Where do we go from here? To replace my LX or not? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

I happen to be fortunate enough to be able afford a brand new LC rather comfortably but then it would be too pretty and nice to do some of the fun stuff we do. If it was this cut and dry, I wouldn't be having this dilemma right now!

This being said, keep what you have and get a second / spare vehicle for "nice" days. Vehicles are such a poor way to spend money especially if you live in a rust state like myself.

While I don't think I could comfortably afford a new one, many people would look at my finances and say that I could. I'm in my early 40's and want to retire comfortably before 60, more than I want a new $85k vehicle. It's a tough demon to fight though so keep rocking the trusty, crusty Cruiser and grab something different when it feels right.
 
Yeah I think the general consensus and the sensible option to keep it, triple lock and let it be a glorious once luxurious trail. Get 200, but not new--just no point even if you CAN afford it, get a 2010-2015 and make that your overlanding/touring/family road trip rig. Its spacious, comfortable, modern and get just about anywhere and you want to simply do trails then bring the LX470. I'm guessing you're mainly doing these trails in Wisconsin and the UP and such.
 
Here's another suggestion out of many. Keep your rig. Get a rust free example of LC/LX from down south and swap out your parts and upgrades to the new one. It would be at max a $5k upgrade. While keeping a lot of what you already have.

I am in Atl and I have seen at least 2 LC/LX sold for $2.5-5k with close to 290-300k miles. Highy likely everything still works on them. But the best thing is they aren't rusty.
 
I'm not sure why everybody here loves the 200 series so much. But hey, could be just me. <shrug>

IF you have the room and want to see if the grass is greener then pick up a nice example of whatever floats your boat. Even with some deferred maintenance, it isn't that hard to get into shape. I think I put about 2500 in parts to update everything but tires & AHC globes? Sell whichever you don't want to keep.

Have you driven a 200?

To the OP....keep your 100 and continue to wheel and beat the hell out of it. Fix as needed and pick up a welder. Buy a 200 to DD and spray the undercarriage yearly with fluid film to keep it rust free. Best of both worlds.
 
(Partially speaking for myself) Some folks are staunchly against complex electrical integration of too many things in a vehicle. It can limit what a DIY shade tree mechanic can do without expensive diagnostic tools. Switches and relays will always exist. Specific uP controlled boards will probably not. I know MJK, and his opinion has more to do with modern technology in vehicles rather than specific vehicle platforms, specifically when something breaks.
 
Leave the locker on the shelf or sell it. Drive this truck as is for a few years just maintaining it. That will let you save and get some utility out of the money you’ve already spent.

It’s not the fun option but important to know the difference between a want and need. It’s the only way to make the numbers work in your favor in this situation.
Gotta be honest man, I don't see the point in selling your current rig at a substantial loss just to buy a new one, that will be another $20k investment and then beating the fenders off it wheeling it.
You got me at "fixing issues on this rusty truck"..... I say get another rig, transfer whatever you can and part out golden rusty..... Rust (at least for me), is the biggest issue you can have on your rig

That's the voice of reason. Like I said before, a pretty truck is not what I want, I am just unsure of spending $$ on fixing the rust issues (not necessarily the dents) on the current truck vs. spending $$ on mechanical/maintenance issues on a replacement.
 
Personally I would continue to use the truck for its intended purpose (your intended purpose when you dropped $20k on it). Judging from the pictures it looks like a wheeling/family hauler/IDGAF rig.

You’ll never be able to recoup the money you already spent, in addition to probably beating up and damaging the next rig doing similar trails. Drive this one until the wheels fall off.
 
Adding to the chorus. I understand the concept of suck costs etc as well as grass being greener, particularly when you have the funds to be in another really nice truck/car if you wanted to. That said, if I were in your shoes (and I'm closer than I care to think if I'm honest) I'd say I was past the point of no return on the build. I'd rather just keep going, fix the stuff that needs fixing and know my truck inside and out than start all over. I also tend to get somewhat irrationally attached to a truck so can't just abandon ship part way through and I value the history and adventures we've shared. Keep going with your LX and think/plan on what you add to the fleet in addition someday.

Emotional attachment to my truck has what lead me this far :worms:.

This being said, keep what you have and get a second / spare vehicle for "nice" days. Vehicles are such a poor way to spend money especially if you live in a rust state like myself.

While I don't think I could comfortably afford a new one, many people would look at my finances and say that I could. I'm in my early 40's and want to retire comfortably before 60, more than I want a new $85k vehicle. It's a tough demon to fight though so keep rocking the trusty, crusty Cruiser and grab something different when it feels right.
You sound like my wife 😄. But on a more serious note, Land Cruisers are just not good value for money for normal use. Ahem: 100 Series are Expensive - Discuss!
I treat this as an hobby/addiction and am trying to take a moment to pause and think about it before I sink any more money in it.

Yeah I think the general consensus and the sensible option to keep it, triple lock and let it be a glorious once luxurious trail. Get 200, but not new--just no point even if you CAN afford it, get a 2010-2015 and make that your overlanding/touring/family road trip rig. Its spacious, comfortable, modern and get just about anywhere and you want to simply do trails then bring the LX470. I'm guessing you're mainly doing these trails in Wisconsin and the UP and such.
So far I have only ventured as far as Midwest - farthest trip was to Badlands park in Indiana. It is comfortable enough that we are planning for a trip out west for this fall! A 200 series would be a replacement for our van when the time comes. Thanks for your suggestions.
 
So far I have only ventured as far as Midwest - farthest trip was to Badlands park in Indiana. It is comfortable enough that we are planning for a trip out west for this fall! A 200 series would be a replacement for our van when the time comes. Thanks for your suggestions.

Bro, its Wisconsin, wait till a full moon and drive back country road with no headlight and plow a deer right through the radiator into the engine block and put that insurance money into a two-hundo!

Also I should add, an LX470 has got to be one of the cushiest to drive trail rigs there will ever be. You may beat it up some on the skinny trails with your friends but you are going to be very comfortable getting there and doing it not to mention such luxuries as being able to hear yourself think when youre on the interstate.
 
Bro, its Wisconsin, wait till a full moon and drive back country road with no headlight and plow a deer right through the radiator into the engine block and put that insurance money into a two-hundo!
I'd be lucky to get $6k out of the insurance because they only see it as a 21 year old truck with high miles! Also, that bullbar up front might foil the plot too 😆
 
I'd be lucky to get $6k out of the insurance because they only see it as a 21 year old truck with high miles! Also, that bullbar up front might foil the plot too 😆
Man, im talking about the minivan....

Thats my true reason for the bullbar, you can smoke these east coast little bambi dear and just keep driving.
 
Regarding the database that determines LX/LC cost of ownership, I think it would be fairly fair to toss this particular LX out of the configuring algorithm. Wouldn’t want to skew things up. :rofl:
 
If you can comfortably afford a new 200 series, then keep your current 100 series for part time use and buy an early 200 series, do some PM on it and daily that. Pull out the 100 when you want to beat stuff up. Once you've bought an older 200 series and done the PM, youll be in it just as much as buing a clean 100 series and doing PM.
So this way you get to spend the same amount adn keep your truck. Sounds like a win to me
 
1.)Drive 100,save for a 200-Keeping 100 for Fun... (Storage unit $1200 a year)

2.)Or, Buy a Nice Southern 100 Series rust free- (Get storage Unit at $1200 a year) Find a mechanic/Off road enthusiast on line- have him swap parts on wknd keeping old rig for parts then eventually dispose.

3.) Or Keep old rig, money in bank.

Not really much of a problem Since you can Comfortably afford a nice 200
 
Funny thing is I bought my LX to replace our old Sienna but quickly realized that these are not a good minivan replacement (gas, costof maintenance, alot less room inside and more difficult to load and unload). So ended up using the LX for road trips only and bought a newer Sienna as the local “fishing” car and “don’t care if it gets scratched in the parking lot” car. LX sits in storage like 10 months out of the year, cannot imagine having that as a daily. I’ve been in a couple sweet 200s and would never consider that as a daily or Sienna replacement either.
 
That's the voice of reason. Like I said before, a pretty truck is not what I want, I am just unsure of spending $$ on fixing the rust issues (not necessarily the dents) on the current truck vs. spending $$ on mechanical/maintenance issues on a replacement.
Ok voice of reason here.....
Have you gotten quotes (yes multiple) from shops on repairing/replacing necessary rust???
Thoughts on purchasing and DIY?
Time available for DIY welding?

Here's the thing. I purchased BeBe my 60 series to be more of an engine/drivetrain project with that I thought was a fairly sold body/frame. Boy was I wrong. The cost of the welder was about $600-$750 all said and done and served its purpose well. I had the available time to handle stuff, ability for truck to be down for a couple days while I repaired items (pedaling to work mostly in the warmer months) and a couple buddies that were good welders with one that had previously been at a hot rod shop, so he knew his way around body panel welding and fabrication. I learned a lot from him and YouTube and honestly lots of failures.

In the end, I feel that I have a new found love for welding, was able to restore BeBe to a great place with LOTS of body panel replacements and learned a whole lot in the 7 yrs. that I owned her. So if you are up for a bit of a challenge and have the time, I say buy the welder and have at it. If not, I would say see what the cost to have a shop handle it for you is and go from there.
 
Learn to weld, as I mentioned before. You can fix the rear bumper attachment points AND make your own, custom metal rear bumper. That alone will pay for the capital cost of the welder.
 
So your choices are to keep spending money on this pile of s*** or to buy another 100 and turn it into a pile of s*** a couple years from now?
 
So your choices are to keep spending money on this pile of s*** or to buy another 100 and turn it into a pile of s*** a couple years from now?
I can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious alternative, he just needs to buy the most rusted $2K LX pile of s*** he can find in the NE, and after working on that and driving it for a while, his old LX will start to feel like a beautiful socal barn find. Start a youtube channel documenting questions we all have - like "What happens when you shift into reverse at 60mph?" or "Do ratchet straps work as seatbelts?" or "Can you use ranch dressing as coolant?" Monetize that, then buy a 200. Then he can accidentally total both that and the Sienna in a real impressive driveway accident (how was he going 55mph here??) and use the insurance money to buy a 300 series
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom