Should I get an 02 LX an 03 Sequoia or LC?

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Sep 23, 2004
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Just as the title says, I need to know what you all think. I figure $30k is the limit. Maintenance/repair is no issue as this is my vocation. I don't plan on spending this kind of change and wheeling it (read; garage pampered, road trips and vacations). There is no hurry so let's get some feedback. Thanks
 
Either The Lc Or The Lx. Light Years Better Than The Sequoia. You'll Never Regret It.
 
LC or LX.
 
And I would take the '03 LC over the '02 LX cuz I want that 5 speed.
 
Who are the Sequoya's target customers?

It must be right for someone. It sells pretty well, right?
 
I had a 96 FJ80 and have missed it since the day I sold it. This is my chance for redemption. I've since discounted the Sequoia from my list (where's their forum on the Mud Board?).
LX = Tad bit more "soft"
LC = Marque identity
Keep the opinions coming!
 
If buying CPO, the LX. CPO warranty is 3 yr/100K while the Toyota CPO is a ridiculous 3 month/3K. At the time I got mine, the CPO LX's were less than the non-CPO LC's for the same year, LX's with fewer miles. Just before Xmas, there are often lots for sale. If the new 08 LX is introduced this fall, expect to see lots of 04-05 LX's on the market.
 
Pick either the LC or LX depending on which is in best condition and has best maintenance. I ended up with the LX and CPO because, as Jim indicated, the prices were not much different between LC and LX and the CPO has been very handy and Lexus has great customer service.
 
03 LC or LX just a matter of what you can find...I love both and almost identical. My brother just traded his 04 Sequoia...not even in the same league...its bigger but so is a ford excursion:D

Find a 03 LC....I love mine!!!!!
 
If buying CPO, the LX. CPO warranty is 3 yr/100K while the Toyota CPO is a ridiculous 3 month/3K.

The power train CPO on the toyota is seven year/100K from the date first sold. So if the vehicle is three years old you get fours years or until you hit 100K. On my 2000 I have two years from when I bought it and for a few hundred more I got a bumper to bumper with no deductable. To me it worth buying CPO just to have the piece of mind not to have to worry about the engine or transmission dying a few months after buying a vehicle.

John
 
LC or LX. Grocery wagon Sequoias don't get their own board here, only real 4wd. Look now, because the market is softest after the holidays and starts to firm up after people get their tax returns.

(OK, I know what's coming next from an 80 lurker: the fact that many of us use our 100's only to get groceries and go to work is another discussion, and changing over time as they age).
 
It depends what YOU need!

We have a 2003 Sequoia and love it.

We can pack our family of 6 for vacation WITH STUFF and have enough room. The truck will run the highway, or snowy roads, or dirt roads, or moderate off-road all day without a hiccup.

I will grant that the 4WD system is not as sophisticated (back-end tends to slide out until the ESC kicks in) but I can turn off the 4wd when I'm driving on dry roads and get 16-18 mpg.

We bought our Seq Ltd as a trade-in, it was about 3 mos old, for about $40k ($10-15k less than a comparable Cruiser at the time). It's still worth about $18k with almost 90k miles and 4 years later.

The Sequoia has plenty of fans over on the Tundra Solutions board (it is Tundra-based, after all). Mods are a lot more limited than any Cruiser, but there are coil kits and exhausts available if you look.

Consider your needs: If you're also looking at an Expedition/Tahoe/Durango/Pilot then you'll be very happy with a Sequoia. Do some research on Tundra Solutions and decide for yourself. If you're into (or aspire to) hardcore wheeling and the "accept no substitutes" track then your mind is already made up and you're on the right board.

Me? I loved my 80 but didn't go offroad enough to justify the $ and mi penalty.
:crybaby:
Kids + stuff + bad road/mild trail + $10k less fits my needs well.

-G

P.S. "Real 4wd" means part-time transfer case, just ask the fj60 guys
:flipoff2:
 
Consider your needs: If you're also looking at an Expedition/Tahoe/Durango/Pilot then you'll be very happy with a Sequoia. Do some research on Tundra Solutions and decide for yourself. If you're into (or aspire to) hardcore wheeling and the "accept no substitutes" track then your mind is already made up and you're on the right board.

There's NO WAY I'm going domestic. I'd like to pony up the additional cash and get the LC/LX. As far as wheeling I've got a yj that gets beat like a mule that I don't mind scratching or welding bumpers to.
I appreciate the feedback from all. I value all of your opinions, it is always best to "look before you leap".
 
I still can't figure out how the drivetrain on the LC/LX is more sophisticated than the one on the Sequoia.

It appears to me that the LC/LX have a better TRAC system. But they are both open differential based systems, with the exception of the 2005 Sequoia which actually has a viscous coupling capable of routing power fore and aft mechanically as opposed to using the brakes.

Yes I'm aware that the Sequoia defaults to 2wd mode, but with the flip of the switch you can drive it in 4wd all day as well.

Just curious, I feel the LC is a superior vehicle for many other reasons, but nobody has ever been able to explain why the drivetrain is so much more superior to me.
 
I don't know if the Sequoia and LC trannies are identical since when the Sequoia was introduced back around 2000, they were plagued by tranny failure problems. We know on the V8 4runner, the tranny uses aluminum planetary gears to save weight while the LC/LX uses steel. The 100 has more suspension travel than the Sequoia, fully boxed, more rigid frame. The Sequoia weighs less than the LC, and that weight generally translates into a more solid vehicle. The vehicles are really targeted to two different markets. The Sequoia competes vs. the Expedition/Tahoe/Yukon and designed to be better than those, while the LC/LX compete vs. the Range Rover. Like the other guys say, if space is a major issue and you only plan to keep the vehicle for 10 yrs max (LC is designed for 30 yrs, Sequoia isn't), the Sequoia may be a better fit. The LC/LX can fit a family of 4 with gear and a large dog in a kennel (or 3 kids w/ no dog) w/o putting anything on the roof or towing anything, but it's tight. If you have 3 kids and a dog and want a road trip car, the Sequoia will be more comfortable. I wouldn't select the vehicle based on offroad prowess unless that's all you do, like Schotts. My LX is primarily a road-trip/weekend car and is garaged during the weekdays.
 
Sequoias are built in Princeton, Indiana.

Jim is right on about the market segments; they really are different beasts, with the Sequoia designed to lure customers away from the Expedition and Tahoe. A lot of these people don't understand why anyone would pay so much more money for a LC. (I have to admit I didn't either until I started researching it and discovered this site.)

As for durability, you can't just look at the horizon, ie the LC is designed to last 30 yrs vs 15 yrs for the Seq. The differences start to show up sooner. Part of what I love about my LC is that it's a 2001, with 94K, and nothing rattles. Nothing. The seats show no wear. It's built like a Mercedes from the old days: the fit and finish is superb, the materials are nicer than Toyota puts in its other cars, and it's so far over-engineered for what I use it for that it just doesn't age. People can't believe it's 6 years old.

That's why I picked it. I may or may not ever use it off-road, but it's going to be retired from DD status in about 3 years and will stay in the stable as a road-trip vehicle for 10+ yrs after that. And if I ever move someplace where I can use it offroad, well.... Slee sliders and an ARB bullbar are just the start.
 
Great info guys. I think that for the next 5-6 years I can DD a LC/LX and then like DoctorJay says "keep it in the stable". I bet there are quite a few out there, myself included, that had one, sold it and kicked themselves after they sold their LC. These will make great family heirlooms.
 

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