Can Car Journalists Be Trusted? Why The Lexus SC430 is Award Winning, And Awful 

I'm pretty sure a lot of people watch you for the shirts... Still, the content is good!

This is bullshit, I've been driving this car for 5 years and still loving every minute of it.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

The ride with the top down is remarkably quiet as they have been well engineered for a lack of wind noise , you can hold a conversation with the passenger at 100kph without shouting . If you drive it from the shifter as opposed to leaving it in drive , it gets much more peppy. Mine changes gears at around a lazy 1100 rpm in drive , but if you hold it in gear and get it up to 4500 - 5000 rpm it seems to honk

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 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.

Some of them can be trusted sometimes, Richard Hammond did say the SC430 is an awful car!

I quite like this actually, it's different not just another German car

Not sure where you are coming from , superb vehicle , build on a different planet from merc , bmw or Audi . Bullet proof , ultra reliable , comfortable , just a fabulous cruiser , had several and just a great place to be !

That video was a touch heavy on ads..!

I wouldn't say it's gopping. I don't think it's ugly at all even. It just isn't pretty either. It's sort of bland. Like a Peugeot 307. That silver really doesn't do it any favours.

I don't know if I would ever buy a car based solely on a review, but I would certainly not buy a car based on a particularly bad review.

I have a White /Cream interior love it, low mile like new, light wood inside. Comfortable, but I am not FAT, handles good, IT IS A LUXURY TOURING CAR. MOST NEWER CARS ARE 4000 POUNDS. Yours is the most butt ugly looking car I ever saw. Wheels have been painted 2 tone and silver is an old woman's color. Mine.... top goes down as it should, ike new and I get More complements all the time, more than my FERRARI especially from women, but guys too. It's considered a personal transportation vehicle. Helps to not be FAT,its faster and corners better .

Great points in this video on trusting car journalists. I greatly admire your honest and accurate reviews. What is your recommendation for people who are lucky enough to get an allocation on a new model that has never existed before, for which there are no cars for the car buyer to evaluate themselves? Does one just go on the past reputation of the car company?

It’ll never be the worst car in the world because it was still relatively comfortable and super reliable

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.

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 would daily drive this car.

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. 😎👍

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.

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.

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 love the looks. Very unique. Supposed to looks like a luxury boat

The lovechild of the last Ford Scorpio and the Nissan Figaro.

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

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.

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 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.

I actually really like the way this car looks, it’s quite unique, but I really like it.

Car & Driver probably saw Lexus' advertising budget when they judged the car

I'll always remember this car from Terminator 3 and The Getaway on Ps2!

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)

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.

Thank you for shitting on the car so I can still afford it. Love you man!

Car looks amazing "next to" those wheels...

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!

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

It was more suited to the US market. Mature drivers wanting something to cruise around in. I love it.

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...

it’s good practice to never trust anyone with journalist in their job title

Mate… someone really fkd up the beautiful wheels on this SC.

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 drove past a sheep and it fell into a coma. LOL very clarkson-esque

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 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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

I’ve been toying with the idea of one of these for a LONG time, now maybe I just might 🤔😅

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.

So hated, I actually really want one. Just needs a tonneau cover over the "rear seats".

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.

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.

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

“Twerking windscreen” that’s a new one!

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Got to love an Mr2 Mk1, I recognised that dashboard instantly after my dad owning for over 10 years

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.

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'.

you need to drive a 2006 facelift model, different suspension, 6 speed box. Best mod is Meister coilovers looking on the net

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.

Nice review. Good video. I've always liked these in the purple colour they were sold in.

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

Oh dear, this guy has a real negative outlook, a legend in his own mind, who does not understand the car. The SC430 is a luxury cruiser and driving one with a highly modified suspension then whining about it is weird. I understand the owner of this car regrets loaning it out for this test. BTW I own one and it is really beautiful and fun to drive.

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.

What do Clarkson & May know, really. I think the SC430 has aged well, and now I'm looking through the Classifieds...

I love this car! Super comfortable and smooth ride.

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.

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 ??

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

Well, bug ugly is a matter of opinion. One thing with the 430 is that its design was ahead of its times and misunderstood. I bought a second hand one six years ago because I thought it would have become a 'future classic' ( I 'm a professional designer in my early sixties btw) and six years after my purchase I have been offered $10000 more of what I paid for. This is the first car I owned that actually went up in value. 🙂 I believe there are cs 430 owners clubs now in England, USA and Australia. Also was the car in the opening scene of terminator 3. How's that for ugly?

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.

good looking car, sounds nice too - interior very classy...whats not to like?

I have a 2003 SC430 and I love it and think it is gorgeous. 118k miles and absolutely no issues, leaks, just perfect.

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 always thought this was designed for the American market thus Car and Driver loved it by their standards (20 years ago), so it doesn't really transpose itself successfully to the British B road and small town planning.

The wheels on your UK example are just awful looking and do not belong with the rest of the car, which is not such a terrible looking thing in my opinion. US-spec examples that I have seen have much nicer more appropriate looking wheels. That helps the overall impression quite a bit.

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.

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.

You realise that this car is from 2000 , but you keep mentioning the LFA abd LC as if they were made same period

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 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.

That must be the ugliest rims ever …!

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 had a black 2002 and I put some stick on plastic Lexus Emblems on the back of the rear headrests as well.

I'm not exactly sure where the 'Car Journalist' ego ends and the car review begins.

Always wanted one of these

I think it's a beautiful car. I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you being sarcastic? Ironic?