Trading a Sequoia for a Cruiser......advice?

[JETTIX2]

My wife and I are considering trading our 2001 Toyota Sequoia SR5 4WD w/ 65k in ......looking at buying a 01/02 Land Cruiser with similar mileage....(ssuming I can get high teens for my Sequoia, and can buy the LC for low 20s....)

The Sequoia has treated us OK, but we'd like something a bit more luxury with a few less problems.....

Drove a nice 01 LC yesterday.....a couple of questions and comments:

1) I know the 4.7 is the same basic motor that the Seq has in it, but it sounds and feels like a totally different motor in the LC. Why? Is it tuned more for low-end power?? More sound insulation in the vehicle?? The Sequoia really is loud when it is in the upper RPM band towing our travel trailer up hills (4250#). How will the LC be in comparison? I'm assuming the towing power should be similar.....?

2) the LC is a much better riding SUV than the Seq......I know it is heavier, but it feels like a completly different animal.....the Seq rides like a pickup (Tundra chassis showing through!) and the LC feels much more comfortable, nice and tight w/o rattles.

3) Does the LC have the same transmission with weak OD planetary gear that the 00-02 Seq/Tundra have?

4) Does the LC have the same hyper-active VSC/TRAC system that the 01 Seq has?

6) Any A/C problems??

5)QUALITY. The LC feels better built than the Seq. Our '01 Seq has been a decent truck, like I mentioned, but the quality is not up to the Toyota vehicles I have had in the past. We've had several small problems, a few rattles here and there, and I wonder how the LC compares....some of the problem areas the Sequoias typically have (for comparison purposes, ours has not had anything catastrophic yet)....: the 01-03 is notorious for grenading A/C compressors at big $$ expense, the 01-02 has a weak OD planetary gear that will destroy a perfectly good tranny without warning, lots of VSC/TRAC issues (overly sensitive and faulty brake booster sensors) in early years, rear gate latches, rear gate window motors, etc..... this is the kind of stuff that my old GM products had, not something I expect from Toyota!!!.

I'm not too concerned about losing some space coming from the Seq, nor about the slight decrease in MPG we will likely see.

Any help or input is appreciated!!


Thanks, Ben

 

[Travis351]

I was in your shoes in August 05. I haul about 1500 lbs. of real estate magazines inside of the UZJ100 every week to 300+ stops. I have not had one gripe grumble or complaint from my tranny or brakes. These guys know way more than me so check out their forums https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=92123&highlight=cruiser+sequoia
and https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=10359

I know the engines are different but don't know the details. One is an I-Force and the other is not. Mine is very quiet always.

Better ride is probably due to the added weight and tortion bar suspension up front.

The transmissions have to be different and my guess is that the American version (Sequoia) is programmed for heavy footers that love the Chevy style "Tip in" that makes you feel sporty when flooring it at the green light.

I haven't noticed any traction system interference but mine is only a 1999.

I live in South Florida and my A/C still blows cold at 120,000 miles

I get 18 MPG empty on the highway and around 15 loaded making all of the stops running 89 octane.

Again, check out the above forums as there are much more experienced folks on here than me but I thought I would post.

Good Luck! Go for the Cruiser!

 

[Travis351]

Correction to the Above...Truck purchased in April of 05 at 86,000 miles and now at 119,700. Sorry, it's getting late over here on the east coast.

 

[dclee]

People ask why Cruisers cost so much when a Sequoia is bigger, seats more, etc. It appears you are becoming one of the enlightened ones...

You'll find the quality issues are as you say: the Cruiser is screwed together the right way and will still be nice and tight hundreds of thousands of miles from now. It is designed for the long haul, not a throw-away as most vehicles are designed and built these days (even Toyotas!). IMHO, the fact that it is still built at Araco as Cruisers have been for decades, as opposed to Indiana (Sqeuoia), is also a huge plus. And the fact that the harshest markets in the world (Africa, Middle East, Australia) demand the Cruiser, while the Sequoia is not sold outside the U.S. As to your specific questions:

1.) They are basically the same motor. Better sound insulation on the Cruiser. Also, it is a much stiffer platform, which is one big reason it is so smooth.

3.) I don't belive so, but I could be wrong.

4.) No. Much better tuned and more "subtle" for real off-road use.

6.) No.

My $0.02,

 

[EL_3grab]

Why the Different??


Sequoia =

LandCruiser =

 

[tabraha]

Ben, as others have said the 100 is a bank vault on wheels compared to the Sequoia.

Derek pretty much took care of your line items so I'd just state the obvious and say check out the FAQ stickied at the top of the forum because like any vehicle the 100 has some things that are common things to be taken care of. (Starter contacts and t-belt service are a couple items that spring to mind)

Also, as far as A/C goes I've had a similar experience to Travis. My A/C has to work hard alot here in South Carolina and it does a good job. I'm in a '99 with 134,000 miles and it still blows cold and the climate control works very well.

Transmission problems on the 100 are VERY few and far between on this board. I don't think we've ever heard of the planetary gear issue on here. Again, at my mileage the tranny is still smooth as butter. As smooth as any luxury sedan I've been in at 100,000 miles plus.

Just thowing out some personal experiences, hope you get a chance to get into the 100 club!!

 

[Drinkin40s]

to #1 - I don't know if the Sequoia has full time AWD like the LC which may affect the performance

 

[Travis351]

Slee off road also has some valuable information on their website, especially in the Newbie guide. http://sleeoffroad.com/newbie/newbieUZJ100.htm

 

[JETTIX2]

I read Slee's FAQ before I posted

The Seq has RWD with slectable "full-time" 4WD mode (actually AWD).

Ummm.......yeah, I want one I need to convince my wife to sell the Seq and get a cruiser.

Thanks, guys!

Ben

 

[LXPearl]

Ben,
Join the enlightened. The Sequoia is designed to compete with Expedition and Tahoe and one up them. The Land Cruiser is in its own class. By driving both for comparison, you are experiencing the real world difference.

You reference the Japan vs USA manufacturing of Toyotas. There are some sites that are tracking the differences. They appear to be real. In my own experience the Japanese-made Toyotas have done better than the US made models.

Most women love the LC/LX. My wife thought I was out of my mind test driving a LC, until she drove one on her normally travelled roads. The Sequoia was not even an option after that.

Best wishes on finding your LC. If you find one in top condition your difficulty will not be so much convincing the wife to get the LC, but to convince her to let you have your turn at the wheel.

 

[Gohawks63]

In December of 2003, I traded in our '98 LC for a 2004. The '98 had 90K miles and really hadn't given me a reason to get rid of it. Basically a financial opportunity presented itself where I was able to spring for a new one. That and I really wanted one with a Navi.

The honest to God's truth, I really didn't notice one bit of difference in ride quality between the '98 and the '04. That's a testament to how well the '98 aged. We did have a fluke failure with our the multifunction display failing on the '04, but it was fixed under warranty, which was fortunate since the part alone cost $5K! With that said, we love our LC and I have no intentions of ever owning a different vehicle. There was a TSB out for '04 LCs acknowledging the MFD problems and indicating a new one was designed, so I'll chalk this up to a fluke.

I play hockey and both my kids are travel hockey goalies, so our LC is always loaded full with hockey bags, along with tournament trips and occasioanlly towing our 21ft deckboat. It's rock solid.

The Sequoia might give us a bit more room, but my wife would never hear of it.... not that I would ever try to sway her that way.

 

[JETTIX2]

Thanks all for the info.......

If I was standing at a dealership and had to pick one, I'd pick the LC..........but it's a PITA to sell one vehicle and then try to find a suitable replacement, without losing my tow vehicle for half of the camping season....

We've got good equity in the Sequoia, and it just comes down to whether it is worth the extra $$ to upgrade to the LC.

Here in Northern Michigan, I think the Sequoia would bring $18k or so......it'd leave me with a couple grand in my pocket. I can get an '01 LC with similar mileage for about $24k out the door.....is it worth $6,000 to make the swap?? I dunno....

We'll see.....



Thanks, Ben

 

[flyfish4life]

I think 18K for the SQ could be a bit optomistic. I have attempted to trade mine on several ocassions and its alarming how far the dealers are from Edmunds re: trade-in value. They pretty much start at fair value and then knock off another 2-3K. You could always get a quote from Carmax as back-up and then get your LC if you don't want to trade.

 

[JETTIX2]

I know I cant afford to trade the Seq in...........they'd give me about $12.5k for it, I bet

They don't add any value for the Stainless steel brushguard and Hella Rallye 1000s on the front, either, though the next buyer might think they're worth something...

 

[SWUtah]

In December of 2003, I traded in our '98 LC for a 2004. The '98 had 90K miles and really hadn't given me a reason to get rid of it. Basically a financial opportunity presented itself where I was able to spring for a new one. That and I really wanted one with a Navi.

The honest to God's truth, I really didn't notice one bit of difference in ride quality between the '98 and the '04. That's a testament to how well the '98 aged. We did have a fluke failure with our the multifunction display failing on the '04, but it was fixed under warranty, which was fortunate since the part alone cost $5K! With that said, we love our LC and I have no intentions of ever owning a different vehicle. There was a TSB out for '04 LCs acknowledging the MFD problems and indicating a new one was designed, so I'll chalk this up to a fluke.

I play hockey and both my kids are travel hockey goalies, so our LC is always loaded full with hockey bags, along with tournament trips and occasioanlly towing our 21ft deckboat. It's rock solid.

The Sequoia might give us a bit more room, but my wife would never hear of it.... not that I would ever try to sway her that way.

That is good to know about your trade experience from your 98 to the 2004. I have a 99 that I bought with 58K on it (it was a AZ LC no rust looked new except for the bodyside molding paint fade) since mine was a AZ vehicle and 7 years old I changed every belt and hose on my LC, new timing belt, water pump, repacked wheel bearings and all new fluids (synthetic in drivetrain) also now have new brake pads and AT tires and battery. Now with 63K miles on it I feel like I have a new LC and will only need regular maintance for the next 90K miles until I need another timing belt change. With all of these changes I have around $21K in my LC and I know the shape it is in When I was having some of this work done the local Master mechanic that did the work said if I ever want to sell my LC to let him know. My suggestion to JTTXIX2 would be to look for a LC that spent its life in AZ where rust, corrision won't be a problem. I looked at several LC/LX's that were 2002 and newer that spent time in the rust belt and the corrision under them was a turn off. Good luck with your search.

 

[Jim_Chow]

To add to what SWUtah says about AZ LC's, this also applies to So. CA LC's that aren't close to the ocean (buddy of mine w/ a LC lives right on the ocean, parked his vehicle outside for 1.5 yrs; rust on the tailgate and every bare, steel part in the engine compartment has rust on it!). Anyways, most CA LC's aren't like this. You will pay a premium of a few grand more for a CA/AZ LC. Also, the selection of LX's is often better (lower miles, same price, no towing/offroading). I've seen CPO 03 LX's w/ 40K mi selling in LA for LESS than PP 03 LC's with 60K mi! It seems many LC sellers in CA set their prices way too high, maybe because of less selection (more LX's are sold than LC's).

AZ LC's/LX's are hard to come by. People here keep their vehicles longer than in CA. I shopped for months before getting lucky and finding a CPO local LX (otherwise, I would have shopped in LA). On my 03, the bolts on the undercarriage are still shiny! Just look to see if the leather is faded/damaged from sunshine. That's about all that can happen other than paint/plastic fade. You might want to apply leatherique ASAP to any rig you buy.

If you're shopping for a LX, regardless if it's pp or at the dealer or out of state, you just need the VIN and can have any lexus dealer in N.A. pull the service records (tells what dealer did the service) and where the car was bought (so you know if the guy lived, say, in MN and moved to CA). I found carfax is only good for showing registration history (reports the mileage/date whenever the vehicle is registered, re-registered, or smogged. They don't seem to list accidents. My 01 honda was t-boned last year, had the rear inner/outer quarter panels replaced, yet carfax showed a clean bill of health!

 

[LXPearl]

In my opinion, yes the LC is easily worth the $6K swap over the Sequoia.

Don't jump for any LC/LX, get a good one. When you plan to have one for the long haul it is worth it to pay a little bit more to get a cream puff. In my looking, I was surprised how many 100s for sale in the south were from up north - especially the low mileage ones. True southern vehicles tend to have more miles on them. For 00 - 02 models, the cream puffs and ragged ones tend to be in the same price range. The LC and the LX are about the same also.

If looking at the LX, I found Carfax of value when coupled with Lexus info, as Jim pointed out. If you are willing to purchase out of state, you could work with a sales person at Sewell Lexus in Dallas, catch Southwest to Love Field, and you are right at Sewell. Although I did not purchase from them because they did not have what I was looking for at the time, I found them pleasant and forthcoming about the vehicles and pricing. If you get an 02 with under 60K miles, it may be certified giving you 3 yrs or up to 100K miles with a new car-like warranty and financing.

 

[Jim_Chow]

As LXPearl mentions, condition is of the utmost importance, meaning you may have to buy a rig w/ some unwanted options. For example, my rig came w/ factory chromed wheels, which have no value to me (but KBB still gives $400 for them in the trade-in, which trickles down into the final price). FYI, I found the KBB prices for the LX to be $5K more (both for trade-in and retail) than the comparable LC, yet market prices are the same, both for private party and dealers.

The certification is worth it, IMHO. For such an expensive vehicle, it's worth it for the piece of mind (cert. fee the dealer pays to lexus is about $2K, plus they have to perform all the checks; only vehicles w/ full service recs are eligible for the cert.) Anyways, a couple of weeks after buying the rig, I noticed I'd have to keep the steering wheel about 5-10 deg to the left to keep the vehicle straight. It tracked straight, so it didn't seem like an alignment issue. Service manager first said it was toe-in (alignment) and, therefore, not covered under the CPO warranty (alignment is covered in new vehicles only for 1 yr), but the tech examined it and said the VGRS steering ECU was out of calibration. I didn't notice on the test drive since the street was inverse canted (lower in the center, as it used to be a wash/creekbed that was filled and paved over), but it was the only street nearby that I could drive ~60mph (searching for steering vibrations common on the GX/4runner V8's). Anyways, the dealer claimed the ECU needed an "update" ('03 was the first year w/ VGRS steering; I think it just needed calibrating, but they have to replace a part to claim the warranty) and covered it under the CPO platinum warranty. Lucky for me, as the retail cost on the ECU alone was $800! Now it's 6 months later (50K mi), no issues, and my wife and I are impressed with the solid build quality, design, and comfort every time we drive it (primarily a road-trip vehicle). BTW, the CPO warranty supposed to cover warped rotors while even the new car warranty doesn't.