200 Vs. 250 FE - Owners Perspective (2 Viewers)

[rexington14]

My 1997 Saturn college-car, with a 5-speed manual got 40 mpg and sometimes higher if I kept it at 60 mph or less. That car weighed around 2,300# and only had 100 horsepower. It would also never pass modern crash test or tailpipe emissions standards.

The first car I purchased was a 2006 Corolla 5 speed bought used in 2009. Similar stats as your Saturn. But I still have the Corolla and won't get rid of it, because I know what the alternatives are - both positive and negative.

Personally I am more concerned with how long Toyota will continue to make OEM parts for this vehicle and my 100 series which are now multiple generations behind than I am with stringent regulations affecting modern vehicle reliability. Because as long as quality parts are available I don't need to put myself into the new car game.

For the folks buying new/modern vehicles and then immediately complain about them - what put you in this situation to buy in the first place? What vehicle did you have previously, and why did you have to get rid of it for a brand new one? Reflect on this and perhaps you find you could have made different decisions.

 

[rexington14]

This one: Not for long, but still on lots for a few more months. I'd bet a dollar on it outlasting a new 100 or 200 if you bought all 3 today and drove them for as long as they'd go with only routine maintenance until they quit moving. Just less issues with the 1GR over either of the v8s.
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Maybe so. These are pretty much gonzo from the dealer lots in my area though. That said if anyone wanted a new one but missed out they have only themselves to blame as they were manufactured new for 14+ years.

 

[Jetboy]

The first car I purchased was a 2006 Corolla 5 speed bought used in 2009. Similar stats as your Saturn. But I still have the Corolla and won't get rid of it, because I know what the alternatives are - both positive and negative.

Personally I am more concerned with how long Toyota will continue to make OEM parts for this vehicle and my 100 series which are now multiple generations behind than I am with stringent regulations affecting modern vehicle reliability. Because as long as quality parts are available I don't need to put myself into the new car game.

For the folks buying new/modern vehicles and then immediately complain about them - what put you in this situation to buy in the first place? What vehicle did you have previously, and why did you have to get rid of it for a brand new one? Reflect on this and perhaps you find you could have made different decisions.

Many if not most GX and LX "buyers" are leasing them. The need is likely due to the prior lease ending. Not sure how that population is represented on Mud. But I think it would be somewhere in the range of 60-70% of LXs are leased initially.

 

[Rednexus]

For the folks buying new/modern vehicles and then immediately complain about them - what put you in this situation to buy in the first place? What vehicle did you have previously, and why did you have to get rid of it for a brand new one? Reflect on this and perhaps you find you could have made different decisions.

We really do love our modern vehicle, BUT it's relatively low-tech with a N/A 4-banger and a NIMH hybrid battery. Very glad we had that option for something relatively simple, and I'm confident it will last for a long time.

If my history if correct, the original intention of CAFE standards was to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. So like so many bills/acts that get passed, the justification for it today has morphed into something unrecognizable from its original intent. Now it's just another green house gas boondoggle of questionable value and even more questionable technical expectations.

That is correct. Now the US is a net energy exporter and we're not in a position where we can so easily be held hostage by other nations. I certainly would not want to go back to the cars we had available in 1975 - even the worst 2024 vehicle is probably better more reliable, powerful, and safer than anything made then.

 

[Specialeyes]

Even the Lexus dealers themselves would rather drive something else!

 

[W4632018]

A 300 would have cost much more than the 70k you're thinking.

A base Land Cruiser in 2020 is $107k in today's dollars.

Sure the souped up 200 series, but there are less blinged out variants of the 300 that go for that and even less in USD TODAY in many markets.

 

[Acrad]

Experience Sewell - Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio

The %DEALER_NAME% serves luxury vehicles to the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio areas. Here, obsessive service is standard equipment.

www.sewell.com

 

[hoot504]

 

[MeWantLC]

The voice of this gentleman makes me cringe. . Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Specialeyes]

I found it odd that he never brought up the 300 even though he actually reviewed one 3 years ago. Instead he takes the approach of comparing the 250 to the wagons of the past that we got here in the states.

 

[Noctilucent]

I found it odd that he never brought up the 300 even though he actually reviewed one 3 years ago. Instead he takes the approach of comparing the 250 to the wagons of the past that we got here in the states.

Ah, the familiar “muh real Land Cruiser muh real Land Cruiser” cry echoes through the YouTube savanna. Funny how the “true Land Cruiser” they keep talking about is actually the Station Wagon of the lineup, but somehow, that gets lost in all the complaining.

And you're spot on he never even mentions the 300, even though he reviewed one a few years ago. Instead he’s stuck comparing the 250 Light duty Land Cruiser to the older station wagons we had here, like the 300 isn’t even part of the conversation.

 

[Specialeyes]

Ah, the familiar “muh real Land Cruiser muh real Land Cruiser” cry echoes through the YouTube savanna. Funny how the “true Land Cruiser” they keep talking about is actually the Station Wagon of the lineup, but somehow, that gets lost in all the complaining.

And you're spot on he never even mentions the 300, even though he reviewed one a few years ago. Instead he’s stuck comparing the 250 Light duty Land Cruiser to the older station wagons we had here, like the 300 isn’t even part of the conversation.

Doug isn’t really one of those types either. In fact he actually complained about his 200 failing him when he left it parked outside, unattended, for months at a time, off the coast of Nantucket.

 

[MRego]

Instead he’s stuck comparing the 250 Light duty Land Cruiser to the older station wagons we had here

To me, that is just natural since we never actually got the 300 here in the US. He is just comparing what is and was available at the US market. Like you said, the 300 is not part of the conversation (unfortunately).

 

[rexington14]

To me, that is just natural since we never actually got the 300 here in the US. He is just comparing what is and was available at the US market. Like you said, the 300 is not part of the conversation (unfortunately).

To me, the current offerings available are just as good and diverse, if not more so than before.

The fully specced luxury equipped 300 series (LX600 and LX700h) is alive and well here in the USA. These models are the true successors to the 100 and 200 series which were also fully specced luxury Land Cruisers. So what if it has a Lexus badge instead of Toyota? That doesn't stop folks in the secondhand market looking for used 200's - these folks buy LX570's over LC200's all the time without so much of a second thought. And it certainly didn't stop anyone buying brand new, since the LX570 outsold the LC200 significantly.

But wait, there's more. We also have the new light duty 250 series Land Cruiser - with multiple trims available for folks to choose from. And there's the GX550 (and all of it's trims) too.

 

[Joshuak172]

To me, the current offerings available are just as good and diverse, if not more so than before.

The fully specced luxury equipped 300 series (LX600 and LX700h) is alive and well here in the USA. These models are the true successors to the 100 and 200 series which were also fully specced luxury Land Cruisers. So what if it has a Lexus badge instead of Toyota? That doesn't stop folks in the secondhand market looking for used 200's - these folks buy LX570's over LC200's all the time without so much of a second thought. And it certainly didn't stop anyone buying brand new, since the LX570 outsold the LC200 significantly.

But wait, there's more. We also have the new light duty 250 series Land Cruiser - with multiple trims available for folks to choose from. And there's the GX550 (and all of it's trims) too.

Yes.

 

[MRego]

The fully specced luxury equipped 300 series (LX600 and LX700h) is alive and well here in the USA. These models are the true successors to the 100 and 200 series which were also fully specced luxury Land Cruisers.

No, it is not and no, they are not. The LX600 and LC300. Different angles and offroad capabilities. On top of that the LC300 has numerous other versions much simpler and cheaper than the fully loaded one and even the GR sport version which goes above and beyond in terms of Off-road prowess (triple locked just for starters). If Toyota had brought these 300s to the US, we could be comparing them to the old station wagons, i.e. 80, 100, 200, but that did not happen and the comparison now (forced by Toyota by calling the light duty Prado250 the "new LC") can only be made with the 250. That is his point and I, for one, agree.

As to the Toyota x Lexus argument, there is a reason a used LC200 with similar miles sells for a premium when compared to a same miles/year LX570. Like it or not, most people think the name plate Land Cruiser carries an added value.

 

[rexington14]

No, it is not and no, they are not. The LX600 and LC300. Different angles and offroad capabilities. On top of that the LC300 has numerous other versions much simpler and cheaper than the fully loaded one and even the GR sport version which goes above and beyond in terms of Off-road prowess (triple locked just for starters). If Toyota had brought these 300s to the US, we could be comparing them to the old station wagons, i.e. 80, 100, 200, but that did not happen and the comparison now (forced by Toyota by calling the light duty Prado250 the "new LC") can only be made with the 250. That is his point and I, for one, agree.

As to the Toyota x Lexus argument, there is a reason a used LC200 with similar miles sells for a premium when compared to a same miles/year LX570. Like it or not, most people think the name plate Land Cruiser carries an added value.

The "numerous other simpler and cheaper versions" of the LC300 sold overseas is irrelevant. The last 25 years of "Land Cruiser's" sold in the US (the lux specced 100 and 200 series) didn't offer any other versions either. We've never seen a stripped down 100 or 200 here, but now you expected to get one with the 300? You are comparing the USA 300 series offerings to international offerings that have never even existed in our market. Again, irrelevant.

And a used LC200 selling for a few thousand more than a LX570 has nothing to do with capability. It's purely an enthusiast factor. Like it or not, "most" folks don't really care about this at all, and they just buy the one with better maintenance history, better price, and no rust.

 

[MRego]

The "numerous other simpler and cheaper versions" of the LC300 sold overseas is irrelevant. The last 25 years of "Land Cruiser's" sold in the US (the lux specced 100 and 200 series) didn't offer any other versions either. We've never seen a stripped down 100 or 200 here, but now you expected to get one with the 300? You are comparing the USA 300 series offerings to international offerings that have never even existed in our market. Again, irrelevant.

And a used LC200 selling for a few thousand more than a LX570 has nothing to do with capability. It's purely an enthusiast factor. Like it or not, "most" folks don't really care about this at all, and they just buy the one with better maintenance history, better price, and no rust.

Yeah... you are missing the point. You re saying the LX600 is the LC300, when it simply is not. I can almost see your eyes popping when he says "it's NOT a Land Cruiser" I am not a fan, but he nails it in this video.

 

[rexington14]

Yeah... you are missing the point. You re saying the LX600 is the LC300, when it simply is not. I can almost see your eyes popping when he says "it's NOT a Land Cruiser" I am not a fan, but he nails it in this video.

Then an LX570 is not a 200 series Land Cruiser either

 

[VWEeplusa]

I really think we are getting way too hung up on the term 'Land Cruiser' and forgetting it has, throughout the past, been used to identify many different vehicles / types / etc.

So Toyota called it the Land Cruiser. OK. I get it. Likely 60% marketing and 40% because it's the light duty Land Cruiser Prado with pretty decent off road chops for those eager to use it off road. So why would anyone even think its trying to serve as a direct descendent to the 200 Series, especially because there already IS a direct descendent. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be called a Land Cruiser.

So can we just move on?

I have a 2024 GX550 OT+. I have a 2015 200 Series. They aren't the same. I don't expect them to be the same. Just enjoy each of them on their own merits, for Pete sake.