@@valterain6907 gas mileage isn't the best, but the exhaust sound and the drive of the car make you forget about the gas mileage until you have to hit the gas station
Hey! I just bought a 1992 SC400, too! (Middle of August.) I've wanted one forever, and I found this one in gold, with only 145,000 miles on it. Waaaaay more satisfying than any new car. My car has a few cosmetic issues, but mechanically, it's still a gem. Never gonna sell it!
That's awesome. Congrats on your find. How is the transmission working on yours? The 92's are known for their transmission problems. I totally agree on how much more fun it is to drive than newer cars. The only thing left to do id the r154 transmission swap from the sc300 manual.
I bought a 92 sc400 for $800 200,000 miles clean body but a pretty rough interior. watch out for expensive repairs like the power steering line and lower control arms. I have had a lot of small problems that cost me big money over the past year. Hearing the v8 roar to life every morning makes it all ok!
My dad owns a 1992 sc400 too but it has that factory blue the AC was amazing and the engine was great. Even though it has a small v8 engine it still is powerful. It’s my dad’s everyday driver and I also like the radio, that extra bass is great. The exhaust was great too
I like that blue color it came in, you dont see many in that color at all. it is a great car, fun to drive, good sound system and even better exhaust note 😁
I think the 92-94 sc’s are the nicest, they had the nicest early 90s color options and that grey interior, they were really trying to make a statement when they first came to the us market
You mentioned the car weighs 4400lbs. Actually the curb weight for the SC300/400 was around 3400-3500lbs. The 4400lbs was with the carrying capacity of 750lbs + the curb weight. I should know i have a Renaissance Red '98 SC300 in very good condition like yours. No accident history, No rips or tears in any seat, No leaks of any fluid, Original paint. She's got 115,000mi on her which averages out to less than 6000mi a year and still pulls strong and shifts smoothly. I got her exactly 3yrs ago. I'm also the 3rd owner. First owner held onto her for over 14yrs. and religiously took her to the original Lexus dealer every 3000-5000mi for the scheduled maintenance. I have a stack of service records over an inch thick from day 1!! That's her in my profile picture. Ever since I first saw these cars back in the early 90's I thought what a beautiful design they are. They are a timeless design looking better than alot of newer cars today! From what I heard too Bill Gates of microsoft and the rapper Notorious B.I.G were also the proud owners of these cars when they first came out!! I still get beautiful car compliments from my neighbors and strangers. Last fall a 16-17yr old kid saw it and asked if it was an SC300 I said yup. Then he said it has the 2JZ right! Yup. Which is the engine code BTW same engine as the Mark 4 Supra. The car was older than he was and yet he knew! Funny! Anyway NICE find and Enjoy!!
My husband bought one (1999 sc400) on Monday...pristine condition from original owners (husband passed). Its black, with black leather...I am not a car fanatic, but damn, it's a sweet and smooth ride.
that sounds like a great find. the 1999 and 2000 year model sc400s are the hardest 400s to find. how many miles on the car? black and black makes it even more rare. great find and such a nice car
@@DaylyDriverDayly I've had my 99 SC400 for two years now, and it's got just under 30,000 miles on it. I owned a 98 years ago, and was devastated when the car was totaled in an accident. I kept my eyes out for a long time before I finally found the one I have now. That era of the SC400s are just fantastic!
nice review , you look just like my younger brother! he is also a car enthusiast...I love and absolutely agree with ur philosophy that when ur dealing with older cars, you cant expect perfection, but you Can go thru the car and make it be the best you can, taking care of things till you have in the end, a sweet ride...
The panel fit and finish just doesn't get any better than this! The Germans must be green with envy, American manufacturers wouldn't even try to compete! This level of quality is in Japan's DNA!!
I own this car and just love it. My upholstery needs attention. It's my second car. It was my deceased husbands. The radio still works but the tape player is gone. I find I cannot let her go. I love driving it.👍👌✌👏 mileage only 192000.
control arms, yeah had to replace both on my probe gt...frozen bolts made it a nightmare! can be a not too bad job or a hell basket of a job , depends on if things are frozen or if they come apart easy
Let's see if this ages well... Just got my license; about to purchase an SC400!! ( if my mom doesn't shoot it down ) 93 Lexus SC400 with redone leather, serviced annually at Lexus...negotiated down to 1500 even. Here's hoping 🤞
@@DaylyDriverDayly 175k, 93, fantastic condition. Leather was redone, paint is all original. Has the capacitor issue, power steering leakage, and the passenger door assembly has a minor repair needed (only opens from inside, car hasn't been hit or anything). All records there, annual service. Only problem is another guy is going to look at it before I can, so we'll see if it's still available
Got my 1992 SC400 150k clean title cold ac with gold package tan interior but did a full black interior swap on it cause I hate tan lol but for 1500 for second owner with record in maintenance done except for timing belt and water pump which I took care off and I drive it to cali back to Arizona zero issues drives perfect in highway love it great car but it's a heavy car no gon a lie but very torquey tho I recomend for anyone looking for a reliable daily driver for cheap !
Amazing example! There is another video online of someone in Melbourne with almost the same well-kept car. I have driven a 1991 version of that, the limited with leather, which looks the same, but way more beatup, for six years. Still going! One of the few left I see, a few years back while having electrical issues from endless rain I noticed two in succession abandoned on the freeway. Mechanics will never touch the electrical behind the TV :(
I love luxury cars like this. I just got a 01 buick park av w 91k miles for $500. Blown engine. Its the first engine swap Ive done alone and im still working out the faults. After I have it sorted im thinking I might save up for one of these. I dont mind restoring one, I found out you can get a low milage 1uz for less than $1500.
doesnt sound bad at all. it depends on what mechanical issues it has and if it has updated tags and is a clean title. if it is a clean car with little t ok no body or interior damage, and runs and drives without problems I'd say it's a good car for the price
I need to get my seats reupholstered, It got stolen from the previous owner and they found in New Mexico but everything else was fine, I just got some new wheels recently so I’m gonna put them on with some freinds later on. After that it’s just some paint and it’ll be good to go.
Great video Cody & nice car! Looks just like my grandma's SC300 inside & out! Still looks fantastic nearly three decades later! You were lucky to find one in that condition as most of them I see are trashy looking which is sad.
Enjoyed your videos on this car. I just purchased a 95 sc400 with 130k for $1000. It runs like a top and has no leaks. Actually the engine looks brand new. The interior shows some wear but is not trashed. It does have a dent near the rear wheel well that will need a little body work and the clear coat needs attention in a few spots. I would be interested to know what upgrades you did or plan to do. I plan on making this a daily driver.
Great buy and I'm surprised you got a 95 with that low of miles for the price you did. very good deal!! I have yet to do any major upgrades or fixes to my car since I have many others, but plan on fixing the power steering lines (common repair on these cars) and looking for a sc300 r154 manual trans parts car that I will swap the trans into my 400. eventually I'm going to put a steering angle kit, wheels and tires (possibly gut it), steering wheel, welded diff and some other odds and ends. with a project car you have plans but it never goes as planned 🤣🤣 I will see how it turns out
stoked for you. let me know if you are able to get it. if you do you will be stoked. check the fluids including trans and oil. also check the oil fill cap to see if there is any milky coffee looking fluid underneath. if that's the case will more than likely have a bad head gasket
There is a guy on ebay who will repair the instrument cluster....or you can buy one in exchange for the broken one. There are screws around the bottom of the cluster that come out pull the cluster out. I replaced mine on my 95 Gs300 several years ago and they still light up nicely.
When they rebuild the cluster they can program the odometer 2 whatever mileage you want that's why you can never trust the odometer on a lot of these so-called low mileage cars if it's been repainted and the seats have been reupholstered and it's claiming low mileage I wouldn't believe that
I have a '92 SC400 with just over 100K. The third brake light wire breaks where the trunk lid meets the body in the wiring bundle. Yes, there are some common problems, but that's what you signed up for......
Beautiful and clean example of a stock car! I have a 98 SC300 in 3M9 tan interior, gold package as well, 4 owner, but all from the same town makes me think a hand me down. Got it completely stock, aaand ive modded it lol keep it clean man!
I replaced the steering wheel with a DND hub/quick release and suede racing wheel, greddy muffler with a single exit, BFI intake mod that was totally tossed together, lowered on tein street basis z coils, and 5Zigien 5ZR 18s, and a Ls400 front calipers, and Sickspeed Suzuka seats with their new ghost fabric with DND brackets. If you want to check it out its on my IG which is the same as my youtube tag
@@zachdailyfost4433 I'll check it out. do you know how much weight you lost on the car by going from dual exhaust ports down to a single exit? LS400 brake calipers are the way to go and fairly cheap as well
The Rack and Pinion does not go out. The bushings that hold the rack rot out and have to be replaced. Not a huge deal. You will know when it happens as your steering will get super sloppy . Also.. The front lower rear trailing arm bushings will have to be replaced. 70 dollars for the parts and the rest is labor. Also.. The SC400 engine runs interference so you will have to replace the timing belts at proper intervals. Very expensive to have it done. Around 1000 dollars as there are kits to replace idler wheel, water pump and belt as all should be done at the same time. The Early model SC300 Straight 6 motors do not run interference so belts are no worry. Also the gauge needles burn out . There is a needle kit to install. Cost is 90 bucks. Install is hard for sure on this as you really need to know what you are doing. Shocks will need replacing as well. They are around 90 bucks each made by Monroe of all companies and for sure the best replacement shock to retain factory ride. Install on these is medium hard to do. Replacement of ATF is a must. Use Valvoline MAX ATF as it is a great replacement and affordable. It is better than the factory ATF. There is a drain plug on the Transmission so you can swap 2 quarts at a time until it gets clean. Also the Power Steering fluid must be changed. Suck it out with a turkey baster and replace. Use the same ATF as the transmission. Keep taking it out swapping it with new till it runs clean. It can take a while but well worth the effort as these Ansin Transmissions are the best ever made! Do not let your ATF get low and get old!!! Do NOT!!
I am slowly doing repairs to the car since I do not drive it much and since I am buying other cars. I am also waiting to find a nice used sc300 with the r154 manual trans so I can swap out the auto trans with the manual.
@@grabir01 both engines are non-interfering up until 1998 when they introduced the vvt-i system but even then Lexus had small indentions in the top of the Pistons to allow clearance in case the belt broke but I've never seen a belt break unless there was a failed pulley bearing or water pump bearing which caused the problem which would give warning signs
Nice example. Take your door cards and window surrounds off and reinforce them and fix cracks with ABS glue. The window surrounds will crack in the lower middle area.
If you look online, under either SC400/300 or Soarers (the JDM model) you will find instructions on removing the panels on the inside of the doors and the vinyl-coated surround around the window interior. These all crack with age (think I see some degradation on yours) but you can repair and reinforce as long as you use the right glue, which is ABS like Polypipe. See ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6eA9_2V7Qvg.html
By the way it is a good chance to check the polythene moisture barrier underneath the door cards which stops water getting inside. These are usually dried and cracked with age or have been removed and not replaced. You will get leaks inside if these are not sorted. Clear polythene and butyl cord for resealing :-)
@@DaylyDriverDayly he's talking nonsense about the interior door trim around the window frame most Maniacs break them taking them off but if you're careful you'll find they're actually pretty solid and hard to break
hahaha unfortunately it is like a museum piece right now because I haven't been driving her much with the other cars that i have hahaha. i will be getting her back out on the road soon
Daily Driver SoCal ... awesome bro, would it happen to up for sale? Mine is a 92 sc300. I did the swap... not a daily driver anymore....but you have a special sc...
You did the manual swap? What happened with that? I'm not selling this thing any time soon. It took me years to find this specific one in this condition for the price I got it for. I get people off the streets asking me if I would sell it and my answer is always the same...NO!
I found a 98 for $2295 with 130,000 miles. It's paint is oxidized and the driver's seat leather is heavily damaged but has a clean car fax and 3 previous owners. How can I tell if anything big is wrong with it. I need a fun reliable daily driver and I'm a little short on cash.
Nice SC sir I had a 93 SC400 and currently have a 98 SC400 which is easily the best car I've ever had that mic on the dash is not Factory to that phone that's a part of that aftermarket stereo Bluetooth phone system the original Factory mic for original factory phone is on the phone selector on the steering wheel enjoy that Lexus sir
Thank you. I am proud to own this car. I've always wanted to own a vvt-i sc400 and they are great cars. For the price and condition of this one though, can't beat it. I have every single maintenance record including the sale paperwork when it was sold new in 92. I also have the 3 original keys that came with the car, clean 2-owner Carfax and of course this beauty.That is correct, it is an aftermarket microphone, but very cool. Want to keep it factory and clean as possible without ruining its heritage and legacy.
You located in socal? I have to figure out whats going on with the radio I currently have in the car, it just stopped working one day. That is very kind of you to offer me that, but I can't accept that. Much appreciated though. Where did you get that radio from?
@@ryanle6286 that's not bad at all. I haven't looked up the pricing yet since I have other projects I am working on, but will get it done when I start fixing the minor issues with the car👌👌
the lexus sc400 was only offered with an automatic transmission from 92-00. the sc300 was offered in both automatic and manual only from 92-97. the r154 sc300 manual trans are very rare and hard to find.
There’s on I want to get with 190k miles for $2000 and it’s a 1994 sc300 how long could those engines last if cared for cause I’m looking for a daily driver and this car is just amazing
Nice review man, clean car, I have a question. Would you recommend this car as a daily driver for a 18 year old? How much money have you put into the car for repairs? Would you say it’s worth it for a 18 year to daily around or would you say it’s more of a project
I recommend this car all day long as a daily. For being 18, the car is quick but not overpowered. The sound of the engine is AMAZING!! Low maintenance costs overall depending on the specific sc you buy. Purchasing a decently low mileage, clean title and carfax sc400 can be a dream. The power steering pump, hoses and rack and pinion steering tend to wear out on these. Depending where you get the parts, can easily be $1k in parts. More if you outsource the labor. Depends on how well the vehicle has been maintained. An absolute steal for the price if you can find a clean one
Yes the Lexus SC 400 is a great car but not too practical for an 18 year old I'd assume most eighteen-year-olds would be better off with a 4-door car not to mention the Lexus Sport coupe can be kind of enticing and lead to trouble for a young driver LOL
I got my 95 sc400 when I was 18 and so far I've had no trouble, gas lasts about 2 weeks driving it everyday insurance is pretty cheap and the back seats are very roomy (I'm 6'3" and fit perfectly)
@@joshg.9390 that's a great year sc400 with the updated front fascia and rear tail lights. maintain it well and it will treat you even better. I never really sit in the back since I'm always driving, but there definitely is plenty of room
Congrats. I also have loved this car for some time. Good condition with a good color combo. I might be a little strange with my priorities, but I love the extreme engineering that went into the door hinge. I also like that this car has not been pimped out with tuner crap or large dub wheels. Please don't fuck with it. Don't gild the lily.
Hahahaha. I am going to keep it clean stock except swapping a manual transmission from the Lexus sc300. The r154 is still stock Toyota for the SC. Gonna keep her purty. Thanks for the reply.
I wonder how hard it is to do a timing belt on these? at least everything is facing forward but that must be one Huge belt with a ton of pulleys in there!
Nice video presentation on the 92 SC400. Just discovered this car about a month ago while looking for a luxury project car to carry into my retirement (I’m 60). I was so lucky to come across and buy a 92 with 77k miles on it one week ago. Perfect condition inside and out. What is the GOLD model and how is it different than the regular model? Just plan on detailing it and fixing some minor scratches and cracks. Bought an original radio because don’t like the way the after market one looks with a big gaping space. Drove it on the 241 (OC) yesterday and what a car. Sporty and elegant best describes it. Read a lot of the comments so learned a few things. What are your thoughts of these cars increasing in value over the years. Most comments were about high mileage ones for cheap prices. I hope they become more valuable since this one is a keeper and won’t drive it more than 100 k in the rest of my driving years. Mine is a two tone dark green light green. Thanks
@@rustyshakelferg4304 what year? I happen to have never owned any other color interior than tan 🤣🤣 I didn't choose tan on purpose. it's actually enjoyable though
1992 think it's Renaissance red grey interior my stepdad has the tan interior with the hard top his is a 92 as well but upgraded to a 97 trans and engine I only did the 97 trans with a 92 engine car is more fun to drive hate the torque converter holding it back and the diff sucks ass
@@rustyshakelferg4304 it's the gearing ratio for the automatic trans that sucks. that's why I want to swap mine with the sc300 r154 trans and differential
that's a great question. it depends on what you are looking for. the 400 has the 4.0 v8 and an amazing exhaust sound from the factory. it also has 250hp whereas the 300 has an 3.0 inline 6 cylinder engine with 225hp. the 400 comes with nicer factory wheels than the 300. the 300 is cheaper to maintain and has a stronger bottom end of the motor made of cast iron whereas the 400 does not. basically the 300 is the naturally aspirated very of the very expensive and popular toyota supra twin turbo and the n/a toyota supra. the sc300 and 400 can be purchased around the same price. what is it you are looking for in the car and are you planning on keeping it stock?
This same car is selling nearby, the same 1992 Lexus SC400 ... but only has 38,000 on it.. I haven't heard much about these cars, but shit, it's only going for $8,700... Hope it's worth it. Edit: But wait... is there more? Is this too good to be true or may it possibly be a luck of the draw?
That is obviously extremely low miles for this car. It would be nice to know if the car is all original and factory parts. If you found a 92' SC400 with that low of miles it makes me wonder, is it original and has it been in any accidents or had any other significant damage to the car. I saw a 92' SC400 in black (most expensive color on the SC) with 55,000 original miles, looked like new and sold for $10k. if it is truly all original it may be worth it.
Is $4,995 a fair price for a 94 sc400, clean title, 1 owner , 105,000 miles , has great paint and new tires , recently bought from an auction by the dealership
Wonder why it was at auction if it seems to be such a nice car. Don't get me wrong, you can find nice cars at auction depending on the auction. Usually very well kept, clean original cars with no title problems, mechanical issues or other problems Don't always tend to go to auction unless it was a dealer auction of some sort. Manheim auctions tend to have some very nice cars, but many are not open to public. I would ask them what type of auction they bought the car from and if they have a current print out of the Carfax for the vehicle. I would be curious to know if it has been in an accident. keep in mind that for cars in the early 90s, the chances of it having been beat on, odometer rollback, accident or other issues are greatly increased over a car that's say 10 years old. You will want to do a thorough inspection on the car. If it is very good condition and all checks out, it's honestly not a bad deal at all.
@@mofin6257 absolutely not. if you only drive that little every week then gas should not be an issue unless you are doing long distance commutes. insurance is very cheap for this car and maintenance is reasonable
I just one and the owner says that the maf isn't to good, and its only got 180,000km wondering if I should buy a new or used maf and how could I check if that really is an issue
Great question and thanks for reaching out. I would run a scanner on it to see if it is pulling a code for the maf sensor. Next I would disconnect the maf sensor and pull the portion of the intake hose off with the sensor that is located inside. Its a metal piece that sticks inside the intake hose. I would use mass airflow sensor cleaner and spray the sensor down thoroughly in order to clean it. let it dry out completely before you put it back together. Check the connection to the maf sensor for any corrosion or wear on the connector parts to the sensor itself and to see if it has damaged or bent prongs. After this, start and run the car to see if you are still having issues. If so, I would recommend replacing the sensor. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions. Great car by the way!
@@DaylyDriverDayly sweet will do thank you, yeah very excited, everything works expect for the radio because of the blown amp due to water damage hopefully it just needs a clean
@@onlyandalwaysfooty4425 no problem. I would check the connections to the battery and amp to make sure there are no issues there. If anything you might need a new amp or even speakers if there are blown.
Daily Driver hey, so my car is has now a blinking check engine light... it blinks twice at first then 4 times after I haven’t replaced anything and that’s what it’s showing
footy you need to have a mechanic scan your cars system to see what is causing the light to appear and what the mechanical failure is. most mechanical will do this for free. what are the symptoms you are having with the vehicle?
It depends where you go but at least at least a few hundred dollars. I would reccomend looking around at a salvage yard or online for the seats. it will be cheaper that way if you can find them
the stock radios on these cars are notorious for going bad. I wouldnt go as far as to say the newer radio ruins the interior of the car. Good observation 👌👌
Should I buy a 95’ SC400 for 1500? It only has cosmetic issues apparently, passenger door won’t open and the driver window needs to be replaced as well as the ignition lock. That’s about it thoe.
It sounds like a decent deal. I would first calculate out the cost for the parts that need to be replaced and how much cosmetic damage the vehicle has inside and out. If you will be doing the repairs on the car yourself it will be a better deal than if you are having someone else do the labor. How many miles does the car have?
the daily driver okay apparently it got sold but I found an 92’ SC400 for 1800. The interior just has a few cuts on the driver seat and it has 170k miles. You think this is a better offer?
@@NoctixLucis your best bet is a 98 to 2000 it has bigger brakes and with the variable valve timing and extra gear in the transmission that's much quicker then the older earlier models
@@NoctixLucis if the only damage to the interior is some minor Rip's on the driver seat that's a good sign LOL as the Interiors were the first things to go on those cars
I would say that is priced at the higher end. It depends on the market where you specifically live in Canada (what other sc400s are selling for). If that was for sale in California where I am, it would be sitting for sale for some time. If the car is in really good condition and has paperwork to prove repairs that have been done and other paperwork on the car, it may be worth it at a way lower price. I bought mine for $2500 US with 111k mi
@@DaylyDriverDayly it's been on the market for 8 weeks with only 800 views, so I would definitely have the advantage of lowering the price. SC400/SC300 are kinda hard to come by, right now there's only 1 for sale.
@@callmezucc9318 oh wow, very few out there for you to choose from. that's a good amount of time that it has been for sale for. it's because they are asking wayy too much for the car
@@DaylyDriverDayly Yea our population density is tiny compared to the States. Hopefully I can snatch it for a better price. I plan to sell my car for $6000. Should cover the cost of the SC
@@callmezucc9318 I would check the undersides of the car for rust. I can say if you are able to make the right deal on the car and it is in good condition with a low 170kms, you wont be disappointed with the car. I've owned a handful of sc400s and I kept buying them because they are soooooo much fun to drive and reliable
It actually is "sport mode" it makes the transmission downshift with less throttle and itll rev higher before it shifts. At wide open throttle you wont notice much of a difference except when you first take off from a roll.
you don't need a cup holder....just drink before or drink at your fuel the servo or stop at a nice cafe and watch you car.....get real! WTF ...you drive or coffee?...put stuff here! ...put stuff there!.......ZZZZZzzzz
I carry water in a container and makes it easy to lug around in the car. I could make my own cup holder in the car if i cared enough about it. coffee can go in the 1 cup holder
He might be thinking of the late model 3 series coupe, but I disagree. I cant think of another BMW close to this, unless you go back to the late 80's 635CSi, or early 90's 840/50i, and somehow I doubt he knows anything about those.
