I hate to ask - Sequoia,

[Riley]

but it's worth a discussion. What's the verdit on the Toyota Sequoia? I understand that's the traction control system is probably not great off-road but perhaps OK? I have other issues with like the fact that: it's too big, no tailgate (to set fishing rods on and make lunch), no gutters to fit by boat rack on (like the 80) and not a landcruiser. But.....

are thy really all that bad? it is made by Toyota after all.

:-[

 

[cruiserdan]

The Sequoia is not a Landcruiser, not even close IMHO. It IS a nice SUV in the Expedition/Tahoe class. There have been some A/C issues that are being worked out but other than that it is a fine made-in-the-USA rig. That being said, I [glow=red,2,300]WOULD NOT[/glow] give up my 80 to get one. I do not believe that the off-road capability is even close to an 80. (one man's opinion of course).

Dan.

 

[uzj100]

Toyota and Ford are fierce competitors and the Sequioa is the Toyota's answer to the Expedition. A friend of mine works at Ford in Detroit and they are more concerned with Toyota than GM.

You have to ask yourself the tough question, what do I need the vehicle for? If it is light offroading and family truckster then the Sequioa will fit your needs and it is bigger than a LC.

The boss (my wife) says I get to have just one vehicle so I choose the 100 series. It is the family truckster and my intermediate to difficult offroader. It does both things great and I prefer the size of the LC. If I move to something bigger, it would be to a Suburban (the MAN's minivan). The LC is a tank, supposedly it weights more than a Sequioa and they make real offroad gear for the 100 series.

 

[CruisinGA]

DON"T buy a suburban they are the biggest POS I have ever seen. We have owned 3 and after about 80k miles they start to fall apart. The 'burban in our family is headed out the door in favor of either the 80 we're looking at or a UZJ100. My moms 'burban is 2 years newer and has 20k less miles than that '94 80, but has has countless more problems and drives like a boat with no rudder. It makes the 80 feel like a sports compact.
If a man's SUV is a rudderless boat that drops trannsmissions and rear ends like a Range Rover drops oil, then I guess a Suburban is it.

 

[ParadiseCruiser]

It is interesting to speculate about the Sequoia...

Keep in mind that the 100 series LC is coming to an end (in the U.S. anyway), and reportedly, the 2005 model year Land Cruiser will be something else "rebadged."

It has been reasonably well establsihed that the 2006 model year Lexus - the VX-470 to be exact - will be a rebadged Sequoia. Now, what does that tell you?

Have to admit, that's some real fodder to chew on for a awhile...

Cheers, R -

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with P-O-D.

The reality of the market is that for the vast majority of consumers in North America a simple (read poor off road) SUV is what the market wants. It may not be what we want, but it does suit the majority of their market. Strong Off Road capabilities is such a small niche. The last thing they need to do is overbuild some truck with features that many would find undesirable (ie using solid axle vs IFS).

If you want evidence of other manufacturers that have done the same thing, look no further than BMW Motorcycles (or Harleys). 'Traditional' (AKA Hardcore, original, real, etc) BMW drivers drove simple 'airheads', drove their bikes all the time, etc = relatively small niche market. BMW (as did Harley) looked at where the market was going and developed new bikes targeted at relatively wealthy baby boomers. Yes, the may have alienated their 'traditional' hard core users, but they also drove substantial growth in sales.

The 80 is the new 40 - something to keep. Get used to the Sequoia .

Cheers, Hugh

 

[Scamper]

Can always hope that Bill's Mega-Cruiser get here before they drop the 100's

Though I'm not sure I'd want something quite that big.

http://www.toyotaoffroad.com/MegaCruiser/mega_cruiser.htm

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

[quote author=Scamper link=board=2;threadid=3665;start=0#msg26896 date=1058293185]
Can always hope that Bill's Mega-Cruiser get here before they drop the 100's

[/quote]

I've always thought that the MegaC looks like a poorly executed version of the H1 - The interior looks like it was put together by some kid with spares from the parts bin....'ahhh, perfect a Tercel hand brake'

Although I do like the rear tire winch!

 

[ParadiseCruiser]

>> Can always hope that Bill's Mega-Cruiser get here before they drop the 100's

I've heard / read (from some reasonably reliable sources) that the Mega was developed with the cooperation of / input from American General - hence the similarity of the trucks.

I've also heard / read (this is more of a rumor) that because of the above, there is a importation / sale restriction on the Mega in the U.S. (no compete, and all of that...).

I'm not holding my breath on this being a "Cruiser" in the near term.

R -

 

[Jim_Chow]

Didn't Toyota have a concept, yuppie version of the FJ40 they were thinking about introducing to the US market? It's IFS (not sure about the rear). Too bad Toyota didn't just import the 4-door 70 series w/ more luxury gizmos to compete vs. the boxy, retro benz.

 

[erics_bruisers]

[quote author=Jim_Chow link=board=2;threadid=3665;start=0#msg26910 date=1058296416]
Didn't Toyota have a concept, yuppie version of the FJ40 they were thinking about introducing to the US market? It's IFS (not sure about the rear). Too bad Toyota didn't just import the 4-door 70 series w/ more luxury gizmos to compete vs. the boxy, retro benz.
[/quote]

check the link in the bottom right corner --

http://www.toyota.com/html/shop/look_ahead/

 

[semlin]

Benie, it depends on what you want. A new Sequoia is not a truck you want to take off road. You will just scratch it and depreciate it at break neck speed and void your warranty (unless you are a smooth talker like junk). One reason I went with a used 80 is that I don't cry when I get bush pin striping. As far as I'm concerned a Sequoia is a big minivan until its depreciated enough for me to offroad it. I'd buy a new Sienna instead.

We shouldn't con't cry about the passing of the 100 yet. Remember that only 10 years later people are starting to discover the offroad abilities of an 80 and almost no one buying a new 100 takes it offroad. By that reckoning , we have until 2015 to buy used 100 series to offroad before starting to worry about how good the next series will be.

Also, what is Toyota doing in the rest of the world in 2005? I can't believe they would discontinue the 100 without an off-roadworthy LC replacement. Obviously a Sequoia is not going to do much in the backwoods of Guyana or Uzbekistan and Toyota has not even tried to market the Sequoia where roads are lousy.

Is the MEga Cruiser real or a concept? I read you could buy them for $120,000 CDN and import them individually a while back but no idea if that is so. Whatever the case, it won't replace an LC wagon like the 60/78/80/100. Also it needs a new name badly. It sounds like a 7-11 fountain drink or a ride at coney island.

 

[uzj100]

You hit the nail on the head. Yota will continue with the REAL LC in other parts of the world and we will get a rebadged Sequioa or rebadged Tacoma (Concept FJ40 - ugly blue thing) as the US only LC. This will suck however the 100 series will be available in 2004 so there will still be plenty of used ones around. My plan is to keep buying '99 100 series for the next truck and the next truck and the next truck so I am covered for the next 10 to 20 years. After that I may need to swicth to an '04 model.

 

[tclndcrz]

My dad at one point bought a chevy tahoe which turned out to be a piece of s***. Everything broke all the time. After he got rid of that horrible thing that they pass as a truck he bought the Sequoia. It is very nice but i dont think it is a good truck to be going offroad with. You can turn off the traction control system which is a good feature. My dad does not go offroad but he does haul a lot of stuff around so the Sequoia works well for him. Im trying to convince him to get a 100 series depending on what bills the government passes... i hate all that government crap but it could send a nice cruiser our way.

Just another thing to think about... the Sequoia doesnt look all that great with a lift but a land cruiser looks awesome.

 

[Rogue]

I've seen a couple Sequoias up on 33" BFGs. They are good looking trucks, but they were also street queens.

Cruisers are where it's at!!!

 

[Gumby]

[quote author=CDN_Cruiser link=board=2;threadid=3665;start=0#msg26874 date=1058286281]
Unfortunately, I have to agree with P-O-D.

The reality of the market is that for the vast majority of consumers in North America a simple (read poor off road) SUV is what the market wants. It may not be what we want, but it does suit the majority of their market. Strong Off Road capabilities is such a small niche. The last thing they need to do is overbuild some truck with features that many would find undesirable (ie using solid axle vs IFS).

If you want evidence of other manufacturers that have done the same thing, look no further than BMW Motorcycles (or Harleys). 'Traditional' (AKA Hardcore, original, real, etc) BMW drivers drove simple 'airheads', drove their bikes all the time, etc = relatively small niche market. BMW (as did Harley) looked at where the market was going and developed new bikes targeted at relatively wealthy baby boomers. Yes, the may have alienated their 'traditional' hard core users, but they also drove substantial growth in sales.

The 80 is the new 40 - something to keep. Get used to the Sequoia .

Cheers, Hugh
[/quote]

Fortunately, Toyota's other mall cruiser four wheel drives (4-skinner and GX-470) took 4x4 of the year in all of the off road mags in a year that saw the H2 and the Rubicon introduced. Easily the best offerings from GM and DC ever.
I have a problem paying $55K for a vehicle that is based on a truck designed to sell for $15K-$25K. I would not buy a Sequoia when the LC is still available, but if someone came and took all the 80-100 series cruisers off the planet, A Sequoia is better than a 'Burbon or Excretion.
As for BMW, I agree with you. I'm sure there are a few luddites that still like the old motor, but BMWs keeping a lot of old boxer riders happy while appealing to a whole lot more people. The new bikes are WAY better. Porche - same thing. Wait until the new FJ comes out after 20 years of bitching that they discontinued the old one. Even if the new one is cheap, simple and wheels circles around a 40, easily half the cruiserheads out there will whine about how terrible it is that they won't build one exactly like their '78 model. They can't because of the laws enacted by the folks WE elect to government and they won't because they wouldn't sell any anyway.

Stirred the pot a little there, eh?

 

[yooper]

I have a 2002 Sequoia. It's my wife's main vehicle. We love it. It's used as the main family vehicle and at this it excels. It's no Land Cruiser and I wouldn't wheel it very hard, but I've had it off road many times and it did fine on mild stuff. The traction control system is actually quite impressive. It's not meant for rockcrawling, it's meant to keep your family safe if for example you hit a big patch of slippery stuff at speed or if you hit a corner on a dirt road too fast, both of which I've done in my Sequoia just to see what happens - the system would NOT let me get out of control. When you're in 4WD you can turn the VSC off. In snow it's even more impressive - I tried to do parking lot donuts this winter and it wouldn't let me - the truck just drove in a big circle at about 8 mph when I cranked the wheel and I floored it. Turned off the VSC and I was all over the place as expected.

Like I said it's no Cruiser but it's a real Toyota with excellent engineering and function - very comfortable, fast, easy to drive, handles well on the highway, holds a s***eload of cargo, as reliable as any other Toyota.

 

[Jon916996748]

I don't know about the Toyota dealships near you guys but mine doesn't even sell the 100's anymore. They can order them of course but they never have one on the lot. Also the mechanics have no idea about the 80's suspension setup cuz they never work on them. According to my mechanic I have struts on leaf springs. I haven't ridden in a Sequioa but I've heard that they were quite nice. The new FJ concept doesn't look TO bad, but it isnt pretty. If it had solid axles and diff locks, it would look great. It sucks that Toyota would sell out to the US market like that but they need to make money. personally if I could have any cruiser I wuld want a a78 with the truck back to it. I quite like those. Also anyone watch the Crocidile Hunter? Notice his nice collection of TLC's? Watching it I noticed he had a 100, 80 and a 78. All desials of course.

 

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

Also anyone watch the Crocidile Hunter? Notice his nice collection of TLC's? Watching it I noticed he had a 100, 80 and a 78. All desials of course.

The real Crocodile Bloke is Malcome Douglas, who lives in Broome(North Western Coast) and he originally did a Television Show about Four Wheel Driving back in the 1980's driving a Land Rover County 110" and was sponsored by Ampol.

When I was in Brisbane back in January, I drove past Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo in Dads FZJ80R. Steve Irwin The Crocodile Hunter is not shown on Television here, thus I had no interest in going to his Zoo, But have heard that is a good Zoo never the less.

The 100 Series is not selling well here at all, As most people can't justify the price, Thus buy a Nissan Patrol GU. Also with the IFS, Why buy a 100 Series when you can get a Prado for less than 2/3 the price? ???

If Toyota were serious about selling the Landcruiser in Australia they would be selling the basic versions of the 105/78/79 Series with Diff Locks, Snorkel, Bull Bar, Tow Bar and Air Conditioning for $30,000 including on road costs. Instead of the overly inflated price of $45,000 plus on road costs.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Exactly, and you can now get the 4Runner (prado) in the US w/ 4.7L V8 in full-time 4WD and center diff lock...less mass to pull around than the 100 series (more hp to weight), narrower for narrow trails. Say you equip both a V8 100 w/ rear diff lock and do the same w/ the '03 4runner/prado w/ V8, both have center diff locks w/ IFS up front and LSD. Would the 100 have any advantage in offroad capability? Maybe I'm missing something?