Lack of a locking differential :( (3 Viewers)

[kreiten]

I'm not sure why pagemaster spends so much time in the 200 series forum when he obviously does not like the rig, and I am the first one to admit the Landcruiser is not for everyone, the people who pay for them and drive them get it, those that don't, never will.. Toyota has stayed true to it's routs for the most part, a solid well built body on frame 4x4 designed to last through the toughest enviroments on the planet.. Should it have come with lockers, proly, but then if you ask guys like me it should have come with 32 inch mudders, an ARB bumper etc... These are all things you can easily add to a vehicle aftermarket, but what you can't add to a vehicle after market is what the Landcruiser offers, a solid well built platform that will last a lifetime, just my 2 cents...

 

[LandCruisers4Life]

IMOP 200 are not really a hard core off road vehicle .. so lockers are expensive and not necesary as is .. cash from lockers when in other comfy stuff ... which I'm pretty sure you like .. 200 series it's more like expedition vehicle ..

76 / 78 / 79 Land Cruiser series still have the factory locker option ..

I saw a slightly modded one with 2" lift do some pretty nice stunts off road. I think if you have the cash, anything is possible. Just slap in ARBs, lift, bumpers, sliders and hit the trails.

 

[saillaw]

A few weeks ago I bought a new 2012, GXR 200 series with cloth seats, auto trans, the D4D twin turbo diesel v8, no KDSS, no side airbags, center but no rear diff lock, center console coolbox, a crapy single disc CD player.... In other words what's constitutes a "mid level" spec 200 outside North America. My price new was $45,500. I could have had it in manual transmission for $2500 less (but they substantially cut the torque/power on the manual trans, and the manual is a 5 speed whereas the auto is 6). This engine has more torque than the 5.7 but will go over 1000km on the tank (not sure exactly how far, I still am on the initial tank). You can get the bare bones 200 series here with the 4.0l v6, manual trans, no carpet, for $40k.

So this thread could be about why doesn't Toyota offer the diesel in the US, or a lower spec with cloth seats, etc in the US? The rear diff lock is just one of many options they have chosen not to give in the North American Market.

I already have a 100 series, and a new 76 series for offroad, so don't care that my 200 doesn't have a rear diff lock, it will be our road trip car and my wife's daily driver. I was actually in the market for a Sequoia, but at the same price I went with the diesel 200. But if I had been looking for a more offroad capable 200, I could have bought a 200 with rear mounted tire (makes it easy to add a long-ranger tank), 4.6l v8, locking center and rear diffs, and factory winch, for $50,600.

Personally I think those lower spec 200s and diesels would sell like hot-cakes in the US. But how would that impact the Tundra/Sequoia plant in San Antonio?

 

[kreiten]

I came across the RTI ramp score for a Sequoia in one of Four Wheelers of the year test, it ramped a 400... Which is not all that great, but then again, it's not really built for offroading, so I guess it's decent...

 

[lgop]

Harrop, out of AU, is offering the Eaton E-Locker for the 200 Series. Price is around $1,500 Aussie dollars each plus freight and duties (installation quote from the local Toyota deal was around $1,700 for the pair). Harrop is machining their own locker housing because Eaton isn't making one for the 200 Series. I have heard there is hope for a US sourced solution.

 

[TLar25]

This is a good point.

I don't see the Land Cruiser in Toyota's North American line up in 10 years.

The LX570 (or whatever they end up calling it) will continue.

The LC's days are numbered.

Pretty spot on prediction @Onur ! Any recommendations on stocks I should invest in?

 

[kreiten]

Pretty spot on prediction @Onur ! Any recommendations on stocks I should invest in?

Saw this old thread pop up and scanned it and his post grabbed my eye as well, crystal ball is dialed in!

 

[OGBeno]

The writing was on the wall a decade ago if you really paid attention to everything but Toyota marketing.

When you look at manufacturing and technology investments and look at long range product planning, the LC was already on its way out.

Took a decade but it eventually happened.

Like everything with Toyota: evolutionary and long term planning.