Why The Toyota Land Cruiser Is So Expensive

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 06/30/2015 at 18:00 • Filed to: Toyota, Land Cruiser, Cruisin, HHFP

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The Land Cruiser 200 series gets a lot of hate:

“It looks like a bloated highlander.”

“Its not a “real” Land Cruiser.”

“Its so old! Look at it, its so...old!”

But most of all, this one:

“Its WAY too expensive, I can get X for so much less!”

Okay, its not my favorite Land Cruiser either, for looks or for the fact that in the US you can’t get one thats not fluffed up like the huggie bear on rogaine but its still a Land Cruiser and that name carries with it a certain weight. I’ll spare you the history of the Land Cruiser except to say that the Land Cruiser name today is more than it was in the iconic FJ40 era. Around the 1970’s the Land Cruiser family tree branched out and several offspring were birthed from the hearty root of the original BJ (“B” engine Jeep) and included the heavy duty line, called the 70 series, which is badass and kicking to this day, the light duty line called “Prado” and the J wagons, including the us market 60/62, 80, 100 and now 200 series.

Around the time of the 80 series, considered by some to be the best vehicle Toyota ever made, Toyota began to notice that the people who bought Land Cruisers weren’t rough and tumble types (does that mean they like to roll around in rocks? I don’t know) but were more likely dentists, surgeons, basketball players and so on. These people had 60 series Land Cruisers and loved them, but were starting to demand things like comfort, speed, convenience etc. As such the basic and simple FJ80 of the early 90’s with one foot firmly in the outback and reeking of that Land Cruiser charm slowly morphed into a vehicle that could only be had with leather, power everything, speakers galore with CD changer (!) and generally anything else Toyota could think to stuff in to keep those well heeled customers happy and sales were good.

Ever since then the Land Cruiser J wagon in the US has been on an ever pampering, cosseting trajectory and in 2008 a new model, the J200, was born. Even still, in chasing the money of the well-to-do US buyer by adding luxury the J wagon still retained its authentic roots; After all even though the US market isn’t in a mood to explore, its still sold in many countries that are, whether you want or even need to and you count on the legendary toughness of what is affectionately called the “bush taxi”. The 100 series, for example, even in US spec is often cited as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The 200 is much the same story, with rugged and bare bones version being used all around in the world in places and in roles where luxury is defined as getting there...and back.

But as you can guess, this isn’t the version we we get in the US, not even close. Toyota, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that Americans only want a fully dressed 200 and so that’s what we get. Its 80 grand+ and although that sounds like a lot of money, as your resident Land Cruiser nuttist, I’m here to try and explain where all that money goes.

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1. 2.5% import tariff (built in Japan and imported).

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Any passenger vehicle imported from Japan (and other places as well) is subject to a 2.5% import tariff. All Land Cruisers are built in a plant in Japan and shipped overseas. This is the kind of plant that they fire you if you !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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2. It starts at 80 grand...and ends there; It has no options and comes fully loaded.

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heated steering wheel

heated/cooled leather seats

Center consol fridge

4 zone climate

rear seat DVD

premium 14 speaker sound with crappy but feature rich deck and Nav

radar cruise control with pre-collision

electric fold rear seats

electric rear hatch

parking assist

tow package

Etc.

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3. Off road stuff.

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Full underbody armor package, KDSS, rated recovery hooks, beefy ball joints, control arms, bump stops, bushings and shocks.

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4. Built with parts unique to the land cruiser that are designed for 25 year service life.

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All Land Cruisers are built around the concept of a 25 year service life and that means more expensive and durable components. For example, the windshield is 2mm thicker than standard Toyota and the entire exhaust is stainless steel and double thick for corrosion protection and no warping/cracking when you dunk it in water hot.

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5. Its a low volume niche model.

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Toyota knows full well that the 200 series isn’t for everyone, nor do they care. The Land Cruiser brand sells in high enough volume around the world that the US market is meaningless except to maintain a Land Cruiser presence and to keep the very wealthy conservative clientele that are extremely fond of the reliability and its nondescript nature. What that means is that Toyota must charge more for it to make up for volume sales and to keep the types of clients they want. The US Land Cruiser buyer is many things but the 2 most important for Toyota is:

a. Wealthy - They don’t mind dropping 80 grand cash on a car, in fact, if it were less money...they might begin to wonder if its lost the luxury goods air.

B. Brand loyal - They will be back to buy a Lexus RX for their spouse, a Corolla for their daughter and a 4Runner for their son.

Contrary to popular opinion, most people in this crowd don’t care if its not up to the minute design or stacked with the latest features. Most US Land Cruiser buyers want: QDR - Quality, Dependability, Reliability. It also has to be super safe and hold its value. All things the Land Cruiser does better than just about anything else you can buy. Is it dated? yeah...no one who buys one cares.

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6. Minimal commonality with other vehicles.

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I know people say that its the same as the 45 grand Sequoia but 2 things:

A. No
B. Nope

Seriously, although the engine and trans are the same, more or less, (and the T-case on some models) the J200 is a unique chassis as are many of the components in and on the truck. Also, if you want to compare apples to apples, you cant compare it to the 2 wheel drive SR5, you must compare it to the 4x4 platinum which is 65 large. Don’t forget to add on $1600 (2.5% of 65000) for the Tariff if you want to compare straight across. So no, its not twice as much, its 16% more. (19% minus the tariff equalizing)

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People used to think that a car built to a higher standard was worth paying extra for, but not now I guess? In any case, the Land Cruiser has 100% earned that reputation of being a long lasting, well built vehicle. I think its telling that all the explorers I know that have been doing it a long time either bought a Land Cruiser early on and stayed, or switched from Land/Range Rover to a Land Cruiser. A Land Rover is a wonderful thing, but even the Land Rover faithful will attest to the fact that the Cruiser is the more reliable choice. Just check out this score from the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! which is a survey of actual cars at trade in and not some “initial quality” nonsense.

So yes, 80 large is a lot for a Toyota but shop around in the Ford camp, or in Chevy town and you can get their large SUV’s up into the low to mid 70’s and that’s without the import tariff, or the additional off road hardware, or extended lifetime hardening, etc.

If I had to sum it up into a formula I would say its 95% because its expensive to make, 5% because they can. The truth of the matter is that the Land Cruiser just isn’t for everyone, it never has been and never will be. For those that know, its not a rip, its money well spent.

x87172 > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:05

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Just for comparison...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:06

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I’m on board, this all makes sense except point #2. I can sort of understand not offering option levels on something low volume, but that’s... kind of silly of them.

HammerheadFistpunch > x87172 06/30/2015 at 18:08

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Sometimes, the money you spend on something go towards more than just features.

x87172 > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:09

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Yeah, it goes towards repairs.

HammerheadFistpunch > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 06/30/2015 at 18:11

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I hate it...but it does make a stupid kind of sense.

Doug DeMuro > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:14

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This is an excellent post. I’ve been looking at 200s nonstop lately and you’ve very well summed up for a large audience what an incredibly small group of car buyers already knows.

HammerheadFistpunch > Doug DeMuro 06/30/2015 at 18:16

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Can I encourage you in any way to pull the trigger and buy one? Cmon man, join me out in the desert sometime.

For Sweden > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:18

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Do you not trust that his Range Rover could make it to the desert?

Because I don’t trust that his Range Rover could make it to the desert.

Doug DeMuro > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:18

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My warranty has about 2 years left, and after that it’s open season. I waft back and forth on whether I want another Range Rover. Six months ago I would’ve said yes but there’s something cool about buying a car and owning it forever, and NOBODY does that with the Range Rover. Everyone does it with the LC.

HammerheadFistpunch > Doug DeMuro 06/30/2015 at 18:19

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I’m hoping to own mine until one of us explodes, or gas dries up...can’t decide which one will come first.

Cé hé sin > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:21

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That’s about €70,000.

Looks at website, finds Landcruiser V8 (a diesel V8, so there’s that) for €139,000.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:21

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Great explainer. You are absolutely right on about the clientele. Where I live, the only people you see driving 100s and 200s are hot moms and the occasional dad, usually of the WASP variety.

HammerheadFistpunch > Cé hé sin 06/30/2015 at 18:22

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Doesn’t it make you want to punch a baby seal? Its the same story with Australia and South Africa. We Americans are such complainers

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:23

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Ok, Land Cruiser vs H1 Alpha.

Go

HammerheadFistpunch > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 06/30/2015 at 18:24

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well, for me, I think the width of the H1 would be a problem.

Cé hé sin > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:27

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Then again, a commercial LC (two seats, different vehicle, 3.0 diesel four)) goes for €39,785 including VAT which most business users can offset

HammerheadFistpunch > Cé hé sin 06/30/2015 at 18:29

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wait, they have a 70 series with a 3.0 diesel?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:29

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You got 4.5 inches on each side there, the hummer would be just fine.

HammerheadFistpunch > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 06/30/2015 at 18:32

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well, almost. The Local Hummer tours don’t do this trail and they wont let you rent one and take it on this trail. Granted its just one trail but an H1 is just too big for my taste.

Cé hé sin > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:34

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One of these:

HammerheadFistpunch > Cé hé sin 06/30/2015 at 18:35

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They sell the 2 poor J150 still? neat! I didn’t know that!

Nibby > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:38

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TOYOTA BODY ON FRAME BROTHERS UNITE

dogisbadob > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:40

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The 2.5% tariff isn’t really a big deal as much as the 25% for trucks that don’t have a full window area (like the 25k Transit Connect from Spain—they closed the recycling loophole and Ford has to pay the tax) .

Toyots shoul drop the Sequoia and just sell the base Land Cruiser. We already have the LX570 for a fully-loaded model. Why buy a fully loaded LC when you can get the additional luxury and prestige of the LX? Maybe the stripper ‘cruiser can come back as the Scion XL

Tapas > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 18:41

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Great write-up!

Although, I do wish they would make cosmetic upgrades to the car. Not just a face-lift. I mean body panels, interior, etc which is not as much of an engineering exercise.

No need to re-engineer the car, just make it prettier and more modern looking.

HammerheadFistpunch > dogisbadob 06/30/2015 at 18:43

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I 90% agree. I think Toyota needs to do something to create separation between the LX and The LC aside from love or hate looks. You can get air suspension as an option on the LX I guess, but cmon. As for dropping the Sequoia? hmm, I’m not sure the value works out, but I sure would love a GX or VX model 200 series. I did the math and based on other countries its sold it would be in the low to mid 50’s and while that’s a lot for a car without a tone of features its a great deal on a Land Cruiser and there is still separation between a base sequoia and a top tier 4runner too.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tapas 06/30/2015 at 18:44

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It came out in 2008 and I suspect that they are deep into the J300 design at this time, I think we wont see any meaningful updates in the J200 life. and thanks!

MultiplaOrgasms > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:03

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Latter.

HammerheadFistpunch > MultiplaOrgasms 06/30/2015 at 19:04

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Probably...I know I’m doing my part.

Blondude > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:04

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#LandCruiserLife

Stevie Welles > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:05

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I believe the 80-series was the perfect body style. They should do like they have with 70 and just sell a stripper 80-series forever and ever. I have a 100 series, but if I could get an 80 with a V8 or diesel and low miles, I could die happy. As it is, as I habitually peruse autotrader, the increasingly difficult to find moderate to low mile examples of the 80 makes me increasingly sad.

HammerheadFistpunch > Blondude 06/30/2015 at 19:05

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damn strait.

MultiplaOrgasms > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:08

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In other news, how does the Landcruiser compare to the Patrol?

HammerheadFistpunch > Stevie Welles 06/30/2015 at 19:08

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yeah, low mile 80’s are going to be big bucks soon, mine was 222k when I bought it. Granted, they were mostly highway miles so it wasn’t too bad off, but still. If i were a rich man ( beedle beedle deedle dum ) I would pay slee to refresh mine and swap in a 1uz-fe...maybe a manual too. Ah to dream.

HammerheadFistpunch > MultiplaOrgasms 06/30/2015 at 19:10

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J200 to y62? hmmm, it depends on your style...but if you actually want to travel heavy in the wilderness, I would bet on the cruiser.

CRider > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:22

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It’s still too expensive.

MultiplaOrgasms > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:23

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Since they SUVified the Y62, you are probably right. But how about the Y61 vs the J9 and J12 Prado?

Have Jeep, will travel. > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:39

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If I had $80K to spend, on an “SUV”, my money would be all over this as opposed to a RR, BMW, MB, etc.

Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:40

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What’s your opinion on this particular series?

N51fanatic > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 19:50

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A few 2014 leftovers on cars.com for mid 60’s. That seems like a screaming deal

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 20:02

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I’d also venture to guess that Land Cruiser buyers do not cross shop. They want a goddamn Land Cruiser and to hell with anyone who gets in their way of having one. Toyota knows they have a winner, even if it’s niche market in the US, and every example shipped here is sold.

The mere suggestion of a Range Rover to these buyers would be met likely with a quizzical look of “Now why the hell would you do that?”

Occasionally the Big 2.5 HD pickups will last as long as a Land Cruiser (Heh...not really. A 300K mile Land Cruiser would likely be in better interior shape than my 300K mile Chevrolet, and mine is clearly an outsider), but that’s more the exception than the rule.

I do wish however that Toyota would sell the diesel V8 Land Cruiser in the US, but for a niche vehicle, the certification costs would be astronomical for the expected volume. At least the Big 2.5 get around that by making the diesel V8 and I6 HD pickups medium duty vehicles, so the EPA is less involved.

LongbowMkII > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 20:23

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If I were a well paid rich guy I would probably get a Land Cruiser as a DD.

I sometimes consider a 15-20 year old one even as a not rich guy. Then I remember that gas costs money...

Big Bubba Ray > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 20:36

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Excellent write up! I’ve always been a fan of the Land Cruiser and hope to own one some day. Really enjoyed reading this!

Tom McParland > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 21:08

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This post was good and you should feel good.

Seriously very interesting...I learned something, and now I kinda want one.

Birddog > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 21:21

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It was the range topper for Toyota.

Was.

Lexus came about and suddenly the Cruiser was a lot less relevant.

There’s very little prestige in paying 80k for a Toyota. Especially with both Lexus and Toyota having Mall Crawlers for less.

sfrobert > Doug DeMuro 06/30/2015 at 21:29

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Not True. Plan on keeping my 91 RRC forever. Oh, and guess what, she's been reliable so far other than replacing some consumables at $1k over the last 2 years

AM3R shamefully returns > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 21:45

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I took my mom to the DC auto show in an attempt to see what she should replace her Honda Odyssey with. She fell in love with the land cruiser, and she normally hates anything bigger than her van. She doesn't love the $80k price. Help me convince her! I'm already emailing this to her haha. I'm picking her up to look at a Q7 tomorrow. Time is of the essence!

HammerheadFistpunch > AM3R shamefully returns 06/30/2015 at 21:49

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Someone here noted that there are gently used ones or last years stock for great...well...better prices, like 60k

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:00

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Fuck that thing, it’s nice but I don’t want a luxobarge, I want something I can use. The 4Runner is huge now so I guess its the Land Cruiser. When I went to Australia or when I’m in Japan I am so mad when I see a proper diesel Cruiser.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tom McParland 06/30/2015 at 22:02

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Thanks man! I think people give the 200 a hard time because they judge it on the same criteria you would judge a santa fe, or costco slacks which is a mistake. its certainly not the car for everyone, but it has a place.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > For Sweden 06/30/2015 at 22:02

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There is no way I wander into a desert with one of those haha. I have been in some remote places with older Land Cruisers though, like Australia.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:04

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I heard you can still buy a diesel FJ80 in South America, I know a guy from Ecuador and he says its there.

HammerheadFistpunch > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 06/30/2015 at 22:05

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its not the land cruiser we want, but its not a bad consolation prize. The 4runner is a great runner up and it is basically a Land Cruiser since its based on the J150 platform...can’t go wrong there I guess.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:07

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4RunnerUp

HammerheadFistpunch > MultiplaOrgasms 06/30/2015 at 22:12

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hard to say since I’ve never been in one, but I subscibe to a YT channel where they beat the crap Y61 along with a j12 prado. the y61 looks more at home, but the j12 always hangs in here and does the same stuff. As a note, Im a big fan of the J12 in the form of the GX470 . I think its in the primetime for value as a used overland rig.

HammerheadFistpunch > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 06/30/2015 at 22:13

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The discontinued the 80 there in 2003 I think. They may have kept making the 105 for a while too, Im not sure.

HammerheadFistpunch > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 06/30/2015 at 22:14

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yup

boxrocket > Doug DeMuro 06/30/2015 at 22:43

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Get everything fixed while under warranty, and it will be the Range Rover version of "Abe Lincoln's Axe".

area man > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:44

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I’ve been waiting for this, I knew you had to be working on it. Great read man.

boxrocket > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:46

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Off-road, how does a Land Cruiser compare to the 4Runner, Prado, and other Toyota stalemates?

HammerheadFistpunch > area man 06/30/2015 at 22:50

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Its funny cause I wasn’t, and then today I was all...meh, maybe I will. And then I did. True story. That was a dumb way of saying that I was actually working on something else, but I thought I would write it all down and i liked how it turned out so i clicked go.

HammerheadFistpunch > boxrocket 06/30/2015 at 22:53

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In the current lineup, the 4Runner trail or TRD pro is the top dog for technical terrain, but the Prado beats it for payload and space. The Land Cruiser will take the most modification to work really well, but it also takes modification best of the 3 since its got the stronger axles and frame. You can beat the living crap out of an over loaded cruiser for years and they just keep grinning.

CACressida > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 22:53

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My uncle owns a red 2008 LC and a charcoal grey 2015 LX. The LX is his weekend and client limo and the LC is the DD/hardcore work vehicle. He handed down his white 100 series to his son who practically drives it roof rack down. My dad’s been a 4Runner loyalist and has bought nothing but 4Runners but he’s owned a 60 series before. The whole family has/had Land Cruisers throughout and they’ve been worth their weight in gold as far as reliability goes. I personally own 2 4Runners and plan on buying either a triple locked 80 or a newer 100 series and swap out the rear axle for a e locker. I love the LandCruiser. The 100 series is very very nimble for its size and the 200 series hauls ass but I’m partial to the 80 series. We call them LandCressidas in the JZXP forums because of their styling.

Doug DeMuro > sfrobert 06/30/2015 at 22:59

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Did you buy it new?

HammerheadFistpunch > CACressida 06/30/2015 at 23:16

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Whats funny is that I don’t love the look of the 80 best. I think the 70, 55 or 62 look better. I think they look great from all angles except the front. As for the hundo, wouldn’t it be easier to buy an old 100 with factory locker and upgrade the front diff to an arb locker? The wiring for the factory e locker isn’t engine harness hard, but its a little tricky from what I’ve seen. If you wanted to go the ARB route you can replace the RR only locker switch in the 100 to a RR-RF locker switch from the 80 and wire it to fire the ARB front. there are diagrams on mud for this.

HammerheadFistpunch > x87172 06/30/2015 at 23:16

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8...i just wanted to laugh at that again. 8

HammerheadFistpunch > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 06/30/2015 at 23:22

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No, not a lot of cross shopping. Its hard to try a new sandwich when the one you had last time worked out so well.

HammerheadFistpunch > Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages 06/30/2015 at 23:23

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BJ73...They are all the rage now that they are importable. I still don’t know. Its like a Jeep CJ, for some people its all there is, for me..eh...I’ve never loved them. I love that they are tough and have short wheelbase, so I give them a pass.

HammerheadFistpunch > CRider 06/30/2015 at 23:23

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damn you Riley!

Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages > HammerheadFistpunch 06/30/2015 at 23:28

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That’s true, they aren’t cheap. Saw a few clean examples (imported from South American somewhere, very high mileage but no rust) for sale in the $20-30k range.

I wouldn’t mind a 4-door longer wheelbase version if I have the bank one day. At that point I’d import a cleaner example straight from Japan.

At least we can dream about it for now.

HammerheadFistpunch > Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages 06/30/2015 at 23:58

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land cruisers direct

Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 00:07

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Thanks to you, I won’t be sleeping tonight, clicking through that website

But I’ll wet my bed sheet with my brokeass tears

HammerheadFistpunch > Toyota Sucks Lots Of Sausages 07/01/2015 at 00:14

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Brokeass tears is my band name

Ruschhaupt > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 00:33

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Fantastic post, and I have to ask—if the 200 is $80k, and the Lexus LX is $83K, does that make that Lexus the smallest mark-up for the badge in the lineup? And in all seriousness, what are the major differences (including, why does the LC have a 1,200 lbs higher towing capacity(?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 00:56

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Point #2 is what pisses me off. In other news...

HammerheadFistpunch > Ruschhaupt 07/01/2015 at 00:56

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Interesting about the towing capacity, I didn’t even think about that. my guess is that its the air suspension and spring tuning. height adjustable suspension is about the only mechanical difference.

HammerheadFistpunch > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 07/01/2015 at 00:57

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oooh, its coming out!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 01:01

1

HammerheadFistpunch > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 07/01/2015 at 01:03

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oooh, thats lovely.

Ruschhaupt > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 01:21

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Good point. Well, at least that means Demuro has an avenue through which he can keep his precious air suspension. Are you happy now Doug? Are you?!

Swivel-eyed Loon > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 02:37

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I drove one around Rome when I lived there. Just what you need to keep the locals at bay. Mind you it did pick up a battle scar or two.

BTW it’s straight not strait.

samssun > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 04:42

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So, why not sell the same hardware without options as a Toyota for 60k, and with them as a Lexus for 85k? Capture a much larger market, without diluting the luxury brand...Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade.

Rufant v1.0 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 05:55

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Absolutely great post. Kind of applies to all LC’s in a way. You guys in the US just get some much stuff for $$—-, it just illustrates the inherent value in the product.

I bought mine at over 10 years old and the quality of the fittings, the hoses, etc, was so much better than everything i have had before.

I’ve also seen 200 in proper off road situations and those things are just insane. Me and a few mates were at a 4wd park and a 200 was down a big hole, maybe 50 ft of very steep muddy climb out, we all thought they were done for, and then this thing just popped out of it like it was nothing. Made me feel a bit weird tbh...

Just as an aside, the ARB bumper on my 105 costs around AU$3000 supplied and fitted, i am told for a 200 it’s around AU$15,000. Lot of technology in that bad boy.

jkm7680 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 08:20

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They’re pretty damn nice. The kind of people who own them also seem to be more down to earth than your average Lexus driver also. Still rich people, but not the kind that flaunt their wealth in every way imaginable.

I personally think that Toyota does trucks and SUVs right, but not much other than that. 4wd 4wd Tacomas are fun as hell, torque for days and the Land Cruiser is still a capable SUV with a V8 engine.

adamftw > x87172 07/01/2015 at 08:57

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Meh. I cross shopped LC80s (and 3rd gen 4Runners) and D1s. My vehicle purchase budget was ~$5k. For that price, I looked at a couple war torn 80s with mileage in the low to mid 200s. One of those wouldn’t even stay running so I offered him $1000 (CL ad was $4500) and he had the audacity to say, “It’s a Land Cruiser, it’s worth what I’m asking even if the motor is shot.” Get real pal. I also looked at a few well-kept 80s with mileage in the high 200s. I couldn’t justify paying 4-5 grand for a truck ready to roll 300k on the odometer.

I ended up with a one-owner, dealer serviced Disco 1 with 118k for less than half of my budget. It has it quirks, and it doesn’t have that “Toyota QDR” (my seat bladder/spring support thing busted a couple weeks ago for example... probably wouldn’t happen on the Cruiser) but as far as the actual nuts and bolts of the truck go, the thing is a tank and I see it lasting me a long time. I also didn’t feel at home in any of the Yotas. Something about the mid 90s-early 2000s Jap interiors just doesn’t work for me.

Almost 20k miles later, I’ve spent a few bucks and hours replacing hoses and other small thing that were worn or “should be” replaced to avoid them failing on me, and I’m still under my original budget (not including mods, since I’d be doing that to whatever truck I bought anyway). It hasn’t let me down yet, and I don’t think it ever will.

CACressida > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 09:22

1

After years of logging miles in the command decks of Land Crushers, the gearing of the 5 speed shines. The power sapping but stout A34x 4 speed leaves something to be desired when towing but the torque-rich 2UZ doesn’t seem to care.

As for the locker situation, the Toyota e-locker has proved itself to be pretty damn reliable as long as you open it up every 500 years and keep it greased. I’m not a big fan of locked IFS even though the LC has a very beefy front end. Toyota’s A-Trac has gotten me moving when the going got tough so I think a rear locker in combination of front A-Trac would be very sufficient and tossing a Torsen limited slip in the front diff would get it that much closer to locked diff dependability.

My 90 4Runner has an Aussie lunchbox locker up front and it gets the job done while making cool ratchet noises but the always locked under torque front end does make it a bit of a challenge to steer the truck.

My truck is air dependent and while it is a reliable enough system with its pros, it does have its con and boy do I hate it when those cons rear their ugly heads. But ARB does have a great track record which is why it’s so damn expensive.

And then after standing back and looking at the complexity of things, the border-line simple 80 just looks lovely. Heavy duty, beefy full floating solid axles, reliable straight 6 that I’d gladly replace with a 2uz or 6BT, narrower body and factory lockers everywhere. All of those qualities overshadow the average brake performance, lazy acceleration and lousy fuel economy (not like my 4Runners loaded with gear do any better.)

There’s still some clueless locked 80 series owners out there who don't realize what they're selling. They just think it's a typical 90s SUV they want to get rid of because it gets single digit mpg lol.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 09:36

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I said this in another thread, but a few years ago I had to auction a 2006 with 120k miles. It only sold for $5300 :(

Still wish I coulda bought it myself.

KentB27 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 09:37

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This was a pretty good post. Very informative. While I think the J200 is a great truck, I still like the more barebones versions of the Land Cruisers we used to get here in the US. Give me a 60 series LC with a 4 speed manual any day of the week over a J200. The new LandCruisers around where I live are driven almost exclusively by soccer moms and realtors. I don’t think 95% of them have even been on a gravel road before, and that makes me sad.

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:17

1

After owning Tacomas, 4runners, old Toyota Trucks, Jeeps, Fords, GMC’s and even 1 Dodge I can say that I am continually in awe at the overbuilt nature of my Landcruiser.
The size of the parts, the simple yet complex over engineering, and the robustness of everything boggles my mind.

vaulter1 > dogisbadob 07/01/2015 at 10:26

3

Why drop the Sequoia? The LC and Sequoia don’t compete for the same buyer, even in base spec. The current Sequoia is a full 10” longer than the LC, and has more passenger room by every measurement. Bringing a base LC to market would be nice for all of the niche buyers but I don’t really think there’s a value proposition in the US for it.

WiscoProud > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:42

7

Not to mention the engine uses forged internals, rather than the cast ones the rest of the Toyotas get. Even though the 5.7L may look the same on the exterior, the LC has a more robust unit. This is the first vehicle I owned where the forums say OEM is best.

Ted Ladue > x87172 07/01/2015 at 10:43

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Ha!

MTY19855 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:43

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It costs as much as a Range Rover except it actually works. All things considered, that makes it pretty good value in the super luxury SUV market.

theshinobi01 > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:44

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Great vehicle, I think the LX can also be grouped with the Land Cruiser.

WiscoProud > x87172 07/01/2015 at 10:45

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Can verify. I owned an LR3 and now own a LC100

Murphie > Rufant v1.0 07/01/2015 at 10:46

4

I’d do it, but you can’t buy them in white, at least in the US. “Blizzard Pearl” just won’t do if you want the authentic look.

WiscoProud > Cé hé sin 07/01/2015 at 10:46

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I think that would be a lot of fun. I wish we got it in the US.

Ted Ladue > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:47

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They are getting close to affordable. There are a handful on Autotrader in the low 30K range. But for the mileage on them you could go the 100 route.

Great. Now I have to look up some 100 v 200 comparos...

SwimBikeRun > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:53

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Very good post. Bravo.

A lot of people simply don’t get the LC. I shake my head everytime someone compares X to a LC. You want a no BS off road vehicle that last, the LC is the begining and the end.

mcseanerson > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:54

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I have never been upset by the price of something unless it’s being marketed as a value proposition. If they’re charging that much it’s because they can and people will still buy it.

j250ex > HammerheadFistpunch 07/01/2015 at 10:54

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Think you perfectly summed up the Land Cruiser. I love these cars. Ive been look for a clean 100 series for a while in my price range. Most vehicles are 10 years old and still on their original owner. Cant say the same for a comparable range rover. Wish they were more affordable but that seems to just be the price of admission to a great car club.