I am looking for my first LC 100 series and have come across one with impeccable service records at 394,000 miles. I have read just about every thread I can regarding high mileage 100 series on ih8mud. Sounds like it has been "baselined" and oil changed every 3,000 miles. Timing belt and water pump seem to have been serviced at the correct intervals. No rust, asking $10k and doesn't really want to budge on that number. Sounds high but just wanted to see anyones thoughts. I have read countless times that condition trumps mileage but that seems to be more in line with the vehicles people mention at the 200k-300k mark. I am viewing it this week and it is quite the drive. Just haven't found a lot of sales at that high mileage to support the price. Is it reasonable to assume if this is in the shape I think it's in, that it is worth the $10k? Loaded question I know
100 series | 400k miles | thoughts?
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I’d mostly be afraid about all rubber parts, bushings. Anything in the service history?
Comparison: I paid 8.5k with 270k miles, CA vehicle, well maintained.
Post the add and people can provide more pointers seeing the pics.
Comparison: I paid 8.5k with 270k miles, CA vehicle, well maintained.
Post the add and people can provide more pointers seeing the pics.
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Thank you for the comparison. He's had it up for a while. I think two others have looked at it already and passed when he wouldn't come down in price.
Generally looks very fresh. Seat leather replaced, carpets clean. Even the wheel seem clean and not having the typical brown stuff from the brakes on it.
No pics of undercarriage. So listen to noises when shifting, bumps and so on.
No pics of undercarriage. So listen to noises when shifting, bumps and so on.
BullElk
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When I’m looking for a good deal, mileage itself isn’t usually an issue unless the price does not goes down accordingly. There seems to be plenty more to choose from for $10k with much less mileage.
What maintenance has been done?
- brake master cyclinder
- timing belt/ water pump
- suspension refreshed
- what bushings have been replaced
- brakes
- etc…….
If everything has been addressed recently then maybe it worth it but I’d have to see it with my own eyes to justify the $10k. But if it’s all up to date and recent it may be worth $10k. Kinda hard to say.
- brake master cyclinder
- timing belt/ water pump
- suspension refreshed
- what bushings have been replaced
- brakes
- etc…….
If everything has been addressed recently then maybe it worth it but I’d have to see it with my own eyes to justify the $10k. But if it’s all up to date and recent it may be worth $10k. Kinda hard to say.
As someone who just bought their first 100 series, I can empathize! I followed this site pretty closely for a few weeks and found one listed for 5k at 275k miles that had some issues. I dove in because I was impatient and that was a price that I could justify. I think that the owner was as honest and straightforward as his skill level and understanding allowed him to be. Which left some gaps. And honestly, to some degree or other that's always going to be the case. I've already ordered 2k in parts and have a rust repair that will, if I'm lucky, only cost another 2 grand, could be twice that.
Having said that, I will be much, much more informed for my next 100 series purchase.
Knowing what I know now, and how much small upkeep there ends up being even with meticulous ownership -- things like locks, window seals, little electrical things -- I would have made the jump to one of the 200k mile 12k ish cruisers I see from time to time. Depending on condition I would maybe budget upwards of 15k. I would actually have been ahead, saving that bit more and been a bit more patient. Honestly for no other reason than it would make me more motivated to keep chasing all that stuff as it inevitably comes up.
For me, putting a lot of energy into something when -- real or imagined -- you feel like you are the end of the line for a rig, is less motivating. At 400k miles -- on the east coast no less -- I personally would just have a hard time tackling all the small stuff.
Even if this thing were garage kept on the west coast, I'd have to think at this price level. There's just a lot of downside for you and basically no upside. If you ever want to move on, or you lose motivation to throw another 3k in parts for a transmission or brake booster etc, a lot of people will pass just because of the mileage, let alone the region. So are you going to be as firm on price as this guy who seems absolutely dead certain his vehicle is worth more than the presumably hundreds of ppl that have seen his ad over the months think it is?
Also, a painful lesson I have had to learn in used car purchases, just because someone is certain in their belief, doesn't make them right. You could be the best mechanic in the world, you could literally be married to a car of this vintage, there are going to be uncertainties. Even at half that mileage!
I assume you are your own mechanic?
Some of this stuff can get really expensive if you are paying dealership rates.
Basically the advise I would give myself, is to be more patient, and to just save more money before diving in. I believe 12-15k is the sweet spot for these trucks from what I've seen. Of course I only learned that after diving into this one. But maybe you are smarter and more careful!
Solid insights from 'ninedude' as our 2004 LC is currently just shy of 187k after almost 15 years of ownership and previously owned a 1997 for 6 years and I'm asking many of the questions raised above. In early 2023, we decided to invest in replacing the steering rack that had a very minor leak, front & rear brakes, refreshing the suspension, fluids, etc. to the tune of several thousand. Next on deck is timing belt #2, a new radiator given that the current one is the original (crazy), etc. All of this for a 20 year old vehicle that I still love but one needs to be realistic and look at opportunity cost so definitely be patient. That said, I'd personally love to drive ours to see if we could get to 400k but we will likely put ours up for sale next spring. And BTW, we also have a 2007 GX w/115k after 6 years of ownership so yeah - it's a disease!
Good luck
