300k mile 1998 Land Cruiser for Sale Thoughts? Help! (1 Viewer)

Location

United States

Trying to decide if a 1998 Land Cruiser with 300k miles on it is worth it. Seller is asking $4,200 so I could probably get him down into the $3,500 range. Seller has informed me:
- Timing Belt replaced 17k miles ago
- Brakes replaced in the last 18 months
- Oil last changed in late Fall - Tired have 10k miles on them
- A lot of highway miles as he was living between Texas and Minnesota

Any thoughts of more information I should ask the seller or if you think it is a good deal even though it has 300k miles on it?

 

[3_puppies]

rust would be the only deal killer, above the rear axle in the frame area, rear axle link mounts at the axle

 

[HappyH00ligans]

rust would be the only deal killer, above the rear axle in the frame area, rear axle link mounts at the axle

Thank you for your reply! I don't know a whole lot about vehicles buy I am trying to learn, this listing is in Duluth, MN about 4 1/2 hours from where I live in Fargo, ND where we don't use rust in ND, it's a MN thing for some reason. So in your opinion would you look elsewhere? The seller did also inform me that when anything ever made a squeak or any sort of noise he addressed it and made sure it was fixed. But yes, rust would be my only concern, and the fact it has 316k miles on it.

Do you feel 3,500 is a reasonable price for me to pay or do you feel I could even get it for lower then that because of the slight fender damage and rust that it has?

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Depends on what you want to do with it. It will probably be reliable mechanically but rust would be a nightmare to deal with. Mine had rust (has rust!) and I have spent close to $4000 on rust repair alone. And it is not just a cosmetic issue! You will have cold air leak and water leak in to the cabin (especially bothersome in winter), will have hard time working on the car since every darned bolt will crumble etc. etc.

Mileage isn't a huge concern if it has been maintained but this much rust is a deal killer (at pretty much any price point!)

 

[ramangain]

Those pics show a well-worn vehicle, and the wiring near the tow hitch could be a sign of additional wiring Easter Eggs throughout the rig.

 

[HappyH00ligans]

Depends on what you want to do with it. It will probably be reliable mechanically but rust would be a nightmare to deal with. Mine had rust (has rust!) and I have spent close to $4000 on rust repair alone. And it is not just a cosmetic issue! You will have cold air leak and water leak in to the cabin (especially bothersome in winter), will have hard time working on the car since every darned bolt will crumble etc. etc.

Mileage isn't a huge concern if it has been maintained but this much rust is a deal killer (at pretty much any price point!)

Thank you for your insight! This would be a third vehicle for our family. My main daily drive is a 2018 honda accord with 41k miles on it. I would essentially use the Land Cruiser as a road trip vehicle, as I have family in Minneapolis (about 3 1/2 hours from where I live) and I would also use this as a camping vehicle. It just has more space for when I don't have room in my Honda and I know Land Cruiser's are known for their reliability. I was also looking at a 2002 Sequoia with 249k miles on it. Doesn't appear to have any rust and they're asking $3,500 for it so that could always be another option as well since the main thing I want is the space and the reliability.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

In that case, I strongly suggest not buying this LC. I had cold freezing air pouring out of the B pillars in my truck! I opened the trim up and stuffed it with foam to stop the draft and it would still not stop it, My wife always complained about the getting a cold draft in passenger foot well. Last summer I pulled out the whole interior to find these gigantic holes in both front corners.

 

[HappyH00ligans]

Thank you for your insight! This would be a third vehicle for our family. My main daily drive is a 2018 honda accord with 41k miles on it. I would essentially use the Land Cruiser as a road trip vehicle, as I have family in Minneapolis (about 3 1/2 hours from where I live) and I would also use this as a camping vehicle. It just has more space for when I don't have room in my Honda and I know Land Cruiser's are known for their reliability. I was also looking at a 2002 Sequoia with 249k miles on it. Doesn't appear to have any rust and they're asking $3,500 for it so that could always be another option as well since the main thing I want is the space and the reliability.

For reference here's the Sequoia I have been eyeing and it does include the 3rd row seating as well.

 

[jpoole]

It looks like there is a lot of rust showing in the rockers, in front of the rear tire, on that 100. I suspect that the rust on that LC is severe and that you do not want it at any price unless you happen to need a few parts off of it. 300k miles may not be a big deal in some scenarios but rust is.

 

[87warrior]

She is rusty. It is clearly visible behind the running boards.

It might be a good rig to pound miles on and drive into the ground if it has been taken care of (mechanically) it's whole life. I certainly wouldn't pay more than $2k for it though.

 

[HappyH00ligans]

Thank you all for your helpful feedback! I truly appreciate it. From the sound of it, it appears I may be better off going with that 2002 Toyota Sequoia I listed above where the seller is asking $3,500 for. It has 249k miles and the seller informed me that they've had it for 5 years and also said and I quote "I probably drove this car barely 10 miles a day. Regular oil changes tire rotations. Brakes were replaced at the dealership. I’ve owned it for 5 years and probably put 25k on it. Mainly town miles." They live in a rural city in MN.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

I always take seller's description with a grain of salt. Have a local Toyota dealership do a pre-purchase inspection. Also, you can go to Welcome to Toyota Owners - https://www.toyota.com/owners/, create a free account and use the vin to see all the maintenance history. It should show you every service performed at the Toyota service centers.

 

[knewstance]

If those were my only two options, I would be leaning towards the Sequoia due to less visible rust and lower asking price. They are plenty capable vehicles and also very reliable.

I will basically always choose against buying a rusty vehicle, no matter the "deal". I have worked on too many and had no fun working on them.