- Thread starter
- #21
Thanks for everyones thoughts and input. I'll update final decision tomorrow after one last chance of negotiation.
Keep it or Return it? 1999 LC with 93K Miles (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter CameraCruiser
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- Thread starter
- #23
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
If it were just the top valve covers. Sure, but all of the main seals, I think I would have hours of frustration ahead of me.
front main seal and cam seals are easy. even for rear main seal... it wont cost that much.
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- #25
Last update.....at least until I find another 100.
It has been returned. I feel mostly good about it. The funny thing is they had every opportunity to offer me compensation since Friday, and waited until I sent a picture of it being on a flat bed back to them, that I finally get a call from a sales manager wanting to make it right.
Until next time.
Thanks everyone.
and yeah, I should update my signature too.
It has been returned. I feel mostly good about it. The funny thing is they had every opportunity to offer me compensation since Friday, and waited until I sent a picture of it being on a flat bed back to them, that I finally get a call from a sales manager wanting to make it right.
Until next time.
Thanks everyone.
and yeah, I should update my signature too.
BullElk
SILVER Star
Be assured, there are better options on the market and only two blocks away....maybe not from you but they are from someone. And again, IMO, unless you just have to have a LC with a lower odometer number and willing to pay retarded coinage to get it, it is very typical to have as many or more issues than a higher odometer LC.
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
Set up craigslist alerts for private party. I had (still have actually) alerts for entire west coast/utah/CO....basically anywhere that's not in the rust belt. There are some obvious flippers out there, but you don't want to buy one of these from a dealer that bought it at auction and marked it up. You want to buy it from some soccer mom or older couple who will talk to you for hours telling you every little thing about it.
You are already on the best cruiser forum. Keep an eye out on the classifieds and buy something from a member here. You’ll get a story, history, records and I would much prefer that to buying from a dealer.
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- #29
That was the case with my ‘98 LC100. Nice old couple. This particular LC was a one owner trade in. I’m surprised they didn’t flip it to auction, as most places don’t want 25 year old vehicles for just this reason.
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- #30
Yes. Love this community.
I typically stay away from dealers, but the low miles, clean body/interior, plus one of my favorite color combos (gray/gray), and their 5 day return policy sucked me in.
I may be lured by mica green with tan interior though. Always striking, and more rare.
Power Antenna 600$ that was a 15 mins job to replace the actual antenna. If the motor is good the antenna can be bought from partsouq cheapest place to buy. 
Do not be scared of higher mile 2UZ, I’d argue it just means it’s been driven more and most likely kept up with fluids, filters, some preventative maintenance.
Condition trumps mileage all day, hang out in the classifieds and take your time. You’ll find a keeper with less problems for sure. Someone who’s had the truck for years, can tell you about it and hopefully has some proof of reciepts for work done.
Flips are typically easy to see and overpriced. Always, new brakes and tires, suspension refresh(never full components) this truck is ready to go blah blah. Bought 6 months ago something came up now I’m selling etc. Those are the ones to ignore.
Condition trumps mileage all day, hang out in the classifieds and take your time. You’ll find a keeper with less problems for sure. Someone who’s had the truck for years, can tell you about it and hopefully has some proof of reciepts for work done.
Flips are typically easy to see and overpriced. Always, new brakes and tires, suspension refresh(never full components) this truck is ready to go blah blah. Bought 6 months ago something came up now I’m selling etc. Those are the ones to ignore.
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- #33
Yes, the flips are easy to spot, but not always bad if the flipper has done a lot of corrective restoration. I know of a few masterful restorations documented on IH8MUD 45 series that go on to Bring A Trailer that fetch eye watering prices.
The one I bought and returned was promising, as I would have done the easy stuff (antenna, wipers, bulbs without question) myself. Reading these posts makes me a bit more confident that maybe I could have done the seals too. What I don't understand is why the dealer wanted so much for the engine seals (as they said all are leaking). I mean they wanted $5,900 for it - So 3 to 4 days labor???
GTV
SILVER Star
Depends on which seals we’re talking about here. I’d bet a dollar that the valve covers just needed to be tightened up. If it’s the crank seal then that is done at the same time as a timing belt (it’s included in the kit) and there should be no additional charge.
I'm shocked they let you return the car after taking possession. No penalties?
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- #37
No penalties. It Is AutoNation, which works a lot like Carmax. You have 5 days/250 miles to return it for any reason. The LC was driven more by the delivery team to my home, than me. I just drove it 4 miles to the dealership that brought up all of the issues, then put it on a flatbed back to AutoNation Monday. If I had not bought it on a Thursday, things would have been much better.
I took It in for inspection on Friday morning, but didn't get answer back until late Saturday. The radiator was shot (cracked at top spewing coolant), so it didn't feel smart to pick it up and drive it. I sent the report to AutoNation late Saturday, and the response was we will fix the radiator, and only the radiator if you bring it back to us. I suggest that they just pay the Toyota dealer it was at (because they could do secret handshakes - whatever, and probably just be out $500 max). But they did not respond to this.
Sunday my dealer service center is closed (and I had not approved anything anyway) and AutoNation had nothing to offer. They were just letting the 5 day clock tick away - realistically probably 99% of their vehicles stay sold, and they depend on people losing track of time or milage.
About that time, I reached out here, which I should have done day one.
Monday, I sent a picture of the LC on the flatbed being sent back. Only then did they want to negotiate.
So my take away from all of this:
1. Don't buy a car that you suspect might have issues (I suspected the radiator, oil leaks, brakes), unless you have good auto repair skills.
2. Don't buy a car late in the week from places like above, because the weekend will eat up the time to inspect, and renegotiate.
3. Obviously, should be number one, spend more time here in the forums. If I had posted my issue even one day sooner, and not lost Sunday, I probably could have better understood the engine seal issue - which would have given the dealer time to backtrack, and relook at the situation again - because, as it was previously mentioned, $5,900 is a new motor.
- Thread starter
- #38
In my earlier response, I somewhat tackle that pricing issue. If I had one more day, I think I could have figured out what was going on, because it was way off.
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- Thread starter
- #39
Going way back to one of my original posts, I suggested that a Subaru Outback/Forester could probably do everything I need in a couple of years when I relocate to Vermont, and that is still true, but wrong.
But for those here, which I imagine are 100% Land Cruiser nuts (in a very positive way), The 100 series just fits me like an old pair of jeans. My elbows rest right, the steering wheel is right, the radio is right, it goes and kinda stops fast enough, and carries just enough for me. It's just right.
It fits me better than any other vehicle over the last 45 years. When I test drove this one, it just fit right more than anything else.
That's reason enough for me to keep looking.
But for those here, which I imagine are 100% Land Cruiser nuts (in a very positive way), The 100 series just fits me like an old pair of jeans. My elbows rest right, the steering wheel is right, the radio is right, it goes and kinda stops fast enough, and carries just enough for me. It's just right.
It fits me better than any other vehicle over the last 45 years. When I test drove this one, it just fit right more than anything else.
That's reason enough for me to keep looking.
I did a 1550 mile road trip in 2 days, what's unique about the cruiser is on my second day I did pretty much 24 hours of driving with a few 1-2 breaks for meals/relax etc. After reaching home, I did not feel that I drove all day 7 AM to 7 AM on the following day! pretty comfy drive... additonally, I inspect the coolant and oil level (do it everyday) and not a drop of coolant or engine oil has been loss. Well... it is at 254K miles.
Take home message: Miles does not matter: look for a well maintained vehicle, possibly an owner maintained cruiser.
Take home message: Miles does not matter: look for a well maintained vehicle, possibly an owner maintained cruiser.
