EDIT: BOUGHT and Enjoying***Prospective 200 owner, What would you do? (1 Viewer)

[dudemancool1904]

Hi all and thanks for your time.

I'm in the USA (CA) and am looking for a low mileage clean title 200-series.

I've narrowed my search down to 2019-2021 model years due to all the updates (radiator, 8 speed transmission, transmission software, TSS)

Build will daily driveable with CA desert, mountains, and snow mixed in. Suspension (control arms), some Kings, keeping KDSS, tires no bigger than a 34", lockers, nothing crazy. Going for an OEM+ theme.

My question to you all is what would you start with? For what I want out of this project should I spend the premium and get a Heritage Edition? Or save the $20k , get a non HE, and pour it into mods? I would rather have a 2 row truck without a coolbox, but it's not a deal breaker.

Would you wince at a truck with 60k miles vs one with 30k miles?

Also should I be looking for Toyota Gold Certified CPO? I know these trucks are "reliable" but 100k powertrain warranty seems pretty good!

For reference, the HE's i've looked at are all still in the $80k range, while the non HE's are deep in $60k territory.

Thanks for your help and I hope to post some pics soon!

 

[TheComedian]

Would go for a suspension upgrade just with shocks and that stuff. Nothing at the arms. Keep as much as possible oem.
With tires I would head for a daily for AT with around 285/70 so ~32-33“. Good size that fits 99,9% and you don’t need to cut anything.
Honestly thats the only thing that is needed in my eyes. Everything else is a nice to have but don’t give you benefits.
The second most good stuff I made myself was an aftermarket radio (my 200 had only the good old radio+cd player combination) and a cupholder….

 

[bloc]

My question to you all is what would you start with? For what I want out of this project should I spend the premium and get a Heritage Edition? Or save the $20k , get a non HE, and pour it into mods? I would rather have a 2 row truck without a coolbox, but it's not a deal breaker.

20k is a pretty big number for non-dealbreakers.

Would you wince at a truck with 60k miles vs one with 30k miles?

Not at all, mine has 200k on it and you'd swear it has 50k based on how it drives.


I'll let others speak to the advantage of CPO.

 

[doru]

Save the money unless you really have to have that HE badge.
Use some of that money to get the mods you want.
60k is nothing.

 

[JPRS]

If 20K is the difference between equivalent HE and non-HE 200s, I'd definitely go for the non-HE. Love the cool box! I know some don't, but even if you don't, it can still be used for storage, and are you willing to pay 20K for the tiny bit of extra storage you would get without the cool box? Not me.

The third-row seats are not too difficult to remove on the non-HE. Personally, I don't like the roof box on the HE and it seems most people remove that. Really, the non-HE has more going for it than the HE. It just doesn't have the cool grill and side emblem.

If I was shopping for me and my usage right now, I would actually be willing to pay more for the non-HE. If I was shopping with the hope that I'm going to preserve this vehicle so it will some day be a collector vehicle, I'd get the HE.

Not much difference between 30k and 60k mileage trucks. Whether or not they were in the rust belt is the bigger issue. And don't overlook the 2018s. The radiator issue was corrected mid-year of 2018. I have one of the corrected ones and I believe mine has a manufacture date around July or maybe June. But check the driver door jamb.

 

[doru]

You can still use the coolbox for storage. Just don;t turn it on. You can buy an aftermarket organizer insert that will make that space even more usable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NT62S44/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That is an example. There are many variations, search on amazon.

 

[TheComedian]

You can still use the coolbox for storage. Just don;t turn it on. You can buy an aftermarket organizer insert that will make that space even more usable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NT62S44/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That is an example. There are many variations, search on amazon.

This. In winter it is storage and in summer I have icecold beverages in there. You can btw fit also two wine bottles in it…

 

[BadReligion]

Build will daily driveable with CA desert, mountains, and snow mixed in. Suspension (control arms), some Kings, keeping KDSS, tires no bigger than a 34", lockers, nothing crazy. Going for an OEM+ theme.

I kind of went for the same thing, what I consider OEM +. A 2" lift with King shocks, hidden front winch, rear color matched Dissent Bumper (no swing outs), sliders, skid plates, and LRA 12.5g aux tank. It handles great and is also a bit more capable (offroad obviously) but also better set up for towing. Running a 33.5" tire, which still fits under the LRA tank. I did UCAs too, but probably not needed.

Don't spend a $20k premium on a Heritage. Crazy that they go for that. $20k would more than cover the above mods. As others have mentioned, removing the third row is really easy, and the coolbox is actually very nice to have. If you don't like it, turn it off. You still have storage but I actually use mine quite often (especially with kids and on long trips).

I'd take garaged and maintained 60k over 30k that looks like its been used. Being in San Diego, do not settle for anything east of Arizona/NM (maybe TX, but make sure there isn't hidden hail damage).

 

[Sandroad]

As long as you practice due diligence and get a sample that’s been cared for, there’s no need to make a special effort to get a CPO.

You can easily remove a 3rd row

You will quickly come to love a cool box. Very versatile for storage and/or drinks. I still can’t imagine why Toyota deleted it on the HE.

 

[BadReligion]

Also don't discount 2017/18 due to the radiator. A few hours of time and $600 later, problem solved.

 

[rexington14]

For $60k+ to $80k+ I'm starting with a brand new LC250 or GX550 Overtrail +. But that's just me.

 

[bicycleagent003]

For $60k+ to $80k+ I'm starting with a brand new LC250 or GX550 Overtrail +. But that's just me.

Agreed. So much so that I'm hoping to swoop on a nice LX570 once the new rigs with all the cool tech are easier to come by. But that's just me.

 

[linuxgod]

Skip the HE. It’s not worth $10k let alone $20k

I went CPO and then added the Toyota extended VSA because it gave me 50k miles and 5 years coverage for about $1300. These can be significantly negotiated. It did not pay for itself directly but I took a 5 year loan on a 2 year old truck so the coverage was an insurance policy. I got back a bit over half with a radiator replacement. I also reported my CDL acting up while under warranty, and though it didn’t fail until 135k Toyota did split the replacement cost with me because I’d reported it twice under warranty happening intermittently. That was $1300 refunded so it probably did pay for itself in that case.

30k vs 60k doesn’t really matter. You can have bad luck on any vehicle but these largely go 300k without big issues. The stuff that starts to creep up happen IMO around the 150k mark, give or take.

If you go with aftermarket suspension you likely will need upper control arms to get your alignment right. If you don’t, then keep OEM, but the majority do need them I think

I agree with stopping at 33” tires unless your goal is to really push the limit. You’ll have a lot of rubbing and contact on 34s to work out, trust me

 

[M1911]

I love my coolbox. I would get the non-HE model and put the saved money into your build.

Land Cruisers in general are too expensive around here. I’m getting a 2020 LX to replace my 2013 LC.

 

[CT3]

I have a 2020 HE — biggest complaint is the lack of cool box. I cannot fathom why the prices are so much higher for the HE, it is, for all intents and purposes, a cosmetic trim/package that actually REMOVES content, particularly for the original two row configuration.

Buy a standard LC, spend the difference in price to buy the suspension, tires, and sliders of your choice. For me it would be BP51s, Slee/Dissent, ATs, etc. You will most likely need UCAs if you lift the vehicle enough, which it sounds like you want to.

Mileage as others have said is not a concern from my perspective. If you can get an extended warranty for relatively small money, might as well, but it’s not necessary.

With all that said I would personally advise against a new LC/GX instead of a 200. At least for now. Call me old fashioned but there is something about the most recent Tundra/LX recall that leaves me… disappointed… in this most recent crop of new Toyota/Lexus offerings. If these vehicles lose their reliability (and I think engine failure would qualify in this case) then the rest of us should have just been buying Mercedes G/LR Defenders this entire time. Maybe that’s just me.

Best of luck!

 

[Blackwater]

Being in the 2019+ 200 series market myself, with all the gx550 and LC250 talk, I'm really curious what the cost the newer 200 series trucks will do once these new ones are readily available..

 

[M1911]

I have a 2020 HE — biggest complaint is the lack of cool box. I cannot fathom why the prices are so much higher for the HE, it is, for all intents and purposes, a cosmetic trim/package that actually REMOVES content, particularly for the original two row configuration.

That was my opinion as well. About the only thing I liked about the HE was the wheels.

 

[CT3]

That was my opinion as well. About the only thing I liked about the HE was the wheels.

I like the black headliner personally. I think the doors look nice without the extra moldings but it only makes them more prone to costly bumps… can’t have it all I guess

 

[acruisinf]

@dudemancool1904 if you end up buying a non-heritage and remove the third row, give me a holler. I’ve got an OEM Heritage all-weather rear cargo mat I’m trying to get rid of. Pay shipping and it’s yours.

 

[bloc]

I like the black headliner personally. I think the doors look nice without the extra moldings but it only makes them more prone to costly bumps… can’t have it all I guess

Sliders solve that problem nicely, depending on the height of the offending door.