Looking at 200s (1 Viewer)

[rkuli1]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice/guidance from the collective wisdom here. I've been reading threads and searching CarMax, Cars.com, CarGurus and AutoTrader for relatively low mileage 2013 or newer - love the black exterior with sandstone interior but there just doesn't seem to be enough supply out there to be picky with colors, mileage and price... I initially was looking at the Sequoia with platinum trim and based on those prices expanded the consideration to the LC and LX. I'm going to list some assumptions and appreciate thoughts and feedback:

1. LC should have a lower overall cost of ownership/maintenance versus the LX because of the luxury badge in addition to additional luxury options (power jump seats and hydraulic suspension to raise and lower overall height);
2. LC has a more comfortable ride than LX due to lack of hydraulic suspension. This is contrary to what I would have assumed considering the LX is the luxury version but on reading through threads on the forum, it seems like folks feel that the LC rides better (on roads not trails for clarity);
   • I did get a chance to test drive a 2009 - 2011 LX for 15 - 20 minutes or so. The platinum Sequoia I rented (which was new) had a much better ride but the LX had 70k+ miles so I attribute some of the difference to age and use. I would be using the LC for a family hauler / road trip vehicle as we retire a minivan. I've vowed to keep my current car until it depreciates to $0 and then goes back up again as a classic car...
3. Is $40k range reasonable for 2013 and under 60k in miles? I came across a 2013 that had 40k miles from Arkansas for $46k traded in at a Toyota dealership in Ohio with the colors I wanted and let that go and am now thinking that was a mistake.
4. I don't wrench on the vehicles so the CPO vehicles - especially in light of the mileage I see, seems to be what I should be looking at..
5. Help me evaluate this CPO, 2013 LC, 78k miles for $42,985. Seems to be about $3.5k under KBB. I would get a 3rd party check on the vehicle but assuming everything checked out, does this seem like a good deal? It's a midwest vehicle so I know rust on the underside is a concern. Used 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser For Sale | Golden Valley MN | JTMHY7AJ9D4018359

Any comments, suggestions or feedback is welcome and thank you in advance.

 

[odinskind]

I just bought my '13 Land Cruiser for $44k. It has 49k miles. The price was pretty well below KBB. I had a third party evaluate the car and paid for carfax. Silver with black interior, and it came with a few bonuses, Weathertech floor mats and PIAA lights. I also made the dealership replace the battery.

I had been searching for a couple months, and this was by far the best deal I found. Most of the 200s I found that had similar specs to mine were around 50k. Mine is not a CPO that would probably bring the price up a couple grand. Do your research on CPO because I was less impressed with the CPO label after reading about it. Keep an eye out on CarMax. There was a red '09 with 30k miles on it for $44k. Granted the '13 model year included some nice upgrades. What I noticed with Carmax is that I actually found the red '09 car minutes after it was listed. The price was 44k. I then put the car on free hold. Ended up not making it out there but I did notice that a few days after the hold was lifted the increased the price to 46k. CarMax is better than CPO IMO, and if you are lucky you can catch the car listed at a good price.

 

[RS6tofj80]

Assuming you're looking to keep her for a while I'd try to find a no-salt car..... worth the logistics of a flight & likely a mudder' can check it out for you..... under 50k for a 13' should be doable but might take time for the right car.... I picked up my cpo'ed 13' w/ 55k for 48k a3 months ago....

I found the LX rode smoother stock when I did back to back test drives but there isn't a viable work around for the suspension yet so it precluded itself...

Happy hunting !

 

[rkuli1]

I just bought my '13 Land Cruiser for $44k. It has 49k miles. The price was pretty well below KBB. I had a third party evaluate the car and paid for carfax. Silver with black interior, and it came with a few bonuses, Weathertech floor mats and PIAA lights. I also made the dealership replace the battery.

I had been searching for a couple months, and this was by far the best deal I found. Most of the 200s I found that had similar specs to mine were around 50k. Mine is not a CPO that would probably bring the price up a couple grand. Do your research on CPO because I was less impressed with the CPO label after reading about it. Keep an eye out on CarMax. There was a red '09 with 30k miles on it for $44k. Granted the '13 model year included some nice upgrades. What I noticed with Carmax is that I actually found the red '09 car minutes after it was listed. The price was 44k. I then put the car on free hold. Ended up not making it out there but I did notice that a few days after the hold was lifted the increased the price to 46k. CarMax is better than CPO IMO, and if you are lucky you can catch the car listed at a good price.

Odinskind, thanks for the reply. Curious as to what you didn't like about CPO and why you feel CarMax is better than CPO.

thx

 

[rkuli1]

Assuming you're looking to keep her for a while I'd try to find a no-salt car..... worth the logistics of a flight & likely a mudder' can check it out for you..... under 50k for a 13' should be doable but might take time for the right car.... I picked up my cpo'ed 13' w/ 55k for 48k a3 months ago....

I found the LX rode smoother stock when I did back to back test drives but there isn't a viable work around for the suspension yet so it precluded itself...

Happy hunting !

Thanks RS6tofj80. Can you give me a little more detail on the lack of a viable work around on the suspension you referenced and the smoother ride on the LX?

 

[odinskind]

Odinskind, thanks for the reply. Curious as to what you didn't like about CPO and why you feel CarMax is better than CPO.

thx

I've just read some horror stories about CPO not being as much of a used car gold standard that I thought it was. For example, CPO cars can have prior accidents. Also, I'm not for sure how the selection process takes place for Toyota CPO but if it is left in the hands of the individual dealerships then that could be a problem too.

Car max is a large corporation like a retail car dealer I don't think that the individual store fronts determine the sale-ability of an individual car. I have also heard great reviews on the car max warranties. Doug Demuro frequently praises the car max warranties.

However, please don't take any of this as fact. You may actually find that Toyota CPOs meet all of your expectations. I just simply suggest that if you haven't researched the Toyota CPO process from third party sources then take a little time to do so.

 

[RS6tofj80]

The LX uses AHC - auto height control, and it's embedded deeper into the other systems like brakes etc.... on the 100's it was possible to remove it all and essentially replace with LC spec stuff.... no one appears to have a solution on this side of the pond yet for the LX570....

my take on the LX was that there were 10 times as many on the market, and pricing was cheaper for similar years - as that cleintele prefers new.... the leather also felt nicer and the LX's got things like ventilated/ heated seats much sooner - that was the reason I put a 13' as my minimum year.... the ride on the LX was smoother feeling but that may of been the tires - as the LC i drove had BFG's vs the LX with Michelins

Cheers

 

[jblatl]

All 200's are good, buy the lowest miles truck you can find and call it a day, steer clear of the 8 Speed transmission for now and the hydrolic suspension.

Also run from salt exposure trucks.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[chilibit]

KDSS is hydraulic.

 

[liv2bike]

KDSS is hydraulic.

KDSS and AHC serve different purposes ie articulation vs. height control.

 

[chilibit]

"KDSS and AHC serve different purposes ie articulation vs. height control."


I don't disagree. All LC (200) in US spec have KDSS but none have height control. The original poster is new to the realm. You cannot avoid hydraulic (KDSS) and to be frank, you shouldn't. KDSS is keeper for all but a hyper hard core group. It may be that we are in agreement and I misconstrued your comment. If so, I apologize. My focus is on not confusing the OP.

Ciao

 

[mcgaskins]

If you see a 13 with under 60k miles for $40k you better be there with cash in minutes. The cheapest/best deal I've seen in the last 2+ years of looking for a 13 had ~89k on it and sold for $41k in less than an hour. I was local with cash in hand and texted him about 80 minutes after the ad was live, and it was gone.

 

[Redbull]

If you want to stay under $50k and around 60k or less miles for a 2013 you need to be ready to move fast. Especially if it's black/sandstone, I've found more black/black in my searches.

EDIT:

Were you looking to modify your truck? That is why people are talking about the suspensions.

The truck you're looking at is one of the best I've seen under $50k

 

[skitym]

Here's one that is in the Chicago area that seems reasonable

Used 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser For Sale | Downers Grove IL

 

[rkuli1]

Here's one that is in the Chicago area that seems reasonable

Used 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser For Sale | Downers Grove IL

Nice - just a bit more than what I'd like to spend. I'd love to be at low $40s but will push to mid... I just need to be diligent on the search I guess. Also, everyone seems to agree that I should stay away from vehicles exposed to salt (which I myself am in the Chicagoland area so whenever I do find the right one, I will be subjecting the rig to it myself).

 

[jblatl]

That is a great looking truck, tell them $45,000 the last day of the year and do not move.

What is the worst they could say, yes???

 

[linuxgod]

Nice - just a bit more than what I'd like to spend. I'd love to be at low $40s but will push to mid... I just need to be diligent on the search I guess. Also, everyone seems to agree that I should stay away from vehicles exposed to salt (which I myself am in the Chicagoland area so whenever I do find the right one, I will be subjecting the rig to it myself).

Where are you in Chicago? I'm actually a mile north of the city line in Evanston.

I had a lot of trouble finding a good condition LC when I was searching last year within 100 miles of the Chicagoland area. They didn't come up regularly, and when they did they were either overpriced with dealers unwilling to move much or had a questionable history. It took me about 6 months to find a truck in the condition, mileage, and price range I wanted. I ended up looking nationally for a while and then buying through AutoNation up in Libertyville - they shipped a CPO vehicle from a store in Houston for me.

 

[Rex9802]

I bought my '11 with 70,000 miles in the low $40's this summer. I am in Maryland and had to go up to North Jersey to find one. Maybe it's geography but everyone but us in the Northeast seem to find anything lower priced- I searched for 2 months but wanted to drive and get myself in 1 day.

If I found a '13 in the low 40's I would jump on it. isn't '13 the year of major electronic upgrades (camera,etc.)?

I have a CPO. Haven't had to use it and truthfully I don't think my dealership brought the truck up to full CPO standards because I took delivery and a bolt was sheered in the rear license plate bracket, a piece of trim was missing from the roof rack, and there were a few scratched which they supposedly get rid of.

Anyway- for insurance reason (figuratively) I wanted to get CPO because I could always run to Toyota America if I had a problem. My uncle had a Ford Explorer from Carmax- he swore by their warranty as solid.

I guess I don't have much advice to offer- I"m just rambling. . . sorry!

 

[aging fleet]

There is a silver/black '13 with 71,000 miles listed in Columbus for $42. It has a fleet history and came from the Northeast so that may scare many off. I've looked at it twice, the paint and interior are in good shape and there is no apparent accident damage, but rust is forming on frame welds and in the front around the skid plate. Probably typical for a New Jersey LC.

If anyone wants to know more, I'll be in that part of town at some point in the next week.

 

[TonyP]

Like I posted in the For Sale section; maintenance is far more important than mileage. Don't get hung up on the miles if the documentation and care is there. I just picked up my '13 for $39k with 97k but it had every maintenance interval performed at the same dealer, it's a one owner in immaculate condition. From the light smell of perfume it was probably a wife's car.

Also, a couple hundred in airfare is a small price to pay for finding the right vehicle. Plus, you have a roadtrip to get accustomed to the vehicle.