SC vs other Sports Cars
02-14-10, 11:56 AM
#31
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Hi Guys,
Yesterday morning I saw a red SL500 that was "chromed up" pull into a parking lot.
I tell you men.., my heart skipped. That is one beautiful car!
Every time I think about considering that car is; it is a crap shoot on reliability.
One of my personal friend's father owns an 04 and loves it (he traded in an XK8 for it)
and has had zero problems with it. The problem is; if you are one of the "blessed" that gets one of the problematic ones, you will be out thousands on a regular basis to keep it running. I feel this way about Volvo's. I get a sick feeling in my stomach whenever I see an S80. I had a very nice twin turbo model that turned out to be a horror story!
Last evening my wife and I went by the Lexus dealer after hours. As we turned into
the parking lot I actually did a double take. There were a line of what I think is the "HS" model and they looked just like a line of Ford Fusions! It was amazing!
After looking a little closer you could tell the difference but they look very similar
(at least from the front. From the rear they look like a Mazda lol.).
Not sure if Ford is making better looking cars or if Lexus is making more bland vehicles.
I looked at a couple of the IS convertibles and they looked pretty good.
Nice looking outside and inside I liked the perforated seats (oh I wish the SC had those!). Overall a nice vehicle. As I looked at the sticker price (49K+) I could not get over the fact of a V-6 in a car that costs almost 50,000. I know it is probably because I am old school. The V-6 may be smoother (doubtful) and more powerful, etc., but I like V-8's! I think this was one of the main reasons (beside being overpriced) that the NSX never sold well. We want at least 8 cylinders or at least super/turbo charged
V-6's!
We looked at the ES's and LS's and my wife could not tell the difference at first.
She asked if the ES was the one we test drove a few months ago. I told her "No honey,
You drove a LS460. That is the one you liked!" I think Lexus should have made the newc LS stand out from the rest of it's line a little more like they did in the 01-06 LS's.
I also noticed an 05 LS parked near an 07 LS (on their used lot). The 05 looked better than I thought it would in direct comparison. The 05 still held it's own in the looks dept but both were very nice cars.
There were no new SC's but a couple of pre 06 models. One was in pretty good shape and the other not so good. One of the first places I look for wear is the drivers side, left seat bolster. This gets a lot of abrasive wear entering and exiting a vehicle.
Again, one looked pretty good and the other not so good.
Guys, I cannot tell the difference between a 2002-2005 models. When I was young, my dad showed me how to see the year model that was molded into the tailights of most vehicles. Is there anything on the outside that you can distinguish one from another?
Earlier in the day I saw a white pre 06 SC and that reminded me how much I like the SC. I like the white ones best and these cars really look good from the rear especially.
There is also a 06+ SC that a local dentist drives and it looks nice also. I wish he would change out the silver finish factory wheels. They look good in chrome but pretty bland in the standard finish.
I'm sorry guys for chasing all of these rabbits but just sharing my "Lexus Day" yesterday.
When I compare the SC to the SL500/550 or the XK I always come back to one point..., RELIABILITY! In the SC you can go out and enjoy a 1000+ mile trip and enjoy every minute without having to think about "what if" some mechanical issue crops up.
Kind of reminds me of my main hobby; gun collecting. Whenever someone asks me what is the best handgun for them I reply "The one that when you pull the trigger, it goes "Bang" EVERY TIME!" RELIABILITY!!! Thank You Lexus!
Blessings,
Brian
Yesterday morning I saw a red SL500 that was "chromed up" pull into a parking lot.
I tell you men.., my heart skipped. That is one beautiful car!
Every time I think about considering that car is; it is a crap shoot on reliability.
One of my personal friend's father owns an 04 and loves it (he traded in an XK8 for it)
and has had zero problems with it. The problem is; if you are one of the "blessed" that gets one of the problematic ones, you will be out thousands on a regular basis to keep it running. I feel this way about Volvo's. I get a sick feeling in my stomach whenever I see an S80. I had a very nice twin turbo model that turned out to be a horror story!
Last evening my wife and I went by the Lexus dealer after hours. As we turned into
the parking lot I actually did a double take. There were a line of what I think is the "HS" model and they looked just like a line of Ford Fusions! It was amazing!
After looking a little closer you could tell the difference but they look very similar
(at least from the front. From the rear they look like a Mazda lol.).
Not sure if Ford is making better looking cars or if Lexus is making more bland vehicles.
I looked at a couple of the IS convertibles and they looked pretty good.
Nice looking outside and inside I liked the perforated seats (oh I wish the SC had those!). Overall a nice vehicle. As I looked at the sticker price (49K+) I could not get over the fact of a V-6 in a car that costs almost 50,000. I know it is probably because I am old school. The V-6 may be smoother (doubtful) and more powerful, etc., but I like V-8's! I think this was one of the main reasons (beside being overpriced) that the NSX never sold well. We want at least 8 cylinders or at least super/turbo charged
V-6's!
We looked at the ES's and LS's and my wife could not tell the difference at first.
She asked if the ES was the one we test drove a few months ago. I told her "No honey,
You drove a LS460. That is the one you liked!" I think Lexus should have made the newc LS stand out from the rest of it's line a little more like they did in the 01-06 LS's.
I also noticed an 05 LS parked near an 07 LS (on their used lot). The 05 looked better than I thought it would in direct comparison. The 05 still held it's own in the looks dept but both were very nice cars.
There were no new SC's but a couple of pre 06 models. One was in pretty good shape and the other not so good. One of the first places I look for wear is the drivers side, left seat bolster. This gets a lot of abrasive wear entering and exiting a vehicle.
Again, one looked pretty good and the other not so good.
Guys, I cannot tell the difference between a 2002-2005 models. When I was young, my dad showed me how to see the year model that was molded into the tailights of most vehicles. Is there anything on the outside that you can distinguish one from another?
Earlier in the day I saw a white pre 06 SC and that reminded me how much I like the SC. I like the white ones best and these cars really look good from the rear especially.
There is also a 06+ SC that a local dentist drives and it looks nice also. I wish he would change out the silver finish factory wheels. They look good in chrome but pretty bland in the standard finish.
I'm sorry guys for chasing all of these rabbits but just sharing my "Lexus Day" yesterday.
When I compare the SC to the SL500/550 or the XK I always come back to one point..., RELIABILITY! In the SC you can go out and enjoy a 1000+ mile trip and enjoy every minute without having to think about "what if" some mechanical issue crops up.
Kind of reminds me of my main hobby; gun collecting. Whenever someone asks me what is the best handgun for them I reply "The one that when you pull the trigger, it goes "Bang" EVERY TIME!" RELIABILITY!!! Thank You Lexus!
Blessings,
Brian
02-14-10, 05:47 PM
#33
if you can't find the answer to you question, click on the new thread button to ask. yours is a fairly common question. if you search bluetooth, you'll find a couple options. one of them is a device made by a company called parrot. search bluetooth and parrot and you'll find it.
02-15-10, 03:27 AM
#35
, well said Bob ! I always wondered how many SC owners could actually handle the power and performance of owning an LFA? Where can you drive such a car ? We purchase our cars for a quiet, luxurious cruising experience. It's not a racing machine and I never thought I was purchasing a sports car 
02-15-10, 03:28 AM
#36
02-15-10, 10:01 AM
#37
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Okay now this is getting silly. I can't get over how many haters there are of our car. I was loaned a TSX when my timing belt was being put on, and to be blunt, being put in a 4 banger, front drive, entry level Acura is cruel and unusual punishment for an SC owner. I am a longtime Acura fan, of their better models, before the designers hit them with an ugly stick, and Acura does not offer any car, in any price range as quick as my eight year old SC. If they would only bring the NSX back and stop rebadging Civics and Accords.
Those of you who wrote about compromise hit it on the head. I went to the BMW dealership and checked out two rag tops, the M3 and M6 costing 80K and 110K. Had I driven either of these cars, I am sure it would have been instant love, but the interiors and softtops felt so far beneath my SC, I was amazed. A buddy just bought a Genesis, and even that was a few rungs above the interior of BMW. I own an LS I never get to drive. If I did have the LS for myself, an SC would make no sense, because if it was just about weekends the Porsche and BMW are more fun. As a daily driver, I want to be surrounded in rich leather and wood, I want a hard top, and a great stereo, and comfort, reliability, good looks, and power. Lexus presses every button. Some day it would be fun to have a Viper in the driveway, but dear God, not to drive to work in rush hour traffic. That has to be Lexus.
Those of you who wrote about compromise hit it on the head. I went to the BMW dealership and checked out two rag tops, the M3 and M6 costing 80K and 110K. Had I driven either of these cars, I am sure it would have been instant love, but the interiors and softtops felt so far beneath my SC, I was amazed. A buddy just bought a Genesis, and even that was a few rungs above the interior of BMW. I own an LS I never get to drive. If I did have the LS for myself, an SC would make no sense, because if it was just about weekends the Porsche and BMW are more fun. As a daily driver, I want to be surrounded in rich leather and wood, I want a hard top, and a great stereo, and comfort, reliability, good looks, and power. Lexus presses every button. Some day it would be fun to have a Viper in the driveway, but dear God, not to drive to work in rush hour traffic. That has to be Lexus.
As for your look into BMWs, I have owned a bmw and will never own one again. They are horrible in reliablity. i hated hated owning a german car.
I agree with you on the SC being a very comfortable touring car, with no problems and everyday capabilities. Im very happy with my car, but you have to face the truth, the SC is horrible on performance for the price. I wish i can slam in an IS-F engine =]
02-15-10, 11:07 AM
#39
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
The TSX is the accord from Europe. Having driven only the new one, and assuming that the new one is improved, from that a few years ago which you drive, if your TSX is comparable to your SC, your SC needs some serious work. I often read on forums people trying to compare VW to Mercedes, Toyota to Lexus, and in your case, the TSX to an SC. It is usually haters that try to compare cars, so far out of class, that it just looks silly. I am sure there is someone on the Schwinn forum right now claiming superiority over a TSX. The TSX is powered by an I4 200hp only 3 more than a Civic Si, and 76 less than an Accord. So again, if you think they are comparable, something is out of place.
Last edited by KaiserSea1; 02-15-10 at 11:17 AM.
02-15-10, 12:10 PM
#40
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The TSX is the accord from Europe. Having driven only the new one, and assuming that the new one is improved, from that a few years ago which you drive, if your TSX is comparable to your SC, your SC needs some serious work. I often read on forums people trying to compare VW to Mercedes, Toyota to Lexus, and in your case, the TSX to an SC. It is usually haters that try to compare cars, so far out of class, that it just looks silly. I am sure there is someone on the Schwinn forum right now claiming superiority over a TSX. The TSX is powered by an I4 200hp only 3 more than a Civic Si, and 76 less than an Accord. So again, if you think they are comparable, something is out of place.
and power wise.. SC430 is a $80,000 CAD car... 0-60 in 6.2 seconds.. yea my mr2 turbo did that out of the box and its built in 1990
everyone needs to really be honest to themselves and realize the SC430 is a ripoff when comes to performance - handling.
BUT as for a touring car for the people it was built for, golf players who are retired lol. Its a WONDERFUL CAR.
Last edited by kimchi604; 02-15-10 at 12:14 PM.
02-15-10, 01:07 PM
#41
and power wise.. SC430 is a $80,000 CAD car...
0-60 in 6.2 seconds.. yea my mr2 turbo did that out of the box and its built in 1990
everyone needs to really be honest to themselves and realize the SC430 is a ripoff when comes to performance - handling.
BUT as for a touring car for the people it was built for, golf players who are retired lol. Its a WONDERFUL CAR.
02-15-10, 07:57 PM
#42
ahhhh back to ultimate beast of arguments...i love this discussion. If we could all be at starbucks OR enjoying some grey goose together at a swanky lounge at the W Hotel LOL!
I think the answer is for those of us who own SC's and are unhappy with the performance and actually paid $65k for the car new looking for performance need to trade for a Nissan GTR or for $65k get a preowned 911. For those of us who paid much less (like under $30k) for a preowned one and still complain, take that money you saved on NOT buying the new one and invest in some mods to make it handle/perform better! And...for those of us in between like me who spent $30k or more on a preowned one and bought rims, ipod adapters and aesthetic stuff need to either pony up some more dough (which I am trying to do) and drop their cars, stiffen the coilovers, braces, intake/exhaust and throttle controller to make it faster. OR, for everyone else, enjoy a 300hp v-8 drop top that still looks classy and won't leave you stranded!
I think the answer is for those of us who own SC's and are unhappy with the performance and actually paid $65k for the car new looking for performance need to trade for a Nissan GTR or for $65k get a preowned 911. For those of us who paid much less (like under $30k) for a preowned one and still complain, take that money you saved on NOT buying the new one and invest in some mods to make it handle/perform better! And...for those of us in between like me who spent $30k or more on a preowned one and bought rims, ipod adapters and aesthetic stuff need to either pony up some more dough (which I am trying to do) and drop their cars, stiffen the coilovers, braces, intake/exhaust and throttle controller to make it faster. OR, for everyone else, enjoy a 300hp v-8 drop top that still looks classy and won't leave you stranded!
02-16-10, 04:34 AM
#43
I love this thread, hope it continues until 2011 ! There's many reasons for purchasing a particular car, each SC owner probably has their own opinion , which is why this thread is so interesting. In ten years,many of us will still be SC owners and will look fondly on our classy convertible.
02-17-10, 12:36 PM
#44
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Flawed design
The car is beautiful to me which is why I bought one. I dont know why auto critics think it is ugly. It wasnt until after I had it for a while did I realize it did not meet my expectations for handling or ride comfort and Consumer Reports confirmed my feelings. With run flats it rode like an empty truck so I switched to regular tires and the ride was acceptable. I wanted to buy a Porsche but they were too noisy and harsh riding. I bought a Corvette and it exceeded my expectations. It rides as well as the SC with regular tires and it has runflats. I was reluctant to buy a Corvette as didnt like its reputation as a red neck car and in the past they did make not such great cars. But everytime I see a SC I still regret that the car couldnt have been better designed as it looks so great. I agree with a lot of the previous comments but not about the ride quality being luxurious.
02-17-10, 02:08 PM
#45
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I wasn't going to jump in this post but I have to I gave up a 2006 Saleen supercharged 465 horse power to the real wheels with the mods that I done to it when I say I gave it up it is sitting in my garage with only 2,700 miles on it and sure it will get attention when I drive it Screaming Yellow black interior smoke-in fast BUT I fell in love with the SC430 sure it will not go as fast but it sure beats the living day lights out of it in style, comfort, luxury and I must say it also will turn some heads, so I think what it boils down to is what you want and what makes you say when you get behind the wheel YA this is it and the fast Saleen I just did not feel it as I do in the SC430. Please don't beat me up on this post, LOL.