Faults:
First, gotta say the car's a rebuilt... so everything may not be as perfect as it should be (such as paint retouch).
Power steering oil leaked in the alternator, causing failure.
Brake got stuck at the passenger front wheel; had to repair calipers + new disc and pads.
Brake vacuum hose just went out, causing the brake to become impossible to apply; had to install stronger clips.
Changed front ball joints (both driver and passenger side) with lower arms around 172 000.
I've had a check engine since I bought it 3 years ago, but it's about the catalytic converter, but I never changed it since a Lexus tech told me it doesn't affect performance or fuel efficiency. (suppose to only affect environmental standards).
Had to change spark plugs and wires around 149 000 miles.
Did preventive maintenance such as transmission fluid complete flush, frequent motor oil/filter change, air filter.
General Comments:
This car isn't designed for high-end performance.
The 4 speed automatic transmission would've been more complete with a fifth speed... (such as on the 98 + models).
But then again, for a 14 year old car, it's just so nice!
Powerful, good looking, very comfortable, reliable and much more.
Ride in normal mode and you can cruise gently like on a fluffy cloud.
Turn it on ECT mode (sport), floor it and just listen to the great sound of that V8.
The handling is very fair for such a big coupe. But since I got 235 on front and 265 tires on the back, it handles very nicely!
Winter driving isn't an issue at all. There's a lot of snow in the winter where I live, and I don't have traction control. Gotta be careful with the throttle when you don't wanna lose it... but then again, snow drifting is just so perfect, since the car has great balance for its size!
A lot of nowadays luxury and sports coupe owners will take you pretty seriously on the streets, even though you paid 3 times less and own a car 10 years older!
Especially thinking about 350z, G35, Boxster, S2000...
But still keep in mind, that if you're looking for a car to be a ricer, you might wanna go with a Soarer, SC300TT or something with a manual transmission.
If you're hanging out with tall people, they might not like your backseats, since legroom's pretty short. Otherwise, the backseats are really comfortable, even more than in some recent sedans... (such as the BMW 335xi 2009 for example)
My next car might be a 1998+ SC400, since they've got a 5 speed, and the engine's power is up to 290hp instead of 260... or a GS400 or GS430 with 300+ hp...