Just bought a 99 LX 470 (1 Viewer)

[AlpineAccess]

On a related note to this, is there any idea how long the 98/99 transmission might last if it's taken care of? We know the engine is solid but I've never had an automatic with this many miles on it. The PO did transmission flushes semi-regularly and I don't think he towed really. Just curious.

Plenty of early '100's chasing the half million mark on original drivetrains.

Interesting about the change in manufacturers noted here - the 2000 and 2001 Tundra also had a couple batches of bad transmissions in that range as well. The biggest cause of issues with these years was found to be people towing with overdrive on.

I run my '99 with OD off quite a bit in the mountains and always when towing. With a mechanical transmission pump the higher revs are a benefit due to more fluid moving out and back through the cooler.

 

[Ayune]

Am I really the first one to say "Change those heater T's"?

Seriously, that looks like a steal of a deal and no cracked leather or rear spoiler to boot!

 

[shtbrwn86]

Plenty of early '100's chasing the half million mark on original drivetrains.

Interesting about the change in manufacturers noted here - the 2000 and 2001 Tundra also had a couple batches of bad transmissions in that range as well. The biggest cause of issues with these years was found to be people towing with overdrive on.

I run my '99 with OD off quite a bit in the mountains and always when towing. With a mechanical transmission pump the higher revs are a benefit due to more fluid moving out and back through the cooler.

Am I really the first one to say "Change those heater T's"?

Seriously, that looks like a steal of a deal and no cracked leather or rear spoiler to boot!
[/QUOTE]

Thanks! They were actually replaced by PO about 70k or so ago. But with the mileage it's at I'm going to just replace all the coolant hoses so I don't need to worry about them for a while. And there was a new radiator put in about 20k ago. Both done at the dealer.

 

[Travis Bickle]

Thanks! It's at 244k right now. Interior is probably 8.5 out of 10. A few scuff marks here and there but no torn leather or cracks in anything and everything looks good. I was super stoked to find it!

tremendous.

 

[gregnash]

Plenty of early '100's chasing the half million mark on original drivetrains.

Interesting about the change in manufacturers noted here - the 2000 and 2001 Tundra also had a couple batches of bad transmissions in that range as well. The biggest cause of issues with these years was found to be people towing with overdrive on.

I run my '99 with OD off quite a bit in the mountains and always when towing. With a mechanical transmission pump the higher revs are a benefit due to more fluid moving out and back through the cooler.

This....
Less than 250k and you are really just breaking her in at that point. Plenty of guys on reddit/instagram that are showing rigs with 300K+ on them and still wheeling and pulling strong. Check out the High Mileage thread and you will see plenty of guys have higher mileage rigs.

I too run with OD off in the mtns, not towed yet but for mainly around town and highway driving I have OD on. I had kinda started driving her with OD off 75% of the time unless I was on a long stretch where I was hitting above 50mph but that didn't really do much. So started just leaving OD on.

 

[97 AZ LC]

That truck would have sold just about as quickly for $9k. Occasionally you get a seller that is unaware that KBB is fantasy, expecially for Arizona. It shows roughly the same value for a rust bucket in Boston as for a rust free gem in Phoenix. So the unsophisticated seller checks KBB, prices it, and surprise - it sells right away for full price. And they might be happy, if no one tells them what happened, but in fact they got screwed by KBB.

 

[shtbrwn86]

That truck would have sold just about as quickly for $9k. Occasionally you get a seller that is unaware that KBB is fantasy, expecially for Arizona. It shows roughly the same value for a rust bucket in Boston as for a rust free gem in Phoenix. So the unsophisticated seller checks KBB, prices it, and surprise - it sells right away for full price. And they might be happy, if no one tells them what happened, but in fact they got screwed by KBB.

On the one hand I do feel kind of bad. He could have sold it for more. I did give him a small deposit and then gave him the asking price, so he did get a little more than asking. But on the other hand, someone was going to buy it off him. At least I am going to keep it, use it and love it and not just try and flip for a quick profit.

 

[shtbrwn86]

This....
Less than 250k and you are really just breaking her in at that point. Plenty of guys on reddit/instagram that are showing rigs with 300K+ on them and still wheeling and pulling strong. Check out the High Mileage thread and you will see plenty of guys have higher mileage rigs.

I too run with OD off in the mtns, not towed yet but for mainly around town and highway driving I have OD on. I had kinda started driving her with OD off 75% of the time unless I was on a long stretch where I was hitting above 50mph but that didn't really do much. So started just leaving OD on.

That's great to hear. And I will be hanging out in the HM section. Can't wait to go on some adventures once I get some baselining done!

 

[AlpineAccess]

On the one hand I do feel kind of bad. He could have sold it for more. I did give him a small deposit and then gave him the asking price, so he did get a little more than asking. But on the other hand, someone was going to buy it off him. At least I am going to keep it, use it and love it and not just try and flip for a quick profit.

You got a good deal, but no reason to feel bad. 100s at this age start to get expensive to maintain if you don't do your own work. Original owner of mine was tired of getting $2-3k bills for upkeep at the dealer on an older vehicle.

That kind of maintenance money goes a long way on a car payment for someone like that. I do my own work on it and the thousands he spent each time is just a few hundred bucks in parts for me.

Everyone wins, and the cruiser lives on!

 

[AlpineAccess]

That's great to hear. And I will be hanging out in the HM section. Can't wait to go on some adventures once I get some baselining done!

Keep fluids clean and things greased up and a 100 will treat you right.

 

[97 AZ LC]

On the one hand I do feel kind of bad. He could have sold it for more. I did give him a small deposit and then gave him the asking price, so he did get a little more than asking. But on the other hand, someone was going to buy it off him. At least I am going to keep it, use it and love it and not just try and flip for a quick profit.

Not your fault. It's a free market, seller could have chosen to do more homework.

 

[gregnash]

You got a good deal, but no reason to feel bad. 100s at this age start to get expensive to maintain if you don't do your own work. Original owner of mine was tired of getting $2-3k bills for upkeep at the dealer on an older vehicle.

That kind of maintenance money goes a long way on a car payment for someone like that. I do my own work on it and the thousands he spent each time is just a few hundred bucks in parts for me.

Everyone wins, and the cruiser lives on!

Exactly.... cost of labor is usually about 3x the hourly cost of the part alone. Example, new reman'd Denso starter for my LC a week before lockdown (when I didn't have time to handle myself) was $1200ish. The Denso from somewhere like RockAuto is about $150 shipped. Few gaskets that MAY be needed from removing intake are like $50. The job took the shop a total of about 4 1/2 hrs to complete. So that is over $200/hr. for the shop labor rate, plus taxes and me getting old starter back (otherwise would have been right about $1100 with them coring the old starter, I will rebuild and keep as spare). You are saving that cost IF you have the time available to handle yourself.

I am sure that me doing the front axles this weekend will probably take me a good 8hrs, 5 for the first one and maybe 2 1/2-3 for the second (as I know what I am getting into at that point and have SEEN what needs done). That hourly cost for a shop to do would EASILY have been $1000+ just for the labor on the job, not to mention the cost of the axles, seals, bearings, etc. (all in about $800 at this point my cost).