I'm in the market for a used 200 series LC and found a 2016 local to me w/ 112K miles priced at $45K. You all know inventory on these used is pretty limited. I'm a little nervous about paying $45K for a car w/ 112K miles on the odo. This truck has been dealer maintained w/ very good service records. I understand these vehicles can last a while and I'm curious what you think about an LC with this many miles on it. Any cause for concern?
it's an incredibly sturdy platform for sure and could last a very long time beyond 112k miles but there will be the need to budget additional $ for costs to maintain certain items beyond the routine stuff. check the maintenance records for things like the radiator which is known to crack and fail around 120k miles (more or less), the new radiator design seems to have addressed the design flaw) ; starter which is a pita and much labor, (check the threads for longevity), suspension components depending on past use, and of course advanced rust can speed up the demise of a number of items .
This would be a DD + occasional off road expeditions. I expect some routine maintenance issues but I'm mostly interested in the longevity of the power plant/engine, which I thought was an engine with multiple hundreds of thousands of miles of use.
310k miles on our 2008. I’ve had in on the CO 4x4 trails and on the highways fully loaded between CO to AL, MI, TN and all the states between. I’ve run it in the hot temps in TX and the spitting ice on the Canadian border. Still getting 17-20 mpg on the highway.
We got our rig from Iowa in 2019. At the time it had 226k miles and a bit of rust underneath.
There are many option for suspension components. Most routine maintenance is doable for the YouTube mechanic. The big items as mentioned above are the starter and radiator. The engine-valley coolant leak is a potential issue but mostly if the engine overheats excessively.
I’d rather take our Cruiser on a long road trip than a Ford F150 with 50k miles.
With realistic expectations and good maintenance, this platform can see hundreds of thousands of miles. Personally, my 2008 has 281k on it with generally normal maintenance.
That said, it will need maintenance, and some parts will certainly eventually need to be replaced such as the starter, radiator, water pump, belts, tensioners and pulleys, hoses, etc. Pay attention to new noises and vibrations, take a look underneath every so often, and it should be reliable for 200k more miles.
That said, everything ages, even Land Cruisers, so if you keep it long enough, something will fail or show wear and need replacement.
If you decide to buy it, check to make sure the HVAC changes between fresh and recirculate ok. Dealers have been known to break the mechanism by prying open the filter access door instead of putting the system in recirc. Dealer maintenance can miss a lot of routine stuff like lubing the propeller shafts. So plan on a full preventative maintenance job. (As you can tell, I’m not a fan of dealer “maintenance” on LCs.)
Hello, a random guy from TX here… this is my experience:
I bought a 2016 last August with just over 100K for just a couple grand more than what you are paying. It is my first Land Cruiser (outside of the 1997 we have in the family that I drove periodically growing up)
I, also, was hesitant to pay nearly $50K for an 8 year old car with over 100k. This is the highest mileage vehicle I have purchased since I was 16. I have owned 1 Honda, 2 Mazda’s, 2 GMC’s , 3 Ford’s, 2 VW’s, 4 Audi’s, and 1 Infiniti ranging from brand new to 427K miles. My 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser drives and feels at 117K (now) the same as most of my cars felt when they had sub-50K miles. It is tight and rattle-free, feels planted and stable, and operates in every regard as smooth as possible. It has been trouble free, which is more than I can say about our 2019 Expedition during the same time period. I just wish the remote start would work as conveniently as it does in my Ford.. ha!
I would not hesitate to purchase a 100K+ mile 200 series if the overall condition and maintenance history showed it has lived a good life. Good luck with your purchasing process!
Context: my 2013 just turned over 206k miles. Not a single rattle or squeak on the interior, except for the well-known passenger headrest rattle when the seat is empty, and that just means running the headrest all the way down. I just got back from running jeep roads in colorado and the only stuff rattling on those roads was the crap I had in the cabin.
Original Lower control arms and ball joints. The ball joints and TREs are still tight, but I'll be putting new LCAs on it before long due to the bushings starting to crack from drying out. Again, this is at 206k miles and 11 years old. I'd bet if it weren't for my stint with King suspension and the increased wheel travel the bushings would be ok.
I know, "trust us" from a bunch of enthusiasts isn't much comfort, but there are just too many people that have taken the same leap and been rewarded with one of the best vehicles they've ever owned. Which isn't to say they are perfect for everyone.. not at all. But outside of the handful of common issues like the radiator (plan on one for pre mid-2018 build date) these are just flat-out different than other cars in how they show the accrual of mileage. It's an objective fact.
I had the same feelings and yet bought a 2008 with 193,000 mile on it. The thing drives like it's new. No issues whatsoever. I've put 20K mile on it in 18 months and wouldn't hesitate about driving it anywhere.
I recently had an absolute horrible experience with a Tundra and still bought a ‘13 Sequoia(my 22nd Toyota) with almost twice the miles of what you’re looking at to replace it with. The mileage was the last thing I cared about when purchasing. My wife’s 200 happily racks the miles while requiring nothing but routine maintenance.
That said, it’s a man made vehicle and anything can happen.
It's hard to go wrong with a good used Land Cruiser, regardless of age and mileage. You do have to pay for it though and in general they aren't cheap to purchase, operate, or maintain. Parts are expensive.
Reliability wise IMO there's nothing mystical about Land Cruiser reliability compared to some other Toyota models. My 9th gen Corolla gets treated like a red headed step child compared to my 100 series. They both run like a top.
I’ve had 3 of them now. First one was a 98 that I had to sell because I couldn’t afford the gas for my commute to work. It had 212k miles on it when I sold it in 2004.
Bought a 2000 in 2021 that had 268k miles on it. Drove it daily until it had over 375k miles on it when I sold it. Normal wear and tear, but nothing crazy.
Now have a 2014 with 167k miles on it and absolutely zero issues with just routine maintenance.
They are extremely reliable. Just take care of it and it will take care of you.
Found this LX 570 local to me for a significantly lower price than most others I’ve seen online. Do you guys see any glaring reasons why this one is a bit cheaper than most?
After searching for a 200 series for 1.5 years and driving plenty to see many disappointments, including some periods of time where I had completely given up and was convinced I would buy a GX550, I found a ‘17 with 118K miles. I too struggled with coughing up the $ for something with that mileage as I’ve never bought anything at any age or price with that much mileage. 1 owner, no accidents, excellent service history, and a clean undercarriage. Many I looked at had huge service history gaps and were in condition that didn’t give many any reason to think they were well-maintained.
I looked in all different price and mileage ranges including low mileage CPOs, but this one spoke to me. Got 120K service including plugs, front and rear diff fluid and transfer case fluid changes, along with trans drain and fill included as part of the deal. New front brakes done as well (Lexus dealer, so they have experience doing all of this). Restorfx (clear-coat treatment) was done as well as part of an arrangement the dealership made with a nearby shop (York, PA) where they also removed the PPF from the leading edge of the hood. Relatively fresh Yoko AT G015s and rear brakes as well.
And to echo what was said above, if you turn the engine one and the climate control auto button is on but AC isn’t working and then comes on after 15 seconds or so, there’s an issue with the recycle door. Easy to see if it’s working by cycling between the fresh and recycle modes while looking thru the filter door inntye glove box. Could be a minor repair but could be a very expensive and time/consuming fix.
To wrap it up, I am truly glad I bought it. I’ve never driven anything else with such a perfect balance of brawn and comfort. I fully expect that I’ll have some unplanned repairs as time passes, but already see it as money well spent with this fantastic beast.
Just as added context I am going to drive my 2015 LC with 110K miles out from Boston, MA to Ouray, CO starting tomorrow morning. I have much newer, lower mile cars at home, including a pair of Audis, and I wouldn’t take those on a trip like this. Not just because I prefer to sit higher in the 200 series, but because I don’t trust them in the same way.
That’s ~2300 miles one way. All-in I expect it to be easily 6-7k miles in a little over two weeks. I am confident the car will be fine because completed this same trip multiple times and never a single issue, ever.
If I had the choice of buying a well maintained 200 series with 100k miles or a brand new car, in most cases I would bet the 200 series would have a more predictable/easier ownership experience than almost any comparable modern car.
