New or used?

[arellanon]

Hi everyone! I am quite intrigued by the 200 and am learning more about it every day. I keep telling everyone that I wish to buy a LC 200 with the 80K price tag; some tell me to do it some tell me not to do it. I tend to buy cars to keep for the long run; I purchased my Civic Hybrid back in July 2005 and has been great to me. It has never broke down on me and, interestingly enough, has only one flat tire in 186K+ miles in three countries. So whether I buy a LC or a 4Runner I will still keep my sedan for whatever I might need it for. At least that is the plan right now.

Now a question I have is what prompted you to buy your 200 series? And why did you go used or new? I am leaning more towards new since I would take this vehicle to the grave with me. I will be using it for long distance travel (Los Angeles to Alaska, Central America, South America, etc.) so I think a LC 200 would better fit the bill than a 4Runner since it has more internal space and more towing capacity. I too am a fan of the 100 series but I also like modern technology.

 

[codyaustin5]

To answer your question about new vs used. I went new as it was/is my dream car. I plan on keeping it 10 plus years. Also as you'll discover they hold their value just like other Toyota 4x4s. I was also able to get mine over 11k off sticker. To spend that type of money I wanted it new. My wife drives a '14 4Runner trail and I love that as well but it is smaller and cramped compared to the LC.

 

[arich]

New or slightly used Land Cruiser. It's a total chick magnet. Women will throw their panties at you when you drive down the streets.

Let me get some reactions on this and then I'll be serious.

 

[kreiten]

New or slightly used Land Cruiser. It's a total chick magnet. Women will throw their panties at you when you drive down the streets.

Let me get some reactions on this and then I'll be serious.

hmmm, maybe I'm driving down the wrong streets

 

[kreiten]

my 2 cents, if ya got the cash go new....

 

[arellanon]

codyaustin5: Great points! Dream vehicle huh? It too is quite a dream for me. I am glad to hear that your wife drives a 4Runner as well; gotta keep it in the Toyota family.

arich: I can live with driving a chick magent.

kreiten: I have done the math and I think I can pull off buying a new one.

 

[kreiten]

codyaustin5: Great points! Dream vehicle huh? It too is quite a dream for me. I am glad to hear that your wife drives a 4Runner as well; gotta keep it in the Toyota family.

arich: I can live with driving a chick magent.

kreiten: I have done the math and I think I can pull off buying a new one.

I bought a new one back in 2013, not saying it makes the most sense money wise, but it's my dream car and I plan driving it for 20 years or 500k on the odo, which ever comes first!

 

[MScruiser]

After driving a 40 (and all kidding aside it was a big time chick magnet) I don't even get noticed in my 200. You should read Sea Knight's stories in the 40 section. It really does go down like that.

I used to get SOOOO many looks in the 40. My wife hated it.

I bought used, because quite frankly, I could not afford to pay full price on a new 200. Now don't get me wrong, my 2011 was not cheap at all, but it was nice having someone else take a nearly $30k hit before I swiped mine up. I also got to put the money saved into mods. I do wish I had a warranty though. That is a really good thing for a peace of mind.

 

[arellanon]

I bought a new one back in 2013, not saying it makes the most sense money wise, but it's my dream car and I plan driving it for 20 years or 500k on the odo, which ever comes first!

That's what I am talking about. I guess a lot of people view cars as investments only; as dorky at it sounds my Civic is my baby and the Land Cruiser would be another baby.

Glad to be around folks that appreciate such capable vehicles. I like your thinking on 20 years or 500k!

 

[arellanon]

Hey MScruiser. The 40 is a beast and looks hot. I see your side of the coin as well in letting someone else take the first 30k.

 

[kreiten]

After driving a 40 ( and all kidding aside it was a big time chick magnet) I don't even get noticed in my 200.

I used to get SOOOO many looks in the 40. My wife hated it.

I bought used, because quite frankly, I could not afford to pay full price on a new 200. Now don't get me wrong, my 2011 was not cheap at all, but it was nice having someone else take a nearly $30k hit before I swiped mine up. I also got to put the money saved into mods. I do wish I had a warranty though. That is a really good thing for a peace of mind.

40's really are chick magnets, I know lots of chicks that love them and don't give my 200 a second look.... oh well I'm old and married... Things are so damn fun to drive the warranty's don't last worth a s***, 3 year 36k is gone and I'm not even at 2 years yet....

 

[kreiten]

I see what your saying also, 30k in mods I'd be rolling my 35's right now

 

[MScruiser]

See, and you didn't need that 3 year 36k warranty anyways, did you?

 

[kreiten]

See, and you didn't need that 3 year 36k warranty anyways, did you?

have not used it once! I may have slept better for the first year knowing I had it though! But now I'd be sleeping better with 35's and an extra 28.5k It's a toss up man, go with your gut! I've owned 7 Cruisers and this was my second brand new one, we'll call it my midlife crises oh I just turned 40 chick magnet dream car!!!

 

[T4Runner]

I went with a new LC because I plan to be buried in it -- I've wanted a LC since I was a kid and the time was right. I also don't have plans on performing any mods for a long time. This month, I purchased a 2014 that had been sitting on the lot since July and had 191 miles on it. I was happy paying $11k off sticker and was willing to make the 10hr roundtrip drive to pick it up.

I could have gotten a previously untitled '13 or '14 for a grand or two less, but those that I found were demos and I wasn't interested (but you save a few bucks and get a full warranty if you go that route). If I were going to mod it immediately or couldn't have afforded it, I'd definitely have looked at used ones to save more. (I firmly believe in buying used cars. I bought a two year old soccer mom stock '07 4Runner with 25k. It now has 108k and it's unlikely I'll stop modding it or get tired of it. Not considering any of the mods, the depreciation since I bought it has been less than $1k/yr.)

I didn't look at leftover LXs all well knowing I would have gotten a better deal. I prefer the nondescript appearance of the LC (not that many unmentionables get tossed at the 4R, but it attracts enough attention that it's a nice change of pace not being noticed). I also figured I would survive without the extras in the LX and determined that when I eventually get to mods it will be easier with greater aftermarket support.

A couple months ago I stood near a LC at a car show and people watched. It was amusing to see the uninitiated walk up to it and recoil based solely on the sticker. I overheard numerous people exclaim that they "just don't get" the LC and walk past it without giving it a thought. If you understand what the LC is, then you know your paying for the heritage, capability, durability, reliability and the understated gravitas that some of the more stylish, trendy, technologically endowed luxurious "competitors" don't have whether you're buying it new or used.

The 4R is kind of the kid brother of the LC, but despite its inherent awesomeness doesn't have the cache of a genuine LC. The 5th gen 4Rs definitely got some cool offroad tech and variants over the 4th gens, but I cannot for the life of me come around to the 5th gen styling... I f-ing love my 4th gen 4R and would gladly put its capabilities against a 5th gen any day but now that I'm spoiled with the LC I'm not sure how many more long road trips I'll be taking in it (unless it's specifically for taking it on tight trails). In the end, both of them currently get about the same mpg...

 

[Desert Nomad]

I bought my cruiser new end of 2012, 2013 model and already have 137,000kms+ on it. No issues regarding warranty (5yrs unlimited mileage). Why I got it is aside from getting me from point a-b it's reliable, parts are plentiful, i can wrench on it without needing specialized knowledge/tools and mainly it can take me out into the unknown which is my therapy that keeps me sane.

I'm driving this till chassis drops from underneath it. Take one for a test drive. Read up on the heritage and Toyota's reason for building it, you'll appreciate it and won't look back.

Just my 2 cents

 

[arellanon]

T4Runner -> It is great to know that you and I are similar in that Land Cruisers have captured our interest since childhood. I remember when I first saw one; I was in 4th grade so it was in 1990. That is why I am so infatuated with the 100 series. I remember my dad picking me up from school one afternoon and all of a sudden a much bigger vehicle than ours (my dad at the time had a small 1985 Nissan pickup) pulled up right in front of us. I was all like "WHOA! WHAT IS THAT!"

I also feel the same way about the 4Runner. It is an AWESOME vehicle in its own right. And darn it if I cannot get or decide to not get a LC that will be my vehicle. But I have always been more attracted to LCs. And like you I purchase cars to drive the wheels off of them. So in 20 years we will have TONS of stories to share about our LC 200s.

Desert Nomad -> Your LC is pretty bad to the bone. Love the trailer too.
No doubt, I have been reading up and soaking in the history of this amazing vehicle. I plan on going to far away lands with it; and that is precisely what the LC is built to do.

 

[Atwalz]

If you are going to spend that much dough, I would go with brand new. I like to get my vehicles new. Whenever I get used one, I get maintenance tab and unknown how they were driven during the engine break-in period. If the budget allows go for new.

 

[arellanon]

Atwalz -> Yeah the budget does allow for new. The more I think about it the more I want a new one.

 

[arich]

Ok now seriously, I have yet to be even looked at never mind have panties thrown at me. No one gives the LC a second look and I like that.
Whole story:
I bought my wife the first 1998 LC in 2002 with 70k miles for about $25K. I thought it was awesome but didn't yet get the whole land cruiser thing until I started reading about it. We fell in love with the LC and a 1999 dropped into our laps with just 20K miles in 2004. Paid only $24K. It was in much better condition but we later found out it had been resprayed and not well. That truck is still in the family with 160K miles and it's been flawless. Did all my own maintenance and replaced anything that was wearing out.
I could not afford new 100s in my 20s and 30s and I was simply shocked by their awesome depreciation rate.
I surprised my wife with a "new" 2011 dealer demo with 5,000 miles in June of 2011. I was kind of stuck because there were no 2012s (tsunami in Japan) and the prices of 2006-2010 used LCs was crazy. I paid about $64,000 with a 5 year 75,000 platinum warranty. I wanted a new one but they didn't exist.
For my wife I now like to buy new but I have no issues with buying something less than a year old at a deep discount. Money is money.

She drove The 2011 for 2 years and never really warmed up to it. I was driving the 100 when the weather wasn't nice enough to drive the M5. I had NO problem going shopping for her so I could get my hands on the 200. Now in my 40s things are financially different and my wife works so she can pretty have what she wants. We ended up getting a 2014 GL 350 Bluetec, I got the 200 and her brother is " borrowing" the 1999 100. Let's say it's his because after driving the 200 for a year I couldn't got back to the 100.
Now that we have a Mercedes we're done with the wife driving the LC for 4-5 years then getting a new one and I get the old one. I'll be keeping the 2011 for a long time unless I find a smoking deal on a new leftover. We will now keep a Mercedes long term. Let's see how's it's been when the warranty is about to expire. Knock wood it's been great.

New vs used? I think in the future I would only buy a new Land Cruiser unless I could find one less than a year old and save $15K. I would never pay sticker. The used prices do settle down after 18-24 months so it's not worth looking for a 2 year old truck. The Land Cruiser is one of the best depreciating vehicles you can buy. Not an investment but not a foolish decision either. I take great pride in my vehicles so I'd like the next one new unless I found a perfect used specimen own my a little old lady.
I know my wife's GL is going to depreciate hard but At this stage of life a happy wife is more important. I hope she'll want a new Land Cruiser or a LX when the new 300s come out. And we can start our cycle again.

That said I would sell my 200 for a 2013+ just for HIDs and vented seats and start the mod process all over again. Any takers??

New or Used 200, there isn't a wrong answer. It's a fantastic vehicle. Just don't expect to have panties tossed at you!