New member and first time Lexus buyer... Need advice!

[budzsc]

Hey, hows it going guys?

I came across this site and i was truly impressed, members here actually answer other people's questions and like to help others. Other forums are starting to suck, but this one really got my attention so i signed up!

I have a question...

I'm in the process of purchasing a 1995 Lexus SC400 with 155,000 KMS for $12,000 (Canadian Dollars). The body is in EXCELLENT shape, and the seat have normal wear in them but overall the interior is mint as well, also the engine bay looks very clean, and a new timing belt was installed very recently...

Is this a good buy?
Should i lookout for anything before buying this car?
How should i test the vehicle to make sure it's performing well and everything is ok?

If you guys could give me some assistance i would really appreciate it! I know Lexus' are very realiable and are truly impressive cars, but this is my first Lexus and i want to make sure I'm getting into a good car.

Thanks in advance - Matt

 

[Pro]

check it has even tyre wear, no signs of panel repair (like broken plastic mudguard inserts and missing bumper tags), check it has a full DEALER service history, check the timing belt has been replaced and finally take it for a test drive.

i dont; kow if you have any govt bodies you can run the plates and VIN thru to check if there is any money owing on the car, but it's a good idea.

if you find one thing to question about the car then walk away. one thing leads to five by the time you send it in for repairs.

 

[JamesN]

Hey Matt, Welcome to the club. The things I think you should check for is service record, PS pump, rolled up and down the window to see if it's slow and going to break soon. CD changer thats tend to go bad, and coolant reserve tank that could leak. Well thats pretty much all I can think of. I own an 95 sc400 too and that is what fail on me so far. Its not bad of a fix if you do it yourself. Anyways good luck with your buy and take some pics if you get it.

 

[stevechumo]

It's hard to tell about the price because it depends on the location. Anyway, here are the tips.

1. Check for any strange noise while the engine is running. This SC should run really quiet when warmed up.
2. Check for any leaking oil & coolant, oil smell & color, coolant color and smell.
3. Drive up to 80 mph to see if it vibrates. Brake hard at slow to mild speed to see if the nose dives hard to the front. With either above symptoms and with a clunking noise over bumps & dips, it could be bad suspension bushings or ball joints and the repair could be from $100 up to $1000, depending on if you know how to do the job or ask someones else.
4. Turn on the A/C when the engine is running but park at the red light, and then turn off the A/C. If turning off the A/C cause the the engine to stall, it could be a bad computer. The repair will be from $200 to more than $1000.
5. Check for the transmission by holding the brake pedal tight with the left foot, pulling the hand brake tight, and then shift to drive and step on the gas pedal with the right foot and rev the RPM quickly to 2800 RPM. If the RPM smoothly & quickly goes up to 2800, then the tranny is good. If it's slow or hesitates, then the tranny is bad.
6. Check for the cluster needle on the dash. The needles migh flicker or blacken out. The fix is around $100 to $400 depends on where you'll go.
7. As mentioned by JamesN, he's a humble professional here..:veryhappy , check for leak from the power steering.

***Other than the above common problems, you're good to go. My '95 SC400 has 145,000 miles and is still smooth and strong. I'm also intending to supercharge or turbocharge it up to at least 75% more hp.

 

[budzsc]

anything more i need to know? this saturday morning is judgement day...

 

[SC400DAVE]

5. Check for the transmission by holding the brake pedal tight with the left foot, pulling the hand brake tight, and then shift to drive and step on the gas pedal with the right foot and rev the RPM quickly to 2800 RPM. If the RPM smoothly & quickly goes up to 2800, then the tranny is good. If it's slow or hesitates, then the tranny is bad.

Steve, you got me worried now. I tried this today and i can not get past like 2000rpm when I do what you suggested. What would the problem be? The tranny itself or the torque converter, or..... Thanks. Anybody else experience this?

:feedback: Thanks!

 

[stevechumo]

Dave,
Try again on this method. Turn off the ECT Power. Try once with O/D on and once with O/D off. You have to step on the gas really quick to bring up the RPM and hold it there until the RPM is steady. Then that's when you'll know for sure. You may try flushing the tranny first and see what's next. Is the tranny sluggish to shift during normal driving?

 

[SC400DAVE]

No, the tranny feels great under normal and spirited driving. No problems what so ever. I do have the OD on and the ECT power switch on all the time too. I just started leaving the ECt on full time about 2 weeks ago. I want to see how it affects my MPG. Thanks

 

[stevechumo]

No, the tranny feels great under normal and spirited driving. No problems what so ever. I do have the OD on and the ECT power switch on all the time too. I just started leaving the ECt on full time about 2 weeks ago. I want to see how it affects my MPG. Thanks

If you leave the ECT on all the time, the gas will be horrible. I tend not to have it on for normal driving. However, I had it on during high speed accelerations and the gas gauge dropped down to almost 1 mm for only a few seconds. That's a few bucks now.