2wd 100 series?

[mechanist]

What the f did I just read?

Input VIN at Toyota owners website to check service records and BOOM!!! I thought they were all full-time 4wd. Is this an error on Toyota's part? What the F is going on? Also no service history so probably not going to buy it...

 

[Battleship]

It's the app or somebody entered it wrong. Or the dealer pulled the drive flanges. Visit a dealer and see if they can pull it up?

 

[mechanist]

It's the Toyota corporate website. The vin is correct - triple checked. I've read that there were 2wd versions offered outconus, but was surprised to find this one! Shocked actually.

It's a Y2K SoCal truck with 180k miles (riverside, ca) for $8500. Seller reports dealer maintained, but Toyota shows no service records. Seller reports full time 4wd, but Toyota corporate shows 2wd.

 

[beedo34]

99.9% chance you're looking at incorrect info on your app. If someone imported a 2WD VX or VX-R or whatever they're called overseas it would be against the grey market import laws.
Not impossible, but pretty much impossible.

 

[mechanist]

I'm not using an app.

This is the website I'm using. Toyota Owners Official Web Site

Are other users reporting incorrect data from Toyota? Are they so poorly run that they don't even know what vehicles they're shipping? Or what their own VINs mean?

 

[Manhattan]

Ya know, there's an easy way to solve this mystery - 2wd vs site error... look at the truck.
Ask the owner for interior pics. Chances are the unicorn 2wd won't have a 4wd shifter.

 

[re_guderian]

I'm not using an app.

This is the website I'm using. Toyota Owners Official Web Site

Are other users reporting incorrect data from Toyota? Are they so poorly run that they don't even know what vehicles they're shipping? Or what their own VINs mean?

My vote is for crappy software... It has my '04 correct as 4WD, but won't let me add another vehicle, and login is buggy as all get out. Nothing confidence inspiring about that program...

 

[Manhattan]

Spoiler Alert: It's a 4WD and a reporting error at the site. I'm going to add the .1% to @beedo34's prediction. If my math is correct, that makes a 100% chance it's 4WD (cause that's what the VIN says at other sites... and it's a 2000 Land Cruiser).

 

[Sandroad]

My vote is for crappy software... It has my '04 correct as 4WD, but won't let me add another vehicle, and login is buggy as all get out. Nothing confidence inspiring about that program...

Yup, crappy software. I've got the same complaints about the site and agree it does not inspire confidence in Toy record-keeping!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Coming from a Part time LX470 guy a 2wd drives and handles so much nicer.

 

[mechanist]

Found out it's a 4wd. So yeah - crappy Toyota corporate software. I know Toyota is not a software company, but damn! Fortunately the dealers keep better records. I called Crown, San Bernardino, and Toyota of Riverside and they all told me the same thing - the truck was bought at Crown, but never serviced by Toyota.

This truck is on Craigslist. It's for sale in Riverside, CA for $7995 as of this morning. Black with cream interior, ~180k miles. It looks pretty nice. There is a burn in the second-row carpet, and the power steering may be leaking. The CV axles look good - no tearing or evidence of grease. It starts right up and sounds great.

The only documentation I could find was smog and accidents. No problems passing smog, and no reported accidents. It appears the timing belt has never been changed. If it was the mechanic did not place the sticker. In fact I could find no service history whatsoever. Someone did take care of belts and fluids - brake fluid is clear, oil is fresh, etc., and the other belts and hoses look good; however there is zero documentation.

I'm passing on it. Maybe one of you will take it. I bought my 80 despite lack of service history and it's bitten me in the ass. It was triple locked so I rolled the dice. I lost. This truck will have to be driven across the US to where I live and I'm not ready to take the risk.

****Toyota Land Cruiser SUV 4WD CLEAN!****

 

[lugueto]

For future reference: if a vehicle bears the Land Cruiser name and emblem, its a 4WD. There is no such thing as a factory 2WD Land Cruiser.

That alone would tell you its a mistake..

 

[OTSWolf]

Found out it's a 4wd. So yeah - crappy Toyota corporate software. I know Toyota is not a software company, but damn! Fortunately the dealers keep better records. I called Crown, San Bernardino, and Toyota of Riverside and they all told me the same thing - the truck was bought at Crown, but never serviced by Toyota.

This truck is on Craigslist. It's for sale in Riverside, CA for $7995 as of this morning. Black with cream interior, ~180k miles. It looks pretty nice. There is a burn in the second-row carpet, and the power steering may be leaking. The CV axles look good - no tearing or evidence of grease. It starts right up and sounds great.

The only documentation I could find was smog and accidents. No problems passing smog, and no reported accidents. It appears the timing belt has never been changed. If it was the mechanic did not place the sticker. In fact I could find no service history whatsoever. Someone did take care of belts and fluids - brake fluid is clear, oil is fresh, etc., and the other belts and hoses look good; however there is zero documentation.

I'm passing on it. Maybe one of you will take it. I bought my 80 despite lack of service history and it's bitten me in the ass. It was triple locked so I rolled the dice. I lost. This truck will have to be driven across the US to where I live and I'm not ready to take the risk.

****Toyota Land Cruiser SUV 4WD CLEAN!****

If this is the LC I think it is, it has been for sale, off and on, since about March of last year. I didn't buy it because of lack of records and it just didn't feel right when I checked it out. Good choice passing on it.

I bought a different one that was a little dirtier, but much cleaner mechanically and had records.

Good luck in the hunt for another one.

 

[OptimusPrime]

I worked in Product Planning in the auto industry for a couple of years - its a typo. I am certain there was never a business case for a 2WD LC.

I look at it this way - if an ad uses phrasing like 'Full leather interior', 'Fully loaded!', 'Premium', 'Powerful', and then goes on to list a bunch of factual information about the car that is readily available online, then the vehicle is being sold by someone who can't comprehend the fact that there are reasons to buy a vehicle that go beyond achieving a perceived status. I wouldn't deal with these people.

-OR- you can just use this simple equation: Aftermarket Chrome Rims + Aftermarket Rear Seat Entertainment = The oil hasn't been changed since the Bush administration.

 

[mechanist]

I worked in Product Planning in the auto industry for a couple of years - its a typo. I am certain there was never a business case for a 2WD LC.

I look at it this way - if an ad uses phrasing like 'Full leather interior', 'Fully loaded!', 'Premium', 'Powerful', and then goes on to list a bunch of factual information about the car that is readily available online, then the vehicle is being sold by someone who can't comprehend the fact that there are reasons to buy a vehicle that go beyond achieving a perceived status. I wouldn't deal with these people.

-OR- you can just use this simple equation: Aftermarket Chrome Rims + Aftermarket Rear Seat Entertainment = The oil hasn't been changed since the Bush administration.

My brother had me on FaceTime while looking it over. The "entertainment system" is literally a jerry rigged VHS tape deck wired into the rear entertainment system. It's smacks of cheap and is indicative of an owner who likes shortcuts and bottom dollars. Also the factory stereo is non-op. It's too bad, sad really, to pay big money for something nice, and then pinch pennies maintaining it.

 

[OptimusPrime]

@mechanist What a shame. What I love about the LC is that its a vehicle that you can justify maintaining for years and years, long after it can be considered modern. The 100 series is kind of in an awkward design stage now, but I love knowing that in a few years mine will have that 'vintage cool-factor' I see in earlier Land Cruisers on the road now. Unfortunately, this one fell into the hands of an owner who sees it as nothing more than a 'car' that has the general shape of something he could put rims on.

 

[OTSWolf]

My brother had me on FaceTime while looking it over. The "entertainment system" is literally a jerry rigged VHS tape deck wired into the rear entertainment system. It's smacks of cheap and is indicative of an owner who likes shortcuts and bottom dollars. Also the factory stereo is non-op. It's too bad, sad really, to pay big money for something nice, and then pinch pennies maintaining it.

The "pinch pennies" part is exactly what I thought when I saw it. I remember taking considerable care of my first car (1986 mazda 626), which I hobbled together from junkyard parts, but I took pride in that car. Now with the LC, it is just wrong to not take care of it because if you do, it will take care of you for a long time.