Hi guy's, I value your opinions here and i'm sure you've forgotten more about cruisers then i'll ever know. I want to get a better 100 series then the one I have now. It seems there are more LX's then cruisers around. All my driving are mostly on regular roads and highways. We have winter 6 mos. give or take. Should i look for an LX or a LC? I know the LX's have more doo-dads. Do they become problematic over time? What are the trouble areas (years)? More money to repair? Do some have higher horsepower? My price range will be 20k and down so that means 100k plus-ish i'm sure. Thanks for your help in advance.
LC or LX?
- Thread starter gnzee
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I choose the LX470 over the LC due to the additional features. The power folding/heated mirrors are very handy & the projector lights can be great with a few mods, I.e. projector lense swap and better bulb.
The wood top/bottom steering wheel is great too. No more worries about the leather by driving with filthy hands after wrenching, wheeling, etc...
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I have had both an prefer the LX for general use and moderate off roading. The auto recirculate fresh air with smog sensor is nice; cabin air filter, real wood, memory seats, optitron dash, tilt down rear view mirrors. AHC is great for traveling and even off roading or in heavy snow. Work can be done by either Lexus or Toyota. Levinson sound system is great.
Problem areas: AHC eventually wears out. Mine has 222K miles on original; but I also use it and change the AHC fluid every 60K miles. Tilt down rear view mirrors will wear out. NAV player for Gen 2/3 tends to wear out; but can be replaced with a Gen 4 (2005-07 LX) unit and it is faster and can handle Gen4 disc. The v13 this year requires Gen2/3 to choose East or West No. America; but Gen4 can have all N America on one disc.
Check FAQ for different years and features. 2000 brought ATRAC and VSC. 2003 brought 5spd and VGRSteering. 2004 has lumbar for passenger seat and rear camera for Nav. 2006 brought VVTi and extra HP.
Problem areas: AHC eventually wears out. Mine has 222K miles on original; but I also use it and change the AHC fluid every 60K miles. Tilt down rear view mirrors will wear out. NAV player for Gen 2/3 tends to wear out; but can be replaced with a Gen 4 (2005-07 LX) unit and it is faster and can handle Gen4 disc. The v13 this year requires Gen2/3 to choose East or West No. America; but Gen4 can have all N America on one disc.
Check FAQ for different years and features. 2000 brought ATRAC and VSC. 2003 brought 5spd and VGRSteering. 2004 has lumbar for passenger seat and rear camera for Nav. 2006 brought VVTi and extra HP.
I agree with the above that the niceties of the LX make it a better value. AHC will die eventually but there are plenty of us still going along at 14 years of age. I sunk alot of $ into my LC and the little bells and whistles that my LX has are still missed. If I had a mulligan I'd probably build an LX instead of a LC in order to also have the extra trinkets, no going back now though! This is based on my experience of having both versions in the same model year (1999).
Little differences (alot already mentioned):
The trinkets on my LX have not been problematic at all. Given that LX's are generally the same price and sometimes cheaper than LC's you get these for free. They are well implemented niceties and as the LC was refreshed and upgraded many of these things were added to it. The late MY LC's are much closer to the late model LX's in terms of trinkets but when they first came out the LX had things it took years to get on the LC and sometimes never got at all. (Quality headlight optics for example)
Little differences (alot already mentioned):
- Memory Seats (available on 80's Camrys but not the Toyota flagship until later years...)
- The dash brightness on the LX can be switched to daytime mode even when the headlights are on. Nice on overcast days burning headlights but you still need to see what buttons are depressed on the controls. Not to mention the Optitron gauges rock.
- Sound deadening is way better in my LX than my LC.
- One-touch windows on ALL windows. One-touch UP as well all around.
- LX wood grain does not crap out like that of the LC. Common complaint on the LC, extremely rare issue on the LX.
- A/C is better regulated on my LX than LC. I constantly have to fiddle with the temp dial, never have to touch it in the LX. Auto-sniffer sounds ludicrous but does do pretty good on the LX for fumes. Doesn't detect skunk though.
- Cruise Control is less shift happy and seems to have better logic on the LX but it's hard to believe they actually have a different component there. The LC CC reminds me of the same garbage cruise that is on my Taco; which is the worst CC I have ever seen. It will downshift into grenade mode just looking at a grade that I can easily make it up without downshifting when controlling the throttle manually. This is when I had both 100's on 33's for comparison's sake.
- Speaking of bad: My LC headlights were among some of the worst factory headlights I've ever seen (problem solved by Nick). My LX headlights are some of the best and putting 1999 in to perspective were light years ahead of their time.
- Electrochromic rear mirror. Seriously, my LC has the same mirror an '82 Corolla had standard.
- Electrochromic side view mirrors, again worth their weight in gold. This is something many CURRENT cars don't have. The LX had it from the get go.
- Steering wheel adjustments. The LC is clearly more robust here. The auto-telescoping Lexus feature is renowned for dying. That being said I disabled the auto telescoping and love the extra manipulation available on the steering column vs the tilt wheel on my LC.
- A real sounding horn. Seriously Mr T dug in the Corolla parts bin for this sad little honker. The LX has a nice trumpet sound.
The trinkets on my LX have not been problematic at all. Given that LX's are generally the same price and sometimes cheaper than LC's you get these for free. They are well implemented niceties and as the LC was refreshed and upgraded many of these things were added to it. The late MY LC's are much closer to the late model LX's in terms of trinkets but when they first came out the LX had things it took years to get on the LC and sometimes never got at all. (Quality headlight optics for example)
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I am partial to the Land Cruiser headlights, the other options are great but personally the headlights make the decision for me. that being said the Auto Height Control "AHC", the better climate control and the folding mirrors are really great features and would make the truck feel like a newer truck than it really is. all this aside i would still go with the LC.
The rear locker on the early LC was the ticket for me, but doesn't sound like the OP would need it. That being said I would have an LX for the road if I could.
Lc and LX had glass until 05.
LX all the way. Do it and don't look back!
I have 215k miles on my 99 and AHC works perfectly - drives like a dream!
I'm likely selling soon as well for those in the PNW
I have 215k miles on my 99 and AHC works perfectly - drives like a dream!
I'm likely selling soon as well for those in the PNW
Lx is great!!!
AHC baby!
"Hold on, let me give my ride a 2.5 in lift."
I love my LX.
"Hold on, let me give my ride a 2.5 in lift."
I love my LX.
I went from LX to LC, the only things I miss are memory seats and folding mirrors. I prefer LC b/c cheaper parts and service at dealership; also it is Toyota and a little understated.
LX all the way. When new it may be hard to justify a $15-20k price difference between the two, but after years of depreciation the premium for a LX over an LC is negligible. With the LX, even a base model has all the nice extras, plus most people's experience at the Lexus dealer is night and day compared to Toyota. Last time I took my LX in for an appointment to change out the nav CD, they threw me the keys to a brand new LX 570 to drive around for an hour. They let me drive it out of the showroom floor. Time before that I had to change out the ABS/ brake booster system (negotiated the price down to almost cost) and it took them 3 days so they gave my wife a nice IS 350 for the whole time. She picked it up with a full tank and made sure to fill it up before dropping it off. They told her next time don't do that! Now that is service. At BMW, I have to fight them to get a lousy X3 loaner car for even half a day when taking my M3 in for an oil change.
Yeah but you definitely pay for that treatment... I'd rather spend less at the dealer and still get quality work vs paying more for for an hour rental 
Hope that doesn't sound like a jab, it's not meant to be
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Hope that doesn't sound like a jab, it's not meant to be
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Yeah but you definitely pay for that treatment... I'd rather spend less at the dealer and still get quality work vs paying more for for an hour rental
Hope that doesn't sound like a jab, it's not meant to be
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True, you'll pay for it if you don't do your homework, but that's at any dealer. That hour in a 570 only cost $70 for the nav CD (Lexus coupon in mail). On the other hand a replacement ABS/brake booster assembly was like $2600 from the dealer. Through CDan it was $1800, after telling the dealer I could get it for that they countered at $1750. That was for the part only. I didn't mind paying $150 for the labor to change it out since I didn't feel like dealing with brake fluid all over my garage floor and I also didn't have the SST to pressure bleed an ABS line. The Toyota dealer charges the same $$ per hour as Lexus.
Of all stated above, what really encouraged me to buy the LX over the LC is my particular lifestyle.
At times, I need to drive long distances at times for work.
At this moment in time, I don't have any intentions of off roading my vehicle.
I am interested in soft seats and a whisper quite cabin.
What works well for some is not what others find equally important.
At times, I need to drive long distances at times for work.
At this moment in time, I don't have any intentions of off roading my vehicle.
I am interested in soft seats and a whisper quite cabin.
What works well for some is not what others find equally important.
Always considered my truck to be "classy yet understated". I prefer LC.
With said lifestyle, I would sell it and buy a LS430 with the Ultra Luxury Package. Without even the justification of inclement weather in God's waiting room, I would struggle to justify the 12 MPG.
Is the quieter ride in an LX due to the oil damped suspension part of AHC and / or extra sound insulation?
For those that have converted to regular springs and shocks did cabin noise go up?
Is there really additional sound treatment in an LX?
For those that have converted to regular springs and shocks did cabin noise go up?
Is there really additional sound treatment in an LX?
