Oponion on Japan-Import LC100 1998/1999? (1 Viewer)

[Scherm]

Hello! I'm Scherm and this is my first post after lurking on threads without an account for some times.

I'm military stationed in Japan and I've been looking for 70, then 70 prado, then 80, then now 100 LC to ship back to states when I move in end of this year. I can take anything 1999 and older as "classic" car despite that it will have right side driver seat.

I'm still in my internal conflict between 80 and 100, but considering the safety and more luxury features with still LC-grade utility capability, I'm strongly looking into 100s more. I want to be able to drive in hard terrains but I don't think myself as off-roader to go on a patrol trip...at least not yet.

My father-in-law who is a local has his foot in used car market as well as local auctions, and I'm waiting for something good to come. While in mean time, I'm looking at Goo-net which is Japanese used-car sales website where different vendors upload their used cars.

I wanted to ask few opinions on several factors...even those I've read on different posts already.

1) Turbodiesel vs Gas? Diesel price is lot cheaper than gad here in Japan, but I know it's opposite in US. I've never owned a Diesel car before.
2) I have $20,000 budget max. Thankfully yen is very cheap right now so I can get some good stuff, like fully maintained, minimal rust, one-owner LC100 with less than 100000km on it. Would you consider that worth it if my goal is to ride it till it or I die?
3) Some of the LC100 which are "G-Selection" I see have air suspension...? air lift-up...? some to that feature. How is that compare to the solid lift-ups?
4) How difficult would it be to drive this right-side driver seat vehicle in the states?

Thank you so much in advance. I love this community.

 

[D21FJ60]

I would stick with gas for now, unless you are moving stateside to an area with a well know toyota shop that has more experience with the diesel engines.

A lot of importers here are selling the eligible 100 series for well over that, probably to make max profit. Figure out import paperwork (unless that is different since you are military?) shipping (does the military cover this?) and so on and so forth.

AHC systems have weak and fail points as time goes on- tons of threads on here about that system. Conventional springs are less maintenance but don't offer as plush a ride.

Cant comment on RHD drivability.

 

[hoser]

1. Turbodiesel will have high resale value in the States. If you happen to move to CA, you won't be able to register it. Most other States, you can.
4. It is not difficult to drive RHD in the States but it certainly has its drawbacks, mainly merging and passing.... less visibility when making a left hand turn when an opposing vehicle is directly in front of you. You have to square off right turns. If you come to the intersection at a 45 degree angle, your passengers head will be in your line of sight for oncoming traffic.

 

[medtro]

RHD creates more fun with drive through services.

 

[Scherm]

I would stick with gas for now, unless you are moving stateside to an area with a well know toyota shop that has more experience with the diesel engines.

A lot of importers here are selling the eligible 100 series for well over that, probably to make max profit. Figure out import paperwork (unless that is different since you are military?) shipping (does the military cover this?) and so on and so forth.

AHC systems have weak and fail points as time goes on- tons of threads on here about that system. Conventional springs are less maintenance but don't offer as plush a ride.

Cant comment on RHD drivability.

Thank you!
Paperwork should be the same; military does cover that vehicle shipping I think once every 3 years...? I still gotta look into it once I get the vehicle.

AHC system failure is what I was worried about. Similar to the reasons I don't want to get newer cars when I get back to the states, I'm concerned that more tech functions means more potential failures.

 

[Scherm]

1. Turbodiesel will have high resale value in the States. If you happen to move to CA, you won't be able to register it. Most other States, you can.
4. It is not difficult to drive RHD in the States but it certainly has its drawbacks, mainly merging and passing.... less visibility when making a left hand turn when an opposing vehicle is directly in front of you. You have to square off right turns. If you come to the intersection at a 45 degree angle, your passengers head will be in your line of sight for oncoming traffic.

I'm aiming to Virginia. Hopefully they have a well experienced diesel mechanic worked on Toyota engines in the area.
If military is gonna give me CA, I think I'd fight to not go.

 

[Scherm]

RHD creates more fun with drive through services.

What does "drive through services" mean?

 

[Tareq]

I got the 4.7 gas because the 4.2 diesel is at least 50% to 80% more for the same year and mileage, it would take me 15 years of driving to breakeven the price difference.
MPG not tempting either.
If you live in an area with high traffic, I would skip the RHD, it is tiring when i have to go downtown.

 

[krice118]

Honestly why import a gas 100 with RHD

Go diesel or buy a gas 100 when you get to the states.

 

[medtro]

What does "drive through services" mean?

Drive-thru for food and banking. Same fun for paying parking and toll.

 

[Scherm]

Drive-thru for food and banking. Same fun for paying parking and toll.

Ahhhhhh lmao drive-thru
I always see thru instead of through and it didn't even click in.

 

[Scherm]

I got the 4.7 gas because the 4.2 diesel is at least 50% to 80% more for the same year and mileage, it would take me 15 years of driving to breakeven the price difference.
MPG not tempting either.
If you live in an area with high traffic, I would skip the RHD, it is tiring when i have to go downtown.

15 years?! Gesus

 

[Bennymic]

15 years?! Gesus

Yeah but it's nice having 500 mile range instead of <250 mile range. If you can do your own maintenance the diesel is far and away better. If you're going gas just get a us spec.

 

[Tareq]

15 years?! Gesus

Use an mpg calculator online and put the numbers and gas vs diesel prices in ur area and see which is better for you!
For the price of a diesel of the same year and mileage, I could have bought 2 2UZs
A US spec 100 for the same price I got mine would have 200k miles, mine was 60k + tire carrier!

 

[Scherm]

Honestly why import a gas 100 with RHD

Go diesel or buy a gas 100 when you get to the states.

I got the diesel! Gotta post it up soon

 

[gregdawg89]

Hi, last Fall I imported a 1998 LC100 VX with the 4.2L 1HD-FTE turbodiesel.

1. Turbo diesel is the way to go in my opinion.
2. With the yen at an all-time low versus the dollar $20k should get you a nice one but as they say the devil is in the details. As with any used vehicle lower miles is better, and check VERY carefully for rust. And find out when the last timing belt service was done. The more maintenance records the better.
3. Active Height Control (AHC) is a controversial topic but when it's working it's wonderful. I have that on my LC100. It can require regular maintenance, changing of accumulators ("globes") every great once in a while, and some other tweaks. But overall I'm a fan of AHC.
4. You get used to it quickly.

 

[Scherm]

Hi, last Fall I imported a 1998 LC100 VX with the 4.2L 1HD-FTE turbodiesel.

1. Turbo diesel is the way to go in my opinion.
2. With the yen at an all-time low versus the dollar $20k should get you a nice one but as they say the devil is in the details. As with any used vehicle lower miles is better, and check VERY carefully for rust. And find out when the last timing belt service was done. The more maintenance records the better.
3. Active Height Control (AHC) is a controversial topic but when it's working it's wonderful. I have that on my LC100. It can require regular maintenance, changing of accumulators ("globes") every great once in a while, and some other tweaks. But overall I'm a fan of AHC.
4. You get used to it quickly.

Hey boss! Glad to have a fellow 1HDFTE importer. I just finished reading your threads.
No maintenance record that auction could give me; first and only owner was an old man in Hokkaido that did his own maintenance. Timing belt needs to be changed next Wednesday; it has been making that old belt noise already despite 60,000km. I assume it's just old and never changed since it was last droven.
AHC works wonderfully. I plan to keep it and hopefully learn to maintain it. Getting the parts are a bit questionable but I'll look into getting the parts while I'm still here in Japan.

 

[Exiled]

I have a RHD BJ42, and I've gotten used to driving it, no issues. That said, if I was going through the hassle and expense (shipping is nuts these days) of importing a JDM 100 series it would absolutely be a diesel one. There are plenty of petrol UZJ100s in great shape available for sale in this country. Just my $0.02.

If you've ever driven a Land Cruiser with a 1HD-FTE engine, you'll be an immediate convert. It is as smooth and civilized as powerful diesel engines come.

 

[kerrye]

I'm aiming to Virginia. Hopefully they have a well experienced diesel mechanic worked on Toyota engines in the area.
If military is gonna give me CA, I think I'd fight to not go.

Without hesitation I would choose the diesel but I have a fair amount of experience working on diesels and driving a 70 series briefly in Australia. But, you should be aware that very few diesel mechanics have experience working on Toyota diesels in the USA. I'm sure I will be corrected if I am mistaken but I don't think Toyota ever imported any of their vehicles into the USA with diesels. Or, if they did, it was very few. Nevertheless, a diesel is a diesel. The biggest challenge will be sourcing parts for a Diesel engine which was never officially imported into the USA. I once owned a Mercedes 409d with an engine never officially imported into the USA. I relied on a UK parts supplier to identify and source the parts I needed.

 

[Exiled]

Without hesitation I would choose the diesel but I have a fair amount of experience working on diesels and driving a 70 series briefly in Australia. But, you should be aware that very few diesel mechanics have experience working on Toyota diesels in the USA. I'm sure I will be corrected if I am mistaken but I don't think Toyota ever imported any of their vehicles into the USA with diesels. Or, if they did, it was very few. Nevertheless, a diesel is a diesel. The biggest challenge will be sourcing parts for a Diesel engine which was never officially imported into the USA. I once owned a Mercedes 409d with an engine never officially imported into the USA. I relied on a UK parts supplier to identify and source the parts I needed.

This is a good point, but parts availability for Toyota diesel engines has improved dramatically over the last five years, not only are there 5-7 importers that are pretty good with parts availability, but with Partsouq, Amayama and others, most maintenance parts are now easily (and quickly) available in the US.