Future Classic Grand Tourer? The Lexus SC400

Photo Source: autoviva.com

With the impending launch of a new Lexus grand touring coupe, we will take a look to the past when Lexus previously produced a grand tourer to compete with the best from Germany. The Lexus SC was one of the first front engine, rear drive coupes from Japan to go head to head with the likes of the Mercedes SL and the BMW 8 series. While the Lexus certainly held it's own against this competition, it has largely been left in the pages of automotive history. Will this Lexus turn out to be a real classic, or a forgotten chapter in the Lexus history book?

History 

The Lexus SC was produced from 1991 until 2000, when it was replaced by rather tragic looking Z40 SC430. The first SC was made near the introduction of the Lexus brand, and Toyota was putting Mercedes build quality to shame. The SC was the pinnacle of this over-engineering, and was one of the cars that has cemented the brand as having top build quality and reliability. It's styling was like nothing else at that time, with most approving of it's sleek design.

Models to Look For

The SC came with two engine options. The top of the range was the SC400, which had the buttery smooth 4.0L V8 with 250hp and 260 ft lbs. The SC300 had a 3.0L inline 6, producing 225hp and 210 ft lbs. Later models saw an increase in horsepower in the V8, with '96 and '97 cars having 260hp. 1998 to 2000 cars had 290hp and 300 ft lbs. While the SC300's were popular and can be found just as easily as the V8's I am mostly focusing on the V8 model. Differences during production were minimal, but later cars fetch higher prices due to increased power and slightly improved cosmetics. If it were me, I would find a later model 400 for the 290hp and updated styling. These cars improve significantly with larger, more modern wheels. The originals are very small for today's standards and haven't aged well.

A rare black interior. Photo Credit: clublexus.com

Problems to Watch For

Like most Lexus' of the time, the SC is a fairly bullet proof car, with mainly suffering from standard 20 year old car problems. The one issue that pops up is the power steering pump which can leak and drip onto the alternator, usually ruining both. The seal in the pump can be replaced very cheaply so that is a very avoidable accident. The major problem with finding a nice SC is that most have fell victim to nasty cosmetic modifications and neglected interiors. Through my searches for SC's, many have very tired interiors. Replacement interior parts and trim pieces may be difficult to come by, so finding one with a good interior is key.

High mileage isn't an automatic no-no, however the interior condition would be a major factor in most high mileage examples. Both the inline 6 and V8's are very reliable, long lasting engines; so with proper maintenance these cars can surpass 200,000 miles no problem. These cars did sell well, but they are difficult to find in decent condition. Being patient will be important to find the color combination and condition you are looking for.

Pricing (2017)

These prices will be based on the SC400, although strangely the V8 cars don't bring much more than it's six cylinder counterpart. This is mostly because of the many performance modification choices for the inline 6, which was shared with the hugely popular Toyota Supra. The largest factor in price is the year, with newer cars bringing much higher numbers.

$2,000 - $5,000

These are definitely the higher mileage cars that will more than likely need attention to the interior, along with some mechanical help. Despite the low price, all of the cars I have seen in this range were running well, and would be reliable as is. Be careful that the interior doesn't need too much attention, as you could be putting more money into the car than it is worth, depending on mileage and exterior condition. Most of these cars will be earlier models.

$5,000 - $10,000

This is where most of the cars are priced. Cars in this range should have a well kept service history, along with good to above average interior condition. Pass on cars that have ripped seats and cracked dashes for this money. I have seen sub 100,000 mile cars up to nearing 200,000 miles in this range. Remember, with Lexus a well maintained car is always better than one that isn't, despite mileage. This is the price range I would stay in if you want a nice driver's car.

$10,000 - $15,000

This is pretty top dollar for one of these cars. If I was spending this much, I would only settle for a '98 and newer car, with all of the maintenance updated, even if it is a low mileage car. Many people don't realize that a sub 50,000 mile 20 plus year old car will need just as much maintenance as one with over 100,000 miles. While the use of the car may not have worn parts out, the effects of 20 year old rubber seals and hoses will require replacement. For this reason alone, I would never buy a low mileage example of a car like this, unless of course this maintenance has been completed.

Summary

The Lexus SC isn't old or rare enough for the values to go up in the near future. More than likely, these will never be extremely valuable cars. Later year models are still depreciating from their original msrp's.  Don't be afraid of high miles, just make sure the car has a nice interior and has a decent service history and you should be set for thousand's of trouble free miles.