100 series vs 80 series

[Kabanstva]

I have both and have had a 200. I have put a good amount of money into my 100, probably over $55k on top of buying the vehicle. It is my "overland" vehicle. It has done the IDBDR and the WYBDR with all of the hard sections. I have never had an issue until my last trip where I mistakenly topped off my fuel and started a chain of events that eventually had fuel boiling. Expensive and frustrating lesson learned.

Apples to apples the 200 is better than the 100 in every way. I do wish I had started with a 200 for my build. That said I am so much $ into my 100 that it is just maintenance and fine tuning my loadout now. Eventually I will probably sell it to get another 200.

My 80 is a bone stock 1997 CE without lockers (which I don't care about as I will eventually build it my way) and if I could keep only one I would keep the 80. I will never sell it. It will eventually be a trail rig that can do a few nights of "overland" but that is years off. Low on my priority list now, just doing parts accumulation while they are available.

Did you have an LX570 or a Toyota LC200? I drove both and was honestly only impressed with the 570. The Toyota 200 felt ridiculously cheap. Did not fall in love with that car at all. The moment I shut the driver door it felt cheaper than closing the door on a new Honda Civic (no exaggeration). Same story closing the hatch etc, how could a vehicle that cost over $80k have such a cheap feel to it. I won’t even start with interior quality, that’s really really bad.

OP if you get a 200, test drive the Lexus and Toyota before parting with your hard earned money. They feel very different.

 

[Francis K]

Get both of them if you have the space, funds, and time. Each have their own merits 100 - best gas engine Toyota has ever made, great highway characteristics. 80 - great for wheeling, lacks power. Both are equally rugged and dependable in their own seperate ways.

In 2025 - both look amazing in terms of looks. It used to be 100 looked boring but it has now reached its prime golden years in terms of looks.

When I was 16 and had my LX450 in the year 2000 everyone told me how ugly it was which I thought was crazy. I don't think anyone ever thought the 100 series was boring, it was the cream of the crop in it's day I wanted one desperately.

 

[efjayatee]

Get the fzj80 and turbo it. More suspension options to get it the way you want. Solid axles >IFS.
I have a turbo 80, LX450, LC100 and GX470. At 311hp at the wheels, the Turbo is way funner to drive. I just need to swap out the cloth seats for a pair of Scheel mann.

 

[DiegoCrzr]

80 for general off road capability, 100 for overlanding. If you absolutely must have 35's, the 80. I did everything I cared to at Moab in my 100 on 285's. As a dad, the 100 has been much better than the 80. You'll be stoked with either.

 

[Kabanstva]

Get the fzj80 and turbo it. More suspension options to get it the way you want. Solid axles >IFS.
I have a turbo 80, LX450, LC100 and GX470. At 311hp at the wheels, the Turbo is way funner to drive. I just need to swap out the cloth seats for a pair of Scheel mann.
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That’s beautiful. And it’s an OBD1 (93-94 based on the older style grille)? Did you have to touch the transmission at all after going turbo or is there no need?

 

[89BIGBLUE]

I've read on here for years, across the various boards on here: "get the newest LC you can afford, in the best shape you can find".
After driving a 62, an 80, and a 100, I'd say it makes sense.
Someday I hope to try a 200, just to check.

They all make me smile and bring joy to traveling.

Today's speeds and creature comforts are different than they once were. My family prefers long range adventures in the 100, It's taken our little family on many great adventures, and home, with more to come in the future.

 

[Boss Hog]

"get the newest LC you can afford, in the best shape you can find”.

This really sums it up. I’ve owned every series of LC except the 200 & 250. If I ever have the disposable cash, I’ll chase the older ones again. But until then, the quote above applies.

Personally, I don’t like the looks of 100 Series. And that’s what I drive currently-although it’s not my daily. But I can’t deny it’s reliability, offroad ability, and the ability to eat highway miles in comfort. That said, Pampers are expensive and if your financial situation forces you to choose between maintenance or baby essentials, you’ll end up with a pile of s***. In one form or another.

The only other thing I’ll say is this: I get the aesthetic appeal of a lift. I really do. Neither 80s or 100s look quite right without one. But unless you are rock-crawling, I don’t see the need for a massive lift, with the inherent driveline angle & gearing changes, etc. 33” tires on either give you all the capability you need. AND keeps your center of gravity low.

I put OME stock height (861/862 front & rear) springs on my 80 with if I remember correctly 30mm spacers. 255/85/16 tires. For the purposes you describe, no LC needs more than that. “OEM+” builds are .

Good luck with whatever you decide to do & congrats on your growing family.

How I bought it:

How it ended up looking with new springs & tires.

EDIT (post shower): Start at the 33’s and no lift stage. You can go bigger if you want to down the road. But I doubt you will want to…

 

[Dparo]

Did you have an LX570 or a Toyota LC200? I drove both and was honestly only impressed with the 570. The Toyota 200 felt ridiculously cheap. Did not fall in love with that car at all. The moment I shut the driver door it felt cheaper than closing the door on a new Honda Civic (no exaggeration). Same story closing the hatch etc, how could a vehicle that cost over $80k have such a cheap feel to it. I won’t even start with interior quality, that’s really really bad.

OP if you get a 200, test drive the Lexus and Toyota before parting with your hard earned money. They feel very different.

Toyota.

You are dead right about that door issue. I 100% noticed that. I feel that was the only thing that I disliked about the 200. I thought I was missing a vent or baffle or something.

Long drives in the 100 gives me pains that I never received in the 200. For me, comfort was miles ahead with the 200. That said I never took my 200 off road so I can't compare, my 100 has been to some interesting places. I would imagine that had I spent the money on my 200 instead of my 100 it would be just as capable, just with more comfort.

I think all three have positives and not so positives, it all depends on your goals. After my wife totaled the 200 we picked up a GX460, I don't get the lovefest for those things. I absolutely hated it. I ended up just selling it to carmax just to get rid of it. That was my only Lexus experience.

 

[hoser]

I've read on here for years, across the various boards on here: "get the newest LC you can afford, in the best shape you can find".

This really sums it up. I’ve owned every series of LC except the 200 & 250. If I ever have the disposable cash, I’ll chase the older ones again. But until then, the quote above applies.

For me and probably some others, I'd put an asterisk on that quote "get the newest LC you can afford, in the best shape you can find." If you plan to actually wheel the LC, I would say new models take about 5 years before the series has matured to a point it has good DIY'ers, decent trail damage pics and interesting forum topics. New series owners are quite different... the forum vibe is quite different. Modification parts are also not plentiful yet. For parts, I'm not talking about the 250 though, that vehicle is more for the masses like the 4Runner. I'm talking about the 80/100/200/300.

 

[Gartenmeister]

The Toyota 200 felt ridiculously cheap.

Really surprised to hear this. What year was it? My 2016 makes you feel like you're riding around in a bank vault.

 

[Kabanstva]

Really surprised to hear this. What year was it? My 2016 makes you feel like you're riding around in a bank vault.

2016 actually.

 

[Kabanstva]

Really surprised to hear this. What year was it? My 2016 makes you feel like you're riding around in a bank vault.

Completely stock 2016 with less than 100k miles.

 

[efjayatee]

That’s beautiful. And it’s an OBD1 (93-94 based on the older style grille)? Did you have to touch the transmission at all after going turbo or is there no need?

You are correct, mine is OBD1(the 1st build of its kind out of Cruisers and Co).

The 93/94 will need the Nomad valve body and a stand alone ECU to sync with the A442. The advantage of the Black EMU ECU is so that the shifting is dialed in and the mapping can be tuned unlike the 95-97 turbo set up where it uses the factory ECU which limits the tuning.(7.5psi max)
500hp at the crank, your A442 is at its limit. I'm at 390-400hp at the crank and 500lb (311/413ATW) 12psi. And its super fun to drive now! It holds speed at 75 on 315s MT on straight aways or hills. No downshifing or OD as you climb hup the grades. Now I have the best of the 2 worlds-modern power and offtoad capability.
Once I swap to A750, I can push it to 15+psi. (Beyond 500+hp at the crank)
Cruisers and Co has all the build info and it's still cheaper to either "professionally" LS swapped or buying a new or used LC)

 

[Boss Hog]

For me and probably some others, I'd put an asterisk on that quote "get the newest LC you can afford, in the best shape you can find." If you plan to actually wheel the LC, I would say new models take about 5 years before the series has matured to a point it has good DIY'ers, decent trail damage pics and interesting forum topics. New series owners are quite different... the forum vibe is quite different. Modification parts are also not plentiful yet. For parts, I'm not talking about the 250 though, that vehicle is more for the masses like the 4Runner. I'm talking about the 80/100/200/300.

I agree with everything you said. I’m just going off of the OPs stated usage. He said OVERLANDING with occasional offroad/wheeling. And in that case, I stand by my statement. But if he’s doing Poison Spyder, then yeah-get the 80. But please stay in the right lane going down I-70 on 35s!

And I never thought he was considering the 250. Or even the 200 for that matter.

 

[Boss Hog]

2016 actually.

Oddly, my ex brother in law said something similar. And he came from a 1st Gen Sequoia…sold it & went right back to a 1st Gen Sequoia. Which, ironically, blew a head gasket going over Raton Pass…

 

[hoser]

Toyota.

You are dead right about that door issue. I 100% noticed that. I feel that was the only thing that I disliked about the 200. I thought I was missing a vent or baffle or something.

Long drives in the 100 gives me pains that I never received in the 200. For me, comfort was miles ahead with the 200. That said I never took my 200 off road so I can't compare, my 100 has been to some interesting places. I would imagine that had I spent the money on my 200 instead of my 100 it would be just as capable, just with more comfort.

I think all three have positives and not so positives, it all depends on your goals. After my wife totaled the 200 we picked up a GX460, I don't get the lovefest for those things. I absolutely hated it. I ended up just selling it to carmax just to get rid of it. That was my only Lexus experience.

I have a '16 LC200 and '98 LX and I would agree, the '98 doors and hood definitely feel more solid when closing. The LX470 interior quality of leather was also better. Lots of 200 leather cracking, especially the steering wheel but also the seats... perhaps due to the perforated leather. A moot point though because all 100 series leather/interiors are over 18 years old.

When people say, "The 200 is better in every way than the 100," I disagree. I'd rather wheel the 100 over the 200 even with the IFS. The visibility and feel is better in that regard. But for highway, fire trails, towing, inclement weather.... the 200 by far. Nobody talks about it but the 40/60 split Torsen center differential on the 200 is much better than the 50/50 open center diff on the 100. The driving experience is nicer in that regards because it's 60% rear biased and it "locks" up automatically. Only noticed if you drive spirited or in low traction conditions. Unlike the 100, there are no front differential issues on the 200. The 40/60 Torsen probably helped in there too.

People say the 200 is bloated. It's not bloated, it's beefy. The frame is perhaps the beefiest of all Land Cruisers including the 70 series and 300 series. Control, spindles, axles, steering rack... also perhaps the brute of all IFS LC's. It's the last of the "Legacy" Land Cruisers (besides the 70), before TNGA. TNGA is all about cost cutting and weight 'optimization'..... a base platform offered in different flavors.

 

[Dparo]

That is fair. I never wheeled the 200, I did note in my follow up, and I suppose I can see how visibility in the 100 may be better off-road. But if I am wheeling, not overlanding or highway miles driving I would choose the 80.

 

[Kabanstva]

I have a '16 LC200 and '98 LX and I would agree, the '98 doors and hood definitely feel more solid when closing. The LX470 interior quality of leather was also better. Lots of 200 leather cracking, especially the steering wheel but also the seats... perhaps due to the perforated leather. A moot point though because all 100 series leather/interiors are over 18 years old.

When people say, "The 200 is better in every way than the 100," I disagree. I'd rather wheel the 100 over the 200 even with the IFS. The visibility and feel is better in that regard. But for highway, fire trails, towing, inclement weather.... the 200 by far. Nobody talks about it but the 40/60 split Torsen center differential on the 200 is much better than the 50/50 open center diff on the 100. The driving experience is nicer in that regards because it's 60% rear biased and it "locks" up automatically. Only noticed if you drive spirited or in low traction conditions. Unlike the 100, there are no front differential issues on the 200. The 40/60 Torsen probably helped in there too.

People say the 200 is bloated. It's not bloated, it's beefy. The frame is perhaps the beefiest of all Land Cruisers including the 70 series and 300 series. Control, spindles, axles, steering rack... also perhaps the brute of all IFS LC's. It's the last of the "Legacy" Land Cruisers (besides the 70), before TNGA. TNGA is all about cost cutting and weight 'optimization'..... a base platform offered in different flavors.

What do you need a frame that beefy for? Sounds dumb. Just make the frame 500lbs heavier for s***s and giggles. I wheel with a bunch of 4Runners and their components look like twigs underneath compared to my 470 but guess what they do even better off-road and I’ve never seen anyone snap anything despite really beating on their cars. At what point is it too much beef and too much weight? I’ve never heard of someone having frames issues with a 100, even in the salt belt states. Cars are pushing 30 years old, we would know by now if the frames were not beefy enough.

 

[hoser]

It's not for offroad-abilty but rather long term durability. Excess weight certainly reduces capability. Jeep JL is about 700 lbs lighter than an 80 series.... and is much more capable.

 

[efjayatee]

It's not for offroad-abilty but rather long term durability. Excess weight certainly reduces capability. Jeep JL is about 700 lbs lighter than an 80 series.... and is much more capable.

My turbo has 260k miles. My daily LX450 has 308k miles. GX470 200k miles. 2000 LC100 has 165k.......long term durability and longevity.....Pre-2010 Toyota for the WIN!

Your in the wrong forum to be promoting "heeps"