Wow. It's been years since I've needed help here. I am an old newbie, having a '98 and '03 LC before (those are gone...kids.), and loved all the prior help and support.
I bought a '99 LC with 93K miles for $23K from a Southern California dealer with a 5 day, 250 mile return policy. I am in that window now. It has a very good Carfax report, strong maintenance history (oil changes, timing belt/waterpump at about 77K miles, etc done at Toyota dealer in Southern CA). So it has lived its life in So Cal.
I have been looking for a new 100 series (pre built in Nav system, so a '98 to '01) since my earlier cruisers went away two years ago. We all know the market got crazy, and has cooled a bit, but nice 100s still fetch $25K and up on Bring A Trailer (with some going over $50K for low miles and in showroom condition.
Upon reviewing this LC at the dealer I knew that the radiator was in bad shape (plastic top well browned, and it had green fluid), hood struts both failed, original wheels had been chromed (I don't know if they ever came that way), with chrome pealing, and 25 years of curb rash etc., and rusty rotors, and what appeared as some oil leakage.
This is a no negotiation type place, but I did bring that up to sales manager, who listened, and said she would consider lowering the price if it didn't sell to someone else over the weekend, or I could buy it, take it and have it inspected and return it if I didn't like what I found. I obviously was swayed by the low milage.
The good news:
1. One owner Southern California Land Cruiser per Carfax.
2. No Rust
3. All electronics, radio/speakers, door locks, windows, sunroof work well, headliner in great shape.
4. Two full remote key fobs that function properly
5. Straight body, hood, etc.
6. Drives, shifts well. No weird humming or vibrations, shifts in and out of high to low.
7. Dealer did an adequate full repaint with to repair oxidation of gray mica (it will probably have issues in a few years unless I stay on top of it)
8. I will probably drive it less than 6,000 miles a year. I'll never rock crawl it, but light camping type stuff - not getting stuck. In two years I'll bring it to Vermont. There it will do what it was made for. Provide safe travels in mud/snow covered roads (but nothing a Subaru Outback can't - mostly).
9. Only 93K miles
10. I like it. My prior two LCs kept my kids safe in misadventures, and worse.
The bad news:
1. Radiator is actually really toast and leaking. $1,600
2. Engine seals failing. $5,900 (mostly labor)
3. Control Arm/Ball Joints Worn. $1,600
4. Front and Rear Brake Job with new front calipers and hoses. $1,500
5. Lower Control Arms Seeping. $1,600
6. Front Dashboard has ½" Gap between the instrument cluster and the Dashboard - Cosmetic. $3005
7. Power Antenna is bent, and kind of works. $600
So this is $15,600 not counting things like the hood struts, a couple of light bulbs, and windshield wipers that I can do.
I'm obviously not a wrencher, and I know parts is probably only 20% of the above, and maybe a dedicated LC shop might do me better (or provide 3rd party suspension upgrades instead).
The dealer inspecting it said they could help bring some of the above down (since they worked on my previous LCs), and brought up the obvious, it is 25 years old, and realistically all of the above probably would have been done with the exception of the Dashboard (and they said someone else might be able fix it for much less - since they don't know why it is popped up ½" over the instrument cluster and most of the money is in labor taking it all apart, replacing with new.
If I do all or most of the work above, my $23K LC becomes a $39-40K Land Cruiser, and I would still like to sandblast/powder coat wheels, add new BFG 285s, etc.
I have bid on LCs on Bring a Trailer to the mid $20k and always lost to people going to the $30k area.
Thoughts?
Should it go back, and I keep looking?
Are there any great independent LC shops in Orange/LA County area I should consider if I keep it?
If I keep it, to me first thing is get the radiator and Ts done, then look at other repair options?
I bought a '99 LC with 93K miles for $23K from a Southern California dealer with a 5 day, 250 mile return policy. I am in that window now. It has a very good Carfax report, strong maintenance history (oil changes, timing belt/waterpump at about 77K miles, etc done at Toyota dealer in Southern CA). So it has lived its life in So Cal.
I have been looking for a new 100 series (pre built in Nav system, so a '98 to '01) since my earlier cruisers went away two years ago. We all know the market got crazy, and has cooled a bit, but nice 100s still fetch $25K and up on Bring A Trailer (with some going over $50K for low miles and in showroom condition.
Upon reviewing this LC at the dealer I knew that the radiator was in bad shape (plastic top well browned, and it had green fluid), hood struts both failed, original wheels had been chromed (I don't know if they ever came that way), with chrome pealing, and 25 years of curb rash etc., and rusty rotors, and what appeared as some oil leakage.
This is a no negotiation type place, but I did bring that up to sales manager, who listened, and said she would consider lowering the price if it didn't sell to someone else over the weekend, or I could buy it, take it and have it inspected and return it if I didn't like what I found. I obviously was swayed by the low milage.
The good news:
1. One owner Southern California Land Cruiser per Carfax.
2. No Rust
3. All electronics, radio/speakers, door locks, windows, sunroof work well, headliner in great shape.
4. Two full remote key fobs that function properly
5. Straight body, hood, etc.
6. Drives, shifts well. No weird humming or vibrations, shifts in and out of high to low.
7. Dealer did an adequate full repaint with to repair oxidation of gray mica (it will probably have issues in a few years unless I stay on top of it)
8. I will probably drive it less than 6,000 miles a year. I'll never rock crawl it, but light camping type stuff - not getting stuck. In two years I'll bring it to Vermont. There it will do what it was made for. Provide safe travels in mud/snow covered roads (but nothing a Subaru Outback can't - mostly).
9. Only 93K miles
10. I like it. My prior two LCs kept my kids safe in misadventures, and worse.
The bad news:
1. Radiator is actually really toast and leaking. $1,600
2. Engine seals failing. $5,900 (mostly labor)
3. Control Arm/Ball Joints Worn. $1,600
4. Front and Rear Brake Job with new front calipers and hoses. $1,500
5. Lower Control Arms Seeping. $1,600
6. Front Dashboard has ½" Gap between the instrument cluster and the Dashboard - Cosmetic. $3005
7. Power Antenna is bent, and kind of works. $600
So this is $15,600 not counting things like the hood struts, a couple of light bulbs, and windshield wipers that I can do.
I'm obviously not a wrencher, and I know parts is probably only 20% of the above, and maybe a dedicated LC shop might do me better (or provide 3rd party suspension upgrades instead).
The dealer inspecting it said they could help bring some of the above down (since they worked on my previous LCs), and brought up the obvious, it is 25 years old, and realistically all of the above probably would have been done with the exception of the Dashboard (and they said someone else might be able fix it for much less - since they don't know why it is popped up ½" over the instrument cluster and most of the money is in labor taking it all apart, replacing with new.
If I do all or most of the work above, my $23K LC becomes a $39-40K Land Cruiser, and I would still like to sandblast/powder coat wheels, add new BFG 285s, etc.
I have bid on LCs on Bring a Trailer to the mid $20k and always lost to people going to the $30k area.
Thoughts?
Should it go back, and I keep looking?
Are there any great independent LC shops in Orange/LA County area I should consider if I keep it?
If I keep it, to me first thing is get the radiator and Ts done, then look at other repair options?
