Mileage vs. Age Opinions

[Thornwell]

Hi all—

I’ve been looking at 200s for a couple of months and have found myself torn between valuing a truck that is newer vs a truck with lower miles.

What do you think? Would you rather purchase a newer truck with higher miles or an older trick with lower miles.

For the sake of conversation, let’s start with a hypothetical: Would you purchase an ‘09 LC with 50k miles for, I don’t know, $40k, or a ‘16 with 150k miles for $40k?

Let’s also assume that both trucks have similar service records and same amount of rust etc.

 

[mceagle555]

My opinion:

Priority #1: Service History
Priority #2: No rust

After that, I'd go with the newer one. Newer vehicles with higher mileage tend to equal easier highway miles. Older vehicles with lower miles may have sat for months on end with little driving.

Also...hello to my fellow Tennessean!

 

[OregonLC]

In your scenario, I'd go for the 50k 2009 every day of the week. Taking these trucks from 50k-200k is the sweet spot.

 

[Thornwell]

My opinion:

Priority #1: Service History
Priority #2: No rust

After that, I'd go with the newer one. Newer vehicles with higher mileage tend to equal easier highway miles. Older vehicles with lower miles may have sat for months on end with little driving.

Also...hello to my fellow Tennessean!

Back at ya re TN! I love this state even though Im a Texan (I do miss brisket and tacos though).

 

[mceagle555]

In your scenario, I'd go for the 50k 2009 every day of the week. Taking these trucks from 50k-200k is the sweet spot.

As weird as it seems, even though I would pick the newer one, I also agree with @OregonLC. In reality, if you find any LX/LC with (1) good service history and (2) no rust and (3) within your budget, you'll likely be happy.

 

[ryanCA]

09 is ugliest 200

16 is pure sex

 

[COLXS]

Go newer

 

[unclemat]

Really depends on the maintenance, use and storage. A clean, well-maintained, garaged 2009 w/50k vs. a rusty and somewhat beat up 2016 w/150k? As tempting the facelifted version might be, I would go for the 2009. Age related things are some plastics (radiator) or maybe some bushings, but then a 2016 w/150k would have similar issues (certainly radiator), and probably more (starter, valley leaks, timing cover/cam towers leaks).

Re facelift vs. pre-facelist. Facelift is nicer, but it is not a earth shattering difference, contrary what you may read. I own a 2015 and 2021 and like them both equally. The 6-speed is a better highway cruiser, the 8-speed is better off-roader. Rest is frankly unimportant. Granted the "2nd gen", i.e. 2013-2015 are nicer than the original, but again the only material difference are the headlamps. The gap between HIDs + upgraded high beams on 2015 and the LEDs on 2021 is small. Frankly I may like the HID/halogen combo better.

Conclusion: find a clean low mileage 2013-2015 and save $$$.

 

[manofthewoods]

Hi all—

I’ve been looking at 200s for a couple of months and have found myself torn between valuing a truck that is newer vs a truck with lower miles.

What do you think? Would you rather purchase a newer truck with higher miles or an older trick with lower miles.

For the sake of conversation, let’s start with a hypothetical: Would you purchase an ‘09 LC with 50k miles for, I don’t know, $40k, or a ‘16 with 150k miles for $40k?

Let’s also assume that both trucks have similar service records and same amount of rust etc.

In general I agree with post 2.
If their were a way to know the type of trips each vehicle took.
Highway cruising miles are easy on everything. Vs. a zillion 1.5 mile round trips to drop off kiddies at daycare in cold weather, especially if the driver has a lead foot.
Highway miles and good maintenance = a bargain in the making.
Happy hunting

 

[Supra Turbo]

09 is ugliest 200

16 is pure sex

I'm going to have to start downing your posts for spreading misinformation sir

 

[Supra Turbo]

My vote is for the lower mile example all day long, if proper maintenance has been done, particularly when it comes to the same vehicle (ei. LC200, regardless of the year).

We picked up our nearly 10 year old LC with 15k miles.
One of our Supras is over 30 years old and has 68k miles.
The same story with the 17 year old miata with 27k miles.

No issues with sitting months on end, with proper maintenance. All vehicles look, operate, and even smell like new.

Routine biweekly warmups to operating temps followed by 15 minute drives. The LC has never seen snow and the other cars have never seen rain and none are operated at or below freezing outside temperatures. All stored in climate controlled location, all trim, rubber, leather is treated, every 6 months, wear items (ex.fluids, oils, tires) get replaced by date, rather than miles.

 

[2021 LC200]

My opinion:

Priority #1: Service History
Priority #2: No rust

After that, I'd go with the newer one. Newer vehicles with higher mileage tend to equal easier highway miles. Older vehicles with lower miles may have sat for months on end with little driving.

Also...hello to my fellow Tennessean!

Agree with this. Also CARFAX ownership location outside the salt belt.

Otherwise I found purchase cost divided my 300k miles minus actual mileage ratio to be very similar. In other words fairly linear depreciation.

So since I had the money I negotiated for a zero mile at 80500 in Sept 2020 and got a new 2021. Today a newer one just allows you to drive more years until you get to 300k miles. What that does for me is any work I do on it I plan to enjoy for decades. Amongst minor mods (rhino rack, wind fairing, airbags, additional power fuse boxes under the hood) I ended up installing Dynamat in the doors and the floor rear including wheels wells + installed laminated LX570 driver and passenger windows (rear windows are tempered and same on LC and LX). The improvement in driving noise was not that much as a 2021 (and I assume 16+) is very quiet OEM, yet closing the doors now is like Mercs in the eighties. Like a vault. Makes me smile every time I close the doors…

So all in all buy the newest you can reasonable afford. Also set aside some budget for initial maintenance/base lining.

And yes make sure that KDSS has accessible bolts (Allen or hex on recent model years) or AHC is in good shape and properly working.

 

[skrypj]

A 2016 has the 8 speed. That alone pushes me toward the newer one.

But I also put so few miles on per year that higher mileage probably wouldnt bother me. For me to get from 150k to 300k is like 15 years at the rate im going. I haven't driven my LX since I got home from a work trip on 1/17.

 

[manofthewoods]

My vote is for the lower mile example all day long, if proper maintenance has been done, particularly when it comes to the same vehicle (ei. LC200, regardless of the year).

We picked up our nearly 10 year old LC with 15k miles.
One of our Supras is over 30 years old and has 68k miles.
The same story with the 17 year old miata with 27k miles.

No issues with sitting months on end, with proper maintenance. All vehicles look, operate, and even smell like new.

Routine biweekly warmups to operating temps followed by 15 minute drives. The LC has never seen snow and the other cars have never seen rain and none are operated at or below freezing outside temperatures. All stored in climate controlled location, all trim, rubber, leather is treated, every 6 months, wear items (ex.fluids, oils, tires) get replaced by date, rather than miles.

I would LOVE one of your vehicles. Seriously.

Keep in mind however, you ARE the only one on planet earth who treats vehicles so well.

So, yeah. If the OP could get one from you, %100!

In the real world. Highway miles racked up quick is going to be the best deal. Every time.

 

[pcut]

I had a new 2019 during the pandemic and sold it after about 6 months because of the gadgetry and tech that I hated- the electronics owner's manual was twice as thick as the owner's manual for the rest of the car. Found a '14 TX/MT car with 45k on it and never looked back. It's a great compromise between my old '07 100 series and the newest, latest, greatest. Also, I like the 6 speed better than the 8 speed transmission and couldn't get used to the "predator" look of the front end of the newer ones. As other have said, find a well maintained, no rust car and you will be happy with any year. My 2 cents.

 

[ryanCA]

I'm going to have to start downing your posts for spreading misinformation sir

I rather have a 22 year old high mileage than a 50 year old virgin….

 

[Thornwell]

Thanks everyone! Helpful input from all.

Re depreciation— Though no one has a magic ball (if so would you please PM me some stocks to purchase?), what is everyone's intuition with respect to depreciation for the 200s?

Do you think that in 5-10 years time the 2016+ will command much higher fees than the '08-15s? Mechanically, they are quite similar (accepting the transmissions), but aesthetically they are, obviously, very distinct.

 

[unclemat]

Thanks everyone! Helpful input from all.

Re depreciation— Though no one has a magic ball (if so would you please PM me some stocks to purchase?), what is everyone's intuition with respect to depreciation for the 200s?

Do you think that in 5-10 years time the 2016+ will command much higher fees than the '08-15s? Mechanically, they are quite similar (accepting the transmissions), but aesthetically they are, obviously, very distinct.

No. 5-10 years difference will be neglible, especially if you buy it for use, not collecting. If anything 2016+ with more electronics can be more hassle/expense to repair (not that earlier are that much simpler). Stupid audio/nav piece is $9k today discounted. I hope there will be aftermarket support to keep these rigs going.

 

[skrypj]

No. 5-10 years difference will be neglible, especially if you buy it for use, not collecting. If anything 2016+ with more electronics can be more hassle/expense to repair (not that earlier are that much simpler). Stupid audio/nav piece is $9k today discounted. I hope there will be aftermarket support to keep these rigs going.

Thats a Toyota thing. When my 2011 GX460 nav screen digitizer failed I found out they dont sell just the screen and they wanted $11k for the whole unit that had the computing power of an Atari 2600.

We all need our Toyota's to be reliable otherwise we would go broke buying replacement parts.

 

[unclemat]

Thats a Toyota thing. When my 2011 GX460 nav screen digitizer failed I found out they dont sell just the screen and they wanted $11k for the whole unit that had the computing power of an Atari 2600.

We all need our Toyota's to be reliable otherwise we would go broke buying replacement parts.

It is truly the thing that bugs me the most. Frankly I dislike the stupid touch screen controls for A/C. People were successful converting early trucks (2008-2011) to the NAV-less config with separate A/C controls (using OEM parts from non-U.S. markets). This is really ideal, allows one to use a non-OEM unit for audio/etc/car play integration. While modern non-OEM car audio is sketchy at least there are numerous options and largerly future proof. I don't believe it was attempted on 2013+ rigs.