Starting my search/obsession for a 200 (1 Viewer)

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Wisluggo

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I have been lurking for a while now, while quietly fantasizing about a LC or LX, so I thought I would come out of the shadows a bit more. I live in WI with lots, and lots of salted roads so a LC/LX has me a bit worried about the Toyota rust issues. None the less, I still find myself wanting one.

My wife and I hope to have a family soon, so I would be curious to know how you all find the LC is as a family vehicle. It seems like there really isn't that much cargo space, but it might be because I simply don't own one.

I hope to learn a bunch from you all, and thanks or welcoming me to the group.
 
my opinion is that it's a great family hauler (i have an 8 and a 5 year old). my wife has an MDX, but we take the LC every time we go anywhere as a group... as for space, i think it has a bit more than the MDX when the 3rd row isn't used... and has quite a bit more if you remove the 3rd row in the LC - i did recently. with the 3rd row not stowed, it seems comparable. there is a meager amount of space behind either of the vehicles' third row seating.

there are certainly trucks and vans that offer more space and amenities and even a bit more comfort as family haulers if you're planning to stay on the pavement most of the time... e.g. the sequoia, suburban, and basically every minivan out there. but none of them are land cruisers, so if your thing is getting off of the beaten pavement, exploring, and getting home safely and reliably, it's very hard to beat.
 
Well you've done it. Enablers. What kind of travel do you expect to do as a family? If you're just starting a family you owe it to them to get a 200 series haha. The experiences it allows for my family to have are amazing. And in comfort. Not many trucks out there with the total package considering how much time you'll spend on road, then to be as capable as the rest of road is icing on the cake.

I have a young family of 4 and we fit fine even with 3rd row in, 95% of the time. No roof rack yet but given recent sketchy strapping of wood to stock rack I feel the need for more space for dirty items from time to time.
 
You guys are such enablers! My wife and I don't have a family yet, but we hope soon. What is honestly interesting me about the LC is the history and reliability. That being said, what is most nerve racking to me is the salty environment in which I live. I think the 100 series had rust issues but I am not sure about the 200 series.

There is a used 2016 LC with 25k miles for sale near by priced at $61.5, which is the one that seems to speak to me.
 
FWIW, I'm on my second 200, (100, 80 and 60 before that). Each iteration just seems to add to the legacy. I sold my '13 200 to Sequoia owners who wanted to make the switch to the LC. With the exception of a PITA heater hose on my 80 (I think current or former 80s owners know which one I'm talking about!), I've never had a problem with an LC. I'm already looking forward to my next one, and the one after that...unfortunately, I don't know anything about salty road conditions, but I'm sure others on here will chime in. The '16 you're looking at sounds like a good opportunity for you. The addition of the LED headlights is a very nice thing to have.
HTH
 
When my son's family borrows my 200 (and previously my 100) for their family of 5 vacations, the kids are all super excited to get to take the Land Cruiser. It makes getting there a lot of fun for them, and they take to interesting places that need 4WD. This last trip they made up a story line that every time a crumb would hit the seats or a drop of drink would spill, I would get a text informing me of the transgression. I played along and told them that between those texts and the constant updating from the GPS tracking device I hid the LC (not), I was constantly on alert.

You do need to watch for rust damage on the undercarriage of older LCs in salted areas. Some are fine; my Michigan 100 was ok on rust when I sold it last year, but only because I did due diligence and kept after it.
 
While other makes and models cater more to the "family hauler" demographic, the Land Cruiser is still very much an off road vehicle at its core. It lives at the intersect between go anywhere and be comfortable while you get there. Plus RELIABILITY & DEPENDABILITY without parallel in new cars today.
I was comparing a Yukon Denali and a LC 200 just last year. No doubt that the Denali would have blended better into the suburban landscape, and was a very comfortable vehicle in its own right. I simply preferred the LC, as it felt better.
 
I really appreciate all the thoughts on the 200 series. I am requesting more information from the seller on the 2016 model i found. The seller did disclose is was a rental car (that's a NICE rental car) but says its in really great shape. I asked for under carriage pictures and the car fax report. Anything else I should ask for in advance of driving 2 hours away?
 
In my experience, a professional pre purchase inspection is a $100-150 well spent for piece of mind. Id also look into the Toyota online owners portal and input the vin for any history that is available there.
 
If it's a dealer selling, ensure said dealer hasn't sprayed an undercoating on the bottom which would make it look clean re: rust. The '13 I got from Maine was from a Toyota dealer, CPO, they had sprayed it and THEN sent me pics. When I got the car it had surface corrosion on the mild steel underneath, but most was hidden by the spray. Caveat emptor...
 
OK, I don't think I am going to pull the trigger on this one, but thought I would share anyways:

2016 Black on Black LC, $61.5K, 25K miles. It is a formal fleet/rental, it might have a bit of rust underneath (dealer is sending me pictures), and it did have a leaking power steering column when it arrived at the dealer.

Here is a link to the listing:
Used 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser For Sale | Northfield IL

Here is a link to car fax:
https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/p/Report.cfx?partner=DLR_3&vin=JTMCY7AJ8G4037158

And this is what the Toyota Owners Portal Said:
CAR HAS NO POWER STEERING LEAK EXCESS OIL FROM OIL CHANGE,NO 27PT REQUESTED BY CUSTOMER
 
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Most of the 2016's I've seen posted are rentals that are near or just hit 30k (dump point). I suspect there's not a lot of private parties selling a less than 2 year old car. There's a former rental in San Juan Capistrano that looks great until you get up close and it's beat. I've been by twice and I'm dismayed at the condition. There's dirt covering the entire undercarriage, bad scratches/mild dents and even an old starbucks cup in the third row. It looks like they drove it off the auction site, wiped it down and put an ad up... and it's a CPO!
 
I looked at a 2015 last year at a GMC dealer with a rental history too, and it was pretty beat. They had listed it around $62k, dropped to $59k, $56k, then I saw it and offered $54k, they refused, and 2 months later still had it on their lot listed at $51k. No idea what it sold for or if they just traded it for different inventory, but due to the condition it sat for several months. The one you posted looks to have a weird history with ownership too, so I'm not surprised it's a "good" price. It could be worth checking out, but keep in mind with the rental history it will always have a diminished value over one that doesn't have that on the history report.
 
Mine was a fleet rental that I picked up as a CPO. The 200 is amazing! I've owned an 80 and a 100 (still have the 100), and the 200 is so nice. It's a great choice for you and your family. Depending on what you're hauling you should have enough room. I stuffed my 100 full of gear for two people (two tents, sleeping bags, coolers, camp oven {yes a camp oven for cookies} and all my recovery gear) for week long trips to utah and never have had any concerns about enough storage.
 
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