200 shopper (1 Viewer)

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Aug 12, 2019
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Overland Park, KS
Hi guys!

I’ve been dreaming of owning a J200 for many years now and I’m finally in a position to get one! I was hoping you could direct me to some links or perhaps share some knowledge about 2013-15 models and what to look out for. Common issues, problems, what to look for, advantages or features of those different years. I decided on those bc the atrac has two more speeds and that system seems more advanced from what I remember. Is that true? Maybe that’s a silly reason to go on but I’d appreciate your advice or knowledge, regardless.

Kindly,
NC
 
Check the FAQ section of this forum. And best of luck finding a rig, you won't be disappointed!
 
Any year model is fine imo. Most important thing is the lowest miles and complete service history. Good luck! I was shopping for a while and they don’t come up often!
 
Welcome. I am fairly new. I spent about 30 days lurking before I purchased and signed up here.

Coming from a 4th gen 4Runner I understand your ATRAC comment/question. Unfortunately I don’t have a solid answer. I can tell you my LX is the biggest*, coolest 4Runner ever. Crawl control is neat and the whole vehicle is a solid 3 clicks above a 4Runner/FJ. It’s a beast in a Tuxedo.

*I am very width sensitive and looked hard at Tahoe/Yukons. For me the 4” less overall width was a big selling point. My LX is “all that” and I can still park it in metro-ATL with ease.

The LC’s are rare and command big money. The LX’s are more common, more feature laden, tend to have pedigrees and are more common. The LX’s suspension is a bit different, not as easy to mod beyond a slight lift and yet seems to be very robust, reliable and awesome.

Short story as I understand it: 1) You can’t go wrong with a 200 series (LX or LC). 2) You can run 34s and carry a spare with minimal mods on stock gears. 3) Rock sliders/running board options are more limited on the LX. 4) As good as they are the mothership in Japan missed the boat with regard to corrosion protection. The frame and some suspension components will get rusty. Inspect well. Look for a southern vehicle.

Just my $.02 as a recent 4Runner convert.

Chris

PS- Don’t fear AHC on the LX. Read up on it... I’m a very skeptical person who is rapidly becoming a convert. I love my LX. As far as I can tell the AHC is amazing.
 
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4) As good as they are the mothership in Japan missed the boat with regard to corrosion protection. The frame and some suspension components will get rusty. Inspect well. Look for a southern vehicle.

Agreed, unless you live in a very dry area of the country, undercoating this vehicle is mandatory. To be fair, there are a lot of rusty 100s on this forum so it isn't just the 200.
 
This is on Slee's site.

 
If that one was in my budget, id buy it. Slee isnt going to put something thats less than incredible on their website.
 
Agreed, unless you live in a very dry area of the country, undercoating this vehicle is mandatory. To be fair, there are a lot of rusty 100s on this forum so it isn't just the 200.

What are the areas most prone to Rust? I found a 2011 LX I'm considering having shipped to me. Everything checks out except the fact that is was born and raised in New Jersey. I'l like to know what the common rust spots are?
 
As for 13+.. you get HID headlamps, ventilated seats (in the cruiser, LX had them before), updated nav and multi-color MFI in the gauge cluster which makes the thing you look at every ten seconds of driving the vehicle seem about two decades more modern.

Can’t go wrong with either LC or LX.

And, this has been discussed a LOT lately in this forum. Tons of good posts. Do some digging.
 
What are the areas most prone to Rust? I found a 2011 LX I'm considering having shipped to me. Everything checks out except the fact that is was born and raised in New Jersey. I'l like to know what the common rust spots are?

I wouldn’t buy anything across the country without a local mechanic checking it out first personally. As for rust, various parts around the frame seem to get the most afaik.
 
What are the areas most prone to Rust? I found a 2011 LX I'm considering having shipped to me. Everything checks out except the fact that is was born and raised in New Jersey. I'l like to know what the common rust spots are?
I wouldn’t buy anything across the country without a local mechanic checking it out first personally. As for rust, various parts around the frame seem to get the most afaik.
Agree with thefourthchime, get a local tech to look it over.

As far as rust goes it seems to be the frames, certain components that bolt to the frame. It seems like stuff surface rusts making it more difficult to remove and reuse certain fasteners etc. It doesn’t seem to be like old school body rot on sheet metal.

For a Texan or Georgian or ___________ it can be scary in addition to being ugly. My LX spent some time in MD and then the rest of it’s time in NC near the beach. So far it seems light touch-up with rust neutralizer and spraying something with a little penetrating oil has been more than adequate for me. When I think back to working on cars in CT in the 70’s and 80’s working on my LX is a dream. I am sure others will chime-in with stories of how awful it is and others who will say if rust is minor and it’s not a thing...
 
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If you plan to keep it ten years hold out for zero rust from Texas/CA/wherever. There are plenty out there and on the used market they won’t cost any more. Mine is practically rust free from Tennessee and still two downpipe studs sheared.

Zero rust just makes everything easier. It’s relative.. people from the rust belt don’t know how good it can be when they say light rust doesn’t matter. One single captive nut spinning in the frame will make it worth your time to hold out for no rust.

If you’ll just drive it two years then sell get whatever is cheap.

New Jersey is on my “nope” list for vehicle history.
 
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New Jersey is on my “nope” list for vehicle history.

Yep - After doing a little more research, I'm with you. I've got a buyer for my Tacoma and I'm back looking at clean Dallas 2013-2014's for 10K more. I'm starting to realize how much value there is in those two years in the current market.
 
Really go ahead and look and older ones. I just had my 94k mike 2011 gone through and it’s totally clean and runs like new. The only thing I should do before 120k is the plugs. The transmissions are service free, they have a timing chain vs a belt, no costly 80k service.

These Toyota’s are some of the most bullet proof vehicles ever made, go ahead and get a older one, It’ll still last you 20 years.
 
@thefourthchime, it’s true the transmissions are really solid, great units. I agree with your assessment of “bulletproof” but some TLC to the transmission is a great idea and DIY if inclined.


You may want to read this thread and consider doing it yourself or having it done. IMHO the transmission is one of the very few components, if it let’s go, that can damn near total an older higher mileage vehicle.

Not trying to argue, trying to help👍
 
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Shawn of Land Cruiser Specialist in Austin told me they really shouldn’t be touched. Only ones he gets in are people that try to service them. Leave them alone and you’ll get 300k.

But, maybe there’s more to it. I looked at that thread and it didn’t seem like there were and seasoned mechanics there.
 
Shawn of Land Cruiser Specialist in Austin told me they really shouldn’t be touched. Only ones he gets in are people that try to service them. Leave them alone and you’ll get 300k.

But, maybe there’s more to it. I looked at that thread and it didn’t seem like there were and seasoned mechanics there.
Agreed in that it was “an enthusiast” video vs a super-seasoned tech. You may do just fine not touching it and getting to in excess of 200k with no issues, maybe even 300k.

I recently parted ways with my 277k 4Runner that I drove like I stole it and towed like it was a much bigger vehicle (big boats and box trailers with motorcycles). I routinely maxed out the tow rating and sometimes exceeded it. I installed an external fluid cooler* and serviced the transmission in a very similar fashion to the video (minus stripping stuff). It shifted like day 1, for real, and has MANY thousands of miles left in it. I sold it to a friend’s son who recently finished serving in the USN. I just completed an oil change and driveshaft grease. At 283k the test drive revealed no signs of it being high-mileage vehicle (except for the sunroof rattle).

*V8 4Runners had external fluid coolers, V6s didn’t. This 4Runner was a V6.

My point is if “eternity” is the goal then relatively inexpensive transmission maintenance is a good idea and not that much $$$.

Either way a LC or LX may/will make 300k with no transmission issues. The question is how much do you want have left in it at that milestone? Everyone has different goals. I like having stupidly high mile cars that I’d be happy to drive from Miami to Seattle with a trailer... Does it cost money? Yes. To me it’s worth it.

I would consider a second opinion on servicing your transmission. If you choose not to service based on your needs/wants that’s cool but my recommendation (FWIW) is to at the very least pursue a second opinion on servicing it.

And don’t take my opinion as a second opinion. Seek an opinion from someone who exceeds my credentials (enthusiast and shade tree mechanic since the late ‘70’s).
 
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Automatic transmissions put too much friction material and metal in the fluid for me to leave it in there for 300k. Not to mention degrading the fluid. Pull your pan and look at what’s stuck to the magnet and the color of the fluid at 300k and say it was a good idea.

A transmission that goes 300k without touching it could very well be 4-500k with regular service. And if you follow factory procedure with some attention to detail it won’t have to go into the shop for messing up the fluid exchange.
 
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