2000 vs. 1999

[northern cruiser]

Last week I totalled my 2001 cruiser with 219K miles on it (lady crossed the center line, t-boned me and I rolled upside down-everyone is OK). The cruiser ran great except for the cracked manifold and corresponding nosie when cold.

I have received my insurance settlement ($18,200) and am looking at (2) different 100 series cruisers and would some advice on which one to pick.

1999 Cruiser has 124K miles and is owned by someone who also owns BMW's and appears to be very fussy. He recently had timing belt, filters and F/R u-joints replaced and 10K on Michilin tires. He is asking around 16.5-17K for vehicle and says it is in premium condition. I could pick this vehicle up after work next Tuesday (travel 90 miles or so).

2000 Cruiser has 90K miles and is due for service/timing belt replacement. Tires have 4K miles on them and he's asking $18,350.00 for vehicle. This vehicle is in good condition but I don't think its quite as good and 1999. I have to travel 325 miles to get this vehicle in Green Bay, Wis.

I know the 2000 model year includes the VSC, EBDand A-TRAC and has a 4 pinion front axle vs. 2 pinion for 1999.

1999 is black and 2000 is white.

Any advice as to which vehicle is the better buy is greatly appreciated.

 

[spressomon]

Last week I totalled my 2001 cruiser with 219K miles on it (lady crossed the center line, t-boned me and I rolled upside down-everyone is OK). The cruiser ran great except for the cracked manifold and corresponding nosie when cold.

I have received my insurance settlement ($18,200) and am looking at (2) different 100 series cruisers and would some advice on which one to pick.

1999 Cruiser has 124K miles and is owned by someone who also owns BMW's and appears to be very fussy. He recently had timing belt, filters and F/R u-joints replaced and 10K on Michilin tires. He is asking around 16.5-17K for vehicle and says it is in premium condition. I could pick this vehicle up after work next Tuesday (travel 90 miles or so).

2000 Cruiser has 90K miles and is due for service/timing belt replacement. Tires have 4K miles on them and he's asking $18,350.00 for vehicle. This vehicle is in good condition but I don't think its quite as good and 1999. I have to travel 325 miles to get this vehicle in Green Bay, Wis.

I know the 2000 model year includes the VSC, EBDand A-TRAC and has a 4 pinion front axle vs. 2 pinion for 1999.

1999 is black and 2000 is white.

Any advice as to which vehicle is the better buy is greatly appreciated.

Be sure to check both for undercarriage surface rust...don't know if you're in or near the rust states or not. The '99 sounds a little high in price to me. The '00 sounds like a good value...particularly if you can get him to come off the price of a 90k service (depending how much you do on the 90k it could be worth ~ $800 for very basic to $1,200 or more if also including preventative maintenance items like water pump, starter, at a dealer). And I like white...it conceals the effects of off-road use way better than black (i.e. scratches/pin striping).

 

[cruiser4life]

2000>1999. That being said, stop. Change strategy.

Buy a 100 series from a non rust region, especially if you plan to hold onto it for the long haul.

A bit of savings here or there when comparing rides is nothing compared to dealing with rust long term.

JMHO,TIFWIW.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

If the 2000 has maintenance records, I would recommend that one, even though it comes from the Packer land. That sounds like a long drive for you though. You have owned a LC that you seem to have driven for quite a while, so I run the risk of being a fool by saying this, but will anyways - check out slee's guide to buying LCs.

Good luck to you.

 

[justimaginejack]

Three things?
1) can you stick it out a month, I think the price will drop around april after the Unveiling of the LX because it will officially end the Model year/100 series. They are making the LX570 now.
2) What are your main goals, if you want to off road exclusivley, get the 99 and put an ARB front Locker on it and some big tires, your set. Sepaking of which, what could have been salvaged from your old rig? any mods you can still use?
If you plan on using this as a daily driver then I would most get the 00 or newer and check because not all 00's have trac. I test drove a white 99, after driving up in my white 00 and when I got agressive in a subdivision near by that was all dirt, there were noticable Differences in the handling. Trac kicks on and you feel safe, but you know that if you already had an 01.
3)if you have to go to green bay to get one I am assuming you are up north. In which case I would look at a high quality lx out of chicago. Way to many dealers just completely pass on used stuff saying ther isn't a market for it. YOu can find them on ebay, or in small used shops. Get the VIN and call Lexus, if the vehicle was maintianed they can tell yhou everything. They will fax you a print out. Ask for the National search. I think you could find a used LX for around 20K with complete maintinance records. But again, where ever you go, get it up in the air and check for rust and excessive salt deposits. I say go for the LX because it is more likely to have been maintained, and kept clean. If you don't mind Flying southwest Sewell Lexus in Texas always has a few choice deals on LC/LX's. I am loking to I will let you know If I see any great deals in your area, I understand this may be more urgent.
Best of Luck

 

[CameraCruiser]

All mechanical issues and merits aside, if the '99 was white, it would be no contest for me, especially if the owner maintained it well. Everyone has their own color preference, but the darker colors are a huge pain. They show everything!

I too had a vehicle totaled and had to replace it. I picked a '98 Dark grey LC and my only regret is the color. It collects dust just a few hours after washing, not to mention every nick and dimple. When you wax it, every one of the nicks and dimples creates a nice little white ring too. Arghhhh. My next LC will be white.

That's my .02s worth.

 

[SWUtah]

All mechanical issues and merits aside, if the '99 was white, it would be no contest for me, especially if the owner maintained it well. Everyone has their own color preference, but the darker colors are a huge pain. They show everything!

I too had a vehicle totaled and had to replace it. I picked a '98 Dark grey LC and my only regret is the color. It collects dust just a few hours after washing, not to mention every nick and dimple. When you wax it, every one of the nicks and dimples creates a nice little white ring too. Arghhhh. My next LC will be white.

That's my .02s worth.

My man you need to work on your detailing skills . I have a Black LX and would not want any other color, just looks rich and classy. But I'm retired and have time to keep it looking new all the time. If I was busy and working all the time then a Silver, White, or that beige color would be the best way to go.

 

[BMWSTOY]

Don't think I would focus on color, but I would rather have the newer model with all those extra goodies and the lessor miles does not hurt.
I would however be suspect to those Northern vehicles and rust. If you keep the vehicle for a long time, that rust has its way of showing up all over the place and each item will cost over the long run. The items you need to tend too are cheaper than those miles.
IMHO - I am a 2000 owner and I was shopping for a 98-99 before I learned all about them.

 

[cary]

1999 Cruiser has 124K miles and is owned by someone who also owns BMW's and appears to be very fussy. He recently had timing belt, filters and F/R u-joints replaced and 10K on Michilin tires. He is asking around 16.5-17K for vehicle and says it is in premium condition. I could pick this vehicle up after work next Tuesday (travel 90 miles or so).

Just to comment. If the guy just had the timing belt replaced, a critical item that is supposed to be replaced at 90k miles, how prompt was he with the other services? Unless he has records, just assume the work wasn't done. I have seen way to many cars that are described as "excellent condition with service records" from self professed detailed people, that in fact turn out to be trashed vehicles that have records being serviced twice in their life.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

Just to comment. If the guy just had the timing belt replaced, a critical item that is supposed to be replaced at 90k miles, how prompt was he with the other services? Unless he has records, just assume the work wasn't done. I have seen way to many cars that are described as "excellent condition with service records" from self professed detailed people, that in fact turn out to be trashed vehicles that have records being serviced twice in their life.

Agreed.....

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

Three things?
1) can you stick it out a month, I think the price will drop around april after the Unveiling of the LX because it will officially end the Model year/100 series. They are making the LX570 now.
2) What are your main goals, if you want to off road exclusivley, get the 99 and put an ARB front Locker on it and some big tires, your set. Sepaking of which, what could have been salvaged from your old rig? any mods you can still use?
If you plan on using this as a daily driver then I would most get the 00 or newer and check because not all 00's have trac. I test drove a white 99, after driving up in my white 00 and when I got agressive in a subdivision near by that was all dirt, there were noticable Differences in the handling. Trac kicks on and you feel safe, but you know that if you already had an 01.
3)if you have to go to green bay to get one I am assuming you are up north. In which case I would look at a high quality lx out of chicago. Way to many dealers just completely pass on used stuff saying ther isn't a market for it. YOu can find them on ebay, or in small used shops. Get the VIN and call Lexus, if the vehicle was maintianed they can tell yhou everything. They will fax you a print out. Ask for the National search. I think you could find a used LX for around 20K with complete maintinance records. But again, where ever you go, get it up in the air and check for rust and excessive salt deposits. I say go for the LX because it is more likely to have been maintained, and kept clean. If you don't mind Flying southwest Sewell Lexus in Texas always has a few choice deals on LC/LX's. I am loking to I will let you know If I see any great deals in your area, I understand this may be more urgent.
Best of Luck

I agree with msot of what you say.

From reading the many arguments about a-trac vs lockers, I would say taht you do not need to get a pre-2000 even if it is going to be a primarily offroad vehicle.

Maybe we should ask Shott what he thinks about a-trac in regards to offroading?

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

For SAFETY alone, I'd not consider a 98-99 Cruiser at any savings...ESPECIALLY if lifted.

It's funny. Just this morning VSC saved y butt. Hail storm in Sierra Vista...the road was white a some moran came into my lane. I had to correct with oncoming traffic....VSC and ABS handled it. If I'd a been in the 80 I'd a been into the oncoming. No driver skill could have done what VSC did for me and my babe this monring

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Oh...and safety alone doesn't just go for VSC. I'd not want a 2-wheel tippy pre-2000 in an emergency situation.

 

[CameraCruiser]

My man you need to work on your detailing skills . I have a Black LX and would not want any other color, just looks rich and classy. But I'm retired and have time to keep it looking new all the time. If I was busy and working all the time then a Silver, White, or that beige color would be the best way to go.

Detailing is not the issue , the problem is that the darker colors just show the dirt and dust faster than anything else. They look great though.

I used to live in Colorado and I started to think the official color for all cars there was DIRT. You wash your car at 9:00am, visit a friend down a dirt road, have lunch, then a thunderstorm, another dirt road, and a car wash at 4:00pm, then repeat tomorrow. So white or light for me.

More importantly to this thread, knowing that the vehicle was properly maintained and serviced so that it is in sound mechanical and safe shape are what are really important in making the decision. I would have looked for a 2001 - 2003 if I had known about the additonal saftey features. All in all though, I still feel safer in my '98 LC than I did in my '99 Ford F150 that was totaled.

 

[poohsfj]

Where do you live?

I have a 99 with 111000 miles on it.