Why does the SC430 have a V8?
12-07-15, 05:47 PM
#16
I haVe always wanted a v8 and now i have one. Its not how i wanted my v8 to sound, but i like the fact that my engine doesnt 'scream' when i reach a certain speed unlike my other Inline 4s.
I appreciate the smoothness of it.
I appreciate the smoothness of it.
12-07-15, 06:43 PM
#17
Lexus Test Driver
My wife and I like a little sound and the stock exhaust was too quiet for a sports car, to include a luxury sports car...now the car has a nice tone and when cruising down the interstate you cannot hear it. When you step on it, she wakes up!
12-07-15, 07:00 PM
#18
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Once you've had a BMW M5 V10, everything else V8 sounds like a Mustang, Camaro, or Corvette. Although I like the sound and power of the V10 I don't like the maintainace costs of a V10 so it's Lexus V8 from here on out...
12-07-15, 07:05 PM
#19
Lexus Test Driver
It's hard to beat the reliability of a Toyota or Honda...
12-07-15, 07:12 PM
#20
Lexus Test Driver
I just realized I joined CL a year ago today and I was hunting for my first Lexus...
BTW, remember all of those who made this possible...and it all started 74 yrs ago today.
BTW, remember all of those who made this possible...and it all started 74 yrs ago today.
12-07-15, 08:45 PM
#21
Lexus Test Driver
Are you kidding me? Each V8 has a distinctive sound, something a car person would be able to recognize and appreciate. Even the Camaro and Corvette, which share the same LS-series engine, utilize different exhaust configurations, think x-pipe and h-pipe, and mufflers that give them different sounds. Even more than that, the Coyote engine and 4.6L engine have a significantly different sound from a LS-engine.
12-07-15, 10:55 PM
#22
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Are you kidding me? Each V8 has a distinctive sound, something a car person would be able to recognize and appreciate. Even the Camaro and Corvette, which share the same LS-series engine, utilize different exhaust configurations, think x-pipe and h-pipe, and mufflers that give them different sounds. Even more than that, the Coyote engine and 4.6L engine have a significantly different sound from a LS-engine.
12-08-15, 02:02 AM
#23
Lexus Test Driver
12-08-15, 04:05 AM
#24
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If you've ever heard a Lamborghini, Ferrari, or even the LFA you've heard a V10. They make a distinctive more exotic sound than a V8. My M5 would turn heads not because it looks like a 5 series BMW and not because of an obnoxiously loud exhaust but because it sounds very much different from the 4, 6, 8 cylinder auto you hear every day that makes you look and say 'what is that?'
Here's a clip, mine was stock so not quite as loud, and like I said a sound clip doesn't do it justice;
12-08-15, 08:07 AM
#26
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
12-08-15, 10:22 AM
#27
Lexus Test Driver
So for everyone with the quiet as a mouse SC, you can play a sound track on the radio and the car will sound like a V8, but only for those in the car 
12-10-15, 04:03 AM
#29
Meh...not a fan of that V10 sound. I do wish the SC430 had some more growl in it, but that V10 sounds to me like it circled back around to sounding like a 4 cylinder ricer.
To me, the SC430 is quiet, but when you do stomp on the gas, it lets everyone around know that the car isn't just a toy.
As for acceleration, that hesitation in shifting is what really kills the thrill. I haven't quite pinned it down yet because there have been times when I have launched off a green light and hit 50 before reaching the other side of the intersection. And then other times I feel like I'm driving in mud. I assume it is mostly due to stop-and-go city traffic and the prozac zombie drivers around here that can't even reach the speed limit before the next light.
Looking at the valve mod mentioned for stiffer shifting and going to have to ask ShawnOK his opinion about that sprintbooster upgrade he did a while back to see if he still enjoys it.
I will also be installing a ram air CAI and the anti-sway bar upgrade shortly. I've put most of the appearance mods on hold until I can get the performance and handling the way I want it.
To me, the SC430 is quiet, but when you do stomp on the gas, it lets everyone around know that the car isn't just a toy.
As for acceleration, that hesitation in shifting is what really kills the thrill. I haven't quite pinned it down yet because there have been times when I have launched off a green light and hit 50 before reaching the other side of the intersection. And then other times I feel like I'm driving in mud. I assume it is mostly due to stop-and-go city traffic and the prozac zombie drivers around here that can't even reach the speed limit before the next light.
Looking at the valve mod mentioned for stiffer shifting and going to have to ask ShawnOK his opinion about that sprintbooster upgrade he did a while back to see if he still enjoys it.
I will also be installing a ram air CAI and the anti-sway bar upgrade shortly. I've put most of the appearance mods on hold until I can get the performance and handling the way I want it.
12-10-15, 08:48 AM
#30
Lead Lap
Retroplay, a lot of the annoying hesitation or sluggish pedal responses have to do with the ECU controlling the transmission. (I'm sure that you've already read this before but just in case, I'll bring it back up.)
For some reason the SC430 designers decided that it would be smart for the SC430 to learn how folks drive and adjust the response accordingly. The results, IMHO, were very poor. It is like the desired response was designed by a little old grandma who only drives on country roads, never seeing any other traffic. (You'd almost think that I had an opinion on this subject.) To me, the ending resultant response can be dangerous when in a dangerous situation and expecting the car to accelerate and it waits a couple of seconds to sluggishly start to respond.
There are several methods of coping with the issue and I'll mention a few that require no modifications or cost.
> Reset the ECU by the key/pedal process.
1. Get in your car and insert key. (It doesn't matter if you close the door or not.)
2. Turn the key to the on (not start) position.
3. Press the gas pedal to the floor.
4. Hold the pedal to the floor for five seconds, then turn the key back to the "off" position
(don't remove the key), then release the gas pedal.
5. Wait 2 minutes.
6. Remove key.
> Reset the ECU by a power cycle of the battery. (The problem with this method is that you are likely to also reset your radio, steering wheel position, mirror position and seat position settings and probably something else that I'm currently forgetting.)
> Adjust the ECU settings by turning on the PWR switch and driving it that way for 2 or 3 tankfuls.
> If you have a 2005 or earlier model, you can manually run through the gears using the gear shift. (I forget what this is called, maybe "manumatic" or something like that.)
Hope that helps.
For some reason the SC430 designers decided that it would be smart for the SC430 to learn how folks drive and adjust the response accordingly. The results, IMHO, were very poor. It is like the desired response was designed by a little old grandma who only drives on country roads, never seeing any other traffic. (You'd almost think that I had an opinion on this subject.
) To me, the ending resultant response can be dangerous when in a dangerous situation and expecting the car to accelerate and it waits a couple of seconds to sluggishly start to respond.There are several methods of coping with the issue and I'll mention a few that require no modifications or cost.
> Reset the ECU by the key/pedal process.
1. Get in your car and insert key. (It doesn't matter if you close the door or not.)
2. Turn the key to the on (not start) position.
3. Press the gas pedal to the floor.
4. Hold the pedal to the floor for five seconds, then turn the key back to the "off" position
(don't remove the key), then release the gas pedal.
5. Wait 2 minutes.
6. Remove key.
> Reset the ECU by a power cycle of the battery. (The problem with this method is that you are likely to also reset your radio, steering wheel position, mirror position and seat position settings and probably something else that I'm currently forgetting.)
> Adjust the ECU settings by turning on the PWR switch and driving it that way for 2 or 3 tankfuls.
> If you have a 2005 or earlier model, you can manually run through the gears using the gear shift. (I forget what this is called, maybe "manumatic" or something like that.)
Hope that helps.