DJ SK

Does anyone have any info on the 2003 SC430? Any changes? My dealer said the only thing they are going to change is price. Lexus' target MSRP is $70k by the end of 2003. I'm not sure how true that is... You can't raise the price, and not add anything.

Anyway, I'm close to ordering but I'm wondering if I should wait a bit longer.

Toog4me

you shouldnt wait any longer. IMO, even though i am a lexus fanatic, freak, etc... i think you should take your money somewhere else and buy a diff. car...


I think the SC430 is overpriced, just like the SL, and just like the CLK.... It comes with a lot of goodies, but its not worth it... admit it, if the car didnt have the hardtop, would you buy it? In this case, your only buying the car for the hardtop... this is the way isee it... i think for 66k, there are a lot of better buys out there.

spiff77

DJ,

I have a buddy that is the manager of a Lexus dealer here in GA. I was looking at getting a good deal on an SC that had 3K on it. He said he would buy it in a heartbeat because in the toward the end of the year, they were going to about 70K. So your info sounds correct.

therocker

I went to the NY auto show a few days ago and a Lexus rep told me that there would be no changes on the 2003 SC. But then I realized that these auto show people never really know anything. They have to at least change the rims.

Rob L

yeah go buy a 2000 SC400 because that car was NEVER overpriced when they were selling it. Oh no.

Funny how you always hear owners of the previous model of a car say the new model is not that good when it is in fact better.

Hmm just checked toog's profile and it says he is 16...that explains a lot.

LexusSC430

Aside from being 16 and all, I would just like to know what better car there is for, actually $63k?

ceboyd

hmm... I've seen several SC430s sell recently on Ebay in the $55K range with mileage anywhere from 100 to 10,000. I wonder if they really do intend to make the price closer to 70K and change nothing.... That would help those of us who already have them and paid full price as far as resale!!!!

....Let's see, you can get one now for $63K sticker or $70K sticker later... with no potential changes except maybe the wheels?

....hmmmm... for $7K, you can get some really phenominal 20" aftermarket wheels and tires and still be at 70K (less the extra luxary tax)..

...I say to go for it NOW before the price goes up more... My guess is that the price is going up because it can... the only major competitor is currently around $20K more.. next year it will be $10K more (the new MB SL500 of course)


.....anyone else have any opinions?

DropTop430

I would like to know what other cars/better cars are out there for the same dollar figure. In my eyes the CLK430 Cab is overpriced in comparision. Soft Top, Very plain Interior and so on. Please don't even get me started on the Jag, it is way over priced.

ceboyd

it all depends on what you are looking for!!! Do you want sport ride or cushy comfort ride?

For example:

The Porsche Boxster S = $50K to start ($60K nicely loaded)

NOT anything like the SC430 as far as What Lexus is all about BUT a fantastic SPORT convertible with a huge 'fun to drive' factor

The BMW M3 convertible = (right around $62K)

...will not be as soft a ride as the SC430 but IS very good on SPORT ride for a sedan and will give you more luggage room than an SC430 or a Boxster S.

I'm sure there are more out there BUT these 'other' convertible are NOT the same... they are fantastic for what they represent and what they are about....

It doesn't make them any better or worse than the SC430 in my opinion.. just different for a different market, different driving styles, etc.

ceboyd

before buying my SC430, I test drove the Boxster S and the BMW M3 convertible... I decided that I wanted more 'lux' and less 'sport' for my daily driver and opted for the SC430... all 3 were in the same price range! All 3 were fantastic cars for different reasons!

Toog4me

I didnt say the 2k sc400 wasnt overpriced... i think it was overpriced too, that is why i didnt buy one when it came out in 2000, i bought one in 2002, interesting, huh?

Like other people said, it all depends on what your looking for... If you want performance, than go for the M3, which is around the same price range. It really depends on your choice...


but as for the jag, if you have the money to buy an sc430, you most likely have the money for the jag. but its not in the same price category, so oh well... but other than the soft top, it outperforms the sc in every way i can think of..

I think their is a huge Lexus bias coming towards me... and remember, their bringing the price up to 70k, or so we think, and theyre not even changing anything... now this sounds overpriced, doesnt it??????????

But im gonna stop right now because there is a lot of lexus bias in here and im gonna get killed...

ceboyd

I would NOT consider myself Lexus Biased at all!!!

....I don't know a darn thing about Jags.. never even drove one.. Like how that one looks (XK8 I think?) ..see, I don't even know the model numbers on Jag's.... There is one that comes in convertible form and is much like the Aston Martin (lookswise)..

...I heard that older 80's Jags have a lot of problems but the newer ones (since Ford got 'em) have improved a great deal...

I love different cars for different reasons...

Thus the reason I have a 911 Porsche AND my SC430...

If you are talking about MB vs. Lexus.. Lexus has the better build quality in my opinion...

If you are talking sport driving with Lexus vs. BMW.. BMW Wins...

If you are comparing a Porsche to a Lexus.. you are looking at different types of cars and need to really asses what you want..

That is what I did when I wanted my next car.... thus the test drive of the Boxter S and BMW M3...

Jag just wasn't in my radar is all.. never has been.... just my own personal preference...

BUT you NEVER know... LEXUS wasn't in my radar at all until the SC430 was sighted by me on the road in black... as I gave chase in my Z3 BMW.... months later, My Z3 was sold in favor of the SC430 convertible....

sO guess I am bias towards LEXUS< INFINITI < BMW < PORSCHE and a few others if you want to get really technical.. but the bias is for very different reasons!!!

..end of story....

TXSC430

IMHO -
As a business man, if I have a product that sells at full list price with long waiting lists and virtually no advertising, I have two ways to increase profits, raise the price or make more of them. Trying to sell more will probably require spending more on advertising, factory upgrades or other factors in the supply chain. If they can raise the price and still sell all of the units they produce, then most people would consider that a good business decision.

Knicksfan

I had the car in for the replacement of rear bushings today and my dealer told me that over the winter they were slightly discounting off sticker.

So it seems unlikely to me that they will be able to get a significant price increase to "stick" especially in markets that get winter weather. Maybe in NYC people will pay anything in April but its a completely different story come November and you dont think you'll br driving top down (or at all) for 6 months.

By the way - the new bushings are awesome - totally improved the ride.

kschiu

Personally I don't think the Lexus SC430 overpriced. However, I do think there are better cars at that price range thn the Lex for me. I drove the BMW M3 Convertible and that car really goes and handles. It is a "nice" sports car. The XKR is in every sense more luxury as well as sport than the Lexus, though it is quite a bit more expensive.