200 Series Quality/Reliability and Next Vehicle

[slipkid13]

I totally agree.

I sat in a brand new Land Cruiser a few weeks ago and it made me sad. I was looking at Tacomas last summer, I could have bought a brand new one but... No thanks to all that crap. A good friend has a new 2025 TRD and it's already been to the dealer several times for recalls and repairs. I looked at a lot of 3rd gens and it was shocking at how rusty they were. I ended up with a 2015 2nd gen and I love it.

Fwiw I'm at about 130K miles on my '15 LC and I have not had one single problem, nothing. I do put a lot into maintenance though, I tend to replace stuff before it fails.

The most shocking issue with the new Tundra is the price. I can't believe how much they are. But then again the Sienna's are in the 50s to low 60s so I guess Toyota has gone "Apple" as long as it has the badge on it, charge whatever the 'eff you want, the people will wait in line and pay.

But maybe the Tundras not so much, I looked at one local dealer here, they have 35 on the lot. 4 Sieenas and 35 Tunndras.

I have a '13 LX that I bout 7 years ago with 63K mile, it now has 150K. I did get an extended warranty because a used vihicle is a used vehicle and sh!t goes wrong no matter how it was maintained. I had some issues covered under warranty (AC compressor, parking sensors, infamous radiator crack right ar 100K and one leaky AHC line) only one issue post warranty (by 4 months, ouch) but a big one, my AHC pump failed. Very rare and in my case unusual because I did the flush and bleed at 60K miles with good fluid (not the recalled stuff) I guess bad luck. I would still buy another LX because I think AHC is awesome and aside from rare failure super easy to maintain.

I hav not see the other know issues, I do a lot of regular maint, 5k oil changes, 30-45K diff/xfer case fluid, 3 years coolant flush, 60K/6 years trans drain/refill etc. Exercise the xfer case/center lock every 4-6 weeks or so. I don't do any heavy off roading or towing.

The interior has held up incedibly well, no squeks or rattles, leather looks amazing with the normal wear on the driver's seat. Paint looks great with some chips. No plans to sell or upgrage anytime soon. I'll give it my son in a few years and look for a 19-21 5 seat 'LX. No interest in a 250 or 300 series, seem way overpriced ($116K or a 700H, come on) and not as nice. A coworker has a new GX 550. I sat in it, seems cheap and plasticy, the screen dominates the interior. Stupid camera follws your face and yells at you for looking at the giant screen they force you to use for everything. Nothing "luxury" about it. 22 inch rims on ANY vehicle are stupid. The tow hitch coer is a total after thought...

I don't see the value there and no split tailgate, no thanks. Plus, the naming is all wrong, should be the LX/GX 340

 

[Supra Turbo]

What I miss about my old trucks is I rarely had to think about them. With the 200 it feels like it is always something.

They were also simpler trucks. And its only going to get "worse" with new gens.

 

[ttrmike]

I agree with a lot of the sentiments in this thread. I think the Land Cruiser as a line, and Toyota as a brand, have cultivated an unrealistic expectation for reliability given the breadth of LC capabilities. Especially in the wagon line. I also think that more often than not we attribute reliability to a lack of required maintenance.

The 200 will get you home with a valley plate leak, cam tower leak, weeping shocks, noisy cam chain tensioner, a faulty stereo, ect. Itll likely get you home on a blown head gasket too if you fight through limp mode. At least until it seizes.

It’s the upkeep on vehicle systems that are a collection that is mentally draining for me. IF the starter fails, it’s an all day job to replace, and depending on your removal method, requires a stack of non starter related gaskets ect. Cam tower, chain tensioners, radiator, and valley plate are also time consuming. The increased number of subsystems in the LC undoublty leads to more maintenance and more things to fail over time. Needless to say I miss inline engines, and space in engine bays. 90-00 was peak Toyota. We also had less features, less capabilities, and likely lower expectations.

Going through this mental game before though, has never lead me to any suitable replacement for the 200 series. The 5th gen 4Runner is a standout candidate but you’re going to sacrifice features and capabilities you’ve come to expect in the 200 series. So fix and maintain what you have, lower expectations for what is available new, or build your own car I guess?

 

[stonepa]

Interesting! Ive been thinking of replacing my 100 with a 200 and this thread isn’t helping lol !!

Unless I am the luckiest man in the world, and have the luckiest group of 200 owner friends, the experience of the OP is abnormal.

 

[bloc]

Unless I am the luckiest man in the world, and have the luckiest group of 200 owner friends, the experience of the OP is abnormal.

Even in the context of having just changed a head gasket without an overheat event - probably due to chemical issues between coolant and gasket material - what you say is true.

 

[kong24680]

I went through the same mental gymnastics before picking up my 2021 LX570 and came to the conclusion that there really isn’t another modern vehicle that matches its long term reliability and off road capability. I had a pretty healthy budget and looked at the new Sequoia, LX600/700h, GX550, Mercedes G-Class, Grenadier, Defender, Bronco, and Yukon AT4. None of them really checked all the boxes the same way.

I ended up deciding to go with a last model year 200 and put the extra money into excessive preventative maintenance.

 

[FredLX]

I have a 2019 LX…it’s a great truck. I had a water pump go at 70,000…which I thought was early, but otherwise, pretty good. I agree that any alternative to it may offer more tech, or better performance - even better gas mileage. None offer this overall build quality, or, all weather and off road capability. After about 90,000 miles there isn’t a squeak, or rattle, and it is quiet on the road.

I looked at an LX600 for my wife, in addition to my LX. It’s very nice, well built, and really quiet. But wow…complex systems, and the not-so-trusty V6. I’ll pass for now. My wife has an older Mercedes GLE (2017), naturally aspirated V6, and no real mechanical problems, only routine maintenance. The cost for service is high, but still way less than any newer vehicle.

I think at this point, if I got another LX, I’d still look for a 2021.

 

[Supra Turbo]

The fact that you got 175k on a modern vehicle that was built through 2021 and only have those problems, IMO is pretty damn good.

Is it peak Toyota good from 90s-00s, probably not quite.. but considering this rigs in class luxury alternatives, its great.

 

[thecapedcapper]

On the subject of future alternatives, you may all hate me for saying it but the new generation of Nissan Armadas (especially the off road Pro-4x trim) are more Land Cruiser than the Land Cruiser 250. Body on frame full size SUV made in Japan with a full size SUV engine (for current standards). The previous generation was not a true competitor as it didn't have the same axles/transfer case/suspension as the ROW patrol but the new current gen absolutely does. The long term reliability has yet to be proven but I suspect it's not as a bad as the word Nissan might conjure up in people's minds.

LC people in the U.S. never really consider them but in Australia for example they are close competitors.

Since buying my 2008 LC I've been saying if I'm smart I'll never get rid of it but I can be dumb sometimes... If the current gen Armadas depreciate anything like the old gen it will be worth considering in the future.

 

[krice118]

These are / were 70-85k MSRP vehicles. Expecting low cost to maintain is ridiculous.

When compared to German alternatives, they are cheap & reliable. Compared to a $20k corolla they are expensive.

I’m considering a raptor as my LX replacement. Holds value well and more than enough room for my car seat situation which the Lx and rear facing seats don’t work so well with tall parents

 

[bloc]

On the subject of future alternatives, you may all hate me for saying it but the new generation of Nissan Armadas (especially the off road Pro-4x trim) are more Land Cruiser than the Land Cruiser 250. Body on frame full size SUV made in Japan with a full size SUV engine (for current standards). The previous generation was not a true competitor as it didn't have the same axles/transfer case/suspension as the ROW patrol but the new current gen absolutely does. The long term reliability has yet to be proven but I suspect it's not as a bad as the word Nissan might conjure up in people's minds.

I don’t think anyone here is calling the 250 a Landcruiser.

Interesting take on the Armada though. Any predictions on whether Nissan will exist in ten years?

 

[MRego]

On the subject of future alternatives, you may all hate me for saying it but the new generation of Nissan Armadas (especially the off road Pro-4x trim) are more Land Cruiser than the Land Cruiser 250. Body on frame full size SUV made in Japan with a full size SUV engine (for current standards). The previous generation was not a true competitor as it didn't have the same axles/transfer case/suspension as the ROW patrol but the new current gen absolutely does. The long term reliability has yet to be proven but I suspect it's not as a bad as the word Nissan might conjure up in people's minds.

LC people in the U.S. never really consider them but in Australia for example they are close competitors.

Since buying my 2008 LC I've been saying if I'm smart I'll never get rid of it but I can be dumb sometimes... If the current gen Armadas depreciate anything like the old gen it will be worth considering in the future.

No thanks. You could not pay me to own a Nissan Armada - from the bloated fugly design to the badge and steep drop in value. If I have to risk on long term reliability, I would rather do it with a Toyota/Lexus. I am all in betting the V35A issues are resolved from 2025 onwards. I have traded-in my 200 on the 300LXOT and have absolutely no rAgrets so far. It feels every bit like a Land Cruiser, nothing like the 250 and GX Prados sh!t holes.

 

[Sajan]

I don’t think anyone here is calling the 250 a Landcruiser.

Interesting take on the Armada though. Any predictions on whether Nissan will exist in ten years?

What I am curious about is where the sales for the 250 series is coming from? Which customers are these?
43,946 sales in the US last year!

 

[HighRanch]

What I am curious about is where the sales for the 250 series is coming from? Which customers are these?
43,946 sales in the US last year!

They are everywhere in Colorado. I believe buyers are former 4Runner owners and other Toyota models.
I would be interested to know if 4Runner has seen any dip in sales as a result of a slightly more expensive same size vehicle with a Toyota badge competing in the same space.

 

[redolent]

Toyota has the engineering capability to produce exceptionally reliable vehicles that would last 250K miles, or more, but who would be willing to pay six figures for it.

I currently own a '20, LC with 87K miles on it and have had ZERO issues thus far.

 

[Sajan]

They are everywhere in Colorado. I believe buyers are former 4Runner owners and other Toyota models.
I would be interested to know if 4Runner has seen any dip in sales as a result of a slightly more expensive same size vehicle with a Toyota badge competing in the same space.

Here you go..

 

[hokiehigh]

LC/LX has very long model cycle (10-15yr). LC200 was from 2008-2021. Toyota is known to work out the bugs and keep perfecting their products throughout the model cycle. By the time I want to replace LX570, the current LX/GX will be near bullet proof (I hope).

Can't do much about the price, it is what it is, and it's not just Toyotas. It has more to do with inflation and more tech than anything else. Take a look at 911s, a base with a few options is 150k, a mid trim GTS is 200k. Tahoe/Yukon top trims are right up there ~100k as well. I believe market demand will keep price in check more of less, will see where things land in 5-10yr when 200s are getting long in the tooth. Maybe Toyota will bring a stripped down LX if ppl shy away from the fully loaded ones, but I doubt that.

 

[slipkid13]

They are everywhere in Colorado. I believe buyers are former 4Runner owners and other Toyota models.
I would be interested to know if 4Runner has seen any dip in sales as a result of a slightly more expensive same size vehicle with a Toyota badge competing in the same space.

True that, I see them all over in the Springs, I imagine it is the same in the rest of the state, esp. Denver. I didn't and stil don't understand Toyota's marketing with the 250 and new 4Runner since they are same vehicle, but it is working because they are everywhere and the dealers sell 'em as soon as they arive.

 

[slipkid13]

On the subject of future alternatives, you may all hate me for saying it but the new generation of Nissan Armadas (especially the off road Pro-4x trim) are more Land Cruiser than the Land Cruiser 250. Body on frame full size SUV made in Japan with a full size SUV engine (for current standards). The previous generation was not a true competitor as it didn't have the same axles/transfer case/suspension as the ROW patrol but the new current gen absolutely does. The long term reliability has yet to be proven but I suspect it's not as a bad as the word Nissan might conjure up in people's minds.

LC people in the U.S. never really consider them but in Australia for example they are close competitors.

Since buying my 2008 LC I've been saying if I'm smart I'll never get rid of it but I can be dumb sometimes... If the current gen Armadas depreciate anything like the old gen it will be worth considering in the future.

I like the Armada. I had a Nissan Patrol in 2005 when I lived in the Middle East, 5 spd, awesome truck. Would be nice if they released something like that. I know the Armada is based on the Patrol but with the demise of the Xterra a Patrol would be interesting. I doubt it would sell but it be an interesting vehicle.

 

[stonepa]

I like the Armada. I hate a Nissan Patrol in 2005 when I lived in the Middle East, 5 spd, awesome truck. Would be nice if they released something like that. I know the Armada is based on the Patrol but with the demise of the Xterra a Patrol would be interesting. I doubt it would sell but it be an interesting vehicle.

The US Armada range is 95% the new 2026 Patrol being released this fall. They will even get the bonkers NISMO version that I still can’t wrap my head around.