My Mother owns a Lexus SC430. Now, I’m not about to go on a rant about how you’ve lambasted her choice of chariot, because you see, I agree with you. I will also admit that I used to work for Lexus and so have an inside advantage as to the knowledge of these things. The later cars were “improved” when compared to earlier models like the one you drove. For instance, the later cars did away with the run flat tyres and this alone improved ride quality. However, they didn’t stop there. Oh no. They also “tweaked” the suspension and updated the gearbox to a 6 speed unit. You therefore had 6 butter smooth gears to waft along with and smile with the sort of self satisfying grin only a person with inside knowledge would have, at the improvement to the mpg the extra cog gave. All 1mpg of it (real world, not Lexus claimed figures). There were also improvements to the styling, wheel design and interior, but all these sadly didn’t stop the car from being a sales flop. In my two years with Lexus, guess how many SC430 we sold? Nope, you’re wrong (I’m having a stab in the dark that the number you thought of was higher than the actual). Just one! Yep, and that came at a heavily subsidised by Lexus reduction from the then list price of £62000 down to a mere £37000. At the latter price, you could argue the car made fantastic sense. Who wouldn’t want a V8 Luxo Wafting wannabe GT cruiser with 300 BHP for that kind of money as a brand spanker? This makes the car arguably rarer than the NSX you drove before this. Especially in Cyprus where including my Mum’s car, only two exist on the island. Perhaps it’s for these reasons that the prices are holding here in Blighty? You see, there’ll be a need for some people who want some urge, reliability, comfort and a touch of luxury, knowing not every Tom, Dick and Harry has one, backed by a dealer network renowned for customer service. The SC is definitely an acquired choice, but try and find a BMW, Merc, or Audi drop top of similar age and cost that hasn’t either been pimped, slammed, rotted away or with a dash lit like a Christmas tree, and this unassuming car then makes more sense. So, like the guy you borrowed this example from, I think there’s a canny breed of motorist that recognises that the cars worth goes beyond its looks. Just if you’re gonna get one, try an example from 2006 onwards. It won’t “twerk” as much, but it will still be reliably rare. Reason enough to buy? For some, maybe.
Lexus has some good bones on their older cars suspension geomertry. It's the suspension tune that really lets a person down on these cars. I have a 02 GS430 which has a suspension similar to the SC430. The fronts are the same. The rear is a bit different. Install some Bilstein HD shocks and put the factory springs on the lower perch. Add to that Megan sway bars, poly steering rack bushings, poly front lower control arm bushings and misc warn ball joints, and these are great drivers cars. Do these mods and they're a totally different car, a good drivers car. I would hope these same mods would benefit the SC like my GS. By they way, if the SC430 is slow to downshift, quit driving it like a gramma and gun the thing for a while. Drive it like you stole it and wake it up. (I'm not a fan of adaptive transmission logic.) The transmission will start to be more responsive and provide quicker downshifts. You can also drop the transmission pan and dial up the shift pressure. It's almost like having a built in shift kit. My GS430 has 220,000 miles. It looks great, runs great, and is fun to drive. It's a different car but I would like to see someone do these mods on the SC430 and see the results.
@@greggraham2642 - good point well made. There’s currently an excellent array of after market options for any car that in most cases improve a cars driveability considerably. I had a similar age GS300 to your GS430 and agree with your thoughts on suspension set up. It always somehow felt a bit “loose”. By comparison, I replaced it with a 2006 GS430 and this was much better. You could definitely tell where Lexus had made the improvements. Their “pursuit of excellence” was evident in every area of the car 👍
Yes, naming this car the "Worst in the world" was absolutely idiotic... They tried to rationalize it by saying that, yes, it's not as bad as Yugos, Pintos, etc.. But it cost so much more, that makes it worse... Nonsense.... Sure, the styling has not aged well, looking rather bloated, bulbous.. But it is still a very luxurious Mercedes SL type competitor, with a smooth V8, and undoubtedly vastly superior reliability.
@@bliglum You are right but it was one of their jokes. People take them too seriously, their whole schtick is trying to get a laugh. What even is a "worst car"? Such a subjective term borders on useless anyway.
Definitely not the worst car in the world, but as a fan of the SC400 at the time, I remember how hugely disappointing this was as its successor. It's not even a coupe, and that's what the "C" in "SC" stands for!
I bought drove this car daily for 10 years (2003-2013). Everywhere I went people stared at it and asked what it was. It was/is a beautiful car and is going up in price the last 5 years.
I love how these cars look. To me it looks like what a Porsche 356 could have looked like 40 years later. I own a near mint 2002 and I sincerely love it. To each their own. 😎👍
You are joking, right? THIS car looks ATROCIOUS from every angle. LAME and GAY are two good ways to describe its styling AND its totally impractical design.
this POS has nothing in common with the 2002, andn in addition, it is the anti-356. The 356 was very lightweight and non-luxurious inside, the SC430 is really heavy despite its modest dimensions, and drives NOTHING Like the 356 or any other porsche for that matter.
The reason i am here is i saw a black lexus 2003 Sc430 advertised for sale ..It also had huge attractive black rims that complimented the car to T... Personally i thought the vehicle looked amazing in black..... Strangely enough it looked so much better than the silver Lexus in this video,with those ugly rims..It almost looks like a different car,,..The one i saw also had white leather interior and looked very luxurious. .I'm still not sure if it is a two seater or if those back seats are usable..I won't be buying one though as i love my 98 hilux 4x4.. I was just curious..
I’m weird, I actually like this car, I think it has aged well compared to quite a few of its era, plus the failure of this car will be the major relevance why it is a modern classic consequently boosting its value
Its the worst in its class from the era... Which car aged worse? The Jags XK are still beautiful and super nice to drive. Mercs CL and SL were fantastically built, look quite handsome and again, very nice to drive. Z8? Spectacular car... The SC not only aged terribly on the inside, but that interior looks straight out of the acid era... It was and it is quite easily the worst of the bunch.
it's hardly fair to criticize the ride/suspension on a car that has had the suspension "gone over" by a new owner. especially one that is in the "car enthousiast" group.
Exactly, I've driven 2 of these, both unmodified, both on rough New Zealand B-Roads, and both of them had very cushy rides, many years ago when they were still relatively new vehicles with very low mileage - agree that they scuttle shake and flex like crazy - but they both soaked up the bumps and I'd have been happy to drive from Cape Reinga to Bluff in one. Wouldn't want to own one though. I think the owner is responsible for the poor ride quality on this one, either that or it's got too many worn bushings and such.
@@ziggythecomedian3830 My daily now is a GS460 - also owned two Soarers (SC400/300) back in the day. If there is one thing Lexus has always done well besides unrelenting reliability, it is ride quality - but like any car it can suffer over time as bushings and other rubber suspension components perish - and of course the guy who thinks putting some after-market lowering springs in will make it handle better - which is almost never the case.
@Richard Harrold Like I said, drove two of these back in the mid 2000's on B-roads, and that's simply not true. They HANDLE badly, but they don't ride badly, at least not in good condition as stock.
I own one. Former cars include Lexus ES, Lexus LS, BMW 3 series, BMW 1 series and currently also have a new gun Land Rover Discovery. My SC430 is smooth as silk, shifting, engine noise. Power is strong, linear and quiet. Seats incredibly comfy, roomy front seat area, wood is classy and retro. Exterior is stunning and gets stares all the time. Quality is better than any car currently sold. Will never sell it. Ever.
Speaking as an American, traditional journalist, the kind you really don't see anymore, were very often affected by advertising money. Motor trend magazine was one of the worst. Just take a look at the more than 50 years listings of their cars of the year. Some true turds in there. More advertising pages equals better reviews. Also, my observations throughout the decades, when a new version of a car arrives; very often the journalist will talk about how much better it is over the previous version even mentioning specific flaws with the old one. However if you go back and look at reviews of the older version you will find no such mention of these problems. I use automotive journalist the same way I used to use movie reviewers; they can give you a sense of a car; but they cannot make your decision for you
MotorTrend? Never really cared about that publication anymore since they deemed RUclips not worthy and deleted all their Ignition and Head2Head videos to force everyone to use their subscription platform. Which failed. I do still follow Jonny, though.
@howievu7472 facts! I bought an 06 with 168k miles about 4 months ago and I'm loving every minute with it. I am surprised that I haven't had to do anything to it. The quality and reliability are definitely there.
I've seen a lot of these and never have seen these wheels. With the more typical wheels it looks better. Keep in mind this powertrain is from the LS 430 which you reviewed and is the most reliable Lexus have put in a vehicle.
@@805NAVE Interesting. I've never seen them with black paint here in the States and I've never seen that pattern on a GS, which is a pretty good car, by the way. The ES, however, is a far more common Lexus vehicle in the Texas market. I hope that the 4.3L is treating you well. Excellent engine!
Hi Edward, This is my car, I powdercoated the underside of the wheel in dark anthracite and the centre section in the same colour as the bodywork. I did this to see how it would work, I personally didn't like it and the centre sections are now back to factory chrome finish.
I love the design of it too! It's stayed completely timeless, just look at the rival SL at the time, and you can see how badly that has aged compared to the SC.
Sounds like he is the intended customer. Good for him. People and reviewers should be more open minded to the fact that different people seek different things.
Im pretty sure James is aware and open minded to different cars being made for different people. His opinion will be that if you want a relaxed high speed comfortable cruiser then this still isn’t a good example of that niche.
@@JayEmmOnCars Great to get a reply from you, in keeping with this video’s theme. You are amongst the very top of RUclips reviewers who I trust to give an honest appraisal of a car, keep up the good work!
The Renault Vel Satis had the same treatments as the SC430 when new. They were a pretty car like the SC, but journalists took the complete piss and completely misunderstood the car. Only people who own them truly understand how underrated both of these cars are. Their images were destroyed by the press. If it's not German, they're not interested!
True. You could add the Avantime to the mix aswell. I also actually quite like the design. It hasn’t got the aggressive germanic face, because it doesn’t need to, even though it looks maybe a little generic and from the rear it looks even better with the slightly unusually shaped taillights. I don’t know very much about lexus, but at least the Vel Satis was the second car to ever have an electronic handbrake and it also came equipped with isofix, which wasn’t very common in the early 00s
Very different cars in totally different markets; one extremely quirky and avant-garde but hamstrung by eibg very impractical and and poor brand image, the other a styling mess (noughties S class meets Micra CC) not sorted dynamically and seriously overpriced.
@@wings9925 I own both, and the Vel Satis is a far more superior car to the Avantime, the Avantime was basically just an Espace III in a fancy 3dr futuristic dress, they drive like one too.
It happens over and over, in 20years we’ll ponder deeply into why almost all journalists today hail the Ferrari Roma as ”beautiful”. When in reality its just an even uglier Jaguar F-Type (looks-wise)
Hmm, they seem to be very marmite don't they. I personally think it's the best looking car they've done since the 458. Shares quite a few styling cues from the Daytona. 🤷🏾♂️
On the looks, this is one of those rare cars where the appearance is absolutely dependent upon the colour and wheel choice. Of course those wheels are hideous and silver is by far the worst colour for the model. White with chrome style wheels looks vastly better, black with satin chrome wheels and tan interior looks sweet. I have seen an 07 in dark green with a brown interior that looked terrific. The changes from the first version to the later version are subtle but they make a big difference in appearance, similar to the changes made to the LS430, where the early ones look unresolved in the front and the post 03 versions look quite good. The ride on run flats would be bad, but that applies to almost any car on run flats. I suspect with modern wheels and top grade tyres the ride and handling would be vastly better, especially with a well chosen suspension upgrade, (which I suspect on this particular example is not the case). I look at it this way, the SC430 is a very high quality starting point for a nice cruiser, tweak the suspension, better tyres, mod the exhaust, make a few other minor changes as desired. It seems that a lot of SCs are getting exactly that sort of treatment and to a degree that’s probably holding values up, oh and also the fact that unlike most German and British rivals you are not going to be driving around in an unexploded bomb waiting for the inevitable detonation followed by economic depletion. Maybe not the best ever Lexus, but far from being the worlds worst car, by any measure.
A lot of people back when this car was new, where comparing it to the Mercedes SL500. And of course the full on conclusion was the SL was better in every conceivable way. And then about 20 years has passed. One of these cars has spent more trips to the mechanic than the other... And I assure you good sir. It wasn't the "ugly and awful" Lexus...
Ah, you've just hit the nail squarely and very nicely on the head. No car is truly perfect, and everything that makes up the whole is designed to some degree of compromise. BMW's for instance look pretty nice (latest grille designs apart), drive brilliantly, but aren't exactly what you'd call reliable. And for me, reliability is the one thing I absolutely will not compromise on. I need a car, first and foremost, to work. Which is where even the least desirable Lexus' absolutely shine.
I've owned this car for 4 years. It's not as fast flashy or loaded with tech like it's competition but it's very reliable and the styling I think has aged well. It's also kinda pigish in the turns but has decent acceleration. Probably drive it till it blows up!
C&D were probably just reviewing it in the context of who would buy it- retirees in Florida who want to upgrade from their Camry, without having to spend too much more on routine maintenance. The sort of people who will never take it on a country road, and rarely even highway speeds.
@@jordanbell4420 true but back in the 90s/00s car mags were so beholden to manufacturers especially in the USA, just listen to Jason Cammisa and Matt Farrah when they speak of their experiences, plus many stories on Jalponik regarding the US media back in the day
My rich uncle had one of these in the mid 2000s. He used to travel often with my aunt so whenever they'd leave town I'd borrow his SC430 for the week. It wasn't super fast, but I still felt like the coolest person in the world driving around town in it when I was 18 or so.
Your rich uncle with poor taste, you mean. I wonder how you define "rich". Note that a "millionaire" should be somebody with at least $100 MILLION US net worth. Look it up and you might see why,
I saw this car with the original japanese option rims and it looked great. To me this car is a bargain. People has no idea of what it is today. Is a super reliable, comfy cruiser to cover miles, to basically drive it to hell and beyond. It was never an sportscar. The styling is obviously being criticised to death, because it is not aggressive in an era cars needed lots of features to reassure the looks. But this car does not need to be. This car is a future classic, just like a Honda s2000. Give it another 10 years and prices will be something else.
Good honest review. I bought an SC430 14 years ago for my wife and she loved it. We sold it 7 years ago, regretted it and recently bought another. Why? Comfort Comfort Comfort. We are so lucky as we also have a Range Rover for family and work life and My Subaru WRX STI for play. Horses for courses. For what 'we' want it to do the SC430 does it all perfectly. :)
I’ve owned this 2008 gem and after changing the run flats, I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent in this car. It’s a touring car that is luxurious, yet dependable and the easy top up and top down feature is priceless for older folks.
I genuinely don’t understand how anyone can call this ugly. It’s petty in my opinion. Also as much as I love them, Top gear have called some beautiful cars ugly and some mediocre ones beautiful. They even called the e60 m5 ugly ffs.
ruclips.net/video/i2z9z0mVrto/видео.html I did indeed, just wanted to see how the centres looked painted the body color. The centres are now back to factory chrome.
Unpopular opinion, from day one always thought they were actually attractive in an unorthodox kind of way. Look fancy and different, not trying to be a sports car like everyone else. It's the RC that imo looks ugly and outdated the day it debuted. Go figure, I'm weird.
I really want one! Slam a turbo, custom 4in exhaust, coilovers, deep dish wheels, a subtle lip kit all around and a fresh wrap and this thing will break necks. Seen a few in US and Japan heavily modified but none in UK lol
Great review of a car that is 20 years old and never changed much when version 2 came out 2005. Our family has 3 of these cars, 02 in indigo dark blue, an 07 in matador red and 07 in breakwater blue, a non SC430 colour, all much nicer than the silver we think. As to ride quality, we find no difference in the 2 versions, maybe a little softer rebound on later cars, tyre choice makes a huge difference and we want quiet on our noisy chip seal New Zealand roads. Scuttle shake is not very noticeable at all. Most of us could not afford the SC430 new and getting low mileage used cars some 15 years later is a testament to the build quality. No, they don't have air suspension for a more luxurious ride and the shift on the Aisin automatic is quite lethargic compared with an XK Jag's 6 speed ZF, but then you don't have pedestrian sensors that can ruin the bonnet when activated and a hydraulic hood system that gives trouble. The biggest asset of the SC430 is being able to drive long distances without working your rear end off, and of course the summer days with the hood down. Do the water pump and belt, trans fluid change etc and you have a friend for life. I prefer the 5 spd version for city driving, the 6 spd suffers a little from having too many gears like the modern 8 and 10 spd trans that are forever hunting for another gear. Some of our roads now have sections that are limited to 80km/h and the 6th speed with torque converter locked up is a little high geared requiring a bit of manual shifter stirring. Read buyer remorse reviews from BMW Z4 or SL500 owners and the SC430 looms into first choice, don't worry about the body shape, you can't see it when driving.
I own a 2004 SC430 and love it. I don't have any of those issues with my car that the reviewer is talking about. No squeaks or rattles or lousy performance. I've always have gotten very nice comments on mine. Wheels, mileage, and regular maintenance all play a role in how a car appears and drives. And looking at the SC he's driving, it seems to me as if it has had seen better days. I do wish the reviewer would have done some research on the car instead of rambling on about journalists' methods in car reviewing because he would have found that the SC430, during its production years, had the highest resale value of ANY vehicle per KBB. And that says a lot about the SC430 and how people viewed them. Personally, I think the car reflects expensive Japanese, which is holding up very well compared to its British and European counterparts. I've owned both a Jaguar and Mercedes -- never again! Both those brands are a PITA mechanically unless you love handing a bunch of your money over to mechanics on a regular basis. Anyway, the SC430's are fetching serious dollars on the resale market in Southern California, where I live, even with high miles. The SC430 was an expensive rear-wheel-drive first convertible made by Lexus and referred to as "The Crown Jewel of Lexus" by Lexus. Others have referred to it as a "Baby Bentley." Either way, it has the makings of a collectible.
Many celebrities drove this car at the time, one would only assume they have a lot of experience with expensive cars. I doubt it could’ve been that bad! Also, the interior still looks amazing!
I had one of these for 6 years. When I got it the ride on the run flats and wheels was pretty harsh. I switched the wheels and tires to 20 inch low profile tires (non run flats) and it made a huge difference. It transformed the car! And since I live in the Miami area it could handle those horrid roads that Jay was talking about. Never had any issues with the car other than regular maintenance on wear and tear items. The accelerator was a bit sluggish compared to todays cars. Keep in mind that the other major competitor to this car at the time (hard top convertible) was the SL500 which had a host of reliability issues but did have the looks. So, yes, I was one of the people who liked this car.
Enjoyed my experience with a SC which was a great tourer for the two of us older types. Super reliable, great engine, very comfortable and well equipped (not seen those awful wheels before) I bought it after selling my Ferrari F355 spider which was fantastic (and very basic). I don't regret buying the Lex but really regret the sale of the Fez. Please don't ever feature a 355 on the channel as I would have to avert my eyes!
That’s the kind of mentality that gets us to the point where we don’t believe any news we don’t like. I think it’s good practice to know the difference between “reporting” and “opinion”.
@@xwarped83 there should be a point where we don't listen to any news...none. support your family and your local communities. Why stress on things that have no direct impact on yourself.
I’ve always rather liked the SC430 myself, it’s supposed to be sort of like a road going sports cruiser yacht and the later version with the 6 speed auto is actually rather splendid as an open top GT.
Traditionally there's been two halves to the media. The every day autocar style of journalism who cares greatly about the boot space in a Mk2 Focus, whether it has Isofix, NCAP rating, how noisy it is on the motorway etc. Boring stuff. Then you have the performance reviewers who care purely about how quickly it can lap a racetrack. Any compromise on stiffness, noise, weight is an absolute monstrosity to them. The reason I like this channel is that cars are tested in the real world. A hardcore ring tool is too inflexible, too compromised on a real road. Nobody talks about the interior quality of an F430 Scuderia, but James does. Because it's somewhere you'll spend a lot of time. But it's about striking the right balance of performance and excitement and everyday useability, a balance that James hits that most reviewers don't.
Standing ovation for your first two paragraphs, This is the problem I also have with much of motor reviews. Too boring and uninterested in driving, versus only interested in lap times. Surely a happy medium can be reached by someone? Jayemm isnt perfect, but he has been getting better, and he is now among the best when it comes to melding both worlds.
i dont see one of those in a long time but i dont think it is that ugly . Also those wheels looks awfull with their centers in black and lowering the car didnt help the ride for sure. They are still pretty expensive in the states mainly because of this masterpiece of an engine that is the 4.3
Solid video. Nice angle for an interesting switch-up in your content. You should keep these musings coming any time they pop up, it's refreshing to hear another perspective.
It's a great car. We look after 3. And it's a Boulevarde cruiser. It's smooth quiet and still manages despite hefty weight to deliver thrust and get up and boogie. Brakes are undersized and suspension designed to just cruise. In black when clean it looks great (from the side only) 😂
I've always loved these cars and really wanted to drive one. Granted the particular model you've got, with those awfully painted wheels, doesn't look the best, but on the whole, at the time when it came out, I remember it being generally regarded as a truly aspirational machine.
I can't say I've agreed with all your reviews but I've enjoyed watching every one. Love your honesty and openness to even discuss topics like this. Please, please, please keep up the awesome work and thank you.
I drove the SC430 some years ago at a Lexus launch for the second generation IS250 in North Essex. Most car journalists only rate cars by driving the 'nuts' off them, conditions that don't exist in real life motoring conditions, and most people wouldn't do anyway. I suppose you could describe the SC430 as a 'Boulevard Cruiser', and the U.S. was its main market, but I found it a relaxing car to drive and very well built compared to the competition at the time.
This guy's was expecting this old use car to drive like a brand new car I bet he would say the same thing if he were to drive an 20 yrs old German cars that would occasionally break down every 100 miles 😂🤣😂
i think the problem with this car is....... that "car enthusiasts" want everything to be a sports car. people want this car to be something it was never intended to be. its like driving a buick and complaining its not a corvette.
I've been wondering if some motor journalists here in Norway takes bribes. They have a dice rating and all Volkswagens get 6. Every other brand rarely gets a 6. So I think to myself; If another brand gets a 5, it's as good as a VW. If it gets a 6 it's better than a VW. And the reason for not giving another car a 6 is usually like 'image' or 'depreciation'.
I just recently purchased one from an older couple and absolutely think it's a hoot to drive! No it is not a corner Carver however accelerating on the freeway with that V8 really kicks up and screams all while being so refined.
We've got to the point that journalists share how they're treated by the brand at the vehicle official press showcase, like accomodation, press ceremony and presentation experience. It's not about what the manufacturer can do, it's about how they're nice to the journalist in a thing they won't offer to the customer. There's no way I'm gonna believe a brand treats a reviewer on a holiday as bad as a customer with an issue, so that's total bs and a very dishonest way of promoting the brand which ultimately is to be judged on what the customer actually gets
Those allfull wheels would make any car ugly.. A friend of mine has a beautiful navy blue 430 and looks great.. You really picked one that doesn't look so good with those allfull wheels to cement your dialogue
I must say I am very happy with my 2006 SC430. I purchased it with 175k on the odometer from the original owner who was meticulous with the maintenance...all of which was performed at the same dealership for the vehicles entire life. I owned a 2007 Porsche Boxster S once and yes that car handled better and was far more responsive but now that i am a bit older, i prefer the comfort the Lexus provides. Do I sometimes long for the handling of the Porsche...sure...but as.some of these comments have made very clear, i can easily modify the Lexus to make it a bit more fun. Ive put a out 20k miles on the SC430 over the past few years and ive had zero issues, other than having to do the timing belt service at 180k. Before purchasing, i did consider other brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and even Maserati but, at the end of the day, i wamted a weekend car that would last. Yes, i took a gamble on the high mileage but so far so good. Ive nothing against the other brands mind you as my daily driver is a 2019 E63 wagon so when i get the urge to tear things up, i just jump in the wagon....which provides me with all the excitement i need. The Lexus provides me with that opportunity to just lay back with the top down and cruise. The E63 and the SC430 balance each other out.
One of the largest reasons why I dislike the SC430 even trying to remove my bias for Top Gear is that, I feel like it was a big, big missed opportunity. I like soft, comfy cabriolets, but I really do feel like it could've been much more from the company that gave us the LS400, LFA ans LC500
It was a huge disappointment after the excellent SC400 from 1991. This was produced when Lexus were in the doldrums from a design point of view I feel, as the LS & GS models of the same era is also extremely ugly and not up to competing with the Germans at the time in many areas. Fortunately they turned it around later in the decade and started producing some excellent stuff again.
@@Beer_Dad1975 indeed, I feel like the early to mid 2000s Lexus styling was... Bad. I don't like hoe blobby the LS had become and sadly it seemed to rub off on the SC430. I do agree with what you said about the SC400, that one felt like a comfortable, adaptable and stylish car that in my opinion, should have been the jumping off point for the SC430
Disagree on the auto journalists matching public opinion. Most of the public has and will never have seat time in any of these cars, so public opinion is very largely shaped by auto journalists and repeating their talking points. Classic example: auto journalists snarky comments about the the "parts bin" such as using the turn signal stalks from a lesser model...without any regard for how this is a POSITIVE...ie. less expensive to replace when these parts break, they are insignificant parts, tried and true, and reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.
I recently broke my back and my neck in a car accident, my father has a SC430, 55 plate, it was the first car I started driving in after the accident as I was staying with my father, I have found no problem with the ride. It is a totally stock car with a full Lexus main dealer history and 95,000 miles. I have been extremely impressed with the refinement, very similar DB reading on my phone at 60mph to a 2021 plate Range Rover vogue Autobiography at 60 mph. I have enjoyed it so much I have borrowed it off my father and have been using it back to back with my 997.2 Porsche 911 and 2016 BMW 335d m sport touring, it does a completely different job to those cars and is not a car to hustle, more smoke about in but in town it is hard to beat in my experience.
I love the looks and everything about the SC430. I owned one for many years and I put over 250,000 miles on the car and did not spend much on upkeep. The car is super reliable. The car that you have here has painted rims and the tires are not original. The wheel combination makes this car look very ugly.
I own a face-lift 08 Pebble Beach Edition in Pearl White Metallic with Red leather and black wood trim and i personally think it's a beautiful car. This is a luxury GT car not a sports or supercar. It does everything i want it to, super comfortable, super quiet, well equipped and more than fast enough to overtake just about everything plus its a coupe and a convertible. What is there not to like?
My parents have an 08 sc430 with less than 5000 miles that’s sitting in their driveway rotting. It was my moms car until she got an LC , my old man just lets it sit and rot. He wo t sell it , or drive it , or even wash it.
James, an intuitive indicator of a motoring journalist's accurate/authentic review tends to revolve around whether they envisage personally owning the vehicle. Many get all ticklish over techi-tat such as electrically deployed tow bars and the like which won't be an issue to them as they will never buy the thing, so the prospect of it jamming in 5 years time is of absolutely no concern. Being generous, you could say they are unsuited for their job.
@@GoldenCroc That's very true, but as we all know the internet and youtube are an ongoing historical catalogue, any review is capable of being revisited later for reference. The reviewer can appear myopic if they don't take sustainability into account. JayEmm's success suggests that not everyone is short term.
@@noway961 I fully agree with your viewpoint above, but also have some sympathy of the fact that: It can be hard to say which features might be unreliable until years after the fact. Even useless flimsy trinkets can sometimes be error free decades down the road. There is also the fact to keep in mind that a lot of customers presumably love the practically useless motorized features. One example is Tesla retractable door handles, in almost every concievable way they are a drawback compared to normal ones, and the one area were they have a benefit (aerodynamics), it is so small as to be not only unnoticeable, but hardly even measurable in a controlled lab enviroment, more or less. And yet, many people love them, its something to differentiate them from... dare I say it...Plebs (In their mind). But as I said, in an ideal world were the average customers arent at least as idiotic as reviews, it would be nice, yeah.
@@GoldenCroc I'm with you GC, however, my heated steering wheel and 'pit speed' buttons still work, but I can't help but feel they will not be the memorable aspects of those vehicles in 10 years time.
The SC 430 is Beautiful. It reminds me of automotive design of the 1940's. Go search images of 1948 Ford Club Coupe, 1940 Dodge Business Coupe, 1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Freccia d'Oro, 1947 Masarati A6 1500 Pininfarina, 1949 Porsche 356. While not in the same sport class as the others, the design of the SC 430 could very well fit into those beautiful automobile designs of the 1940's.
You couldn’t have picked a worse looking SC anyone can find PLUS …. from 2006 The car is designed far better than that monstrosity you have picked …… After owing a later model as a reliable supper comfortable cruiser …… with some speed it is just FANTASTIC ??
Ha ha when I was in the market for a V8 about 2 years ago I looked at those. It's got just about the most reliable V8 engine you can get & I like the interior. But I just couldn't warm to the looks & the token rear 'seats'.
Look it's a Japanese Buick , they weren't looking to make a bmw killer. It's a personal luxury coupe that's all nothing more nothing less, aka ,tornado, Riviera,Eldorado, Mark 8, thunderbird, cougar. That why I own sc430 ,cause this segment is gone.
I just drove a 2003 sc430 25 hours across the US ... and it was a joy to drive. Got all kinds of admiring looks and never saw another the entire way. And they can go to 700k miles easily. It's a great car with aome quirkiness which means its almost certainly a collector item.
Performance gripes aside, I really like how Blackbeard's set this car up. the dark two tone wheels paired with the silver gives me mercedes vibes and it works.
There's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction. ruclips.net/video/PMEdmqAcibY/видео.htmlsi=V5mWPcdfMCaO2Wwu
I was a president of Chicago Lexus Club back when it came out. During one of our annual BBQ meetings, a journalist showed up and since many owners had older Lexus SC, started asking about SC430. Being an owner of an SC300 I gave him my opinion: Lexus could have developed on top of the older SC line, but instead, came out with a totally different car that appeals to very little niche of people. The story about the BBQ in the Lexus magazine never came out.
I've never driven one, but I can guess the experience. What I can comment on is the exterior which I never found as appalling as some of the journos claim. It just looks average, certainly no where near as revolutionary or beautiful as the original hardtop SC300/400 of the 1990s.
I used to Think I'd like the sc400 design until I saw one in person and actually drove it... no thanks, it completely dissillusioned me and my fantasy's about it... the car looks stretched...so much so that I cant wrap my head around it's looks... its kinda like a caricature of a car..same with the interior.... sitting in one was a mega let down...at least for me..to each his own
I love this car and they sell quickly , it’s hard to get one’s hands on one. There’s a good one near me that’s very low Miles and it’s over sixty thousand dollars!!! And they will get it because real people love them.
I've had 5 pass through my hands as a motor trader over the years, all bought from and sold to golf club types who'd fallen out with Jags, BMWs and Mercs. Along with the RX350/400h they also have the dubious accolade of being the last cars sold in the UK with a cassette player. I remember a door mirror glass cost about £500 so we got a cheap stick on one off ebay and the roofs on them corrode quite badly - I think they are aluminium or similar, definitely not steel, every one we had showed signs of this. In Jewish Racing Gold with the gold badge option I think they have a kind of kitsch appeal. Way better ownership proposition than a similar era SL or a V8 6 series, they are junk, but an XK8 would be my choice.
I always quite liked these to be honest, never thought they were ugly and being Lexus they should be reliable and well built. The scuttle shake sounds as bad as my old '99 Saab 93 soft top which was bloody awful!
I bought a Smart ForFour 2005 Brabus purely based on a Jayemm review. I had never been in a Smart car before and I didn't even test drive it at the time, as I had a foot injury and couldn't use the clutch. I don't regret my purchase. Thank you Jayemm.
My Mother owns a Lexus SC430. Now, I’m not about to go on a rant about how you’ve lambasted her choice of chariot, because you see, I agree with you. I will also admit that I used to work for Lexus and so have an inside advantage as to the knowledge of these things. The later cars were “improved” when compared to earlier models like the one you drove. For instance, the later cars did away with the run flat tyres and this alone improved ride quality. However, they didn’t stop there. Oh no. They also “tweaked” the suspension and updated the gearbox to a 6 speed unit. You therefore had 6 butter smooth gears to waft along with and smile with the sort of self satisfying grin only a person with inside knowledge would have, at the improvement to the mpg the extra cog gave. All 1mpg of it (real world, not Lexus claimed figures). There were also improvements to the styling, wheel design and interior, but all these sadly didn’t stop the car from being a sales flop. In my two years with Lexus, guess how many SC430 we sold? Nope, you’re wrong (I’m having a stab in the dark that the number you thought of was higher than the actual). Just one! Yep, and that came at a heavily subsidised by Lexus reduction from the then list price of £62000 down to a mere £37000. At the latter price, you could argue the car made fantastic sense. Who wouldn’t want a V8 Luxo Wafting wannabe GT cruiser with 300 BHP for that kind of money as a brand spanker? This makes the car arguably rarer than the NSX you drove before this. Especially in Cyprus where including my Mum’s car, only two exist on the island. Perhaps it’s for these reasons that the prices are holding here in Blighty? You see, there’ll be a need for some people who want some urge, reliability, comfort and a touch of luxury, knowing not every Tom, Dick and Harry has one, backed by a dealer network renowned for customer service. The SC is definitely an acquired choice, but try and find a BMW, Merc, or Audi drop top of similar age and cost that hasn’t either been pimped, slammed, rotted away or with a dash lit like a Christmas tree, and this unassuming car then makes more sense. So, like the guy you borrowed this example from, I think there’s a canny breed of motorist that recognises that the cars worth goes beyond its looks. Just if you’re gonna get one, try an example from 2006 onwards. It won’t “twerk” as much, but it will still be reliably rare. Reason enough to buy? For some, maybe.
You should be a car journalist yourself. Lol. Very eloquent response you gave.
Lexus has some good bones on their older cars suspension geomertry. It's the suspension tune that really lets a person down on these cars. I have a 02 GS430 which has a suspension similar to the SC430. The fronts are the same. The rear is a bit different. Install some Bilstein HD shocks and put the factory springs on the lower perch. Add to that Megan sway bars, poly steering rack bushings, poly front lower control arm bushings and misc warn ball joints, and these are great drivers cars. Do these mods and they're a totally different car, a good drivers car. I would hope these same mods would benefit the SC like my GS. By they way, if the SC430 is slow to downshift, quit driving it like a gramma and gun the thing for a while. Drive it like you stole it and wake it up. (I'm not a fan of adaptive transmission logic.) The transmission will start to be more responsive and provide quicker downshifts. You can also drop the transmission pan and dial up the shift pressure. It's almost like having a built in shift kit. My GS430 has 220,000 miles. It looks great, runs great, and is fun to drive. It's a different car but I would like to see someone do these mods on the SC430 and see the results.
@@greggraham2642 - good point well made. There’s currently an excellent array of after market options for any car that in most cases improve a cars driveability considerably. I had a similar age GS300 to your GS430 and agree with your thoughts on suspension set up. It always somehow felt a bit “loose”. By comparison, I replaced it with a 2006 GS430 and this was much better. You could definitely tell where Lexus had made the improvements. Their “pursuit of excellence” was evident in every area of the car 👍
A great review. More interesting than the video review itself.
Cool to know only 2 in Cyprus
It’ll never be the worst car in the world because it was still relatively comfortable and super reliable
Yes, naming this car the "Worst in the world" was absolutely idiotic... They tried to rationalize it by saying that, yes, it's not as bad as Yugos, Pintos, etc.. But it cost so much more, that makes it worse... Nonsense.... Sure, the styling has not aged well, looking rather bloated, bulbous.. But it is still a very luxurious Mercedes SL type competitor, with a smooth V8, and undoubtedly vastly superior reliability.
@@bliglum You are right but it was one of their jokes. People take them too seriously, their whole schtick is trying to get a laugh. What even is a "worst car"? Such a subjective term borders on useless anyway.
@@GoldenCroc there is worst cars because its not a subjective category like the robin 3 wheel was a dangerous car
Definitely not the worst car in the world, but as a fan of the SC400 at the time, I remember how hugely disappointing this was as its successor. It's not even a coupe, and that's what the "C" in "SC" stands for!
@@bliglum you wouldn't take one over a merc sl500 though would you?
I bought drove this car daily for 10 years (2003-2013). Everywhere I went people stared at it and asked what it was. It was/is a beautiful car and is going up in price the last 5 years.
beautiful, lol...
I love how these cars look. To me it looks like what a Porsche 356 could have looked like 40 years later. I own a near mint 2002 and I sincerely love it. To each their own. 😎👍
me too love them
The 4.3 V8 is a gem.
You are joking, right? THIS car looks ATROCIOUS from every angle. LAME and GAY are two good ways to describe its styling AND its totally impractical design.
this POS has nothing in common with the 2002, andn in addition, it is the anti-356. The 356 was very lightweight and non-luxurious inside, the SC430 is really heavy despite its modest dimensions, and drives NOTHING Like the 356 or any other porsche for that matter.
The reason i am here is i saw a black lexus 2003 Sc430 advertised for sale ..It also had huge attractive black rims that complimented the car to T... Personally i thought the vehicle looked amazing in black..... Strangely enough it looked so much better than the silver Lexus in this video,with those ugly rims..It almost looks like a different car,,..The one i saw also had white leather interior and looked very luxurious. .I'm still not sure if it is a two seater or if those back seats are usable..I won't be buying one though as i love my 98 hilux 4x4.. I was just curious..
I’m weird, I actually like this car, I think it has aged well compared to quite a few of its era, plus the failure of this car will be the major relevance why it is a modern classic consequently boosting its value
I like it too, I ended up buying one sight unseen last year
@Jack Stein that isnt ideal
Its the worst in its class from the era... Which car aged worse? The Jags XK are still beautiful and super nice to drive. Mercs CL and SL were fantastically built, look quite handsome and again, very nice to drive. Z8? Spectacular car... The SC not only aged terribly on the inside, but that interior looks straight out of the acid era... It was and it is quite easily the worst of the bunch.
@@an-dr6eu If you could turn back time I think everyone would buy the Z8 going off the investment value alone
@@an-dr6eu
The German cars are costing three times as much as SC though if you really a fast SC just slap a turbo on it.
it's hardly fair to criticize the ride/suspension on a car that has had the suspension "gone over" by a new owner. especially one that is in the "car enthousiast" group.
Exactly, I've driven 2 of these, both unmodified, both on rough New Zealand B-Roads, and both of them had very cushy rides, many years ago when they were still relatively new vehicles with very low mileage - agree that they scuttle shake and flex like crazy - but they both soaked up the bumps and I'd have been happy to drive from Cape Reinga to Bluff in one. Wouldn't want to own one though. I think the owner is responsible for the poor ride quality on this one, either that or it's got too many worn bushings and such.
He also said it has lowering springs, of course a bit of a harsh ride, my 07 sc430 is very smooth, people complement my car literally everyday.
@@ziggythecomedian3830 My daily now is a GS460 - also owned two Soarers (SC400/300) back in the day. If there is one thing Lexus has always done well besides unrelenting reliability, it is ride quality - but like any car it can suffer over time as bushings and other rubber suspension components perish - and of course the guy who thinks putting some after-market lowering springs in will make it handle better - which is almost never the case.
@Richard Harrold Like I said, drove two of these back in the mid 2000's on B-roads, and that's simply not true. They HANDLE badly, but they don't ride badly, at least not in good condition as stock.
@Richard Harrold LOL yeah and an x bow rides like a cloud. X-D
I own one. Former cars include Lexus ES, Lexus LS, BMW 3 series, BMW 1 series and currently also have a new gun Land Rover Discovery. My SC430 is smooth as silk, shifting, engine noise. Power is strong, linear and quiet. Seats incredibly comfy, roomy front seat area, wood is classy and retro. Exterior is stunning and gets stares all the time. Quality is better than any car currently sold. Will never sell it. Ever.
I got one KIG4347
Beautiful car ,sound system
Worth more than the car,❤
I'm with you.
I would daily drive this car.
Blind people are not even allowed to drive :)
I daily mine to the base everyday
@I'm David Hasselhoff awesome
I daily drove one for 4 years. Loved it!
Speaking as an American, traditional journalist, the kind you really don't see anymore, were very often affected by advertising money. Motor trend magazine was one of the worst. Just take a look at the more than 50 years listings of their cars of the year. Some true turds in there. More advertising pages equals better reviews. Also, my observations throughout the decades, when a new version of a car arrives; very often the journalist will talk about how much better it is over the previous version even mentioning specific flaws with the old one. However if you go back and look at reviews of the older version you will find no such mention of these problems. I use automotive journalist the same way I used to use movie reviewers; they can give you a sense of a car; but they cannot make your decision for you
Urinalists * We call all journalists, urinalists. It's just more fitting for a group of the worst kind of ppl.
Motortrend is still very much a advertising company.
MotorTrend? Never really cared about that publication anymore since they deemed RUclips not worthy and deleted all their Ignition and Head2Head videos to force everyone to use their subscription platform. Which failed. I do still follow Jonny, though.
This is bullshit, I've been driving this car for 5 years and still loving every minute of it.
What model and how u do normally maintain it ?
Ugliest car in the world
@@speak_your_truth. subjective. I think they are gorgeous.
@howievu7472 facts! I bought an 06 with 168k miles about 4 months ago and I'm loving every minute with it. I am surprised that I haven't had to do anything to it. The quality and reliability are definitely there.
I've seen a lot of these and never have seen these wheels. With the more typical wheels it looks better. Keep in mind this powertrain is from the LS 430 which you reviewed and is the most reliable Lexus have put in a vehicle.
Looks like he custom painted the factory wheels.
These are literally the most common factory SC430 wheels. Just the outer rim is painted black. I have the same wheels on my GS430
@@805NAVE Interesting. I've never seen them with black paint here in the States and I've never seen that pattern on a GS, which is a pretty good car, by the way. The ES, however, is a far more common Lexus vehicle in the Texas market. I hope that the 4.3L is treating you well. Excellent engine!
Hi Edward,
This is my car, I powdercoated the underside of the wheel in dark anthracite and the centre section in the same colour as the bodywork.
I did this to see how it would work, I personally didn't like it and the centre sections are now back to factory chrome finish.
@@BlackbeardsDetailing why is he always up at lennoxtown???
I actually really like the way this car looks, it’s quite unique, but I really like it.
Same, always found them attractive from day one in an unorthodox way. I guess we are an extreme minority.
There's also a famous singer who likes how this car looks. I forget his name, but he sings: "superstition" and "isn't she loverly"
yeah it's not bad looking at all. From an objective design standpoint it's quite decentm it just didn't fit with the taste of the time.
I love the design of it too! It's stayed completely timeless, just look at the rival SL at the time, and you can see how badly that has aged compared to the SC.
@@Maurice_Moss You mean Stevie Wonder?
I'm pretty sure a lot of people watch you for the shirts...
Still, the content is good!
And that's a particularly good one 👍
The shirts are insane!
😂
Yeah, he saw his baby boy in a pyjama and said to his wife, "I want a shirt out of this." ^^
My father bought one from new and still has it. On one occasion we took it to Northern Spain. It can cruise very well at...ahem...some speed.
And you can forget about it being called awful whenever a different [usually European] brand heads for a dealership for repairs.
Sounds like he is the intended customer. Good for him. People and reviewers should be more open minded to the fact that different people seek different things.
Im pretty sure James is aware and open minded to different cars being made for different people. His opinion will be that if you want a relaxed high speed comfortable cruiser then this still isn’t a good example of that niche.
Correct Stu.
@@JayEmmOnCars Great to get a reply from you, in keeping with this video’s theme. You are amongst the very top of RUclips reviewers who I trust to give an honest appraisal of a car, keep up the good work!
The Renault Vel Satis had the same treatments as the SC430 when new. They were a pretty car like the SC, but journalists took the complete piss and completely misunderstood the car. Only people who own them truly understand how underrated both of these cars are. Their images were destroyed by the press. If it's not German, they're not interested!
True. You could add the Avantime to the mix aswell. I also actually quite like the design. It hasn’t got the aggressive germanic face, because it doesn’t need to, even though it looks maybe a little generic and from the rear it looks even better with the slightly unusually shaped taillights. I don’t know very much about lexus, but at least the Vel Satis was the second car to ever have an electronic handbrake and it also came equipped with isofix, which wasn’t very common in the early 00s
Very different cars in totally different markets; one extremely quirky and avant-garde but hamstrung by eibg very impractical and and poor brand image, the other a styling mess (noughties S class meets Micra CC) not sorted dynamically and seriously overpriced.
@@wings9925 I own both, and the Vel Satis is a far more superior car to the Avantime, the Avantime was basically just an Espace III in a fancy 3dr futuristic dress, they drive like one too.
@@onelyone6976 Vel Satis and Laguna II were also the first ever cars to have tyre pressure monitoring systems.
@@daveyboiyeah That's new to me aswell, my 06 Megane does also have a tyre pressure monitoring system
Thank you for shitting on the car so I can still afford it. Love you man!
How are you going to comment on the ride of a lowered car with huge spacers, and blame the manufacturer. That's not very responsible journalism!!
The lovechild of the last Ford Scorpio and the Nissan Figaro.
I can see it...
FIAT Multipla, shirley?
Figaro has been busy.
Very well spotted! 😁
Thank you very much for planting images in my head that I never want to think of again...
It happens over and over, in 20years we’ll ponder deeply into why almost all journalists today hail the Ferrari Roma as ”beautiful”. When in reality its just an even uglier Jaguar F-Type (looks-wise)
The F-Type (post facelift) is an uglier F-Type (pre-facelift). The Roma is a prettier Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
Hmm, they seem to be very marmite don't they. I personally think it's the best looking car they've done since the 458. Shares quite a few styling cues from the Daytona. 🤷🏾♂️
Roma is gorgeous. And the new F-Type is still an absolute looker. Not _quite_ as beautiful as the original F-Type, but far from being ugly.
On the looks, this is one of those rare cars where the appearance is absolutely dependent upon the colour and wheel choice. Of course those wheels are hideous and silver is by far the worst colour for the model.
White with chrome style wheels looks vastly better, black with satin chrome wheels and tan interior looks sweet. I have seen an 07 in dark green with a brown interior that looked terrific.
The changes from the first version to the later version are subtle but they make a big difference in appearance, similar to the changes made to the LS430, where the early ones look unresolved in the front and the post 03 versions look quite good.
The ride on run flats would be bad, but that applies to almost any car on run flats. I suspect with modern wheels and top grade tyres the ride and handling would be vastly better, especially with a well chosen suspension upgrade, (which I suspect on this particular example is not the case).
I look at it this way, the SC430 is a very high quality starting point for a nice cruiser, tweak the suspension, better tyres, mod the exhaust, make a few other minor changes as desired. It seems that a lot of SCs are getting exactly that sort of treatment and to a degree that’s probably holding values up, oh and also the fact that unlike most German and British rivals you are not going to be driving around in an unexploded bomb waiting for the inevitable detonation followed by economic depletion.
Maybe not the best ever Lexus, but far from being the worlds worst car, by any measure.
A lot of people back when this car was new, where comparing it to the Mercedes SL500. And of course the full on conclusion was the SL was better in every conceivable way. And then about 20 years has passed. One of these cars has spent more trips to the mechanic than the other... And I assure you good sir. It wasn't the "ugly and awful" Lexus...
There are a number of posts out there by former SL owners who are now SC owners.
Ah, you've just hit the nail squarely and very nicely on the head. No car is truly perfect, and everything that makes up the whole is designed to some degree of compromise. BMW's for instance look pretty nice (latest grille designs apart), drive brilliantly, but aren't exactly what you'd call reliable. And for me, reliability is the one thing I absolutely will not compromise on. I need a car, first and foremost, to work. Which is where even the least desirable Lexus' absolutely shine.
@@oomfh add one more 😎
I've owned this car for 4 years. It's not as fast flashy or loaded with tech like it's competition but it's very reliable and the styling I think has aged well. It's also kinda pigish in the turns but has decent acceleration. Probably drive it till it blows up!
It was more suited to the US market. Mature drivers wanting something to cruise around in. I love it.
Car & Driver probably saw Lexus' advertising budget when they judged the car
C&D were probably just reviewing it in the context of who would buy it- retirees in Florida who want to upgrade from their Camry, without having to spend too much more on routine maintenance. The sort of people who will never take it on a country road, and rarely even highway speeds.
@@jordanbell4420 true but back in the 90s/00s car mags were so beholden to manufacturers especially in the USA, just listen to Jason Cammisa and Matt Farrah when they speak of their experiences, plus many stories on Jalponik regarding the US media back in the day
Just follow the money.
My rich uncle had one of these in the mid 2000s. He used to travel often with my aunt so whenever they'd leave town I'd borrow his SC430 for the week. It wasn't super fast, but I still felt like the coolest person in the world driving around town in it when I was 18 or so.
Your rich uncle with poor taste, you mean. I wonder how you define "rich". Note that a "millionaire" should be somebody with at least $100 MILLION US net worth. Look it up and you might see why,
@@anastassiosperakis2869 OH look a internet troll, how rare...
I saw this car with the original japanese option rims and it looked great. To me this car is a bargain. People has no idea of what it is today. Is a super reliable, comfy cruiser to cover miles, to basically drive it to hell and beyond. It was never an sportscar. The styling is obviously being criticised to death, because it is not aggressive in an era cars needed lots of features to reassure the looks. But this car does not need to be. This car is a future classic, just like a Honda s2000. Give it another 10 years and prices will be something else.
Hear hear
Spot on, although I don't agree that it is an appreciating classic. Snobbery and regulation will see to that.
Good honest review. I bought an SC430 14 years ago for my wife and she loved it. We sold it 7 years ago, regretted it and recently bought another. Why? Comfort Comfort Comfort. We are so lucky as we also have a Range Rover for family and work life and My Subaru WRX STI for play. Horses for courses. For what 'we' want it to do the SC430 does it all perfectly. :)
I’ve owned this 2008 gem and after changing the run flats, I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent in this car. It’s a touring car that is luxurious, yet dependable and the easy top up and top down feature is priceless for older folks.
I love the looks. Very unique. Supposed to looks like a luxury boat
I did not know that I felt it was aimed at yacht people lifestyle. It has that vibe.
you can't even SPELL the simplest word, how can one expect you to have any CLUE on Auto Design?
On the used market at used prices, theses are freaking great. V8, reliable, top down for barely ANY money. That's winning if you ask me.
Yeah, I'm about to buy one within this week for $6k USD!! I'm super excited.
Yeah they are. There's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction
I genuinely don’t understand how anyone can call this ugly. It’s petty in my opinion.
Also as much as I love them, Top gear have called some beautiful cars ugly and some mediocre ones beautiful. They even called the e60 m5 ugly ffs.
Mate… someone really fkd up the beautiful wheels on this SC.
ruclips.net/video/i2z9z0mVrto/видео.html
I did indeed, just wanted to see how the centres looked painted the body color.
The centres are now back to factory chrome.
@@BlackbeardsDetailing got to try these things otherwise how would you know?
@@chriscoleman1151 absolutely, they are back to the factory chrome finish now and look much better.
I like the Cyberpunk look. However it needs a bit more work to pull off
You don’t have to try it to see how it would look. You could imagine it in your head, realize that it would look terrible, and then just not do it.
I'll always remember this car from Terminator 3 and The Getaway on Ps2!
I dont remember them from the Getaway! I remember the Brabus cars though. Terminator & Mean Girls are the 2 movies I most remember it being in.
ohh yeh, i remember too! When a hot naked chick walks up to you in ur sc430 and says she likes ur car, watch out!
Unpopular opinion, from day one always thought they were actually attractive in an unorthodox kind of way. Look fancy and different, not trying to be a sports car like everyone else. It's the RC that imo looks ugly and outdated the day it debuted. Go figure, I'm weird.
I like this Lexus coupe shape, much more than the current RC's!
In my opinion, you’re not weird. This is a great looking car. Looks better than many contemporary Lexi.
I really want one! Slam a turbo, custom 4in exhaust, coilovers, deep dish wheels, a subtle lip kit all around and a fresh wrap and this thing will break necks. Seen a few in US and Japan heavily modified but none in UK lol
there is REALLY something wrong with your taste, or, more accurately, utter LACK thereof.
You should get one, there's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction that he's been fixing up
Great review of a car that is 20 years old and never changed much when version 2 came out 2005. Our family has 3 of these cars, 02 in indigo dark blue, an 07 in matador red and 07 in breakwater blue, a non SC430 colour, all much nicer than the silver we think. As to ride quality, we find no difference in the 2 versions, maybe a little softer rebound on later cars, tyre choice makes a huge difference and we want quiet on our noisy chip seal New Zealand roads. Scuttle shake is not very noticeable at all. Most of us could not afford the SC430 new and getting low mileage used cars some 15 years later is a testament to the build quality. No, they don't have air suspension for a more luxurious ride and the shift on the Aisin automatic is quite lethargic compared with an XK Jag's 6 speed ZF, but then you don't have pedestrian sensors that can ruin the bonnet when activated and a hydraulic hood system that gives trouble. The biggest asset of the SC430 is being able to drive long distances without working your rear end off, and of course the summer days with the hood down. Do the water pump and belt, trans fluid change etc and you have a friend for life. I prefer the 5 spd version for city driving, the 6 spd suffers a little from having too many gears like the modern 8 and 10 spd trans that are forever hunting for another gear. Some of our roads now have sections that are limited to 80km/h and the 6th speed with torque converter locked up is a little high geared requiring a bit of manual shifter stirring. Read buyer remorse reviews from BMW Z4 or SL500 owners and the SC430 looms into first choice, don't worry about the body shape, you can't see it when driving.
I own a 2004 SC430 and love it. I don't have any of those issues with my car that the reviewer is talking about. No squeaks or rattles or lousy performance. I've always have gotten very nice comments on mine. Wheels, mileage, and regular maintenance all play a role in how a car appears and drives. And looking at the SC he's driving, it seems to me as if it has had seen better days. I do wish the reviewer would have done some research on the car instead of rambling on about journalists' methods in car reviewing because he would have found that the SC430, during its production years, had the highest resale value of ANY vehicle per KBB. And that says a lot about the SC430 and how people viewed them. Personally, I think the car reflects expensive Japanese, which is holding up very well compared to its British and European counterparts. I've owned both a Jaguar and Mercedes -- never again! Both those brands are a PITA mechanically unless you love handing a bunch of your money over to mechanics on a regular basis. Anyway, the SC430's are fetching serious dollars on the resale market in Southern California, where I live, even with high miles. The SC430 was an expensive rear-wheel-drive first convertible made by Lexus and referred to as "The Crown Jewel of Lexus" by Lexus. Others have referred to it as a "Baby Bentley." Either way, it has the makings of a collectible.
This guy's expecting an old use car to drive like a brand new one 🤣😂
Many celebrities drove this car at the time, one would only assume they have a lot of experience with expensive cars. I doubt it could’ve been that bad! Also, the interior still looks amazing!
Lol, you like it because celebrities do? They are renowned for their good taste right enough. Such a sad thing to say.
Car looks amazing "next to" those wheels...
Dude! Hilarious! 😆😆
I had one of these for 6 years. When I got it the ride on the run flats and wheels was pretty harsh. I switched the wheels and tires to 20 inch low profile tires (non run flats) and it made a huge difference. It transformed the car! And since I live in the Miami area it could handle those horrid roads that Jay was talking about. Never had any issues with the car other than regular maintenance on wear and tear items. The accelerator was a bit sluggish compared to todays cars. Keep in mind that the other major competitor to this car at the time (hard top convertible) was the SL500 which had a host of reliability issues but did have the looks. So, yes, I was one of the people who liked this car.
Monsieur knows his way around perversions.
I have a 2003 SC430 and I love it and think it is gorgeous. 118k miles and absolutely no issues, leaks, just perfect.
Best value for what it is. You need to drive one with the mufflers deleted, then the n/a V8 sounds glorious.
Enjoyed my experience with a SC which was a great tourer for the two of us older types. Super reliable, great engine, very comfortable and well equipped (not seen those awful wheels before) I bought it after selling my Ferrari F355 spider which was fantastic (and very basic). I don't regret buying the Lex but really regret the sale of the Fez. Please don't ever feature a 355 on the channel as I would have to avert my eyes!
it’s good practice to never trust anyone with journalist in their job title
Urinalists *
That’s the kind of mentality that gets us to the point where we don’t believe any news we don’t like.
I think it’s good practice to know the difference between “reporting” and “opinion”.
@@xwarped83 agreed - it’s just impossible to know the difference these days
@@xwarped83 there should be a point where we don't listen to any news...none. support your family and your local communities. Why stress on things that have no direct impact on yourself.
@@Jack-rj1dq The thing is that it isn’t impossible, it’s actually very easy.
I’ve always rather liked the SC430 myself, it’s supposed to be sort of like a road going sports cruiser yacht and the later version with the 6 speed auto is actually rather splendid as an open top GT.
Traditionally there's been two halves to the media. The every day autocar style of journalism who cares greatly about the boot space in a Mk2 Focus, whether it has Isofix, NCAP rating, how noisy it is on the motorway etc. Boring stuff.
Then you have the performance reviewers who care purely about how quickly it can lap a racetrack. Any compromise on stiffness, noise, weight is an absolute monstrosity to them.
The reason I like this channel is that cars are tested in the real world. A hardcore ring tool is too inflexible, too compromised on a real road. Nobody talks about the interior quality of an F430 Scuderia, but James does. Because it's somewhere you'll spend a lot of time. But it's about striking the right balance of performance and excitement and everyday useability, a balance that James hits that most reviewers don't.
Thanks Callum, I just like to call them as I see them!
Standing ovation for your first two paragraphs, This is the problem I also have with much of motor reviews. Too boring and uninterested in driving, versus only interested in lap times. Surely a happy medium can be reached by someone? Jayemm isnt perfect, but he has been getting better, and he is now among the best when it comes to melding both worlds.
i dont see one of those in a long time but i dont think it is that ugly . Also those wheels looks awfull with their centers in black and lowering the car didnt help the ride for sure. They are still pretty expensive in the states mainly because of this masterpiece of an engine that is the 4.3
Solid video. Nice angle for an interesting switch-up in your content. You should keep these musings coming any time they pop up, it's refreshing to hear another perspective.
It's a great car. We look after 3. And it's a Boulevarde cruiser. It's smooth quiet and still manages despite hefty weight to deliver thrust and get up and boogie. Brakes are undersized and suspension designed to just cruise. In black when clean it looks great (from the side only) 😂
There's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction
I've always loved these cars and really wanted to drive one. Granted the particular model you've got, with those awfully painted wheels, doesn't look the best, but on the whole, at the time when it came out, I remember it being generally regarded as a truly aspirational machine.
I can't say I've agreed with all your reviews but I've enjoyed watching every one.
Love your honesty and openness to even discuss topics like this.
Please, please, please keep up the awesome work and thank you.
Thanks Matt
Got to love an Mr2 Mk1, I recognised that dashboard instantly after my dad owning for over 10 years
Could be wrong but I am pretty sure that' wasn't a Mk1 MR2 (we saw for a second) I'm afraid, similarish but not an MR2.
@@robsx4280 Between the dash and paper cup in the cupholder, I'm going to guess AE86.
I drove the SC430 some years ago at a Lexus launch for the second generation IS250 in North Essex.
Most car journalists only rate cars by driving the 'nuts' off them, conditions that don't exist in real life motoring conditions, and most people wouldn't do anyway.
I suppose you could describe the SC430 as a 'Boulevard Cruiser', and the U.S. was its main market, but I found it a relaxing car to drive and very well built compared to the competition at the time.
This guy's was expecting this old use car to drive like a brand new car I bet he would say the same thing if he were to drive an 20 yrs old German cars that would occasionally break down every 100 miles 😂🤣😂
I had a black 2002 and I put some stick on plastic Lexus Emblems on the back of the rear headrests as well.
So hated, I actually really want one. Just needs a tonneau cover over the "rear seats".
i think the problem with this car is....... that "car enthusiasts" want everything to be a sports car.
people want this car to be something it was never intended to be. its like driving a buick and complaining its not a corvette.
Not everything needs to be a sports car, but this didn't know what it was. Certainly didn't drive like a luxury car!
I've been wondering if some motor journalists here in Norway takes bribes. They have a dice rating and all Volkswagens get 6. Every other brand rarely gets a 6. So I think to myself; If another brand gets a 5, it's as good as a VW. If it gets a 6 it's better than a VW. And the reason for not giving another car a 6 is usually like 'image' or 'depreciation'.
I just recently purchased one from an older couple and absolutely think it's a hoot to drive! No it is not a corner Carver however accelerating on the freeway with that V8 really kicks up and screams all while being so refined.
This Lexus model seems to be a favorite of Vietnamese nail salon owners in the US. Most of my friends who are Vietnamese favor Lexus or Mercedes cars.
you need to drive a 2006 facelift model, different suspension, 6 speed box. Best mod is Meister coilovers looking on the net
i drove past a sheep and it fell into a coma. LOL very clarkson-esque
We've got to the point that journalists share how they're treated by the brand at the vehicle official press showcase, like accomodation, press ceremony and presentation experience. It's not about what the manufacturer can do, it's about how they're nice to the journalist in a thing they won't offer to the customer. There's no way I'm gonna believe a brand treats a reviewer on a holiday as bad as a customer with an issue, so that's total bs and a very dishonest way of promoting the brand which ultimately is to be judged on what the customer actually gets
Those allfull wheels would make any car ugly.. A friend of mine has a beautiful navy blue 430 and looks great.. You really picked one that doesn't look so good with those allfull wheels to cement your dialogue
I must say I am very happy with my 2006 SC430. I purchased it with 175k on the odometer from the original owner who was meticulous with the maintenance...all of which was performed at the same dealership for the vehicles entire life. I owned a 2007 Porsche Boxster S once and yes that car handled better and was far more responsive but now that i am a bit older, i prefer the comfort the Lexus provides. Do I sometimes long for the handling of the Porsche...sure...but as.some of these comments have made very clear, i can easily modify the Lexus to make it a bit more fun. Ive put a out 20k miles on the SC430 over the past few years and ive had zero issues, other than having to do the timing belt service at 180k. Before purchasing, i did consider other brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and even Maserati but, at the end of the day, i wamted a weekend car that would last. Yes, i took a gamble on the high mileage but so far so good. Ive nothing against the other brands mind you as my daily driver is a 2019 E63 wagon so when i get the urge to tear things up, i just jump in the wagon....which provides me with all the excitement i need. The Lexus provides me with that opportunity to just lay back with the top down and cruise. The E63 and the SC430 balance each other out.
There's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction
One of the largest reasons why I dislike the SC430 even trying to remove my bias for Top Gear is that, I feel like it was a big, big missed opportunity.
I like soft, comfy cabriolets, but I really do feel like it could've been much more from the company that gave us the LS400, LFA ans LC500
How was it a missed opportunity, they wanted to make a large luxury advanced cruiser and they did that. This is no ISC
It was a huge disappointment after the excellent SC400 from 1991. This was produced when Lexus were in the doldrums from a design point of view I feel, as the LS & GS models of the same era is also extremely ugly and not up to competing with the Germans at the time in many areas. Fortunately they turned it around later in the decade and started producing some excellent stuff again.
@@Beer_Dad1975 indeed, I feel like the early to mid 2000s Lexus styling was... Bad. I don't like hoe blobby the LS had become and sadly it seemed to rub off on the SC430.
I do agree with what you said about the SC400, that one felt like a comfortable, adaptable and stylish car that in my opinion, should have been the jumping off point for the SC430
I'm not exactly sure where the 'Car Journalist' ego ends and the car review begins.
You realise that this car is from 2000 , but you keep mentioning the LFA abd LC as if they were made same period
Great video Jay, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the SC 430.
I really enjoy my SC 430, it still turns heads when I drive it.
Disagree on the auto journalists matching public opinion. Most of the public has and will never have seat time in any of these cars, so public opinion is very largely shaped by auto journalists and repeating their talking points.
Classic example: auto journalists snarky comments about the the "parts bin" such as using the turn signal stalks from a lesser model...without any regard for how this is a POSITIVE...ie. less expensive to replace when these parts break, they are insignificant parts, tried and true, and reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.
I recently broke my back and my neck in a car accident, my father has a SC430, 55 plate, it was the first car I started driving in after the accident as I was staying with my father, I have found no problem with the ride. It is a totally stock car with a full Lexus main dealer history and 95,000 miles. I have been extremely impressed with the refinement, very similar DB reading on my phone at 60mph to a 2021 plate Range Rover vogue Autobiography at 60 mph. I have enjoyed it so much I have borrowed it off my father and have been using it back to back with my 997.2 Porsche 911 and 2016 BMW 335d m sport touring, it does a completely different job to those cars and is not a car to hustle, more smoke about in but in town it is hard to beat in my experience.
Nice review. Good video. I've always liked these in the purple colour they were sold in.
I love the looks and everything about the SC430. I owned one for many years and I put over 250,000 miles on the car and did not spend much on upkeep. The car is super reliable.
The car that you have here has painted rims and the tires are not original. The wheel combination makes this car look very ugly.
The shine on that R35 GTR was gorgeous! Well done Mr Blackbeard!
Many thanks!
These cars just look a bit more classy than your usual convertible. And that why TG didn't like it. But really they are quite beautiful.
I see that the sprung weight nudged past two tonnes once you jumped in !
Not everyone wants to get where they’re going as fast as possible !
I own a face-lift 08 Pebble Beach Edition in Pearl White Metallic with Red leather and black wood trim and i personally think it's a beautiful car. This is a luxury GT car not a sports or supercar. It does everything i want it to, super comfortable, super quiet, well equipped and more than fast enough to overtake just about everything plus its a coupe and a convertible. What is there not to like?
I have a few problems with it, but feel a sense of loyalty to it. I know it isn't rational, but I love it.
My parents have an 08 sc430 with less than 5000 miles that’s sitting in their driveway rotting. It was my moms car until she got an LC , my old man just lets it sit and rot. He wo t sell it , or drive it , or even wash it.
Its not the worst car in the history, but it is one of the ugliest.
I’ve been toying with the idea of one of these for a LONG time, now maybe I just might 🤔😅
It's basically a less practical Lexus LS430 drop top.. Not a terrible thing
save money get a clk430 better looking too
@@raycroal Yeah, you save a bit of money up front, because it costs you far more in the long run.
@@raycroal not my cup of tea, dad had one and it just felt cheap
@@bliglum clk430 are really very reliable
“Twerking windscreen” that’s a new one!
James, an intuitive indicator of a motoring journalist's accurate/authentic review tends to revolve around whether they envisage personally owning the vehicle. Many get all ticklish over techi-tat such as electrically deployed tow bars and the like which won't be an issue to them as they will never buy the thing, so the prospect of it jamming in 5 years time is of absolutely no concern. Being generous, you could say they are unsuited for their job.
In your example they could well be correct though, If one assumes the review is aimed at the average new car buyer of the model.
@@GoldenCroc That's very true, but as we all know the internet and youtube are an ongoing historical catalogue, any review is capable of being revisited later for reference. The reviewer can appear myopic if they don't take sustainability into account. JayEmm's success suggests that not everyone is short term.
@@noway961 I fully agree with your viewpoint above, but also have some sympathy of the fact that:
It can be hard to say which features might be unreliable until years after the fact. Even useless flimsy trinkets can sometimes be error free decades down the road.
There is also the fact to keep in mind that a lot of customers presumably love the practically useless motorized features. One example is Tesla retractable door handles, in almost every concievable way they are a drawback compared to normal ones, and the one area were they have a benefit (aerodynamics), it is so small as to be not only unnoticeable, but hardly even measurable in a controlled lab enviroment, more or less. And yet, many people love them, its something to differentiate them from... dare I say it...Plebs (In their mind).
But as I said, in an ideal world were the average customers arent at least as idiotic as reviews, it would be nice, yeah.
@@GoldenCroc I'm with you GC, however, my heated steering wheel and 'pit speed' buttons still work, but I can't help but feel they will not be the memorable aspects of those vehicles in 10 years time.
Honest as always, James. Do those wheels make it look like a Toytown car from up close too?
I actually like the SC430 I've never been in one but I like the way it looks and also has a cool GT500 race car version.
The SC 430 is Beautiful. It reminds me of automotive design of the 1940's. Go search images of 1948 Ford Club Coupe, 1940 Dodge Business Coupe, 1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Freccia d'Oro, 1947 Masarati A6 1500 Pininfarina, 1949 Porsche 356. While not in the same sport class as the others, the design of the SC 430 could very well fit into those beautiful automobile designs of the 1940's.
Totally agree, looks a lot like a 1940-50s car, yet uniquely styled for the 21st century!
You couldn’t have picked a worse looking SC anyone can find PLUS …. from 2006 The car is designed far better than that monstrosity you have picked …… After owing a later model as a reliable supper comfortable cruiser …… with some speed it is just FANTASTIC ??
Is fantastic a question?
@@supraJZA80s what do you think ? ….. it’s a debatable car yes… no ….??
Ha ha when I was in the market for a V8 about 2 years ago I looked at those. It's got just about the most reliable V8 engine you can get & I like the interior. But I just couldn't warm to the looks & the token rear 'seats'.
Look it's a Japanese Buick , they weren't looking to make a bmw killer. It's a personal luxury coupe that's all nothing more nothing less, aka ,tornado, Riviera,Eldorado, Mark 8, thunderbird, cougar. That why I own sc430 ,cause this segment is gone.
I just drove a 2003 sc430 25 hours across the US ... and it was a joy to drive. Got all kinds of admiring looks and never saw another the entire way. And they can go to 700k miles easily. It's a great car with aome quirkiness which means its almost certainly a collector item.
Very well said, always pay attention to who wrote the article and how it matches to your own personal taste, it applies to everything
Performance gripes aside, I really like how Blackbeard's set this car up. the dark two tone wheels paired with the silver gives me mercedes vibes and it works.
I love my Peeble Beach edition sc430 with black exterior and red interior.
There's a dude here on youtube Atlantic Beach Customs who just bought one for $2000 from auction. ruclips.net/video/PMEdmqAcibY/видео.htmlsi=V5mWPcdfMCaO2Wwu
I was a president of Chicago Lexus Club back when it came out. During one of our annual BBQ meetings, a journalist showed up and since many owners had older Lexus SC, started asking about SC430. Being an owner of an SC300 I gave him my opinion: Lexus could have developed on top of the older SC line, but instead, came out with a totally different car that appeals to very little niche of people. The story about the BBQ in the Lexus magazine never came out.
I've never driven one, but I can guess the experience. What I can comment on is the exterior which I never found as appalling as some of the journos claim. It just looks average, certainly no where near as revolutionary or beautiful as the original hardtop SC300/400 of the 1990s.
I used to Think I'd like the sc400 design until I saw one in person and actually drove it... no thanks, it completely dissillusioned me and my fantasy's about it... the car looks stretched...so much so that I cant wrap my head around it's looks... its kinda like a caricature of a car..same with the interior.... sitting in one was a mega let down...at least for me..to each his own
I have a 2002 SC 430 w 42k on the clock. The fit and finish is stupendous and the interior is stupendous
Good to see the comments come good. This is a brilliant car.
What do Clarkson & May know, really. I think the SC430 has aged well, and now I'm looking through the Classifieds...
Agree
I love this car and they sell quickly , it’s hard to get one’s hands on one. There’s a good one near me that’s very low Miles and it’s over sixty thousand dollars!!! And they will get it because real people love them.
I've had 5 pass through my hands as a motor trader over the years, all bought from and sold to golf club types who'd fallen out with Jags, BMWs and Mercs. Along with the RX350/400h they also have the dubious accolade of being the last cars sold in the UK with a cassette player. I remember a door mirror glass cost about £500 so we got a cheap stick on one off ebay and the roofs on them corrode quite badly - I think they are aluminium or similar, definitely not steel, every one we had showed signs of this. In Jewish Racing Gold with the gold badge option I think they have a kind of kitsch appeal. Way better ownership proposition than a similar era SL or a V8 6 series, they are junk, but an XK8 would be my choice.
I always quite liked these to be honest, never thought they were ugly and being Lexus they should be reliable and well built. The scuttle shake sounds as bad as my old '99 Saab 93 soft top which was bloody awful!
I bought a Smart ForFour 2005 Brabus purely based on a Jayemm review. I had never been in a Smart car before and I didn't even test drive it at the time, as I had a foot injury and couldn't use the clutch. I don't regret my purchase. Thank you Jayemm.
Send a direct msg right away on What'sapp..💬
➕❶❺❶⓪❾⓪❺❺❹❽❺..