Lexus SC400 questions

[AISM]

Hi there, I have some questions for you Toyota guys I was wondering if you could help me out with.
I'm looking at getting an SC400 Lexus and was hoping somone here could answer a few Q's for me.

- How do i tell if a SC400 is indeed an SC400 and not a re-badged soarer?

- Was the SC400 Lexus ever sold in Japan under the Lexus name?

- What about new in New Zealand?

- Is the airbag suspension a pain in the ass to modify or can the car be lowered through electronic adjustment/tampering.

- What are the main bad things to look for, like what tends to crap out on them and at what intervals, i.e how long does a typical waterpump last, where do they rust, electronic niggles etc

- Is a 1991 car 195Kw or 185Kw, I have found conflicting info.

- What is one worth with between 100 - 150k on the clock and an early 90's model.

- What about the same spec car badged as a Soarer?

- If the car is a Lexus, would it have a Toyota badge on the top of the inlet manifold or Lexus badge?

Cheers and thanks for your help.

[Mr.Phreak]

- How do i tell if a SC400 is indeed an SC400 and not a re-badged soarer?

The steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car

- Was the SC400 Lexus ever sold in Japan under the Lexus name?

No

- What about new in New Zealand?

No

- Is the airbag suspension a pain in the buttocks to modify or can the car be lowered through electronic adjustment/tampering.

Suspension controllers can be bought, not cheap new, and they also increase your chance of blowing a bag....especially if the struts are the originals

- What are the main bad things to look for, like what tends to crap out on them and at what intervals, i.e how long does a typical waterpump last, where do they rust, electronic niggles etc

They chew out lower control arm bushes, steering rack bushes, the power steering pump leaks.....onto the alternator which chews out the slip rings, the always fun Blinky Dash syndrome, the door trims fall apart (Plastic just wasn't a good idea with doors that heavy), the door hinges chew out the bushes and causes the doors to sag and clip the front guard, the AC lcd bleeds, they never have the dash cup holder, waterpump lasts as long as the cambelt, they don't rust unless it's been in an accident (excusing around the lock area if the hinges aren't flash), the fuel pump "computer" dies, ecu caps leak, if it has an EMV, they have a whole heap of their own problems, the heater control valve gives up, the headlights cloud over, window regulators break as do the clips for the external door handles, centre vent surround cracks as well as various other problems associated with cars of this age.

- Is a 1991 car 195Kw or 185Kw, I have found conflicting info.

In the real world, neither

- What is one worth with between 100 - 150k on the clock and an early 90's model.

Whatever someone is willing to pay, albeit a lot less than they were a few years back

- What about the same spec car badged as a Soarer?

Depends how much of a status whore the buyer is I guess

- If the car is a Lexus, would it have a Toyota badge on the top of the inlet manifold or Lexus badge?

Lexus badge

[AISM]

Awesome thanks heaps for that reply, pretty much everything I needed to know. Cheers.