Neil E

It will depend on the limitations of the insurance policy/company. Some allow modifications and charge a small premium and some don't allow any. I list all of my mods to find the best quote and recently (probably due to old age) it seems to make very little difference.

Hi Tim, Some of the guys in the US have explored this a little more than folk in the UK. Often the original sub can be repaired using a kit from Simply Speakers (There are other suppliers of similar kits) 8" 16 ohm subs are indeed quite difficult to find, A company called B and C make one, I don't know if it's any good or try searching for bass speakers with dual 8 ohm voice coils. Dayton Audio model SD215A-88 is an example. You can then wire the dual voice coils in series to present a 16 ohm load to the ML Harman Amp. Yes, using a load resistor is another option. I've no experience of using them but wonder if they might change the performance of the speaker in reducing the power that can be sent to it.

Hi Mark PM sent with details.

It seems you have a little gremlin in there somewhere. It may not be his handywork but RW did sometimes fit front cameras so that's quite likely. Does it have a rear camera that displays on the sat nav screen?

Hi Philip Did the battery go flat overnight or was it over a week or two? Was it drained completely or just a bit under 12 Volts? A working fade/balance display suggests the amp may be okay, let's hope so. Best check the footwell fuses too if the audio door isn't closing, that may be a clue. Also, just a thought, do you have a handsfree phone interface that might have muted the audio signal? Does the volume number go up and down? It's so long since I used the standard system I'm struggling to remember how it functions.

Hi Philip, did you try the balance/fade/bass/treble menu? If it doesn't display on the head unit then that points to a problem with the amp in the boot or at least the connection to it. There are 3 radio fuses, try the 30A Radio No1 fuse under the bonnet near the battery. Lift the cover and the diagram should be inside the cover. It may be fuse 47 if it's the same as the US models. It also feeds the antenna and sat nav so if they are working then the fuse should be okay. The 10A and 7.5A radio fuses are in the footwells. If you take the covers off it will confirm the locations on the back of the covers, I doubt the fault is with either of those.

Unless someone has been working on/behind the head unit or the amp, it's more likely a fuse than a plug working loose. The connectors have retaining clips so they shouldn't work loose but the connection within the Mark Levinson (Harman) amp can develop a fault. It's a known flaw that appears with age, more so with other models than the SC430. In some cases pushing the connector may produce a temporary fix. If the head unit turns on but there's no sound, check the fuse for the amp and try adjusting the fader/balance/bass/treble. If the head unit doesn't display the menu, it's a good indicator that the remote connection between the head unit and the amp isn't working. It's also a known cause for batteries going flat overnight as in some cases the amp does not remote switch off when the ignition is turned off. The fault in these cases is with the connection in the Harman amp.

It's worth having the aerial working in my view. I would fix it. It even adjusts its length when switching between frequency bands. Others who don't rely on it for decent radio reception would disagree because it is not required, is old fashioned and spoils the look of the car when extended. FM reception is probably still okay as the SC has 2 antennas. Replacing the mast is a bit of a fiddly job from what I've seen and read but shouldn't take too long to do.

Hi Nick. Look forward to seeing the photos, it sounds like you're giving the car the full treatment. My comments about the black mats were about Peter's car with the beige interior. They all came with the same beige colour 'A' post trim and headlining, fortunately the black mat sets are still available from Lexus. I agree it's much easier to keep the black leather looking great and for that reason I sometimes wish I had opted for black but it's well documented that the cars with beige leather are a bit quicker.

Great post Nick, it seems you like the SC🙂 I think you may have liked the earlier model Soarer too. Lexus should have put some better tech in the SC430 and done a bit more to the ride-handling set up but it's still a great car. It is possible to upgrade the suspension to improve the handling without compromising the ride but there's a limit to what can be done before it starts to become the inevitable compromise. Before you commit to never parting with it, you might just want to try the later version with 6-speed trans and various other tweaks to broaden the smile still further. Others may disagree but I think the LC500 is probably good enough to count as the latest SC. @Peter1208 I remember seeing your car at the Lexus SC430 meet in Sleaford a couple of years ago. It was the star of the show. It really is a low mileage gem. The assembled group were asked to judge the cars in various categories. The only fault I recall finding with it was the then owner who had removed the factory beige mats and inserted black ones instead. Hopefully it came complete with the original beige mats as Lexus no longer produce them.

Welcome Nigel, lovely looking SC in the best colour combination. Are you sure it's the roof and not the more common rattle from the rear parcel shelf?

SC430Mods.com is a good option if you want a higher resolution screen. It's been done many times using simple add-on kits like Naviks to the standard Nav screen but it's not such a simple piece work to swap the actual screen.

I'm going to guess it's around £2k to save plus any outstanding servicing, providing the rust underneath isn't too bad. The water leaks should be easy enough to solve if no lasting damage has been done. Researching the codes, replacing the exhaust and probably an O2 sensor would fix some of it and then the check engine light needs to be restored. Interesting test history. MOT to Feb 24 with no advisories. Yet in August 2020 Exhaust system getting corroded in places Rear tyres worn at inner tread edges Rear suspension components getting a bit corroded, and subframe Slight surface corrosion at rear chassis areas around subframe and suspension arm mounts

In the right hands I'm sure it could be made to look presentable for a modest sum and a lot of effort but I would suggest it needs to go on the ramps for a thorough inspection of the underside before the shiny side receives too much attention.

The kit needs a bit of work to finish it. It's designed for the later version SC430 so needs work around the headlamps. No headlamp washers either.....because they are a pain to fit.🙂

I can recommend the SprintBooster. I have it on the SC and the GS460. It has lots of settings that change the degree of delay but essentially, on the highest setting, it virtually eliminates the throttle lag. Various throttle controllers claim to do all sorts of amazing stuff, take all that with a big pinch of salt but the difference they can make to the driving experience just by removing the accelerator signal delay is well worth it....or you could be brave and have the ecu remapped and then lots of other changes are possible.

Just did a quick search on eBay (SC430 wheels - used) and there are a few, that would fit from £50 upwards. I think the Soarer 17 inch space-saver fits over the brakes too. There are also a few places in Sussex that could refurb them in a day for around £300. The runflats are practical but they really do spoil the ride and the enjoyment of the car.

Wheels are 18" diameter x 8" width ET 45 PCD 5 x 114.3 Centre bore/Hub 60.1mm Tyres 245 40 ZR 18 I think 18" GS wheels are similar, just look for wheels with the same specs.

Great post and what a good result.

I was looking for an LS600 when I bought the GS460. It's very rare to find a late shape LS600 for sale. An LS460 would be nice too but so many are quite low specified cars.

I doubt that there is a volume control. I removed my parking sensors some time ago but I wrote the words below in another thread. Research reveals the on/off switch was optional. I doubt many were fitted as it's there to be turned off for the purpose of towing a caravan or trailer. The model is a Lexus Parking Aid LPA400. The Lexus owners manual is ref AOM 000 011-0 PP/NPZ464-00420-41 printed Italy 2005

Or even 2 indeed and 3 people who actually understand what a lovely thing the GS460 is. Mine is Black with Ivory. Hi John, I like the 2 sets of wheels approach.👍 I have a set of Summer tyres and a set of Michelin Cross-climates for the GS. Full Winters on the RX, wide Summer Continentals on the SC. @129k miles, it's a bit high for most people to pay a premium for but it's a very rare opportunity. Have you replaced any shocks, exhaust or the radiator? I've just done my rad and I'm trying to find time to address the other two. It's difficult to assess what a GS460 in good order is worth as there's little to go on and the market is still a bit higher than it should be but generally, the higher priced cars aren't selling - at least that's my view. A low mileage GS460 might be worth £15k perhaps? It's rare but how many people actually want one? When I bought mine without hesitating, the dealer said he had a few more enquiries and an offer of more money too so I would say yours ought to be worth either side of £10k depending on the bodywork as that's critical to most purchasers. I'd like a GSF too but a 2016 car isn't worth £37-40k to me. If a good one in a decent colour appears around £32k with lowish mileage then I may go for it. Nice car but add a set of PPE headers + a tune to a GS460 and it's an 8 speed family sleeper in ISF territory with a decent boot and greater comfort at a fraction of the cost of a flashy GSF.

I would expect a black on black GS460 in good condition to sell pretty quickly. I bought mine for £8k 2 years ago with a bit less than £100k miles and just a few minor issues to resolve. I could be tempted, how many miles has it done?

Hi Glyn, yes let's avoid the hifi SQ debate, I liked everything you said though. 👍My ears are nearly 60 years old so well past their sell by date. I am interested in interfacing the iphone with the GS to provide a bit more flexible connectivity, I could drop in the Tesla style screen but the Lexus police wouldn't allow that so I'm thinking Grom is the neatest to avoid the holders and bracketry. In the SC I plug the iphone and or the ipad into the Alpine via a USB cable. The flexibility of the modern head unit lets you do just about everything. On my travels, I see many drivers using a screen or dash mount to get their phone screen right next to the driver's 'A' pillar. I haven't tried it but I think the Quad Lock looks a decent option to do that.

I think it's still called Rutland Cream or Rutland Ivory depending on the supplier. Gliptone are one company that should be able to help but there are others that can custom colour match the leather. It can be applied with a sponge but it's best to take the seats out, clean, and prep them and then spray the dye on with a spray gun. If you have the tools and plenty of time it's not that difficult to do and quite satisfying, otherwise a decent car upholstery outfit should be able to restore it.