Howdy, I'm new! Wanted to say hi. About to purchase a 2000 100 series and wanted some opinions

[kgrove]

Considered the Tacoma and 4Runner heavily for quite some time. After test driving a few, I just found them to be a little small for me (driving, and space in the back to build a sleeping platform etc.) The land cruiser has been on my radar for 6 months because I can get a good one for a lot less than a taco or 4runner, it’s a great size for my family, and I just love the look of them. the reliability factor is a big deal too. Not crazy about the other options you mentioned, mostly because I’d like to have a Toyota. I’ve only ever owned Toyota’s and they’ve always served me very well. I’ve considered the Sequoia and also open to it, just gotta find the right one. I think the reason i lean toward land cruiser is after market support, and I’d like to build it out quite a bit in the future.

Take a look at the Sequoia. They are much easier to find and therefore cheaper than 100 series and bigger than 4Runners / Tacomas. For the same $11K you were talking here, you could likely find one with far fewer miles. Through 2007 they shared the same 4.7 V8 as the 100 and 2008+ the 5.7L as the 200 series and Tundra, though also came in a smaller V8 (same 4.6 as the LC Prado and GX??). The engine and drivetrain reliability is sky high, but they aren't quite as robustly built as an LC so are more prone to squeaks and rattles. I had a 2007 LC and my wife had a 2007 Sequoia, and the funny part is her Sequoia was noticeably bigger in every dimension, but my LC was still probably 400 lbs heavier. The Seq felt lighter and faster in city driving, but felt "cheaper". Sequoias aren't quite as good an off roader as an LC, but I'd bet they are probably about the same as a Taco or 4Runner... for sure better than your Prius. I'm not saying they're great, but they would give you Toyota reliability for probably 30-40% less cost and are way easier to locate.

 

[ramangain]

I know what this is REALLY about. You want to burn some Dino juice to cancel out your years of goody environmental awareness in your Prius.

Stand proud !

 

[wscully]

I know what this is REALLY about. You want to burn some Dino juice to cancel out your years of goody environmental awareness in your Prius.

Stand proud !

How'd you know?

 

[ramangain]

How'd you know?

You're in Portland. To heck with it all!

 

[suprarx7nut]

Don't sweat the PPI money lost. Count on doing a handful for any car purchase, especially if you're price sensitive.

Trust me, 5 PPI's will pale in comparison to the maintenance you're going to face in the first year or two of ownership.

Coming from a Prius, I think it's worth really studying and coming to terms with running costs on these. It will be a lot more than a Prius. Perhaps an order of magnitude more.

 

[utflowerman]

Coming from a Prius, I think it's worth really studying and coming to terms with running costs on these. It will be a lot more than a Prius. Perhaps an order of magnitude more.

Having sold a Prius and a Tacoma to buy my nice, well taken care of LX, I will say the 100 is...surprising. In an expensive way. I thought I prepared myself for 12mpg at best and expensive parts...nope.

But, I am able to manage it and I love it. Best vehicle I’ve ever owned, hands down.

 

[wscully]

Having sold a Prius and a Tacoma to buy my nice, well taken care of LX I will say the 100 is...surprising. In an expensive way.

Could you give me some specifics? I definitely understand that it will take regular maintenance and upkeep, but just curious of some examples.

 

[utflowerman]

Could you give me some specifics? I definitely understand that it will take regular maintenance and upkeep, but just curious of some examples.

Inside secret number one: these are reliable because of all the maintenance and repairs, not completely because they are inherently bulletproof. Built better? Yes. Ready to survive anything on the cheap? Nope. There is a reason the long time owners here always warn new buyers of poor maintenance records when purchasing.

Gas. I could only get like 6 gallons in my Prius. If you have an early Prius you understand. My 15-17 dollar fill ups lasted as long as my now 50-60 dollar fill ups at 23 gallons or whatever. Annual maintenance on a Prius is waaaay cheaper than the difference in gas alone.

Parts. They are expensive. That’s about that.

The memories we are making with our 100 are worth way more than all that however. As for the PPI stuff...mine was inspected by a Toyota dealer and they missed a few thousand dollars worth of stuff. If you can’t have a knowledgeable cruiser shop do a PPI don’t expect much.

 

[wscully]

Inside secret number one: these are reliable because of all the maintenance and repairs, not completely because they are inherently bulletproof. Built better? Yes. Ready to survive anything on the cheap? Nope. There is a reason the long time owners here always warn new buyers of poor maintenance records when purchasing.

Gas. I could only get like 6 gallons in my Prius. If you have an early Prius you understand. My 15-17 dollar fill ups lasted as long as my now 50-60 dollar fill ups at 23 gallons or whatever. Annual maintenance on a Prius is waaaay cheaper than the difference in gas alone.

Parts. They are expensive. That’s about that.

The memories we are making with our 100 are worth way more than all that however. As for the PPI stuff...mine was inspected by a Toyota dealer and they missed a few thousand dollars worth of stuff. If you can’t have a knowledgeable cruiser shop do a PPI don’t expect much.

Yeah, definitely ready for the higher cost of running this. Thankfully there's two LC shops in Portland, so the next one I won't be so impatient and just wait on their schedule.

 

[lawrence1]

I think you made the right call. Prepare to spend $3-$5K immediately upon purchase for most cars in this price range (yes, that includes cars that don't need anything to make them road worthy, or have other obvious major repairs that need to be addressed) if you'd like to have a car that drives like it should and like it was designed to drive. If you're not doing any of your own work, that number may be even higher, depending on what you end up buying. Don't believe the hype that you probably read online on how these cars are stone cold reliable. They are well built yes, but you're buying one that's 20yrs old, and has over 200K miles on it, so expect things to break. Also expect lots of deferred maintenance, which you'll want to get up to date on. Also expect to spend some money on replacing all fluids, filters, getting wheel bearings serviced, etc. If you're paying a shop to do all that, you're in for a multi thousand dollar bill right off the bat. Any modifications will be in addition to the above.

 

[wscully]

I think you made the right call. Prepare to spend $3-$5K immediately upon purchase for most cars in this price range (yes, that includes cars that don't need anything to make them road worthy, or have other obvious major repairs that need to be addressed) if you'd like to have a car that drives like it should and like it was designed to drive. If you're not doing any of your own work, that number may be even higher, depending on what you end up buying. Don't believe the hype that you probably read online on how these cars are stone cold reliable. They are well built yes, but you're buying one that's 20yrs old, and has over 200K miles on it, so expect things to break. Also expect lots of deferred maintenance, which you'll want to get up to date on. Also expect to spend some money on replacing all fluids, filters, getting wheel bearings serviced, etc. If you're paying a shop to do all that, you're in for a multi thousand dollar bill right off the bat. Any modifications will be in addition to the above.

Lawrence, I know what you're doing. You're trying to scare me. I will not be deterred, I will own a 100 series land cruiser. Cheers!

 

[lawrence1]

Lawrence, I know what you're doing. You're trying to scare me. I will not be deterred, I will own a 100 series land cruiser. Cheers!

you're in for a treat if this is scary to you. good luck!

 

[suprarx7nut]

Could you give me some specifics? I definitely understand that it will take regular maintenance and upkeep, but just curious of some examples.

I'm on mobile, but here ya go.

1. Front axles. They are commonly worn at the splines. New oem are $500 each. You'll also need new hub flanges if the CV splines are worn. Aftermarket are cheap and a significant gamble.

2. Cats. $1250 each at least. Aftermarket are weak, but cheaper.

3. Bushings are commonly toast. Oem is around $50 for each bushing. There are many.

4. Windshields. Commonly replaced poorly resulting in damage. Fixing properly costs thousands.

5. 90k service. Can be done on the cheap, but doing it "right" is nearly a grand in discounted parts. The good shops that offer this service will charge $2000-2500.

I'm sure there's more, but there's a start.

 

[Shortpencils]

It’s not that bad. If the costs to own these things wasn’t worth it, Mud wouldn’t exist. The right Cruiser is out there that’ll be good value for your money. This one wasn’t it, that’s all.

 

[suprarx7nut]

It’s not that bad. If the costs to own these things wasn’t worth it, Mud wouldn’t exist. The right Cruiser is out there that’ll be good value for your money. This one wasn’t it, that’s all.

Totally agreed it's worth it. Just don't want him coming into it with the expectation that it's a reliable car and therefore must not require much upkeep funding to keep it going.

They're definitely worth it, but most folks should count on a few thousand per year the first couple years. Aside from an out of warranty Mercedes/BMW/Audi, that's not something used car buyers are necessarily prepared for.

 

[dbfw]

Could you give me some specifics? I definitely understand that it will take regular maintenance and upkeep, but just curious of some examples.

Here are some more examples. I purchased my 99 in December of 2019 for $11k, 195,000 mi. Clean title, no rust. I did my research before taking the plunge, and because of that haven't really been surprised by any of this, part of the baselining process.

1. TB/WP service - ~$1000 DIY/~$1800 at a shop
2. Rear axle seal leaking - replaced seal and bearing, lots of press work so had to farm this one out - $1500
3. Brake master cylinder seals leaking internally, replaced entire MC/booster assembly - $2200 - $3300 for the part alone depending on supplier
4. Sunroof drive cables corroded into the guide tubes - $400 in parts, DIY labor. I don't even want to know what a shop would charge for this, $3500++?
5. Re-sealed evaporator core cover to stop drips on passenger side carpet - $0, DIY labor and used sealant I already had. I've heard this is stupid expensive at a shop
6. AHC flush and adjustment - $50 in fluid, DIY labor, shops don't know how to work on this system and will recommend expensive component replacement
7. Still need to change transmission, transfer case, front, and rear diffs fluid
8. Radiator top tank is getting pretty brown, will change soon along with heater hose Ts and clamps as PM, ~400 for new OEM, aftermarket can be found cheaper

Then there's the nice to haves:

1. I replaced my stock non-functioning 6 disc changer with a double-DIN Pioneer unit. Made a connector to plug in to the factory harness from instructions found here
2. Want to replace window runs for all 4 as they're all pretty slow up/down even after lubing with dry PTFE spray
3. Steering wheel tilt motor is getting intermittent when cold, will need replacement soon
4. 98-02 has very poor range with the remote fob. Will do antenna relocation mod using instructions found here
5. One lock actuator is starting to get a little noisy on hot days, will likely die this summer and I'll probably replace all 5 when it does

etc, etc.

So, if from the sound of it you're not a big DIY'er, use the shop prices for all of the above and then some. This isn't intended to scare you off at all, I feel I'm still ahead of what I would have been if I had purchased something new, and I love the truck. But, having run much cheaper Toyotas before, these can't just be neglected like my old 94 pickup, or a corolla.

In addition, I've been playing around with cars for years and typically enjoy tinkering around, improving things, doing maintenance, etc. If you'd rather just jump in and go without ever having to think about this or that, something newer might be a better match for you.

 

[wscully]

Here are some more examples. I purchased my 99 in December of 2019 for $11k, 195,000 mi. Clean title, no rust. I did my research before taking the plunge, and because of that haven't really been surprised by any of this, part of the baselining process.

1. TB/WP service - ~$1000 DIY/~$1800 at a shop
2. Rear axle seal leaking - replaced seal and bearing, lots of press work so had to farm this one out - $1500
3. Brake master cylinder seals leaking internally, replaced entire MC/booster assembly - $2200 - $3300 for the part alone depending on supplier
4. Sunroof drive cables corroded into the guide tubes - $400 in parts, DIY labor. I don't even want to know what a shop would charge for this, $3500++?
5. Re-sealed evaporator core cover to stop drips on passenger side carpet - $0, DIY labor and used sealant I already had. I've heard this is stupid expensive at a shop
6. AHC flush and adjustment - $50 in fluid, DIY labor, shops don't know how to work on this system and will recommend expensive component replacement
7. Still need to change transmission, transfer case, front, and rear diffs fluid
8. Radiator top tank is getting pretty brown, will change soon along with heater hose Ts and clamps as PM, ~400 for new OEM, aftermarket can be found cheaper

Then there's the nice to haves:

1. I replaced my stock non-functioning 6 disc changer with a double-DIN Pioneer unit. Made a connector to plug in to the factory harness from instructions found here
2. Want to replace window runs for all 4 as they're all pretty slow up/down even after lubing with dry PTFE spray
3. Steering wheel tilt motor is getting intermittent when cold, will need replacement soon
4. 98-02 has very poor range with the remote fob. Will do antenna relocation mod using instructions found here
5. One lock actuator is starting to get a little noisy on hot days, will likely die this summer and I'll probably replace all 5 when it does

etc, etc.

So, if from the sound of it you're not a big DIY'er, use the shop prices for all of the above and then some. This isn't intended to scare you off at all, I feel I'm still ahead of what I would have been if I had purchased something new, and I love the truck. But, having run much cheaper Toyotas before, these can't just be neglected like my old 94 pickup, or a corolla.

In addition, I've been playing around with cars for years and typically enjoy tinkering around, improving things, doing maintenance, etc. If you'd rather just jump in and go without ever having to think about this or that, something newer might be a better match for you.

Everything you guys are saying makes total sense! This is all stuff I had sort of gathered watching vids / reading articles, so I’m certainly prepared for this.

my dad was a mechanic, so I’ve got at least some decent DIY knowledge. My brother also has done a ton of mechanic work, so if anything he can give me a hand or advice.

thanks for the reply! Definitely helpful to know what to expect

 

[tshandonay]

Some of you might take this the wrong way or possibly say Hellll yeah.....but it seems like the folks attracted to the LC and this forum have what I would simple call having a high standard for proactive maintenance. My 300k unit probably has bad CV's and flanges, rides horrible because all the bushings are shot, its rusty as hell underneath, etc, etc. It does however never fail to get me anywhere I want to go. I put good tires on it and make sure the brakes are 100%. It is the most reliable and solid vehicle I own despite not replacing things when they're not broken but only worn from normal use. My fuel economy isn't that bad in comparison to what I read because I haven't added a thousand lbs of bold on stuff.

 

[wscully]

Some of you might take this the wrong way or possibly say Hellll yeah.....but it seems like the folks attracted to the LC and this forum have what I would simple call having a high standard for proactive maintenance. My 300k unit probably has bad CV's and flanges, rides horrible because all the bushings are shot, its rusty as hell underneath, etc, etc. It does however never fail to get me anywhere I want to go. I put good tires on it and make sure the brakes are 100%. It is the most reliable and solid vehicle I own despite not replacing things when they're not broken but only worn from normal use. My fuel economy isn't that bad in comparison to what I read because I haven't added a thousand lbs of bold on stuff.

I think that's what to expect in an enthusiast environment though. I'm taking all of this info and processing it for myself. I owned a 2000 Toyota Camry for about 8-9 years, it took me across the country twice. I had some very minor issues, like radiator, small oil leak, etc. But nothing ever major, and I really didn't take *super* great care of it. But it drove 2500 miles no problem at all, and took me on many local road trips with little to no maintenance. When I get my LC, I will 100% be taking way better care of it because I'll be using it to get out deep into the wilderness, so it's an investment for me. But I hear you, a lot of folks are very very focused on maintenance. It's all good perspective to have but I know a lot of this is people being enthusiastic. I welcome all perspectives And I certainly want to have a truck that's working well!

 

[suprarx7nut]

Some of you might take this the wrong way or possibly say Hellll yeah.....but it seems like the folks attracted to the LC and this forum have what I would simple call having a high standard for proactive maintenance. My 300k unit probably has bad CV's and flanges, rides horrible because all the bushings are shot, its rusty as hell underneath, etc, etc. It does however never fail to get me anywhere I want to go. I put good tires on it and make sure the brakes are 100%. It is the most reliable and solid vehicle I own despite not replacing things when they're not broken but only worn from normal use. My fuel economy isn't that bad in comparison to what I read because I haven't added a thousand lbs of bold on stuff.

You've got a good point with a couple exceptions. My perspective is definitely coming from the assumption you want no extra thunks and you want to replace stuff before you get stranded. 10 years ago I carried a full set of tools in my trunk basically counting on breaking down. All depends on your expectations and that is a good point. Some of us want our 100 to be as nice and reliable as possible and that can turn maintenance into a bit of a hobby for the DIY'er or a heft investment if you're paying for labor.

I think that's what to expect in an enthusiast environment though. I'm taking all of this info and processing it for myself. I owned a 2000 Toyota Camry for about 8-9 years, it took me across the country twice. I had some very minor issues, like radiator, small oil leak, etc. But nothing ever major, and I really didn't take *super* great care of it. But it drove 2500 miles no problem at all, and took me on many local road trips with little to no maintenance. When I get my LC, I will 100% be taking way better care of it because I'll be using it to get out deep into the wilderness, so it's an investment for me. But I hear you, a lot of folks are very very focused on maintenance. It's all good perspective to have but I know a lot of this is people being enthusiastic. I welcome all perspectives And I certainly want to have a truck that's working well!

You're touching on a part of why so many here take maintenance items more seriously. Breaking down on the highway a few miles from home is no biggie. Breaking down halfway into a mountain trail in the San Juans about 3 hours from a tiny town and 5 hours from a hospital/parts store is a different ordeal.

I bought a 100 because I want to get WAY out there. A good trail day for me means passing two cars in 4 hours and dispersed camping where you can't hear or see another human/car for 12 hours+. If that's your intended purpose it's probably a good idea to stay ahead of wear items and your cost of ownership is going to increase appreciably.