Why the Lexus SC400 is a Future Classic Car Collectible | The used coupe with a 1UZ-FE V8 Engine

[@barbarycoast3972]

Quote "Never have I driven any car that receives so many compliments from complete strangers as the SC 400" I can't agree more! Since I first got mine, so many years ago until today. From teeny boppers to grandmothers (grandmothers driving these cars used to be a common sight) from hillbillies to gang bangers and everything in between, every color, every race. My jaw dropped the first time and am still amazed every time, I have learned to answer politely. I'm serious, I have driven the car through out the West, all over, not only one area. Driven it as a Gran Tourer Folks just can't help themselves...they mention the color of my car often (a shade of purple) thanks for the vid __________________

[@frankandfrankauto]

That's so awesome! Glad it was a shared experience - everyone just really loves it. I had a 97' Bordeaux Pearl that everyone loved. I do miss the car, hope you hold on to yours for a long while!

[@utwoube]

I recently bought a 1994 Lexus SC 400 with just over 60,000 miles on it, that's just 2,000 mi a year. I bought it from a Medical Doctor in Texas who bought it new. He had two other vehicles and said this was his "Hospital Car" the one he drove a couple miles to his Hospital. It is red with saddle leather interior and beautiful, in near showroom condition. I replaced the nearly ten year old tires, had the Timing Belt changed and had them replace Water Pump and Alternator (since they had the front of the V8 Engine off for the Timing Belt). I drove an LS 400 for 17 years and put 230,000 miles on it before I gave it to an office assistance who loved its Peal White color. So I know the SC 400 is a quality, solidly-built car.

[@gregorypeterson9]

Got a 94 had for ten years.....150k miles unbelievable ride with reg. Maintenance car runs like a beast, miles of smiles 😊😊😊😊.

[@michaeljaskowski6968]

picked up my '92 sc400 last november and my god was it the best choice ever. first car i truly fell in love with and man does it suprise me every day. features ive never seen ieven in modern high end cars. great handling, amazing sounding engine, great exhaust note when you straight pipe it and add a double x pipe. i get so many compliments from all walks of life too!

[@frankandfrankauto]

The X-pipe is the best bang for your buck mod you can do on this car! So glad you love it 😊

[@marcdargitz2949]

Heaviest sc400 was in the 98-2000 at 3,655 and the first generation 92 was 3,575 fully loaded. Build quality and features continue to out class many modern cars today. Regardless, this machine has unlimited potential when it comes to high performance. It's chassis is very rigid, excellent wheelbase, with strong axles and multi link suspension, not to mention the overbuilt, over square, 6 bolt main, race inspired 4 liter V8 with a front mid engine position. Nuf said... It's a diamond in the rough or for you light weights who know only what' your told and have little critical thinking skills, it's just an old outdated 4000 pound boat..yeah that's what it is!🤔

[@Flyguy125]

I'm a proud owner of a 98 SC 400, and its my weekend car. I got it almost 3 yrs ago with 56k on the odometer. Now it's close to 68k and still rides like a new car. I upgraded the brakes and changed the wheel and tires to 18 in. and that's the only mods I've done to it. It gets plenty of looks and compliments and can hold its own compared to the Euro rivals from the 90's.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Sounds gorgeous!

[@Regellion]

Love this car. Just picked one up last August for a steal! 1996 SC400 😎

[@jessejames14]

My son picked up a 95 F3 400 a couple years ago only had 95,000 miles now it’s just over 110,000 miles I get to drive it whenever I can interiors shot do the the highs and lows temperatures here in Iowa winters and summer’s but it still runs like a top and sounds awesome! Can’t wait to put new struts in it and restore the interior ❤

[@Trivas1013]

I just got a 95 SC400 last month and everyday I enjoy it just a little bit more

[@fredgen4811]

Proud owner of 1995 that I drive every blue moon, It used to be my daily driver. 180 K and still run like new. My best car so far.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Glad to hear it!

[@Seven8the0]

Let’s not forget the cell phone that was particularly gangster lol

[@danieldemayo6209]

Anyone that got in my car in 2006 was like you have a fucking cell phone in here?! Lol

[@bobbyshmurda1861]

I have a 1jz-gte Factory Manual ‘98 Soarer and I love her from the moment I got her

[@frankandfrankauto]

That's awesome! Have you done any modifications?

[@bobbyshmurda1861]

@@frankandfrankauto nothing crazy just Blitz RR coilovers, rest is stock

[@benc9744]

I got a 96 sc400 and i wouldn’t even take 20k for mine. Good luck finding one that’s not clapped out. I’m glad I found mine a few years ago. But ya definitely hard to find a clean one.

[@fonzieog5072]

A dealership is selling one for 16k at possibly the best condition possible, would you take it? Black on black

[@XsSC400]

Just got mine the other day, and absolutely will never let it go! I’m late to the party but I love this car

[@dronetrucker]

1985 Toyota Land cruiser 1992 Lexus SC400 2001 Honda prelude 2002 Mercedes S430 2004 Mazda RX8 My favorite is the 92 SC400

[@frankandfrankauto]

Some lovely Japanese machines there!

[@kevinjones6829]

I picked up my SC400 about two and a half years ago. It is the second one I've owned (my first was a '98, and was totaled when I got t-boned in an intersection), and I cannot say enough good things about these vehicles. I bought my '99 with just over 28k miles on it, and it is currently just a little over 30k. Low miles and body in great shape - this is definitely a head-turner.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Happy to hear you got another!

[@niceones7823]

I have a 95 SC400 with full air ride and 20 inch wheels. Also exhaust, intake etc. It's been in the family since 1998 and isn't going anywhere ever! I just had it appraised at $30,000.00 Canadian.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Gotta love an SC400 wit an air ride. So happy for you you got a fair appraisal as well!

[@welbyroberto6581]

I wax looking at it in Vancouver area, BC in 2014 and almost went to look at one but missed the opportunity because of traffic. Ended up a 1991 NSX instead, well, SC400 would be my final choice after I am getting too old to drive a standard.

[@evlsc400]

The 95 sc400 have the more garbage motors with thin connecting rods no VVTi and they’re interference, 20” wheels won’t clear the wheel well liners so let’s hope the wiring harness has been tucked if it hasn’t it’s probably Christmas tree dash already assuming the bulbs even still work today. 20’s would mean more modification of the vehicle, 30K in Monopoly money is decent but way too high for a sunroof base model SC400. Imagine putting down 20K for a car that is still open rear wheel driven four speed auto. 1600 towing capacity is now out the window with the bigger wheels lmao, bump steer, so the way the car was designed for its suspension is now out the window. 30K unless the air ride was 29,500 with the ability to return it at any given condition and date lmao. Why do people think the higher number means better, you know for a fact there’s better optioned cars out there!!! I wouldn’t even bid on your car if I saw it on Bring a Trailer. Why are you such a clown

[@evlsc400]

@@welbyroberto6581 a 1991 NSX is going to be more valuable than a base model SC400 from 1995 lol. Good choice.

[@003590510]

The SC400 does not weigh 4000lbs. Your ZL1 1LE Camaro and Hellcat Challenger weigh that much. Stop spreading mis-information. It weighs 3560lbs with a 57/43 weight distribution. The SC's steel body is only 80 lbs more than the aluminum body Supra TT 6sp @ 3480lbs. The doors and hood and seats alone account for ~400lbs on the nose of the car. Those 5 things in carbon will shift the weight rearward just about 50/50 and get the car close to 3100lbs. Thats less than the new Lotus Emira. Being an all steel body is remarkable that it is as light as it is. It has a 12 disc changer not 20. The reason it will go up in value is the chassis is the same as a MKIV A80 Supra. That means suspension, drivetrain and brakes that work for the Supra work for the SC. It has tremendous aftermarket support because of the same chassis underneath. The Supra was made using a SC chassis. The 1UZ engine in the SC400 is getting significant aftermarket support now that drifters are swapping 1UZ's into other cars with manual transmissions. Nowhere else can you get a car with a stable aerodynamic shape with double wishbone suspension and LSD with a manual V8 for so little money. 1UZ's can make over 500WHP N/A with ported head, cams, ITB's and headers. Check out HRE in NZ 1UZ on KZbin to see one. That is why they will go up in value. The chassis has so much aftermarket support and they are front-mid engined cars that have good balance with carbon doors and hoods and seats and have a low entry price until everyone figures out the secret sauce. Toyota spent a Billion dollars making the SC400. IT shows in some of the lesser known facts. The SC is more aerodynamic car vs the Supra. The Supra is .34cd with the wing and the SC is .31cd with it's wing. The SC has lower frontal area too. The SC has a longer wheelbase which is better for hooking big power than the Supra. The SC has a more rigid frame for road racing than the Supra. It also has more room in the nose for trick cooling mods like V-mounted Radiator(30% more cooling power) for racing. The intrinsic value of the SC is a better interior, bigger trunk, bigger back seats, quieter ride, more stable, car than the Supra. With identical gearing of the Supra swapped in, and drivetrain, suspension and brakes with lightweight parts in both chassis, the SC will beat the Supra with the same power being able to get lighter and more aerodynamic. It gets much lighter than the aluminum body Supra does with carbon body panels because it has heavy Steel body to start with. The weight balance is better after it is lightened too. The Supra is 53/47 weight distribution but because the Iron block I6 it can't get super light. The 1UZ engine actually weighs 80 lbs less than the 2JZ-GTE. The 1UZ built and stock has more displacement, torque down low and has 6 bolt mains to make big power too. With the appropriate mods, the 1UZ could have more power everywhere than a equivalent 2JZ that is peaky. It will help if someone well known gets a SC400 to start killing supers on the racetrack and I know a few builds that are doing that very thing right now including myself. With a smidgen of effort the secret sauce of the JDM Soarers like the UZZ31 and UZZ32 will get out and they will become un-obtanium even more than the Supra when people realize the SOARER UZZ32 in Japan came with HYDRAULIC CROSS LINKED 4 WHEEL SUSPENSION AND 4 WHEEL STEERING back in 1991. It didn't brake dive, roll at all , squat or shimmy ever. Mclaren didn't come out with that until 20 years later with the MP4-12C. People wonder where the billion dollars went? I just told you. It was the first production Japanese car to have projectors, touch screen navigation and climate control. When THESE facts get out about the SC then their value will skyrocket.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Thanks for the amazing and detailed comment! I definitely used 4000lbs flippantly and as a rounded figure to illustrate that the vehicle is heavy but I had no intention to mislead people. I appreciate your analysis of and passion for the Sc400!

[@evlsc400]

The first production car to have a backup camera as well. I do enjoy my 1992 SC400. I've put over 90,000 km's on mine. Now I want to chase down 50/50 weight distribution.

[@jedimindtricks5880]

92 sc400 with 150k miles picked it up a couple weeks ago for 5k and she is almost mint

[@rcjb]

Love my Mint 1997 White tan interior.

[@KaiPonte]

Nice video. I love my '99 SC400. It won't be worth much, as I have multiple mods and it isn't stock, but at 200,000 miles, it just runs. If it only had a decent cup holder.

[@Yash-jo8hv]

I bought a sc400 clean everything with 112k Kms and is so smooth and clean

[@3UZFE]

Most of them are actually about 3600-700lbs, on only the JDM V8 Soarer (UZZ32) with hydraulic active suspension (not air) was fully loaded and they tip the scales at about 4000lbs, yet offer tremendous handling (Same idea as the rare active suspension C4 Corvette etc)

[@paulgarcia621]

Still have my 1993 SC 400 with only 136k miles still looks new given the Lexus dealer paint job everything else still original. Twice the local dealership has offered to buy it or trade out with later model.

[@frankandfrankauto]

That's awesome!

[@GregGreffin]

I have a '99 SC400 that I bought 9 years ago. It had 117k miles when I bought it and currently hit 150k miles. Try as I might, I cannot find a good reason to buy a different car. The 290 HSP engine has as much speed as I could ever want. I picked up a California '98 SC400 a year ago with 145k miles---and sold it for $13,400. For those that really know these cars, they are a tremendous value.

[@frankandfrankauto]

So true!

[@RezSoxBaseball]

I got 2 sitting in my garage. And about 4 engines for it also. Once you learn how to work on em you keep forever

[@frankandfrankauto]

Right on!

[@gilsondia]

What a heavy car i wish I could make the sc400 like 1200kg but with all the interior,

[@frankandfrankauto]

Would definitely be a different ride at that weight!

[@__-ni1kz]

It’s a car that gets a double sided appeal. It has a boomer-centric nature in NA as a refined V8 highway cruising coupe and drift-approved street cred by way of the Soarer with 2JZ-GTE/2JZ-GE turbo swap potential and a wealth of body kits and suspension mods. Not a lot of enthusiast cars get crossover into two vastly different demographics.

[@frankandfrankauto]

I love your assessment!

[@ZOK08]

As an owner the after market isnt as big as people make it out to be

[@MrTilbin]

The 1UZ is such a better engine and used in racing over the 2JZ. The V8 is perfect for any hard driving, drifting, and racing as it has to simply work much less hard than anything boosted with fewer cylinders and displacement. There are few, if any, truly high performance engines out there that have under 8 cylinders that can rev out to even make an RX or S2000 feel ashamed.. Formula D is and always will be a very small community.

[@Benjiaboy]

I have a 98 sc400 with 200k miles and these cars don't age well at all. Parts are hard to get and really expensive. Honestly the cost of ownership is as high as a v12 german car. Mine has been nothing but a endless moneypit something always keeps breaking.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Damn sorry to hear that man!

[@texan176]

It will be a collectible but there will probably never be a working and running 100 year old SC in 2092 like we have 1924 Fords that are 100 years old and working in 2024. The electronics and plastics in the car will degrade from the passage of time. It will still be a nice museum piece to look at. This is from when Toyota was building a name for the Lexus brand so their entire approach to it was to build it to be the best of the best then figure out how to make it commercially practical. These days Lexus cars are made starting with the approach of it needs to cost X retail, dealers need to make X, and the corporate profit needs to be X. Then they figure out what can be spent on R&D. I have had three SCs and was amazed by the ride quality, comfort, material quality, and styling. They were 20 years ahead of the competition then. I wish Toyota had done with them what VW did with the beetle and produced them for decades making minor changes and improvements along the way. The fundamental design of the car was perfection. If it was still in production now and had modern stuff like smart keys, smart cruise, blind spot monitoring, and park sensors it could not get any better.

[@frankandfrankauto]

Really love your insight!

[@heyyyitjayybird7887]

Please ppl need to stop making videos on the sc400 I been trynna get one for some time now but prices keep changing 😂 yes it’s an amazing car let’s not make it known to the world

[@frankandfrankauto]

Haha 😂 gotta save up quick!

[@heyyyitjayybird7887]

@@frankandfrankauto you telling me lol I’m trynna keep it running another 20 years 😂

[@murr9704]

I’m in the same boat but don’t pay nowhere near 5k for one it’s not a classic yet. If they haven’t touched that timing chain negotiate prices as needed!

[@frankandfrankauto]

Ya the timing belt is a hell of a job to replace on the later versions of the car. There are none near where I live for less than 8k Canadian though!

[@heyyyitjayybird7887]

@@murr9704 yeah the ones w no maintenance done are hella overpriced and the ones that are maintained are fucked up or w 200k+ miles yeah that’s not a lot of miles but idk which miles are they highway miles or beater miles cuz some people are just horrible when it comes to cars and expect them to survive forever w no work or money put into it

[@pkmblcknwht]

Own 3 cars and my 92 sc400 I prefer over my Avalon and Cadillac cts

[@frankandfrankauto]

❤️

[@phernandez2585]

Nobody wants the sc4's. Having owned several 300s and 400s as well as other Toyotas I can assure you. 1uz engines go for around $500 compared to the 2jz which sells for anywhere from $700-$1500. While the 400s are great cars they also DID NOT come with a manual gear box. Furthermore in my experience many of them are riddled with electrical problems including the seldom functioning audio systems.

[@Maplecook]

It's only 3600lbs. Source: I own one.

[@timesofyourlife1]

🤣😂🤣

[@trilliamogdlocog4986]

If the car ever exceed 10k for a good example the chassis won't be worth it ..especially if for some reason it get up to mk4 supra prices but since these were mass produced I don't see them reaching those numbers ..

[@trilliamogdlocog4986]

@THE Banané Alot of jdm cars are worth it, just not necessarily worth what people are trying hype them up to be cost wise the design etc are great don't get me wrong I love lexus because they go above and beyond and they were quite expensive new just don't see them reaching that 50k markup again and if they do I don't think it'll be worth it having to bring such an old car back.

[@trilliamogdlocog4986]

@THE Banané the reason I went with a gs300 instead of the sc300/400 is because all the examples I've seen the pinch welds etc are torn up or the chassis/subframe being to rusted same reason I stayed away from r32 skylines even though they are awesome the asking price for what you get isn't worth it to me.

[@marcdargitz2949]

Lots of little details which very few know and why it's mostly overlooked and I consider it a true"diamond in the rough"! Here's something others fail to know: the sc400/Z30 has by design a more rigid chassis than the Mark 4 Supra, slightly longer wheel base offering improved (High speed stability). I have a custom '96 SC400 and have specifically selected the Chevy C5 Corvette with respect to it's sports car characteristics as my model, example; same wheelbase as the SC400, also, front mid engine. I now share the same track width as the C6 and have improved the balance of the SC by relocating the battery to the trunk, removing a section of the spare tire pan to allow for the relocation of the fuel tank, lowered suspension, bigger brakes, TT Supra sway bars, solid subframe bushings, steering rack bushings, poly control arm bushings, and much More, all No, I've retained all of the original interior minus the rear seats..added the 2005 Nissan 350 Z leather/power/heated.. tapped into original seat/heater switches! ALSO, while retaining the original comfort features, everything except AC, moon roof OEM steering wheel.. installed 2005 Lexus IS300 3 spoke wheel. I've reduced the original 3,615 pounds to a current 3,000 pounds and will top out at 2,850 pounds without driver or fuel once completed. Car height on 2013 Lexus ISF 18" wheels sits at 49.7". My SC400 is currently being upgraded with aftermarket standalone ECU offering COP ignition, RPM limiter control, speed cutout control, 2 step, timing, nos, etc.. and with a few more mild upgrades, it will easily run low 4 second 0-60 mph times consistently at 400 feet above sea level and 60 degree ambient outside temperatures. I've had the OEM 3:92 diff professionally welded, added HD trans cooler, shift kit and more. Prior to removing additional weight and running the factory ECU, I was consistently running 4.9-5.2 0-60 mph (stock engine with BFI, port matched intake manifolds, intake ports and headers with straight pipe/H pipe (no mufflers), water meth injection and a curb weight of 3250 lbs. I'm conservative and it's very possible, that I could break into the high 3 second range.. that'd b fantastic! The car is of course a keeper and a weekend warrior w/AC deleted, abs, Trac deleted.. LoL 👍 The SC has inherent sports car DNA, it's only that most buyer's look at it for what it was originally designed and not it's potential hidden prowess and therefore, quickly overlook! I do know that the soarer was used in Japan as a police interceptor with the TT 1 J.

[@trilliamogdlocog4986]

@@marcdargitz2949 That's awesome man hope to see your build on a vid or sum someday, my point is if a car is good and someone suggest it to another fine but why overhype a car to the point of the chassis getting unattainable for others, the lexus lineup sc,gs,is,ls are my favorite but no way I want those mass produced cars to get to the point of Supra mk4 prices because they aren't supposed to be... That's why 240sx and the S chassis in general has stayed relatively cheap even though they are getting harder to obtain, people realize the car was made to drive around and get used and abused and were agian "mass produced" for people to keep them going.. I do for see in the future old lexus models being classics but rn they just aren't and shouldn't be treated like so in my opinion.. Only reason I stayed away from the SC chassis is because no matter how much weight are tooken off the Sc chassis it'll still be as heavy or more then their sedan counterparts, even tho the wheelbase is less then the ls400 it's about as long as the sc400 the gs300 and especially the is300 are way shorter, the SC is hard to cut weight because the extra length in the chassis in general making things like the drive shaft more heavy, longer hood, doors not to mention like my own gs300 everything is over built this can be seen on the SC door hinges, suspension parts etc to withstand the original weight + passengers etc I'm doing the same to my lexus fully gutted whole nine yards but for us lexus guys to get under that true 3000lbs gas tank fully filled etc you gotta go full carbon fiber, lexan windows, take out all the luxury including mocking up your own dashboard, carbon buckets,sound deadening, cut out extra wires, take off original bumber bars, sunroof delete, everything to get to what car like the S chassis can do but having a 1uz is a good start just know if your going the turbo or supercharged route you'll end up with the same front heavy problem us 2jz guys have around the track..

[@marcdargitz2949]

My response: like I mentioned, the C5 Corvette was a successful production sports car and it's still a great sports car today! I'm in no way attempting to make the SC400 anything other than a solid preforming, great handling sport GT coupe. As for sub 3k weight..true, but at 3k lbs. the SC 400 is a true thoroughbred .. excellent chassis (rigid), excellent all around wheelbase and front mid engine. Since I'm not a drifter and more focused on excellent corning/canyon carving and high speed stability, I'd choose the SC400 way before the LS or IS.. very little weight with respect to the SC's long front bumper.. mostly plastic and I've removed the 9# crash brace... lots of empty space from the radiator forward! Anyway, thanks for sharing and LoL I definitely may very well consider doing a video when my SC's completed 👍