Thoughts on Landcruiser Premium Package? (2 Viewers)

[LandSnoozer250]

Hi I'm considering getting the Landcruiser Trim, and have gone from thinking the Premium Package is a must to now thinking it may be a waste of money. I wanted to start a thread to get people's thoughts on the options it includes and what other owners are considering

Land Cruiser Premium Package - MSRP $4600 includes these options
— 14-speaker JBL® * Premium Audio
- This is a nice to have, but very curious how the standard 10 speaker system is.
— illuminated entry with illuminated running boards,
- I don't think I value this feature.
— Digital Key * capability,
- I don't think I value this feature.
— power moonroof w/sunshade
- This is a nice to have, but also can be optioned separately. Wouldn't be a decision factor.
— center console cool box
- Originally I thought this would be really cool to have, but I've seen comments about how small it is and space you loose in the center console. Very curious what other's think about this feature.
— digital rearview mirror,
- Doesn't matter to me.
—Qi-compatible wireless charging,
- This is a nice to have, but not a big decision factor. Does anyone know if AA/AC are wireless? Otherwise it would be almost useless.
— leather-trimmed memory/power driver's seat
- I do like leather, but I've heard good things about softex reliability and temperature in the summer. Curious if others see leather as a value add feature.
— Head-Up Display (HUD),
- Doesn't matter to me.
— Lane Change Assist (LCA), * Front Cross-Traffic Alert (FCTA), * and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) * (requires Drive Connect * trial/subscription; 1-year trial included. *) 4G network dependent.
- Very unfamiliar with these features and drive connect cost, curious what others think about this functionality.

Please let me know what you think of the premium options and whether you plan to add the option. There is already a lot of premium features in the base Landcruiser Trim, so

 

[Fort9378]

Nothing about the premium package is a necessity. That being said, mine will have it. For 2 reasons.

- This is the nicest vehicle I've ever bought. It appealed to the stereotypical American consumer in me that I could get "everything" on it for not much more than the regular LC trim. The primary things I value are the leather seats, the hud, and the audio system. No worry about going home and thinking "man, I wish I had x feature".

- The only LC trims coming in right now are premiums in my area.

 

[AndrewTK]

If we buy one it will have the premium package for one reason - the memory seat. My wife and I will both drive the vehicle and we have vastly differing seat positions, I’m also annoyed that Toyota doesn’t include this as standard on the LC trim…

 

[mkennedy009]

The moon roof is not separate, at least when I make a build. We have a HUD in the Volvo and it does not work if you have polarized sunglasses. The polarization makes the HUD invisible. I cannot say for sure, the memory drivers seat with the extension is only the drivers seat. sucks if I want to be a navigator on road trips. Paying for the Drive Connect is pointless. The features are nice to have, not that nice. If I can option the Digital Rear view mirror by itself, I would get it. Just my opinion.

 

[Fort9378]

The moon roof is not separate, at least when I make a build. We have a HUD in the Volvo and it does not work if you have polarized sunglasses. The polarization makes the HUD invisible. I cannot say for sure, the memory drivers seat with the extension is only the drivers seat. sucks if I want to be a navigator on road trips. Paying for the Drive Connect is pointless. The features are nice to have, not that nice. If I can option the Digital Rear view mirror by itself, I would get it. Just my opinion.

I believe you can option a sun roof without the premium package. Just not the other way around.

 

[1NTRANSIT]

OP I agree with your take. I do like leather AND the driver’s seat has adjustable thigh support- great luxury on long trips, this really got me thinking toward premium. The rest of it is a big meh.

I want to compare both once they’re finally on dealer lots and hopeful I will sit in a standard LC and be totally sold. Our Southeast region will end up foisting 2-3k worth of port/dealer junk on us so have to account for that too.

 

[texote]

Do the seats have butthole coolers? AC seats in the summer is nice

 

[TrailWhale]

Do the seats have butthole coolers? AC seats in the summer is nice

Yup. Only the cloth 1958 seats lack ventilation (although still heated).

I went through this exact same exercise and couldn’t come up with enough value added to go with premium. The upgraded sound system is really the only thing I wish I could have on non-premium.

I’ve got a non-premium (with moonroof) allocation coming my way in July.

 

[MrPiggy]

We have a HUD in the Volvo and it does not work if you have polarized sunglasses. The polarization makes the HUD invisible.

We’ve got a Mazda with a HUD and it’s visible with polarised glasses, although it’s slightly rainbowish. I wonder how good/bad this is across different manufacturers.
Little things we take for granted could really spoil what we think might be a great feature.

 

[mrlittlejeans]

I'd do it just for the HUD. I wear polarized sunglasses and can still see the HUD on my 600 and my wife's Yukon. It is harder to see for sure but a very very slight tilt of your head and it is bright again.

The wireless charger and memory seats are features I wouldn't buy a car without either.

 

[Corbet]

For me it’s the leather sunroof and stereo that I want and the rest of the features add value to offset the price. I like wheeling my 80 with the rooof open. Initial feel of softex does not do it for me and I’m just assuming the better stereo is indeed better. (That may be a poor assumption)

Everything else I could do without but I’m sure I’ll appreciate the other luxuries. Now if only my region would get some trail dust/java trucks allocated to it.

 

[NYCGX]

Surprised this hasn't been brought up more or maybe it's just me - but the backseat headroom in the LC with a sunroof and with the seats mostly upright is not great. Maybe I have an abnormally long torso, but at 5'11 I had maybe 2 inches between my head and the roof and could absolutely imagine banging my head into the roof on a bad pothole.

 

[MountaineerLC]

It’s definitely personal preference, but for me there is nothing in your list I’d pay extra for. In fact, I’d prefer not to have a sunroof, cool box and all the nanny assist driving nonsense.

The subscription drive connect stuff grinds my gears as well. Let’s sell you a $75k vehicle then require you pay a subscription to access certain features… I see it as another way for a company to extort money from their customer, even after selling them a very expensive vehicle. Just seems greedy to me, IMO.

Or maybe I’m just becoming an old curmudgeon…

 

[Corbet]

I agree on the subscription BS, it’s the world we live in now where we are being programmed to pay monthly for nearly everything.

 

[mrlittlejeans]

I'd completely cancel the connected data services as I prefer Waze anyway but they tie the remote start (at least on my 600) to the connected data services so you can't even use the key fob to remote start if you cancel. Total BS.

 

[OGBeno]

It’s definitely personal preference, but for me there is nothing in your list I’d pay extra for. In fact, I’d prefer not to have a sunroof, cool box and all the nanny assist driving nonsense.

The subscription drive connect stuff grinds my gears as well. Let’s sell you a $75k vehicle then require you pay a subscription to access certain features… I see it as another way for a company to extort money from their customer, even after selling them a very expensive vehicle. Just seems greedy to me, IMO.

Or maybe I’m just becoming an old curmudgeon…

Car companies are no longer car companies selling a product that the customer can mold and manipulate to their needs;

They are buying our information and selling us ways to make the consumer the product.

The car is just a thing that facilitates this process, now. It’s “thingness” is now truly a black box of signals, networks and systems that will 100% require high levels of technological know-how in the world of networked electric systems using complex translation and expertise systems outside of the average DIY monetary means.

I no longer want to participate in a system that blatantly does this as their primary business model.

 

[SanJuanJ]

Car companies are no longer car companies selling a product that the customer can mold and manipulate to their needs;

They are buying our information and selling us ways to make the consumer the product.

The car is just a thing that facilitates this process, now. It’s “thingness” is now truly a black box of signals, networks and systems that will 100% require high levels of technological know-how in the world of networked electric systems using complex translation and expertise systems outside of the average DIY monetary means.

I no longer want to participate in a system that blatantly does this as their primary business model.

Are you going to stick to old cars, or just ride a bike?

 

[carboncycles]

That is the business model that the world is going to...find a revenue stream that is constant, scalable and low cost. Subscription based services fill that role very well. Apple has been successful on vertically integrating much of the hardware, software and subscription based services into one convenient bundle.

Tesla uses software (and subscriptions) to lock you out of some of the features. Other auto makers are following quickly behind them. I could see a world in which the common commodity car is hugely discounted as long as you subscribe to their "services"...whatever that might be.

 

[Phillyd2]

I don't think many really wants to participate but the option of not doing so is getting slimmer by the day. So far it's been done out of sight so there's no real uproar - it would take some sort of major breach or abuse before there's any serious pushback.

 

[rexington14]

I'd completely cancel the connected data services as I prefer Waze anyway but they tie the remote start (at least on my 600) to the connected data services so you can't even use the key fob to remote start if you cancel. Total BS.

I get what your saying... but remote start is such a "soft" feature that no adult male should even consider using it in the first place - let alone pay extra for it.