Advice buying a 100-Series in 2017

[growly]

Hi new friends,

I'm a newb so please no flames! I'd like to buy a Land Cruiser. I'm in Berkeley, CA. I won't do much off-roading but I will go to the snow and I will go adventuring one way or another (I'm from New Zealand). I'm a new PhD grad student but I was working for a (long) while before this so I've got some savings. The car I left in NZ is an E46 M3 that I miss dearly - I want something very different!

I've had a read of the FAQ, things to look for when inspecting and purchasing, as well as the differences between the manufacturing years. The market seems pretty dismal. I'm basically relegated to craiglist (right?). The LX470 is actually easier to find in good condition (which makes sense given the target market), but I don't like the front lights/guard look. At all.

It looks like I can either:

1. Get a $6-9k 1999-2002 LC with ~240k miles
2. Get a $15k 2004-2006 LC with ~200k miles
3. Not get an LC

I've read that these beasts go to 350+k miles if tended to carefully. I don't mind getting one with a few cosmetic problems as long as the mechanical foundation is strong. In fact that'd be preferable - I won't have to worry about other students dinging my car. But I imagine that answering that question is the hard part...

I'd appreciate any advice/sagely wisdom.

Thanks in advance!

 

[vman07]

Patience and a willingness to travel far and wide in your vehicle search will work in your favor. The sweet spot for 06-07 100's seems to be 150,000 miles for $16-$20k. And you can paint the LX grill...

 

[ballardcruiser]

Figure out what your budget is and take your time in your search. If NorCal is slim pickings, expand to other nearby states (there are a ton of Cruisers in the Pacific Northwest and of course there are advantages to buying a rig from the Southwest - no rust). Find one that checks all the boxes, get on a cheap flight and make an adventure of it.

Beyond Craigslist, there are plenty of rigs for sale here on the mud classifieds as well as the occasional eBay / cars.com gem (scattered amidst a ton of used car lots).

If you're not towing, I wouldn't stress too much about the 4 vs 5 speed transmission (older or newer generation). I'd focus instead on the condition of the rig, whether or not it has a navigation/stereo system that will drive you nuts and service records. Deciding on a rig w/ over 220k miles would only bother me if I was going to do a ton of daily driving every year and I wanted to keep it forever. All depends on your comfort level (they will go forever).

Finding a LC with dings and dents but with perfect mechanical maintenance seems like a unicorn mission. Usually, the overall appearance of the car reflects how anal the owners are about upkeep in general.

 

[lt1fire]

I paid $6k for a 98 with 180k and a lift and arb bumper

You can find good deals out there.

 

[BEG]

If you really want the best deal, try and get over the looks of the LX. They are more plentiful, usually in better condition with fewer miles and quite a bit cheaper in most markets. They're a better value and a better vehicle overall.

 

[LandCrushers]

I was in the same boat as you a year ago. I wanted to spend a little more and get a truck with less miles, and ended up finding a 2004 LC with 125K miles, but I paid nearly $20K for it. There are a few improvements with the newer year trucks, but I don't think you'll find many people who would fault you for buying an older truck. In hindsight I wish I would have bought an older truck with a few more miles and had more money left over for mods. The reality is that pretty much any truck you find that hasn't been ragged out will serve you well.

 

[LJOHNS]

You might consider a newer 4runner or FJ Cruiser. Also very reliable off road rigs.

 

[growly]

Awesome, thanks all. I really appreciate it!

I'll be a bit more patient. Maybe with time the LX470 will grow on me too. (And I do keep looking at 4Runners. Back in NZ they were Hiluxes. They're fantastic.)

 

[Fitzo]

I bought a 2001 LC with 170K from the original owner about a month ago for 7K. Unfortunately, I've already dumped $3200.00 on new front axle's, wheel bearings, carrier bearing support bracket and bushing, front brakes and fluids. I did not get a pre-purchase inspection and when I went to have all fluids changed, I was made aware of other issues that needed to be addressed. My advice is the same as most on the board, try to get the best maintained LC you can find and you do need to be patient. I looked for months. There are just not very many of them out there when compared to Sequoia's, 4Runners, Tacomas, etc. They are expensive to work on if you cannot DIY various issues that do come up. That said, its no comparison when it comes to my 2002 3rd Gen 4Runner its replacing. Good luck in your search.

 

[Jefferdy]

We found a 98LC with 260K for $8K, with all the right receipts and records (one owner, was a meticulous doctor who liked to road trip apparently). We only had to drive two hours for it, but were willing to make an adventure of it by going further. That being said, KNOW the little quirks and things that go wrong with each year/model--I found out AFTER the purchase that the moonroof was completely INOP and should have knocked 500-1K off the price for that! Locate a member in the area you might be willing to purchase from (AZ isn't too far from you, right?) who'd be willing to help you out by way of an inspection in exchange for beers or something. This has been a VERY helpful community and I'm super glad I can call myself part of it now that I, too, have a sweet LC!

Best of luck, please keep us posted!

 

[Jfcol]

I was in the market a few months ago. Kept checking Autotrader and Craigslist primarily. Looked at a few that didn't call to me. Tried CarGurus and found the perfect one (for me). An 05 with 170000 that looks almost new. So far no surprises. My point is, check everywhere. Sometimes a more obscure site will have what you're looking for.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Buy the newest LC you can afford.

 

[vman07]

I was on Cargurus every day during my search, eventually I got my 07' here on Mud....

 

[WillW]

There have been a ton of decently priced ones on CL recently, I've been checking daily.

If you won't really go off-roading, do you really want a LC? I would get something that gets better than 14mpg. Those Tahoe trips add up.

 

[pkniland]

I'd look at the GX470 as well. Solid platform with the 2uz

 

[DFXR]

Option #2

Patience - you'll look, and look, and look some more. And then suddenly the right one will come up.

Be ready to jump on something as soon as it comes up - and if that means a Southwest flight somewhere within a few states, so be it. Having done the research here and across the internet will help you make that move without feeling like you're rolling the dice (to a point).

Craigslist, yes, but good trucks do come up on Mud. I got mine from a Mud member out of Reno. The price was fair and almost 5 years later, no surprises.

4runners have their charms... but I do think that once you get into an LC, you'll love it enough to accept the crappy MPGs.

 

[Knox_Overland]

Just traveled to Asheville, NC from Knoxville,Tn to pick up this gem. 2002 w/ 188k. Paid $11k. It was a California mom rig. Underneath is so clean I could eat off of it. The deals are out there.

 

[Couvi]

I looked for almost 2 years, searched daily. I had one of the local Toyota dealers watching for me as well, that's where mine came from. 1 owner, 100k, 2004 model. Bought it 2 years ago, best car I've ever owned. Be patient, they're worth the wait.

 

[SierraWheeler]

I agree with others on here, be patient, stay vigilant, and something good will pop up. A private party sale via Craigslist is your best bet for a good deal.

I live in the Bay Area also. My search lasted 3-4 months and I missed a good many deals because I wasn't fast enough. I finally found my 100 series in January of this year. I called within a few minutes of it popping up on craigslist and had to drive through the night to Temecula to pick it up. Someone else also offered cash above asking price... I had beaten them by minutes and I had to haggle with the seller to hang onto the deal. It is a 2001 Land Cruiser, 1 owner, mint condition, with 108k miles and I paid 9k.

I recommend checking craigslist often and having a fat stack of cold hard cash ready to go. The good ones disappear within hours. You will need to be willing to drive and/or fly long distances, even skipping work as necessary to get to the good deal first.

Hang in there, the suffering is worth it!

 

[mattafact]

I've bought both my 100s at non Toyota/lexus dealers. I find they want to get rid of them and are more willing to bargain. Had an 06 and sold it to buy my house. Ended up with my 98 and it's been great. Love the lower final drive ratio too.

Next one will be a 200 for sure. The 06 was cool but that ancient nav system is like watching standard def tv. No thanks.