Of Possible Happenings (UPDATED AGAIN)

"deprecated account" (savethei4s)
07/01/2016 at 13:32 • Filed to: Lexus SC400, 4Runner, Potential purchases

I know I’ve been talking lately about how I’ve really come to love my 4Runner, and I really have, but I really want something that’s better on gas and a bit sporty (though honestly the gas mileage is more important to me at this point). I don’t know why I’m beginning to want a different car again, especially after !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but I do. I’ve found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on CL, and I want it so bad. Even if the ticket does end up being $200-300 (which it very well could end up being), I should still have plenty of money left to pay for the 10% of the car I have to pay for. And then if I pass on the iPad Pro 9.7 and Apple Pencil I’ve been considering, I might even have a bit left over (after I’ve alloted most of the leftover money to stay in my savings account) for mods or a decent radar detector. I’d probably end up going with the latter first.

But the question remains - what, then, becomes of the 4Runner? Now I’m not even sure I’ll end up with the SC or not, or if it will still be for sale at the end of the summer, but I can hope, right? We just moved into a bigger house which has space for both my parents’ cars, the 4Runner, and another car without anyone having to park on the street. I just don’t know whether my parents will allow that. The ticket makes this all the more uncertain, though. If they do care about having another car at the house, then I’ll most likely keep the 4Runner, but the best case scenario is that the ticket isn’t too expensive (I’m going to ask a family friend who’s a reserve policeman for the town where I was stopped how much he thinks it will be since I won’t know for sure until August), my parents don’t mind another car, and the SC is still for sale at the end of the summer. Wish me luck!

UPDATE: my dad replied saying it’s doubtful that they’d be down with another car around the house all the time, but I might could convince him

UPDATE 2: I’ve also found these 3 other UZ-engined Lexuses as potential fallback cars:

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DISCUSSION (50)

OPPOsaurus WRX > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 12:45

just throw a turbo on the 4runner, strip the interior,

deprecated account > OPPOsaurus WRX
07/01/2016 at 12:50

Lol no the only reason I would keep the 4Runner besides liking it is for utility. My dad uses it to transport his bike and we take it deer hunting. It’s also nice just to be able to have something to haul a lot of stuff and/or people around in.

sony1492 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 12:57

Saw the title and was gonna recommend an sc, but theres always manual Civic which are plentiful, fun, and alot cheaper to repair than the sc

Dru > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 12:58

2nd gen 4Runners are best used as auxiliary vehicles. They are painfully slow in traffic and guzzle gas to boot. I'd keep it and get a commuter, if you're set on that. I had two of these in the past so of course I'm not biased at all.

Slant6 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 12:58

I’ll trade you my Ranger and some cash.

deprecated account > sony1492
07/01/2016 at 12:58

HAHAHA NOPE

RWD

Still decent on gas

good looking

not ricey

should be fun

reliable as hell

RWD

also V8

deprecated account > sony1492
07/01/2016 at 13:00

Btw your article was what inspired me to get on craigslist :)

deprecated account > Dru
07/01/2016 at 13:02

You’re spot on with the 4Runner. I usually average about 12.5 mpg. And that’s with some highway driving and generally non-aggressive throttle input.

gawdzillla > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:03

LOL wtf am i reading here

someone needed better gas mileage, wanting a sc400
does not compute

deprecated account > Slant6
07/01/2016 at 13:05

I’ll pass. But the pickup truck idea has got my brain working. SC400 UTE!!!!!

deprecated account > gawdzillla
07/01/2016 at 13:06

Well 18/22 is a pretty big improvement over about 12.5 average. Hell, pretty much anything would be.

Slant6 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:08

It was a half joking offer anyway. My dad won’t let me get rid of it until December. Says my car turnover rate is too high. 6 cars in 3 years, pshhh.

Look into a 2wd first gen Taco. It’s basically the same thing as your 4runner, and since it’s 2wd they’re surprisingly cheap. And light enough to be fun with only a 4 cylinder. Also mpgzzzzzzzz.

OPPOsaurus WRX > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:08

so keep the interior and just add the turbo

Dru > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:10

Dang. That’s terrible. I was able to get my '94 averaging 15mpg and my 92 averaging 17mpg.

deprecated account > Slant6
07/01/2016 at 13:11

I was kinda just saying that; though admittedly it would be pretty cool. I want an actual car, not a truck or suv. And I’m not getting anything with the 22RE. Fun? Maybe. Able to get out of its own way? Doubtful.

deprecated account > OPPOsaurus WRX
07/01/2016 at 13:12

Still a no. Not enough how-to knowledge, or time, or space within which to do it. Plus I really don’t want to put any more money into the 4Runner anyway as far as upgrading anything.

deprecated account > Dru
07/01/2016 at 13:15

It’s probably the transmission messing everything up. Mine is an auto and AFAIK this it has the trans that came with the car. 222.5k miles.

Slant6 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:15

Not a 22re, 2rz-fe! They actually have some pickup to them. They also came with the 5vz-fe.

Although actual cars are nice, but you already have the 4runner that can carry people. Single cab trucks are fun because they’re short, light, and cheap.

sony1492 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:18

Thanks, Im glad it was inspiring. Also at that price-point finding another awsome sc shouldnt be difficult.

deprecated account > Slant6
07/01/2016 at 13:21

I want car handling though. Like something I could potentially take to an autocross.

deprecated account > sony1492
07/01/2016 at 13:27

But in Memphis a decent one is hard to come by.

Shift24 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:34

Wait your averaging 12 mpg? I know I get crap in my K1500 but it gets 15mpg on a bad day

deprecated account > Shift24
07/01/2016 at 13:41

Pretty much yeah. One tank I got slightly under 10. Completely normal city drving, no towing or hauling anything.

Slant6 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:44

Those are all nice but I’d stay away from the one on 20s.

Shift24 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 13:47

Ouch man I knew older 4runners can drink fuel but I didn’t know they were gulping it lol. You have stock oe tires or off road?

deprecated account > Slant6
07/01/2016 at 13:47

Yeah that would definitely be my last choice. Although I could probably sell those rims for decent money.

deprecated account > Shift24
07/01/2016 at 13:49

31" Pro Comp Xtreme ATs. That probably has something to do with it.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Shift24
07/01/2016 at 13:50

They’re Pro Comp 31x10.5R15s. The 3VZE is just plain awful on gas period though. When I had it, I averaged about 8 mpg. No lie.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Slant6
07/01/2016 at 14:02

Actually, that’s the one I would go for because of maintenance. While the 1UZ is incredibly reliable, you do have to change the timing belt every 60k miles, while the 3UZ is every 90k. Might not seem like much, but at 200k miles, you’ll be on your third for the 1UZ and second on the 3UZ.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:03

That’s stock diameter for 4WD V6's lol.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:05

I’d rather have the 3VZ than a 22RE. The reliability difference between the 3VZ and 22RE is price.

deprecated account > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/01/2016 at 14:05

Seriously? I would’ve figured 28s or so would be stock.

deprecated account > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/01/2016 at 14:06

If mine had the 22RE there would be no question about getting another car.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:06

Yep. They will clear 33's with no lift and no rub.

deprecated account > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/01/2016 at 14:07

Can you tell if mine has a lift? People say it looks like it does but I have no idea.

gawdzillla > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:07

u’d probably only get 14-16 real world mpg lol

u want mpg, buy a civic

deprecated account > gawdzillla
07/01/2016 at 14:09

I’m not looking for super high mpg. Just an improvement on what I have.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:17

Maybe a slight, but I think it’s just the 4Runner sag that causes that effect.

Dru > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:22

Could be. Hard to say. My ‘94 had a bad head gasket at 160K when we got it, fixed that and it proceeded to take every bit of abuse a 17 year old driver can dish out. Trans never faltered. But my 92 which got better fuel econ had its trans crap out at 190K.

ETA: both were automatics.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:23

Personally I’d go with the black GS400. That said, in the month I’ve had my LS400(which is identical to the LS in your post, except for that it's black) I've loved the thing to death. If you went the LS route, I'd look for a cleaner example. They tend to be harder to find, but there's a nice feeling driving a 20 year old car that feels like a new car. I'd definitely recommend one to anyone.

deprecated account > Dru
07/01/2016 at 14:28

We had the engine replaced around 214k because it totally crapped out.

deprecated account > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
07/01/2016 at 14:30

That LS was the cleanest one on CL, and the black GS400 would be my second choice, although that ad was obviously posted by a dealer but was in the by-owner only section. And there are no shots of badges or engine compartment. And Lexus never made a GS400 in ‘01. That was when they started making the 430.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:35

Well something seems fishy there.

deprecated account > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
07/01/2016 at 14:36

yup.

gawdzillla > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 14:49

i dont think i can talk you out of it

buy it, its your money

Shift24 > deprecated account
07/01/2016 at 17:35

Probably does help lol. And according to chevyfan029 he wasn’t doing much better. Even so I’m running 31s too, though its Pirelli Scorpion ATRs

Shift24 > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
07/01/2016 at 17:38

Damn, it must be that motor lol. And I’m running 31" Pirelli Scorpion ATRs.

deprecated account > Shift24
07/01/2016 at 17:40

Yeah it's the same one lol he's my brother.

deprecated account > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
07/01/2016 at 17:40

What do you think about that SC?

Shift24 > deprecated account
07/02/2016 at 16:04

Oh lol