So I had to take the LS to Lexus of Tulsa yesterday and I had the chance to see the LC 500 for the first time in person. The sticker was $113,xxx. It was nice. Really comfortable and a beautiful interior. It was the Red with Saddle interior. Little out of my price range and then there is the whole soft top issue. But man what a beautiful car.

Dennis

 

Did you get a chance to start it up?
When I brought my '06 in for its airbags recall, the Service Manager walked me over to the sales floor and showed me the one they had (non convertible). He didn't have to twisted my arm to sit in it but I was surprised when he said the "start it up...." I did and WOW...

 

I saw a convertible in Escondido. Roped off. But what struck me the most is how much of the original concept of the SC430 it kept. I could still literally see the 430 styling. Length, stance. Angle of the windshield. Oh and lets not forget the uh hum. Back seat. LOL. I suspect that it will sell about the same number of units as ours due to price and praticality.
My biggest concern is also the Soft Top. Considering almost all of them will be garaged kept and pampered, it should be fine I guess. But wouldn't want someone to knife it in a parking lot. That would probably be costly.
second biggest concern is the automation. You practically have to be an engineer to work on our cars even. Whats it like now in the new 500?

Paul

 

Paul

I am not sure but the back seat maybe just a tad smaller than the one in my 06 SC. I did not get to start it up but than I did not ask to hear it run. My friend who had worked there for 25 years retired last March when the Covid hit so I no longer have someone on the inside..

Dennis

 

When I first saw the LC in person, I had the same impression. You can definitely see/feel the SC430 DNA in it, and this convinced me I would have one some day, assuming they become affordable once depreciated. I wouldn't be surprised, however, it they hold their value better than the SC by becoming an instant classic. The LC is one hot number!

 

Guys,

I still love the SC but the LC500 will be
my next Lexus.

After owning “4 SC430” I am probably
going to finally jump in on an 2019 in about
2 years.

As soon as they hit about 60K in price with
about 25-30K in miles, that is when I think
it is at the sweet spot of depreciation. With
Lexus reliability, I think I will be able to
hold on it for a long time with years of
fun.

 

Really spoiled by the hardtop convertible. Last one I had before that was my 58 corvette hardtop Convertible.

50 years later the Sc 430 is a time trip for me in certain ways.

vette was REALLY fast with a built 327 and 4:88 gears. Factory heater delete race car. Power nothing.

Fast forward 50 years. 1/2 the zero to 60. Ten times the driving comfort. Works for me.

 

I've been eyeing the LC since prototype back in 2014.

You can get a 2018 with 40k for around 60-70k.

I'm probably going to wait until it's at 40k by then my lease on the ES F Sport would be done & payments would be identical
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Interesting, because I often refer to my SC430 as my Japanese Corvette...all the fun without all the headaches! BTW...I have fond memories of my dad's 59 Corvette.

 

The LC’s softop turned me off. I’ll keep my SC til I can no longer drive then pass her to my grand daughter. She’s four now.

 

your post made me look,

c1 58/59 vette. Wheel base. 102”
08 sc430 lexus Wheel base 103.1”

vette track width 57” f and 58” rear

Lexus track width 61+”

 

Saw one at the dealer today when I picked up my car from having the airbag recall done. $113,798 was the sticker. They were putting a sold sign on it. When I asked they said they got full sticker for it and it was going out of state.

 

I am reviving this thread because I just test drove a 2021 LC500 Coupe (27 k miles - asking $75k) and a 2023 LC500 Convertible (new delivery miles, asking $105k). I was trying to see if they would be suitable replacements for our venerable SC430s. I concluded that overall, pound for pound, $ for $, I am better off in my SC430 for a number of reasons. Wanted to share the logic here.

Coupe: this was most likely an abused car because rear wheel curb rash was terrible on both sides and the front carbon fiber lip had a cut in it. Driving it off the lot was bad cos the rear creaked and the front squeaked. On the road, it was mostly fine but I could tell it was just HEAVY. I got to hit the gas a few times and the exhaust note is lovely but the the fact that the engine has under 400 lbs of torque and the car weighs well above 4000 lbs was obvious. We are at more than 300 lbs of torque and generally high 3000s lbs in weight in our SCs. If you get lightweight wheels and dump the OEM wheels like I did, our SC's actually feel more responsive in the low end of the rev range than the LC did. The LC engine clearly has more to give as you go higher up in the rev range but that is because they are up at 471 peak HP and we are at a humble 290 or so ... But we are sooooo much older ....

Convertible: new car so no abuse issues. Soft top was quiet enough when closed but the rear windshield was just very small. Rear visibility was not good with the top up. The interior was very nice and enclosed and cocooned the driver nicely. But here is the thing - getting right out of the LC and into the SC, I felt I was less constrained, it was more open and airy and comfy in our SCs vs the cocooned feeling in the LC. And the LC is a larger car all round, yet it does not give the driver a feeling of space. Driving the LC conv was nice enough but it is even heavier than the LC coupe with the same engine so the somewhat slow off the line feeling remains. Stab the gas pedal and power delivery is just less impressive than some of the other more modern 400hp+ cars I own, though once the revs pick up the LC 5.0 sings a wonderful tune. But the thing is I get that from other cars I own anyway ....

Both LC Coupe and Conv had the 21 inch wheels which may come as standard now ( did they have 20s when the LC first came out in 2018 - I dunno educate me ) but those just made me wince everytime we went over a pothole ( many many potholes around now in north Jersey ).

Would I pay somewhere between 75k to 105k for a modern Lexus Coupe/Convertible when performance is just not really superlative ? And I have a reliable old SC that is well cared for and mostly just needs wear and tear/regular maintenance ? I think it all comes down to looks and sound. The LC has a gorgeous head turning appearance and it attracts looks every where it goes. That exhaust note is intoxicating. But our old SC's get many compliments for looks too and if when my OEM exhaust system finally gives out, I am told Megan and some other tuner shops make suitable replacements for the SC so I can get the old girl there in the exhaust note department too. And we still have the advantage of the hard top which makes us coupe and convertible all in one... Without feeling claustrophobic in the drivers seat ...

The one situation where the LC would clearly leave us in the dust would be on high speed cruising - I have felt the 4.3 liter in the SC gets breathless and runs out puff once I am up at 90-100 mph - there's more to give but the engine feels like it is just much more comfy down in the 75 mph area. But that is all to do with the older technology in SCs and that is fine for me for now.

Finally: would you believe the LC Coupe has a smaller trunk than the SC430 ??? Don't even mention the LC Conv for trunk space .... So my grocery getting runs would be more constrained if I went in an LC than when I do it in an SC. This is a fair comparison - the LC has no spare tire (RFT) and my SC has no spare kit - I have an ISF slime inflator kit in a small Lexus zip box off to the side.

There were other considerations as to how I store my cars - the LC was just going to be very difficult to get onto one of my vehicle storage lifts cos its hips at the rear are too wide whereas the SC has a track width several inches narrower which gives me much better flexibility in storing the cars.

I came to the conclusion that while the LC is just a great car to look at, in my circumstances after caring for the SC for as long as I have (16 years ownership), knowing the SC as much as I do, it makes much more practical sense to stay with the SC. No disrespect meant to our friends in the LC segment of the forum who have spent much more money buying their beautiful LCs. $$ for $$, pound for pound, I think the SC makes more sense for me.