I don't really get the point of having a "second bonnet" - there is already one covering the engine and everything else.

Lexus has been known to make things deliberately difficult to reach, like putting the starter motor in a place where getting to it involves disassembling most of what's on top of the engine (requiring the replacement of lots of auxillary "soft" parts like gaskets and o-rings in the process):

http://www.lextreme.com/starter.html

In comparison, most other makes and models mount the starter motor somewhere on the side of the engine or transmission where getting to it doesn't require disassembling much else.

I doubt their goal here was to make repair more difficult -- after all, some must have failed under warrantee and were repaired on their dime. Sticking the starter in the valley instead of on the side just makes the engine package size a bit smaller (and the SC was a small car).

Holy cow this is terrible. Especially given toyota starters 'click of death' when their brushes get worn.

Every failing starter I have encountered exhibited the "click of death" (turn the key and get "clicks" rather than a turning engine). I doubt it's a problem exclusive to Toyota.

PS - I drove a manual transmission Mazda truck that had no starter for 8 months. Thankfully, I live in a mountainous region, so "push starting" the vehicle by using a hill was "easy" (except when it wasn't).

You rock!