430 SC Facelift and Pre Facelift Diffences

[Ligier]

I am looking for a SC430 to replace my Dad's mega miles (over 200k) R107 500SL. The SC 430 very much seems the spiritual successor, unlike badly built Noughties Mercs. We just have a couple of questions. Firstly, how much of an improvement do the 2002 and 2004 tweaks make to handing, plus is there a further leap in handing and performance after the late 2005 improvements. Our hunch is to go for a late 2005, pre March 23 2006 facelift car (captures all the improvements, but makes a decent saving on Road Tax) but that is a fairly small pool to choose from, so don't want to dismiss older SC 430's if there isn't much difference. 

[royoftherovers]

consider joining lexusownersclub.com Alex as nearly all members have SC vehicles and they sometimes offer for sale.

[Neil E]

The upgrades in the facelift car make the extra tax worth paying if you can't find that one '55 plate.'

6 speed box, AFS, better tech, etc. A quick search on here will reveal all of the differences. The newer model performs a fraction better than the older, it's a slightly more rewarding drive but both are nice cars. If it's important to you, handling can be greatly improved by uprated suspension and bigger sway bars for around £1.5k. If it hasn't been changed, the standard suspension will be a little tired anyway. Make sure it's been serviced properly and.....always check underneath to make sure any rust is just on the surface. 

 

[Wardair]

2 hours ago, Ligier said:

I am looking for a SC430 to replace my Dad's mega miles (over 200k) R107 500SL. The SC 430 very much seems the spiritual successor, unlike badly built Noughties Mercs. We just have a couple of questions. Firstly, how much of an improvement do the 2002 and 2004 tweaks make to handing, plus is there a further leap in handing and performance after the late 2005 improvements. Our hunch is to go for a late 2005, pre March 23 2006 facelift car (captures all the improvements, but makes a decent saving on Road Tax) but that is a fairly small pool to choose from, so don't want to dismiss older SC 430's if there isn't much difference. 

This Guide explains what to look out for when buying and when the model changes were made. It looks like 2004 was last suspension change and 2005/6 last cosmetic (e.g. wheels) and tech upgrades (e.g. bluetooth). Bottom is a model history I pulled from somewhere.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying-guides/used-car-buying-guide-lexus-sc430

HISTORY

The SC430 arrived amid a blaze of publicity in March 2001 but initial test drives proved that Lexus had one eye firmly on their biggest market - the US. With its comfy seats, enormous stereo, prodigious thirst and lazy power delivery, the SC430 didn't translate too well to the UK market. One of the criticisms of the original version of this car was that it was too soft for European tastes and remedial action came at the tail end of 2002 with a package of handling changes. The suspension was re-tuned and incorporated different springs and dampers: as a result, say the engineers, the car responded more crisply, yet ride quality and refinement were as good if not better than before. These changes failed to turn the SC430's fortunes around and they remain a rare sight on our roads. In mid 2004, further changes to the suspension were introduced in a bid to boost UK sales and at the same time there were various hi-tech specification upgrades. Then late 2005 saw a very mild facelift, so mild that the layman would be extremely hard-pushed to tell the pre and post facelift cars apart. Look for a set of revised 18" alloys along with slight modifications to the grill, bumper and headlamps.

[Paul weeks]

Can someone tell me the difference between the pre face lift alloys and the facelift ones ?  I have a 2004 car that came with after market wheels on it, but I also have the set of Lexus rims that I am going to put back on it, but don’t know if they are the correct ones for the year.  They nave the round disc in the centre if that helps. 
The pic shows the after market wheels.

[royoftherovers]

16 minutes ago, Paul weeks said:

Can someone tell me the difference between the pre face lift alloys and the facelift ones ?  I have a 2004 car that came with after market wheels on it, but I also have the set of Lexus rims that I am going to put back on it, but don’t know if they are the correct ones for the year.  They nave the round disc in the centre if that helps. 
The pic shows the after market wheels.

Have you rread the Post above yours Paul ? Lots of piccies which might answer your questons.

[Glyn Jennings]

54 minutes ago, Paul weeks said:

Can someone tell me the difference between the pre face lift alloys and the facelift ones ?  I have a 2004 car that came with after market wheels on it, but I also have the set of Lexus rims that I am going to put back on it, but don’t know if they are the correct ones for the year.  They nave the round disc in the centre if that helps. 
The pic shows the after market wheels.

Hi Paul, mine is 2004 and was original supplied with the wheels you have described commonly called ‘Pie Plates’

[royoftherovers]

1 minute ago, Glyn Jennings said:

Hi Paul, mine is 2004 and was original supplied with the wheels you have described commonly called ‘Pie Plates’

`Tis a wonderful interior / external colour combination Glyn.

[Glyn Jennings]

2 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

`Tis a wonderful interior / external colour combination Glyn.

Thanks Roy. I love it too. However for everyday use the light colour would easily get grubby but that’s not an issue for me as it only gets used occasionally.

[Lexiguy]

This thread started back in May by Alex (Ligier) assisting his father who was considering buying an SC430. I wonder if the purchase was made? Possibly not as I am presuming he would have been back on.

Yes John, the metallic blue and red are both fantastic colours when clean on a sunny day but I have found silver is a great colour for hiding the fact it should be washday!

Hi Paul mine has the standard wheels which were fitted on post facelift vehicles.

The light interior colour like mine was very grubby when I bought the car but it is amazing what an improvement can be made by a professional valeter who specialises in leather restoration. That doesn't alter the fact its a constant job keeping up with it. 

The colour of vehicle and its interior are personal preference but that selection is often governed by what is available on the market at the time. 

I have on many occasions said to people, "don't look at the colour, look at the vehicle" but I am guilty of my vision being clouded by having an exact colour.

In my case improving my car is the fun of ownership and although I know it will never be 100% perfect, it will be the best it can be and I will enjoy the journey!

Have fun guys, Anthony 

[Ligier]

Didn't purchase in the end, issue was that it was to be used as a second car on classic insurance. We found that competitive brokers tended to define classics as over 20 years, plus a recent accident my dad had pushed up normal insurance a lot. Therefore a post 2004 and 2005 changes SC430 is expensive to insure for us. One to revisit in 2024! 

[royoftherovers]

3 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

This thread started back in May by Alex (Ligier) assisting his father who was considering buying an SC430. I wonder if the purchase was made? Possibly not as I am presuming he would have been back on.

Yes John, the metallic blue and red are both fantastic colours when clean on a sunny day but I have found silver is a great colour for hiding the fact it should be washday!

Hi Paul mine has the standard wheels which were fitted on post facelift vehicles.

The light interior colour like mine was very grubby when I bought the car but it is amazing what an improvement can be made by a professional valeter who specialises in leather restoration. That doesn't alter the fact its a constant job keeping up with it. 

The colour of vehicle and its interior are personal preference but that selection is often governed by what is available on the market at the time. 

I have on many occasions said to people, "don't look at the colour, look at the vehicle" but I am guilty of my vision being clouded by having an exact colour.

In my case improving my car is the fun of ownership and although I know it will never be 100% perfect, it will be the best it can be and I will enjoy the journey!

Have fun guys, Anthony 

"Yes John, the metallic blue and red are both fantastic colours when clean on a sunny day but I have found silver is a great colour for hiding the fact it should be washday!"

I couldn`t agree more with you Ant. My MK3 GS is Silver with a Black Leather interior and seems to look cleaner the longer I do not wash it !🤣🤣

But we must not forget that as Plato the Greek Philospher  is supposed to have said, "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"

 

[royoftherovers]

5 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

This thread started back in May by Alex (Ligier) assisting his father who was considering buying an SC430. I wonder if the purchase was made? Possibly not as I am presuming he would have been back on.

Yes John, the metallic blue and red are both fantastic colours when clean on a sunny day but I have found silver is a great colour for hiding the fact it should be washday!

Hi Paul mine has the standard wheels which were fitted on post facelift vehicles.

The light interior colour like mine was very grubby when I bought the car but it is amazing what an improvement can be made by a professional valeter who specialises in leather restoration. That doesn't alter the fact its a constant job keeping up with it. 

The colour of vehicle and its interior are personal preference but that selection is often governed by what is available on the market at the time. 

I have on many occasions said to people, "don't look at the colour, look at the vehicle" but I am guilty of my vision being clouded by having an exact colour.

In my case improving my car is the fun of ownership and although I know it will never be 100% perfect, it will be the best it can be and I will enjoy the journey!

Have fun guys, Anthony 

Ant and Glyn, is this immaculate or not ?

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/Lexus/S

[Glyn Jennings]

2 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Ant and Glyn, is this immaculate or not ?

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/Lexus/S

If you are talking about the GS in the list then that is a lovely car. I bet it drives like a dream. My RX is  silver with black interior so that is great for looking clean as a every day use car.

I think I could quite easily own about half a dozen Lexus cars. They are all so nice.

[royoftherovers]

46 minutes ago, Glyn Jennings said:

If you are talking about the GS in the list then that is a lovely car. I bet it drives like a dream. My RX is  silver with black interior so that is great for looking clean as a every day use car.

I think I could quite easily own about half a dozen Lexus cars. They are all so nice.

LEXUS SC 430 4.3 V8 COUPE

• Offer available

£19,495

• Silver
• 4,293 cc
• 01.09.2008
• 282 bhp
• 51,799 miles
• Automatic
• Sports car
• DX58OWH
•  
•  

 

CO₂ (NEDC)

269.0 G/KM

 

FUEL TYPE

ssPETROL

• Sorry, I clicked on a SC430 at Stoke for 19 grand. It is in Lexiguy`s image of his own SC.
• see if you can find it on the Stoke site.
•  
• Lexus Stoke
• 01782 482465
• Email centre

VEHICLE DETAILS & FINANCE

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[Glyn Jennings]

Nice car but seems like a lot money but then again they always are at main dealers.

[royoftherovers]

1 minute ago, Glyn Jennings said:

Nice car but seems like a lot money but then again they always are at main dealers.

It is immaculate in my view, but £15k max might have been seen in the market place as less greedy.

[Lexiguy]

Hey guys

Beautiful colour combo!

If it is as nice close up as it is from a distance then it will be a great car for someone although I'm with you about the price but I reckon they will have a good margin to overallow on a px or knock off for no px!

Ant