The SC 430 has always been a very limited product car and the crown jewel for Lexus. Its starting price is nearly double of a G37.

The G37 converible is here, looking like a larger SC 430. It does have more power and its well "new". Its also a Nissan Skyline, sharing tons of parts with other Nissans. You will miss the feeling of it being a truly special car like the SC is.

One other thing is Lexus has proven to hold up VERY well over time, even as you are having issues. After the initial newness of owning an Infiniti wears off, you realize after a few years why one brand is where they are in the luxury market and the other brand still struggles.

For the life of me I don't understand this "track" mentality plauging people/buyers/non buyers/the internetz. These are cruisers and GTs. Those should be the more important merit. everyone wants to quote acceleration times and slalom times like they drive like a bat out of hell 24/7.

If it was me, I would skip the G37 and look for a used AMG SL 55 or something. Yeah the maintenance will be higher but its certainly a step up.

 

the G vert is a nice car, but in comparison to the SC i think it is rather a downgrade. Like another user posted, the bmw335i is just a few thousand less than the SC and pretty much has similar functions. I own an '02, and if i were trade it in i actually would like an '09 since i like it so much lol. If you like the G, go for it, but you may change your mind if others in the same league as the SC interest you down the road.