First Time Owner - 2000 LC 359k Miles

[BullElk]

Top 4x Splash Guard Mud Flaps Mudflaps for Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series 98-07 | eBay

I bought these and look and work perfectly.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I ordered touch up paint from Automotive Touch-up to fix where the fenders and running boards were rubbing. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take before and after pictures but I'll try to get pictures of the results and upload them soon. Here's some of my thoughts on it:

1. I ordered the brush bottles (primer, base, and clear) and a base pen.
2. I'm definitely not a painter. The brush bottles resulting in a wavy finish on flat, smooth areas (ie the doors/above the arch). From about 5ft away you can't tell but you can from about 2ft. I'll likely have these areas touched up by a professional body shop sometime soon.
3. The clear coat makes the white touch-up paint (056) appear slightly yellow compared to the factory paint. Again, you can't tell from a distance (about 3ft in this case) but it is noticeable when you get about 1-2ft away.
4. The pen is great, especially for rock strikes on the front.
5. The brush is great for the edge of the doors and on the very bottom where the running board rubbed.
6. I wouldn't recommend the brush bottles for areas any larger than a nickle, especially on smooth, flat panels (unless you have experience painting). The aerosol version would likely provide a smoother finish and is would I would have ordered looking back. However, for small chips and for places that are semi-hidden (door sills) this is a great solution to improved the appearance of your vehicle.
7. They ship out of the New Orleans, LA area and take about 3 days to mix plus shipping time.
8. Overall, fairly pleased with the product. Definitely a learning curve involved but with some practice I think most people would be able to achieve satisfactory results.

Cool to see so many miles on a clean rig! Nice find!

I've dabbled enough to almost know what I'm doing with auto paint and I've used the paint pens, brushes, aerosols, and now have a full blown filtered, cross-draft DIY paint booth in my garage. I'll add these thoughts to supplement your comments:

1. The touch-up paint pens and brushes are only good for sharp scratches. Even then, they're borderline miserable. They cover up exposed steel well to prevent rust, but you'll still know exactly where that scratch/chip is.
2. The aerosols can be great, but will require more prep work. They're good for spots thinner than a few passes (maybe 12" max). Any more width and it's real hard to avoid striping. If it's thicker, a legit paint gun might be needed.
3. Don't forget clearcoat aerosol as well. 1K is fine for most, but 2K is the bees knees for real protection and longevity.
3. Clear coat blenders are amazing. Most auto paint stores should have it. I have a 1k can in my arsenal now that's been wonderful. You apply it at the transition between new and old clear and fade it as best you can. It should be applied right after your new clear. I think it chemically melts the clears and solidifies very, very smoothly making the transition disappear. It's like magic in a can. I was intimidated at first, but now I'm excited to try to blend paint for fun, haha.

Auto paint has been a source of annoyance for me for a decade as I've always owned cars with iffy paint, but just recently I'm finally enjoying that aspect of restoration. Once you get the right tools for the job it's super satisfying work.

 

[TheMischus]

Thanks for the input! I've toyed with the idea of going to a junk yard and grabbing an old fender to experiment on. I've painted houses, cabinets, etc. but automotive paint is a completely different animal. I'll have to look into the blenders and watch a few YouTube videos and reattempt the touch up. I don't think many will notice the current touch up but it's painfully obvious to me lol

Cool to see so many miles on a clean rig! Nice find!

I've dabbled enough to almost know what I'm doing with auto paint and I've used the paint pens, brushes, aerosols, and now have a full blown filtered, cross-draft DIY paint booth in my garage. I'll add these thoughts to supplement your comments:

1. The touch-up paint pens and brushes are only good for sharp scratches. Even then, they're borderline miserable. They cover up exposed steel well to prevent rust, but you'll still know exactly where that scratch/chip is.
2. The aerosols can be great, but will require more prep work. They're good for spots thinner than a few passes (maybe 12" max). Any more width and it's real hard to avoid striping. If it's thicker, a legit paint gun might be needed.
3. Don't forget clearcoat aerosol as well. 1K is fine for most, but 2K is the bees knees for real protection and longevity.
3. Clear coat blenders are amazing. Most auto paint stores should have it. I have a 1k can in my arsenal now that's been wonderful. You apply it at the transition between new and old clear and fade it as best you can. It should be applied right after your new clear. I think it chemically melts the clears and solidifies very, very smoothly making the transition disappear. It's like magic in a can. I was intimidated at first, but now I'm excited to try to blend paint for fun, haha.

Auto paint has been a source of annoyance for me for a decade as I've always owned cars with iffy paint, but just recently I'm finally enjoying that aspect of restoration. Once you get the right tools for the job it's super satisfying work.

 

[TheMischus]

I haven't done much to the LC in terms of mods/customization since the last update. Mostly just driving it and doing some light off-road. I've taken it on two separate 600+ mile trips without any issues. I have another 600+ mile trip planned for Oct and don't have an reservations about taking the LC. I'm about to hit 6mos of ownership and thought I'd do a quick cost of ownership. I'll exclude anything optional (like my tire purchase, tint, etc.) and just include regular/major maintenance, unexpected repairs, an estimated gas expense, recurring expenses like insurance, etc. Hopefully this will give anyone who's toying with buying a high mileage LC a realistic idea of what to expect. These are all shop prices unless otherwise notated with an "*".

March
Scheduled Maintenance item, Timing belt: $1,224.93

April
Scheduled Maintenance item, oil change, fluid flush: $418.50
*Scheduled Maintenance item, heater Ts: $6.79

Jun
Unexpected item, CEL/VSC lights on (A/C relay bad): $46.64

Aug
Unexpected item, CEL/VSC lights on (A/C clutch, refrigerant leak, recharged A/C w/ dye only, replacement in future): $115.46

Sept
Scheduled Maintenance item, oil change, tire rotation, lube: $68.14
Unexpected item, inner/outer tie rod ends: $796.64

Estimated Gas expense $1660

6mos insurance: $290.05

Total: $4620.36 (or $770.06/mo)

 

[Theraf8100]

Why do you want to change the windshield and have you priced anything out yet? Mines got a couple chips and is looking pretty pitted itself.

 

[TheMischus]

Why do you want to change the windshield and have you priced anything out yet? Mines got a couple chips and is looking pretty pitted itself.

You can't tell from the photo but when I purchased it there was a long crack across the width. It's since been struck by about 9 rocks. I quoted a replacement at a few places. I live in Jackson, MS metro so prices may not be accurate for your location.

Aftermarket glass: $190-210 installed.
Toyota glass: $385-400 installed.

 

[TheMischus]

I'm in the process of replacing all bulbs with LEDs. Got the H/L and fogs replaced this evening and should have the parking bulbs by Sunday. Next I'll do the rear and then move to the interior. Looking forward having more usable light inside and out.

High beam: CougarMotor LED Headlight Bulbs All-in-One Conversion Kit - 9005-10000 Lm 6000K Cool White CREE Amazon product ASIN B01H6NZ6F2
Low Beam: CougarMotor LED Headlight Bulbs All-in-One Conversion Kit - 9006-10000Lm 6000K Cool White CREE Amazon product ASIN B01H6NZ7BA
Fog: LED Fog Lights Bulbs Or DRL 9006 HB4, Super Bright Amber Yellow 3000K, 4000Lm,High Power for Fog Driving Light,24Pcs 3030SMD for Fog Light Lamps Replacement 2Yrs Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PR4638Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u6rgEb8P246QM

*Update: I took the LC out tonight and wow! These bulbs are 20x better than the halogens. Before I barely had any usable light on low beams and the high beams performed about as well as modern low beams. Now I can actually see what's ahead of me and didn't get any flashes from oncoming traffic. By far the best $60 I've spent! 10/10 would recommend.

 

[gungriffin]

You can't tell from the photo but when I purchased it there was a long crack across the width. It's since been struck by about 9 rocks. I quoted a replacement at a few places. I live in Jackson, MS metro so prices may not be accurate for your location.

Aftermarket glass: $190-210 installed.
Toyota glass: $385-400 installed.

Be VERY careful with who replaces the windshield. These vehicles are notorious for having rust issues when the windshield is replaced. I am getting ready to deal with rust on my 100 from a previous windshield replacement.

 

[TheMischus]

Be VERY careful with who replaces the windshield. These vehicles are notorious for having rust issues when the windshield is replaced. I am getting ready to deal with rust on my 100 from a previous windshield replacement.

That sucks! What kind of damage are you looking at? I was looking at having either safelite or a local glass/tint shop that deals with a lot of high end vehicles do mine but now may reach out to the local LC guys and see who they use.

 

[gungriffin]

That sucks! What kind of damage are you looking at? I was looking at having either safelite or a local glass/tint shop that deals with a lot of high end vehicles do mine but now may reach out to the local LC guys and see who they use.

As I understand it, when removing the windshield, they can knick the paint with the razor. The exposed metal will then rust.

 

[TheMischus]

As I understand it, when removing the windshield, they can knick the paint with the razor. The exposed metal will then rust.

That makes sense. I've noticed the paint on the 100s seem to be very thin. :/

 

[TheMischus]

Got the interior lights changed today. Just lack blinkers and tail lights.

 

[Ambledog]

Coming along very nice, keep going!

 

[TheMischus]

I’ve seen a handful of positive reviews about the eBay snorkels and ran across this for $65.
For 1998-2007 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series Black Air Intake Snorkel System Kit

I thought what the hell, that’s cheap so I’ll grab it and see how it looks. Should be delivered Saturday night and if everything looks good I’ll try to get it installed Sunday. This will undoubtedly send me down a rabbit hole of other mods revolving around waterproof/protecting electrical components.

 

[TheMischus]

Finally took care of the fog light assemblies. New ones were $80 shipped from Ebay. Added clear silicone around the edges to (hopefully) prevent water intrusion. Brand: Eagle Eyes. Made in Taiwan. We'll see how they hold up.