Description

2001 Lexus SC430

Excellent service history; epic build quality; epic sound system; private plate; a fabulously refined cruiser that will outlive us all

Launched in 2001 to rival the Mercedes SL, the Lexus SC430 was a luxury convertible powered by the same 4.3-litre V8 as found in the GS and LS430 saloons. Utterly bulletproof and virtually silent, it produced 282bhp and, mated to 5-speed automatic transmission, it could power the car to 60mph in 6.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155mph with uncanny smoothness and refinement. As you would expect from Toyota’s luxury division, the build quality was unsurpassed and reliability was second to none with 20,000 mile service intervals and a 100,000 mile timing belt life.

Cocooned in leather and wood, passengers were entertained by an epic Mark Levinson hi-fi system with 9 speakers and a Sizewell-B grade amplifier that turned the cabin into a concert hall. The climate control system was equally cutting edge and could sense whether the roof was up or down and adjust according to speed and outside temperature, even taking windchill factor into account. The roof itself took only 25 seconds to do its party piece and has proved to be as unfailingly reliable as the car itself.

Supplied new by Lexus Guildford in September 2001, this SC430 has covered 91,500 miles in the hands of 7 former keepers and comes with an excellent service history comprising 12 stamps to date, the last at 90,477 miles in October 2021, the first 11 at Lexus main agents. The timing belt was replaced in June 2012 at 83,536 miles and new front brake discs and pads were fitted shortly before the auction.

It has all the toys you could wish for including: dual zone climate control; touch-screen sat-nav; electric foldable door mirrors; full leather trim; heated memory seats; electric roof; rain-sensing wipers; stability control; cruise control; parking sensors; remote central locking; multiple airbags etc etc.

Very clean and tidy, both inside and out (the only obvious defects we noted being deterioration to the alloy wheels) it retains its original bookpack and has an MOT to January 2023 with no advisories recorded. The icing on the cake is the G10 LEX private plate which goes with the car.

With build quality to make a nuclear bunker feel flimsy, any Lexus is a safe second hand buy and the service history with this one makes it a no-brainer at the modest guide price suggested.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com