Toyota Land Cruiser 100 series , Lexus LX470, Toyota Sequoia First Gen

[heema123]

Hello, I'm in the market now to look for a new car since my sister will be taking the one I am currently driving (2014 kia forte) so I've been researching on something I could use and rely on for a couple years. I grew up overseas and every house had either a LX470, Land cruiser, Sequoia or even all three. I've been looking into them and asking around people who know more about cars than me since I'm not too familiar with what to look for. I've been eyeing a LX470 between 2003-2007 since those are the ones in budget and is when Toyota switched over to a 5 speed from the 4 speed. Everything I found that is around 130-187k miles is upwards of $12k which is the budget I had in mind including any repairs or swaps (breaks, tires, oil change, title switch, tax, etc. ) but everything around my budget for the Lexus is around 220k-250k miles on it. As an alternative I was looking at the Toyota Sequoia since it is more in my budget with less miles, has the same 4.7 V8 engine and resemblance to design slightly. Even though a LX470 is my ideal vehicle, I cant save up the right amount of cash needed by the time I have to purchase the car (4-6 months and I'm starting at $0). I'm mainly using the car to go to work, drive on highways, don't even think I will go off-roading in it (if I do, nothing major high intensity) but the LX470 is a dream car. Also what might be important information is that I'm wanting to keep the car stock and not wanting to do any modifications to it.

Main Question:

1. Should I chose a lower mileage sequoia over the LX
2. Is buying a LX with over 200k miles on it a bad idea
3. What problems should I look for when purchasing
4. With what I explained, would I notice any main differences between the two?
5. What are the main differences between the two
6. What problems should I expect with having a car over 100k or 200k

 

[HWY14South]

Don’t buy an older LX on a tight budget. I own an LX. Love it. Don’t get me wrong. And while you are not likely to experience anything catastrophic, you WILL experience fairly regular running costs that, if you are not able to both do yourself and fund for the corrrct (and always more expensive) parts/fluids/etc then you will not have the experience that you are dreaming of. Some are not ready to admit it yet but 100 series trucks are an “enthusiasts vehicle” these days. We may beat the hell out of them but they are still our babies. And most of use pay a hefty penny to enjoy them. I am not trying to pee on your parade bro. But somebody needs to tell you the truth before you end up with a very pretty yard ornament.

 

[thebeedeegee]

At 200k probably-

Timing belt due
Alternator
Starter may go out soon unless recently replaced

Wheel bearings
Fan bracket
CV boots
Steering rack
Huge assortment of rubber bushings

Just be ready for stuff to slowly fail like that. If you are cool doing the work yourself (or have the budget) it's not a big deal, but those wear parts will be going around that time. Just make sure you buy a car with a thorough maintenance history.

I purchased my 1999 LX with 173k miles and it already had the following:

AhC flush
new radiator
Timing belt
Brake pads
Brake fluid replaced
New tires

..and a lot of other services on time before that done by the Lexus dealer up to about 120k miles

so far I've had to replace:
front diff oil seal (probably my fault)
rear axle seals (probably my fault), alternator brushes (and eventually slip rings), new battery,
new wheel studs here and there.

But I only drive about 8k a year in it. Although I do take it off road. If I daily drove it 12k + a year I'd have more stuff to replace im sure. For instance it looks like I'm due for new front wheel bearings (about $200 if you DIY) maybe front inner tie rods (another $200 DIY) i love my LX so working on it is fine for me, but you may envision something different. My LX is not my daily driver which makes a big difference

As far as the sequoia it's not the same. The LX has a different build quality but if you aren't going off road maybe it won't matter as much I dunno. I've never owned one.

 

[heema123]

Don’t buy an older LX on a tight budget. I own an LX. Love it. Don’t get me wrong. And while you are not likely to experience anything catastrophic, you WILL experience fairly regular running costs that, if you are not able to both do yourself and fund for the corrrct (and always more expensive) parts/fluids/etc then you will not have the experience that you are dreaming of. Some are not ready to admit it yet but 100 series trucks are an “enthusiasts vehicle” these days. We may beat the hell out of them but they are still our babies. And most of use pay a hefty penny to enjoy them. I am not trying to pee on your parade bro. But somebody needs to tell you the truth before you end up with a very pretty yard ornament.

First off I do appreciate the honesty and what you are saying. I grew up with them in the family and my parents have the LX570 so I went into it knowing how costly it is to maintain proper care of it and am holding into account that regular maintenance is needed for them. Initially the plan is to have 10-15k and put some down for a downpayment while having a couple thousand in store to keep incase anything major happens. Regular checks are going to be dome to it and if everything is good id put larger amounts of money down each month in order to lwer the payments if i do need to finance.

 

[heema123]

At 200k probably-

Timing belt due
Alternator
Starter may go out soon unless recently replaced

Wheel bearings
Fan bracket
CV boots
Steering rack
Huge assortment of rubber bushings

Just be ready for stuff to slowly fail like that. If you are cool doing the work yourself (or have the budget) it's not a big deal, but those wear parts will be going around that time. Just make sure you buy a car with a thorough maintenance history.

I purchased my 1999 LX with 173k miles and it already had the following:

AhC flush
new radiator
Timing belt
Brake pads
Brake fluid replaced
New tires

..and a lot of other services on time before that done by the Lexus dealer up to about 120k miles

so far I've had to replace:
front diff oil seal (probably my fault)
rear axle seals (probably my fault), alternator brushes (and eventually slip rings), new battery,
new wheel studs here and there.

But I only drive about 8k a year in it. Although I do take it off road. If I daily drove it 12k + a year I'd have more stuff to replace im sure. For instance it looks like I'm due for new front wheel bearings (about $200 if you DIY) maybe front inner tie rods (another $200 DIY) i love my LX so working on it is fine for me, but you may envision something different. My LX is not my daily driver which makes a big difference

As far as the sequoia it's not the same. The LX has a different build quality but if you aren't going off road maybe it won't matter as much I dunno. I've never owned one.

I did find a few that have a lot of maintenance history and no accidents so seemed to be kept in good condition. I wouldnt mind doing anything on my own, most of my friends do car builds and others are mechanics so i always have extra hands to help incase anything does happen. Im starting to see that the sequoia is very different than the LX other than the engine. I'm just trying to make the best decision for something that is lasting and reliable.

 

[thebeedeegee]

I did find a few that have a lot of maintenance history and no accidents so seemed to be kept in good condition. I wouldnt mind doing anything on my own, most of my friends do car builds and others are mechanics so i always have extra hands to help incase anything does happen. Im starting to see that the sequoia is very different than the LX other than the engine. I'm just trying to make the best decision for something that is lasting and reliable.

Sounds like you're on the right track. As long as you don't go into it thinking you can just drive another 50k to 75k without having to replace anything you'll probably be fine. Based on the wealth of information here I don't think you'd see any major problems outside of the total brake failure thing, but small items will definitely still need repairs. Even the total brake failure can sometimes be fixed my having your accumulator pump rebuilt for a couple hundred bucks if you can remove and install yourself.

 

[LXKevin]

Just be patient keep studying here save your duckies and be ready to move quickly when the LX you are looking for pops up near you. You can create an account here: Lexus Drivers to plug in vin numbers of vehicles you are considering to see their dealer service histories.

 

[blackohio]

i paid 7900 for my lx470 with 152k this year. tbelt done at 104. everything minus the sunroof works. it’s not mint, but it’s average.

good deals are out there.

 

[ramangain]

If you are planning on using the car "for a couple of years", as you stated, find something with complete, up to date maintenance history, and have it inspected by a knowledgeable mechanic as a PPI. Pay the premium for a rig that has a newer OEM fuel pump, steering rack, rubber bushings, and starter so those items don't bite you in the butt on rigs around 200k miles.

Unless something looks quite serious re: rust, I wouldn't worry about any rust issues if you plan to keep the rig for just a couple of years. That can open up quite a few potential buying opportunities for you.

 

[RKTINC]

I vote for a nice Sienna. Great car on a budget. Holds its value. You can pay cash, keep saving money and then trade up to the Cruiser you want. You will save money on insurance and tires as well with a Sienna van.

 

[heema123]

Just be patient keep studying here save your duckies and be ready to move quickly when the LX you are looking for pops up near you. You can create an account here: Lexus Drivers to plug in vin numbers of vehicles you are considering to see their dealer service histories.

Thank you!! I need all the sites and ways to check as possible

 

[heema123]

i paid 7900 for my lx470 with 152k this year. tbelt done at 104. everything minus the sunroof works. it’s not mint, but it’s average.

good deals are out there.

Where did you look? what places do you recommend besides the basic sites

 

[UTadventures]

I vote for a nice Sienna. Great car on a budget. Holds its value. You can pay cash, keep saving money and then trade up to the Cruiser you want. You will save money on insurance and tires as well with a Sienna van.

As a 04 LX owner, and 07 Sienna owner, I concur! Don’t forget, 50% better gas mileage too. And sadly, it’s quicker off the line than my Boxster...

 

[suprarx7nut]

The LX is a tough sell from a financial perspective. It's reliable as hell, but it's not cheap.

1. Mileage on either vehicle doesn't mean much. Powertrains are among the most durable ever made. Condition trumps mileage.
2. If you can DIY almost all work and have patience to mess with complicated systems like AHC it's not a bad idea, IMO. Just be prepared to open your wallet for a long list of systems. The LX is a flagship luxury SUV. That doesn't change as they age.
3. AHC. I'm a die-hard fan of the system, but it can be a major source of expense if neglected. Typical upkeep isn't bad, but if the PO didn't bother to maintain and leaves you holding the bag it's not unusual to need to spend a solid $1,500 on it for new globes and springs/spacers/fluids.
4. Many. The MSRP was nearly DOUBLE for the LX. The LX is built to a higher standard in almost every component. They share a powertrain, mostly, but interior quality on the Sequoia is a stark contrast to the LX, IMO.
5. Too long to list. Sequoia is physically larger, cheaper, etc... It's very rare to find an LX that wasn't treated like a princess for it's first 10 years of life. It'd be very rare to find a Sequoia that got the same treatment that your average LX got. That's a part of what makes the Land Cruisers and Lx's so nice to own second hand. The initial buyers dropped a lot of money on them new and they rarely neglected them. Top notch build quality and reliability combined with a customer base that takes maintenance seriously is a recipe for success in the used market.
6. Not a simple answer. I think you'll need to research yourself. Condition trumps mileage.

As a secondary note, I bought my 06LX for $13k with 216k and in clean, but obviously not loved, condition. It cost $2k+ to fix prior windshield replacement damage. It cost ~$1000 to address a coolant leak and associated maintenance items under the hood. Those were costs incurred within months of buying it. Prepare for a few thousand a year in upkeep for the first few years. more if you buy a cheap LX that's been neglected or is rusty. Rust is cancer. Avoid at all costs (says the guy from Colorado/AZ).

 

[blackohio]

Where did you look? what places do you recommend besides the basic sites

mine i found on facebook marketplace locally.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Sequoia is the practical choice as you can find many more for sale for pretty cheap. Plus for what you plan on doing it would excel at. That being said you like the 100 series for the same reason we all do!

And if we are making decisions based solely on practicality then just do what someone else suggested and buy a van! But where's the fun in that!

 

[shtbrwn86]

Go on Craigslist and set up search alerts. That's what I did. Set them up for as far as i was willing to travel which was Arizona for me. Found mine for sale for $6,000 with all the records and services done so I offered him $6400 to hold it for me and bought a plane ticket to fly down there.

There are deals out there but it took me a year to find one. If you are willing to travel you can get a good one for under $10,000. If not you might end up paying a premium.

 

[shtbrwn86]

One more piece of advice. There are SOOO many resellers out there that pretend to be for sale by owner, but they aren't. They stumbled across a decent one, low-balled the owner and are turning around to sell it for a hefty profit.

PLEASE DON'T GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!!

Always ask for the VIN and ask them how long they personally have owned it. Ask them if it's registered in their name. If they have owned it less than 6 months I walk away unless they have a really good reason.

Sorry for the rant but i got so fed up with sellers like that when looking for mine.

 

[Pucker5]

Couple thoughts:
-LandCruiser Baseline is not cheap but it can be a major problem if key maintenances have been pushed and parts hits end of their expected life. Both these things are realities after 100k when first owners decide to cheap out on regular maintenance. Records is king.
-keep in mind these rigs can go 300-400k and more. Don’t let something near 200k scare you
-if 12k is your budget, aim for something that is around 8-9k and hedge for ish that will need to be replaced.

Craigslist always has 7-9k gems popping up you just have to figure out a quick research protocol and be ready to
Move. Lexus/Toyota vin lookup site, Carfax, owner records availability and ppi resource are a few things toward being ready

 

[heema123]

One more piece of advice. There are SOOO many resellers out there that pretend to be for sale by owner, but they aren't. They stumbled across a decent one, low-balled the owner and are turning around to sell it for a hefty profit.

PLEASE DON'T GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!!

Always ask for the VIN and ask them how long they personally have owned it. Ask them if it's registered in their name. If they have owned it less than 6 months I walk away unless they have a really good reason.

Sorry for the rant but i got so fed up with sellers like that when looking for mine.

I really appreciate the advice! rant all you want! I need to learn as much as possible