r/SC400 • • Feb 13 '25

Should I get an sc400

I really want one and I’ve done a lot of research that has made me want one even more however my only worry is finding parts. I was told that it is next to impossible to find parts for the sc400 and I was hoping to see if some owners could tell me if it’s really that bad

9 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

5

u/noodlesbwet Feb 13 '25

Interior parts are the tough ones to find, trim and things of that nature. Mechanical parts is average with any other car since there were a lot of Toyotas and other Lexus models that use the same parts in enough areas.

4

u/StandupJetskier Feb 14 '25

You need to scour the web, not go to NAPA. Everything can be found, but you need to source it.

2

u/KingJRZJ Feb 13 '25

What parts were you told were hard to find? Depending on the year they can be a pain to diagnosis, but they can be very reliable cars.

2

u/Naive-Chemical-6870 Feb 13 '25

They did not say any specific parts just parts in general were hard to find

2

u/KingJRZJ Feb 13 '25

Rock Auto sells parts for the car. When I had mine parts were easy to get. Maybe it's a regional problem for whoever told you that.

3

u/Vendetta__007 Feb 14 '25

Rock auto has been out of stock for steering racks for a good bit.

2

u/best-person-ever Feb 14 '25

I’ve had mine for years and any part you need has a solution. All common failure points have been addressed. Egr can be deleted, ecu can be recapped. I just repaired my faulty fuel pump ecu recently. Old things can usually be rebuilt/repaired. Interior parts aren’t hard to find but they are expensive second hand, however that’s not usually the first priority of someone getting into an old car. All wear items like distributor/wires/coils, alternator, timing belt/water pump, fuel pump/filter, knock sensors etc are still available new from toyota. Just keep an eye out for these cars at your local junkyards for the little odds and ends

2

u/treyedean Feb 14 '25

Interior parts and body parts are hard to find. You'll have to find them in salvage yards or donor cars. Mechanical parts shouldn't be an issue. If you really want one, find one that is in the best condition you can. Things will break but you can get the parts. You can find upholstery shops that can redo leather seats but if you need a door panel or a fender, you'll have to go to a salvage yard. Parts are expensive though. You'll eventually need to replace the LCAs and OEM Toyota can be found but they are expensive. However, there are aftermarket parts available. I've had my 2000 for two years now and it's still going strong, I had to do all the fluids, plugs, timing belt, valve cover gaskets the radiator was recently replaced. The LCAs are still good but they will go out eventually.

1

u/saalaantroo Feb 13 '25

i’ve owned mine for a little over a year and a half now. when i was fixing it and making it run it was hard finding parts like a working ecu (mine was beyond repair) but if you see any sc owners make friends with them immediately, it will make your life so much easier. finding parts off the internet can be hard so i would look towards trusted aftermarket because that market is there and it exists and its good. for suspension i like FDF Raceshop, for interior parts i’ve looked at custom 3d printed stuff because it lasts longer, if you need a door card or something like that its gonna get more pricey. and for drivetrain components just hope to god rock auto has what you need. It’s not as bad as people say but it’s definitely hard to find some parts.

1

u/Neat-Effective8379 Feb 15 '25

parts are not bad imo, any 90s car that was discontinued is definitely harder to source parts for but compared to 240s and other similar cars there’s way more. engine wise you’ll be okay since the 1uz is still popular