2004 Lexus SC430

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me! To celebrate 33 years on this planet, my fiancee Robin planned out a three-day romantic getaway. My assignment (besides getting a year older) was to book transportation, so I chose Lexus' hard-top roadster, the SC430. My excuse: I had to find out if the Lexus SC430 is worth its $63,460 asking price. Is it? That's debatable, but one thing's for sure: I wouldn't get bored before the 4 year/50,000 mile warranty ran out.

First glance

In all the years I've been writing road tests, no car has ever drawn as much attention or as many compliments as this lipstick-red LS430. Everywhere we went, we stood out as Important People. We heard "Nice car!" at least a dozen times. Pulling into a parking lot, I narrowly missed colliding with a Pathfinder. Instead of yelling "Watch where you're going, you stupid jerk!", the driver smiled and said "Nice car!" We parked next to a car dealership and a salesman tried to convince Robin to put the car on consignment. Motoring through rural Guadalupe, California, a total stranger waved to us. I'm a low-profile sort of guy, and the attention made me a bit uncomfortable. But really, can you blame them for staring? Lexus has quietly and politely elbowed their way to the top of the luxury-car pecking order, and now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Mercedes-Benz, who had a 90-year head start. Even if you don't know that the SC430 packs a 300 horsepower V8 under its svelte body, or that the convertible top is made of metal instead of cloth, there's no mistaking the circled "L" on the grille. This is not the car to purchase if you're shy. Scroll down for more...

Behind the Wheel

Slide behind the LS430's wood-rimmed wheel and there's no question you're in the first-class section. Smooth leather and warm wood line the country-club interior. The SC's press kit says the wood is real, but Robin found it rather plasticky. The steering wheel and seats are electrically adjustable and wood panels (motorized, of course) slide down to cover the touch-screen satellite navigation system and the stereo. Technically, the SC430 has a back seat, though has little purpose except to lower the insurance rates. I'm only 5'6", but with the driver's seat adjusted to my liking, my 5-year-old couldn't even squeeze in behind me. This is a two seater, end-of-story. What sets the SC430 apart from most other drop-tops is the solid metal roof, which folds down into the trunk. The resulting cargo space doesn't appear to be very big, but we were amazed at how much we could stuff back there. Robin and I are used-book junkies, and the SC430's trunk swallowed a half-dozen shopping bags full of books with room to spare. Speaking of spares, that's a big part of the reason this particular SC430 had as much trunk room as it did: No spare (tire, that is), thanks to optional run-flat tires.

On the Road

Push and hold the top-down button, and the SC430's roof performs its carefully-choreographed lowering sequence: The windows roll down and the trunk lid hinges open. The roof lifts, folds, and drops into place, and the trunk lid closes again. From the outside you'd never know the car had a roof at all. On the open road, the SC430 is champagne and caviar: quiet and refined, its ride just firm enough to give you a hint of sporting potential. The SC430 is a cruiser, not a racer; its handling is good enough to give an exhilarating ride along windy roads provided you don't try anything daring enough to spill your Perrier. The 4.3 liter engine exhibits an upper-crust sort of restraint. You never realize how powerful this car is until you need a sudden burst of power. Floor the pedal and the 5-speed automatic transmission downshifts to the appropriate gear, the V8 winds up, and FOOOM! You're off like a shot. Even when the weather isn't suited to top-down motoring, the LS430 shines: the hard top has a big glass rear window, a proper headliner that matches the interior, and enough sound insulation to block most of the road-noise that plagues other convertibles. In fact, from the inside, you'd hardly know the roof comes off.

Journey's End

So is the drop-top Lexus really worth sixty-three large? I was surprised and disappointed to find that the SC430 lacked some of the nifty high-tech features that you'll find on other Lexus cars (and even some Toyotas), things like the Smart Key (allows you to lock, unlock and start the car without taking the key from your pocket or purse) and dynamic cruise control (automatically keeps a set distance from the car in front of you). Both Robin and I came into this test thinking the SC430 was too expensive, but perhaps we've been spoiled by the SC430's big sister, the LS430 sedan, which occupies the same price range but offers far more features. That said, once we discovered the V8's hidden power and experienced the top-up refinement afforded by the SC's metal roof, we both started to come around. If we had this much money to spend on a second car, maybe we would spring for the SC. Heck, I might even get used to the attention. One thing's for sure: My weekend trip in the Lexus was a great birthday present. Thank you Robin, thank you Lexus, and is it too early to book an SC430 for my next birthday?