Episode 65

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Published on:

17th Aug 2023

The 1992-2000 Lexus SC400 Coupe - The Ultimate Escape Pod

00:00 - OPEN: The 1992-2000 Lexus SC400 Coupe - The Ultimate Escape Pod

In this episode, you'll hear about an early 90’s car that I like to think of as the ultimate escape pod.  It was a sport coupe from an emerging Japanese luxury brand that featured silky smooth V8 power and a uniquely designed exterior that set the bar so high, that car magazine editors fell in love with it, along with the buying public.  And this car dominated the luxury sport coupe category for years, just like its sibling did in the luxury sedan category.  

01:05 - Lexus Enters The US Market in 1989 With the LS400 Sedan

Back in 1989, Toyota, shook-up the US automotive landscape with the introduction of the all-new Lexus Luxury brand and their first-ever US vehicle, the 1990 Lexus LS400 sedan. 

03:30 - INTRO: The 1992-2000 Lexus SC400 Coupe - The From Scratch, Original Encore to the LS400 Sedan

Rather than alter their successful LS400 sedan by deleting the rar doors, shortening the wheelbase and calling it a coupe, Lexus instead designed their first Coupe - the SC400, from scratch.

06:25 - SC400 Engine & Drivetrain Changes Over Time

  • 1992-1995 SC400 Coupe - 250-hp & 260-lb.ft of torque with 4-spd automatic transmission.
  • 1996-1997 SC400 Coupe - 260-hp & 270-lb.ft. of torque with a 4-speed automatic transmission
  • 1998-2000 SC400 Coupe - 290-hp and 300-lb.ft of torque with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

08:50 - Handling & Braking - It's a Gran Touring Car, Not A Sports Car

Both the LS400 and the SC400 coupe were rear-wheel drive and offered excellent driving dynamics.  However, potential buyers should keep in mind that the Lexus SC400 is not a sports car, but rather a luxury sports coupe in the gran touring tradition - a car that can be driven quickly and confidently for hours on end as it whisks its driver to their destination in quiet, luxurious comfort.

09:55 - Is the Lexus SC400 Coupe A Reliable Car Today?

In a word, yes. However, the newest SC400 is 23-years old, so it's best to keep that in mind and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done before purchase.

12:50 - What To Look For In An SC400 Coupe

  • All years of the SC400 Coupe would make an excellent daily driver
  • I would focus on finding an example in excellent condition with one or two owners first. 
  • If you want the most horsepower, the 1998-2000 cars with Variable Valve timing and the 5-speed automatic are best.
  • All the standard used car considerations apply (low-miles, no accidents, access to service records, avoid cars that have rust)
  • Get that pre-purchase inspection!

17:30 - Used Lexus SC400 Pricing

  • $5000-$8000 - You'll find some interesting examples, but this is the low-end of the range and not where I would expect to find a solid combination of quality vs price
  • $8000-$12,000 - This is my sweet spot.  I would expect to find the best values in this range, with the sort of cars you would want to keep and drive for several years at the top of this range. 
  • $12,000-$15000 - These cars will be some of the best one or two owner examples with well under 100K miles, recent major services completed, shiny paint and tires and brakes in good condition
  • $15,000-$18,000 - This is where I think you’ll find the best examples of the SC400.  You can pay more than this, but you’re probably wasting money based on current valuation

21:15 - Close - 1992-2000 Lexus SC 400 Coupe

With its combination of unique styling, luxurious refinement and V8-enhanced performance that the Lexus SC400 offered when new, it truly was the ultimate escape pod. 

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About the Podcast

Better Than New
Find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you'll love
The average new car sales price in the US is nearly $50,000, and the average used vehicle sales price is close to $30,000... I think that's insane! Well if you're like me and you don’t want to pay these crazy inflated car prices, I believe you should still be able to drive something fun. That’s the idea behind Better Than New – a podcast to help you find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you’ll love.

I’m Gary Crenshaw, host of Better Than New and a long time automotive enthusiast, and I want to inspire car buyers on a budget to think differently about what they can actually afford to drive. My goal is to introduce listeners to the broad array of interesting, fun-to-drive, enthusiast-friendly used cars, trucks and SUVs available at prices just about anyone can afford… vehicles from the 80s, 90s, 2000s and beyond that offer buyers a wide range of interesting choices. Each week we’ll explore a specific vehicle or vehicle category, tell you what to look for and what to avoid, and give you practical tips to help you find your next cool used car, truck or SUV and keep it on the road for years to come.

With a little work, the joy of owning a cool used car at price you’ll love is within reach and this podcast is here to help you find it.

So hop in, buckle up and let's go for a drive!

About your host

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Gary Crenshaw

A lifelong lover of all things mechanical, Gary has spent the majority of his existence driving, dreaming about or wrenching on cars, motorcycles and even the occasional airplane.

It started with mini-bikes and go-karts as a kid, progressed to 2-stroke dirt bikes, followed by his first car… a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Then came the Yamaha era with several RD400s, RZ350s and a Canadian RD350LC (should have kept that!). A pilot’s license was next with some memorable hours flying a 1946 Aeronca Champ low and slow around the Pacific Northwest. While in college, his brother-in-law who sold high-end cars hired him to deliver BMW, Mercedes and Porsche vehicles to customers.

Those early experiences led to a lifetime of owning an eclectic mix of interesting used cars, including a ‘65 Mustang GT, a ’72 Datsun 510, a Porsche 914, a Celica Alltrac Turbo, a Mini Cooper S, a couple of Miata’s, two Audi S4 Avants, a Galant VR4, a Fiat 850 Spider, a 1983 Subaru 4x4 GL wagon and a first gen RX-7, along with dozens of daily driver cars and SUVs from Acura, Honda, Toyota and Mazda. And his favorite? Depends on when you ask, but that distinction likely goes to the Mazda RX-4 station wagon he learned to drive in. That fun-to-drive car combined Gary's passion for wagons, rotary engines and manual transmissions all in one.

So what about you? Which used car, truck or SUV would you love to own? Let’s find it together!