No Porsche for me...

[mjw930]

Let rationalize this post for a moment. From what I read there were 2 things wrong with the car (a high mileage, 6 year old car at that). A finicky top and a MAF/O2 sensor issue. The first should have be fixable by a competent shop with knowledge of the top mechanism and the updates since '99. The second was the failure of 2 components that are common to ALL EFI equipped cars and fail at a similar rate regardless of make (yes, your Lexus will be just as vulnerable). The idle issue sounds like the result of a botched EFI diagnosis IMHO. There's probably another sensor that either caused the MAF error, was masked by the MAF error or the MAF / O2 sensor installation was botched, just like the "top fix".

ALL of the other issues and money spent were the result of customizing, i.e. self induced. :ah:

Enjoy the Lexus, it sounds like you're better suited to that level of performance and style.

I've owned 9 Porsches in my lifetime from my original 914 2.0 through my '89 930 and now my Boxster S. Each one of them had a unique charactor. Every one of them had it's quirks but ALL of them put a smile on my face that no other car I've owned (20+) could ever come close to.

[Porschekid]

Yeah, it doesn't really sound like all that much went wrong with the car. Faulty top should have been fixed but it sounds like the dumb shops fault for replacing the wrong thing. 2 bad sensors... they go bad in all cars and it might have gone bad if you put in a K&N filter when customizing. Possibly could have just been cleaned instead of replaced. All of the other money when to routine maintenance, customization, and accident repairs.

[Brucelee]

I would echo these comments.

You had two things go wrong with a 6 year old car. I guess I am curious why you did not look into a warranty as you clearly seem like the type who would find this comforting.

RE: the Lexus SC.

I have owned 5 of these over the past decade. They are fine cars AND I have had to repair issues on several of those that I have owned.

To wit:

Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, power steering ( A known problem on early models) ECU, cam sensor etc. etc.

No used car is bullet proof! Having said that, the Lexus SC is a fine car indeed.

Good luck.

[Morelli]

No need to defend your honor people, as it seems that this is what you are doing.

I am simply disappointed with my experience. Bottom line. I'm not necessarily looking for your worlds smallest violins or rolled eyes, as it is somewhat childish. Personally, I am a man with no patience, and this car happened to wear mine thin...membrane thin...I honestly expected more from it, and even though everything that went wrong was somewhat routine, it all fell in a way that made me just not want the car any more. I am very, very picky about cars. Put it like this...I live in LA. I drive to Vegas all of the time...and I would NOT feel good driving it to Vegas. There is no way I would entertain the thought of driving it to Vegas. That is pretty much my deciding factor. That means I am no longer comfortable with it, simple as that.

Plus, I am entertaining the thought of dropping a 1JZ-GTE into the SC300, that's the Japanese Toyota Soarer engine, 2.5L turbocharged...with a small amount of tweeking, she'll run past 911's. The SC is a severely underrated car, with an engine that routinely runs past 200k miles.

Hell, at least I can have back seats again. :ah:

[Porschev]

Morelli I am sorry to hear this.
And definitely I can understand this, I just remember my face holding those bills. Even the simplest problem, O2 sensors. Why to put 4 of them there, look to other cars, 1-2, but not 4, the total expense is around 430$.
However I can really understand the other point of view, for which purpose you need all those additional cost. In my humble opinion, they all perfect, the inspirational point for all other cars. The picture is painted, and dyes are dried, that all, use it.
Another idea, i think Porsche are not primary cars, they should have a substitute, that save you energy, money and most important your mental health. I am pretty sure that if you have a back up, you will fill yourself more secure. Something happened, and you have no energy to deal with it, put to the garage, and drive your toyota corrolla. One day, then you will fill inspiration, go and solve the problem.
In sense of Lexus, better buy Toyota, at least they are not overpriced, and less problems. But then you are buying porsche, or other horses from scuderias, expect that they will have a bigger problems. DDDDAAAAAA.
From now you can say, I was once a PORSCHE OWNER, and it sound much more different then saying I am a LEXUS OWNER.
With wishing you many years of excellent health and success
porschev

[Porschekid]

You complain about routine problems on your last car but are thinking about doing a JDM turbo engine swap into your next one? This would be a good time to bring out the rolled eyes...

[gRed04]

Morelli I hear you loud and clear on this.

I don't understand all the maybe your not the right person for the car BS.

I don't consider a 6yr / 57K mile car to be some dinosaur, high mileage, over the hill vehicle. That others just accept all the problems as it is the price you pay for such a technical wonder is a joke.

As you can probably tell 1st time owner here but have been driving other German cars for the last 10 years including my DD 02 330Ci ( 67K without a single problem ).

I hope that that my pcar will perform to my expectations ( both performance AND RELIABILITY ).

I do really like the pcar but will drop it like a hot potato if I start experiencing problems. My time and patience are worth more to me than an insignia.

[Brucelee]

"I don't consider a 6yr / 57K mile car to be some dinosaur, high mileage, over the hill vehicle. That others just accept all the problems as it is the price you pay for such a technical wonder is a joke."

I am not here to defend the Boxster nor to slam Lexus. I am a fan of both. And your opinion about Porsche is based on some very limited data on one 6 yr old car.

The comments we made about a 6 yr old car are valid however. Whatever car you buy that is 6 yrs old or has 57K miles on it, it WOULD NOT be surprising to have something like an O2 sensor or MAF sensor go bad. If you are skeptical of that, simply pick out a car, go to a forum on the car and sample the owner's comments.

As I pointed out, I have had a number of issues with older Lexus' autos (SC in particular) and if you go on the SC forums out there, there are TONS of repair issues that folks deal with everyday with older SCs.

This does not knock Lexus reliability, as the JD Power data is clear on who good these cars are. Then again, that same data has Porsche near the top most years.

So, all I have been saying is that there IS NO PERFECT USED CAR! THEY WILL ALL NEED REPAIRS OF SOME TYPE.

I do think you are not temperamentally set up for a Porsche and that is fine by me. There is no one car for everyone and you will just have to find yours elsewhere.

Again, good luck to you!