Is being a "200 guy" a good thing?

[Volunteer]

Glad it worked out in your favor , it sounded like a real score most of us would jump at. Its definitely good to be a 200 guy and I'm glad to be in the company of folks that still value and use the platform so they'll keep making them available to us.

 

[2008Cruiser]

I enjoy being a 200 guy. We were very fortunate to have found a low mileage 2008 two years ago and have really enjoyed building it up from stock. I like all land cruisers, had a '78 FJ40 and one day will have another.

 

[TRD Burglar]

Is being a "200 Guy" cool?
Depends,
Land Cruiser 200 - Cool
Chrysler 200 - Not Cool

 

[Gappy]

Is being a "200 Guy" cool?
Depends,
Land Cruiser 200 - Cool
Chrysler 200 - Not Cool

LOL!
I guess I should be more specific!

 

[Markuson]

The previous gen Highlanders have more than a little visual resemblance to the 200.

View attachment 1968785

View attachment 1968786

The large D Pillars are a fairly unique Toyota design for both vehicles, removed from the Highlander starting from the 2014 refresh. The 200 has larger D pillars than any other vehicle I can think of. That does compromise visibility, which is regained by using convex mirrors. I use these which work great. Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Grote 12014-5 3 3/4", Round Stick-On Convex Mirror

Very true.
When the 200 first came out in 2007 (2008 model year), a large number of Highlanders were of the model you pictured above. I honestly had a hard time distinguishing them if they were at a distance!

Honestly was NOT fond of the 200’s looks, but was envious of its power that my 100 lacked (though the 100 was no slouch).

Then 5 years later, I got my 08 LC and have loved it ever since. I get asked about my “Highlander”...”4-Runner” ... “Land Rover” ...and even my “Jeep” all the time. Or...I just get “What is that??”

 

[Mendocino]

I had a funny comment hurled at me from a guy in a Jeep as I was leading @Markuson, @indycole, and nine other trucks down the Top of the World trail in Moab: "Oh my god, I didn't even think you could wheel those things!" I'm not sure he knew what he was looking at but my daughter and I had a hearty laugh. It was pretty cool, my wife, who is also a HAM operator, had walked ahead with an HT to clear traffic for us. So the guy in the Jeep got a full view of our 200 parade coming down the trail (I've now given away one of my trail leading secrets for traffic management ).

 

[suprarx7nut]

I see lots of higlanders and lots of 200's on my commute. I can tell a 200 from the front from a long ways off because the grill looks more "adult" in the 200, but from the side I still have a hard time until I'm right up on them.

I plan on a 200 being my next vehicle purchase, but I will be going in knowing full well that it's just a Highlander to most everyone. I think Toyota looked at the calendar and budget and decided to to skip most the design work for the 200. It's possibly the least unique body shape I can think of. All the more motivation to get front and rear bumper on there!

 

[Whiskerz]

Nice find

 

[Markuson]

I had a funny comment hurled at me from a guy in a Jeep as I was leading @Markuson, @indycole, and nine other trucks down the Top of the World trail in Moab: "Oh my god, I didn't even think you could wheel those things!" I'm not sure he knew what he was looking at but my daughter and I had a hearty laugh. It was pretty cool, my wife, who is also a HAM operator, had walked ahead with an HT to clear traffic for us. So the guy in the Jeep got a full view of our 200 parade coming down the trail (I've now given away one of my trail leading secrets for traffic management ).

Got a similar reaction my first run up that trail.
My first intro to Moab was doing TOTW by myself, on the way home from LCDC #2. Just decided to go up one late afternoon as I passed through the area on my way home to San Diego.

**The only other vehicle I saw was a crazy – built monster Jeep. Saw him ahead of me. -Found out later when I reached the top alone that he had laughed when he first saw me low down the trail and how **he had called a buddy and chuckles about how “some dude in a stock highlander (me in my 200) thinks he’s gonna to TOTW...haha,” etc.**

Even better...
When I reached the top and found him there, & finally talked to him...he revealed the first phone call above...and also the **2nd phone call** he had JUST made to the same friend saying, “You’re not gonna believe this...but the dude in the stock Highlander just showed up at the top and is out on the diving board!!”

Haha!

Finally...sadly entertaining...
That same crazy Jeep broke his steering hydrolics on the way down the crappier/rougher route we both took back down in the dark...and I ended up escorting his Jeep all the way back to town as he fought with his steering...trying not to drive into the river all the way back!

So ya...these “Highlanders” do exceptionally well, lol!

Here is the shot from that solo trip up TOTW:
(To get these amazing colors...hit this trail late afternoon with low sun...but be prepared to bang stuff coming down in the dark).

Moral of the story...
We will never not take crap from other drivers in our 200s...but the good news is that they will never stop being floored when we prove their assumptions wrong. Ha! Fun stuff...

 

[Reckless]

I feel that way in just one week, I'm not use to having my cake and eat it too in my DD.

Wait until you get some serious KO2 tires, RW wheels, suspension, offroad LED headlights. You start feeling bomb proof! There was a storm last night as I was driving from chicago to Wisconsin and everyone is driving timid in a construction zone and I am driving into the center of the storm.

 

[z531519]

My first intro to Moab was doing TOTW by myself, on the way home from LCDC #2. Just decided to go up one late afternoon.

The only other vehicle I saw up there what is a crazy – built Jeep monster. Found out later when I reached the top alone that he had laughed when he first saw me low down the trail and how he had called a buddy and chuckles about how “some dude in a stock highlander (me in my 200) thinks he’s gonna to TOTW...haha,” etc.

When I reached the top and found him there, & finally talked to him...he revealed the phone call...and also the 2nd phone call he had JUST made to the same friend saying, “You’re not gonna believe this...but the dude in the stock Highlander just showed up and is out on the diving board!!”

Haha!

Even more entertaining... That same line Jeep broke his steering hydrolics on the way down the crappier/rougher route we both took down...and I ended up escorting his Jeep all the way back to down as he fought with trying not to drive into the river all the way back!

So ya...these “Highlanders” do exceptionally well, lol!

Here is the shot from that solo trip up TOTW:

View attachment 1971001

Moral of the story...
We will never not take crap from other drivers in our 200s...but the good news is that they will never stop being floored when we prove their assumptions wrong. Ha! Fun stuff...

That's cool. As a Jeep owner myself, I find a lot of Jeep folks get isolated in their own world so a lot times they have no clue there are other 4x4s out there.

I see that you have stock plastics in this pic. Did you manage to get off with rear bumper unscathed? I took my Jeep last March at TOTW (was planning to take my 80 but the brakes are not in top condition, something you really need at Hells Revenge, plus PS pump died grrrr). Anyways, my Jeep has a mild lift and there are some drops that i think would have left my 80s plastic bumper behind. I really enjoyed this trail over Hells Revenge. HR is more follow the black lines and hope your brake works whereas TOTW is choose your own line.

 

[Markuson]

That's cool. As a Jeep owner myself, I find a lot of Jeep folks get isolated in their own world so a lot times they have no clue there are other 4x4s out there.

I see that you have stock plastics in this pic. Did you manage to get off with rear bumper unscathed? I took my Jeep last March at TOTW (was planning to take my 80 but the brakes are not in top condition, something you really need at Hells Revenge, plus PS pump died grrrr). Anyways, my Jeep has a mild lift and there are some drops that i think would have left my 80s plastic bumper behind. I really enjoyed this trail over Hells Revenge. HR is more follow the black lines and hope your brake works whereas TOTW is choose your own line.

The Tupperware bumpers on the 200 are incredibly resilient and amazing hard to rip off. Check out the plastic on @kreiten ’s truck for proof. I scuffed mine pretty nicely, but no big deal.

About brakes... Personally I rely heavily on engine braking in 4Lo 1 and can’t remember the last time I had overly hot brakes. Definitely use them on Hell’s, but not to the point of strain as long as engine is used between critical moments in my experience...like dropping down to hell’s gate obstacle, or dropping into the tub, or other extremely descents. I personally think Hell’s is more interesting as a trail than TOTW...since the scenery on TOTW is meh until at the top. HR also has plenty of opportunity for death if you get distracted, or make assumptions about which way to veer at the invisible top points...

But what I love about Moab is that we all have different elements we find great or meh.

I did find a new favorite trail...and it is (surprisingly) Done Aplateau. Not a difficult trail (except for a surprisingly-DEEP mud bog that got two vehicles door-deep-stuck in chocolate milk water...but it’s just a super cool trail full of variety. Speedtracks in the middle...with caves, a couple somewhat technical spots...KILLER cliff-edge lunch spot rivaling TOTW...and just a super fun route. Highly recommend!

 

[z531519]

The Tupperware bumpers on the 200 are incredibly resilient and amazing hard to rip off. Check out the plastic on @kreiten ’s truck for proof. I scuffed mine pretty nicely, but no big deal.

About brakes... Personally I rely heavily on engine braking in 4Lo 1 and can’t remember the last time I had overly hot brakes. Definitely use them on Hell’s, but not to the point of strain as long as engine is used between critical moments in my experience...like dropping down to hell’s gate obstacle, or dropping into the tub, or other extremely descents. I personally think Hell’s is more interesting as a trail than TOTW...since the scenery on TOTW is meh until at the top. HR also has plenty of opportunity for death if you get distracted, or make assumptions about which way to veer at the invisible top points...

But what I love about Moab is that we all have different elements we find great or meh.

I did find a new favorite trail...and it is (surprisingly) Done Aplateau. Not a difficult trail (except for a surprisingly-DEEP mud bog that got two vehicles door-deep-stuck in chocolate milk water...but it’s just a super cool trail full of variety. Speedtracks in the middle...with caves, a couple somewhat technical spots...KILLER cliff-edge lunch spot rivaling TOTW...and just a super fun route. Highly recommend!

LOL that's true about HR. I skipped all extra points obstacles, being solo, fully loaded and top heavy (RTT and crap), i figured the normal trail would be enough thrill for the family. Hell's Gate will have to wait.

RE brakes, let me just say going down Black Bear got pretty interesting. It loses boost pressure when you modulate it, and eventually 4Lo 1 would overpower it. I hate to be that guy barreling down HR, and those decents are pretty serious in my book.

OP, apologies for veering off topic but at least you know now where to take that 200

 

[afgman786]

At Carolina Relic Run the other weekend, people in Jeeps, quads, dirt bikes kept telling the lead in a built 40 that "that van" won't make it. Multiple times he came across the radio laughing saying these guys just said your van won't make it and that I was going to get stuck.
Granted I am basically a van/highlander with everything stock except for rock sliders, and many times people were looking at me like how the heck did that just make it here

 

[Gappy]

Got a similar reaction my first run up that trail.
My first intro to Moab was doing TOTW by myself, on the way home from LCDC #2. Just decided to go up one late afternoon.

**The only other vehicle I saw up there was a crazy – built Jeep monster. Saw him on the trail ahead of me. -Found out later when I reached the top alone that he had laughed when he first saw me low down the trail and how he had called a buddy and chuckles about how “some dude in a stock highlander (me in my 200) thinks he’s gonna to TOTW...haha,” etc.

When I reached the top and found him there, & finally talked to him...he revealed the phone call...and also the 2nd phone call he had JUST made to the same friend saying, “You’re not gonna believe this...but the dude in the stock Highlander just showed up and is out on the diving board!!”

Haha!

Even more entertaining... That same Jeep broke his steering hydrolics on the way down the crappier/rougher route we both took down in the dark...and I ended up escorting his Jeep all the way back to town as he fought with trying not to drive into the river all the way back!

So ya...these “Highlanders” do exceptionally well, lol!

Here is the shot from that solo trip up TOTW:

View attachment 1971001

Moral of the story...
We will never not take crap from other drivers in our 200s...but the good news is that they will never stop being floored when we prove their assumptions wrong. Ha! Fun stuff...

Funny story and fantastic pic, thanks for sharing!
As long as Ive been on mud, starting with my 62 that was sold for my 40 and went from there, I haven't been in the 200 forum because honestly I never thought I would own one due to the purchase price. Because of that I had no idea that 200's were being wheeled much like this, I love it.
I think I am really going to enjoy this whole 200 experience.

 

[2008Cruiser]

When we went to Moab last year for the first time we met really cool folks in two jeeps. They immediately said "we've never seen anyone wheel a 200" and "we've never seen any of those out here" and we just smiled and said "well lets go and have some fun". They were impressed to say the least, as they were all locked up sitting on 35's. Cruiser killed it.

 

[ryanCA]

@Gappy post your mod lists and detailed pics here