Overall condition, lack of rust, maintenance history and asking price - these are all more important than whether it has 125k or 250k miles on it. As others have said, buy the best example of one that you can find within your price range, with a savings for maintenance/repairs. I looked around for about four months until I found a non-nav LX with 169k mi, most maintenance records and no rust. Then it was just a matter of baselining it after purchase (timing belt, fluids, etc) and it's been a great daily driver for the past six months since I got it. Zero regrets on this truck.
How many miles are too much...
- Thread starter BigTiger93
- Start date
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Mine at 325K runs like a champ. Traded a 4th Gen for it. Guy was a Runner nut so it worked in my favor. ZERO RUST. I've already put upper and lower ball joints, all fluids, drive belt, plugs, new springs and shocks all around. Also tint and a new stereo. My Toyota mechanic is fair on pricing so it hasn't killed me. Still need valve covers gaskets, tie rod ends, steering damper, o2 sensors, and CV axles.
Sounds like a lot but it really isn't. I can slow play it. The only pressing issue were my upper and lower ball joints. No rust was a major factor for me putting $ into it. The engine is probably the best (if not top 2) engine Toyota has ever made. These engines routinely run well over 500K.
Oh, and mine came with cloth, heated, power seats from the factory that are in terrific condition!
Sounds like a lot but it really isn't. I can slow play it. The only pressing issue were my upper and lower ball joints. No rust was a major factor for me putting $ into it. The engine is probably the best (if not top 2) engine Toyota has ever made. These engines routinely run well over 500K.
Oh, and mine came with cloth, heated, power seats from the factory that are in terrific condition!
Still feel this way after another 6 months?
I've really been struggling to find a sub 150k one. Its for my wife and she is set on black with tan interior. Also has to have car seat latch and like you I want a non-nav lx so am limited to a 2001.
I've found a nice texas one (no rust, good records up to 120k) with 157k but as I want this to be her dd for the next 8-10 years I am a little hesitant. But it seems like finding a well taken care of 2001 with < 150k is turning out to be almost impossible (or maybe i'm just too impatient)
Maintenance might be key but age is age. No matter how well maintained age will take its toll on parts. Get the newest well maintained cruiser you can find.
Here's my highest mileage 100 series. I bought as non running tow-away. It's our daily driver now.
forum.ih8mud.com
Scored 00LX w/557,333 Km, Emerald! No start condition. needs a ton of work. No Problem!
See bottom of this OP for index of work done to restore. I'll keep adding to index as thread develops! So this LX470 being a green LX470, gets named "Emerald". We name them all, to confusing otherwise. She's rough around the edges. Most all body panels have a dings, dent or scratch and...
forum.ih8mud.com
When I start to think my truck is too old or accruing too many miles- I just think about all of the 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 series that are much older than my vehicle and still just chooglin along
I wouldn’t be afraid of the versions with the Nav unit (should expand your search quite a bit). You’ll also get the 5 speed trans which is also a plus. I have nothing against the pre 2003 models, it just gets very hard to find EXACLY what you’re looking for. I searched for 2 years and finally found a one-owner 04 with good service and in great condition (garaged, 100k). This was back in 2015, I’ve been driving daily for almost 4 years and it’s the best vehicle I’ve ever owned.
How often do you see people submit pictures of their r&p worn to little sharp nubs?
When they pull the drain plug and find all sorts of bits stuck to the magnet.... a lot....
I'm unconvinced that means the gears are toast.
It doesn’t mean they are toast, i’m means wear is a real thing and that it’s milage dependent. They wear, and will ultimately get to a point of failure. It happens, there’s no way around it.
"That's physics, it's inevitable" -Les Grossman
Ok. So is the inevitability of the heat death of the universe. I'm arguing that the minute wear on the meshing gear surfaces are not going to require consideration of their lifespan vis a vis the rest of the vehicle. The million miles tundra - was the ring and pinion a soup of metal particles? No