Beat me to it. IMO the assumption that 200-series AHC will have issues by 250k isn’t accurate at all.
Trying to understand off road capability 200 vs. Tundra
- Thread starter ewillis
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I have owned a 2010 LX570, and now currently own a 2018 LC. In my earlier years, I also have owned pick up trucks which was mainly for hauling drums around and the occasional "help a friend move" effort. I am all about functionality as I love having both for different reasons. IF you are truly thinking of taking a pick up and fully enclosing it and water proofing the back... buy the LX. You will NOT regret the decision. I took mine off road many times here in Idaho and it was great. The AHC was nice when I'd come across obstacles where I needed more clearance, or conversely where I needed less height to clear branches. Once you get past the original prices shock of any new vehicle and let it be yours and especially if you are thinking that this is a long term purchase, you will not regret the decision.
Regarding the AHC service, negotiate that into the sell. Make sure that it is services as part of the sale and then enjoy.
Good luck!
Regarding the AHC service, negotiate that into the sell. Make sure that it is services as part of the sale and then enjoy.
Good luck!
Off topic, but nice to see another drummer on the forum
Don't let the AHC system scare you, it is a good system. Even if it does fail, you can get rid of it and standard suspension can be installed.
I have a 5.7 Sequoia and Land Cruiser the difference for me is just size... if you're in tight areas with tight Trails the Land Cruiser is going to be the better choice
This is a great point that the differentiation may only really come into play if one needs to tow above the LC rated capacity.
There's some really key advantages to the 200-series platform I find beneficial for towing as well.
The extreme agility (and I do mean extreme) by comparison to most good towing vehicles is such a boon for the campsites I go to. Not all of them are big open spaces particularly the older state and federal campsites on the coast.
Full time 4WD is also another big differentiator. If one has ever needed take off from a secondary road onto a major highway (meaning sand and dirt) with a big load on grade, putting the power down in RWD only can be problematic as only 2 tires of potentially 8 wheels are driven. Same for engine braking, full time 4WD of the 200-series has advantages in inclement weather. Even if they share an engine, the drivetrain is notably different. Though one can mod the Tundra with a 200-series or Sequoia transfer case and reap some of the tractive benefits.
Thanks everyone. I have currently 2-3 options
A 2013 for 35,000 -> 2013 Lexus LX - Carvana
Or a private seller who is asking 28K for a 150,000 done LX.
Carvana is 7 day money back, so I can actually get it thoroughly inspected.
OTOH the Private seller car can be had for lower probably.. 25K.
The AHC globes component replacement should not be more than 1000$ since its a DIY job apparently. And if I am correct, you can never really get rid of it like you could do with the GX...
A 2013 for 35,000 -> 2013 Lexus LX - Carvana
Or a private seller who is asking 28K for a 150,000 done LX.
Carvana is 7 day money back, so I can actually get it thoroughly inspected.
OTOH the Private seller car can be had for lower probably.. 25K.
The AHC globes component replacement should not be more than 1000$ since its a DIY job apparently. And if I am correct, you can never really get rid of it like you could do with the GX...
My AHC system is completely gone.
Wow! How much did it cost, and is there a thread on this?
EDIT: Got it from your signature. I am truly stupid sometimes!
The one key difference is you cannot retrofit the KDSS swaybars from a 200-series landcruiser. This means you’ll get slightly less articulation off road, and more body roll on road. (KDSS allows a very thick sway bar to work off road by hydraulically disconnecting it)
Sounds worth the risk though. You’ll likely get tons of great miles out of the AHC and IF you have a problem that makes it not worth fixing you can just do what turbo8 has and ditch it.
Sounds worth the risk though. You’ll likely get tons of great miles out of the AHC and IF you have a problem that makes it not worth fixing you can just do what turbo8 has and ditch it.
If the concern is AHC breaking, the 200 series seem to be very reliable, even with a lot of additional weight (over GWVR). But that said if something breaks just fix it - you don't have to remove AHC unless your goal is to do a major suspension mod.
I own a tundra, it’s great at high speed off-roading and wide open terrain off-roading plus I love the V8 power put it in 4lo and I feel invincible. I see many people switching front end suspension components on their landcruiser 200s for a tundra front end I’m not sure why if the LC is built better than the tundra. No doubt LC is built better but they’re both wide and too big for trails. I think you should consider the baby landcruiser the GX460, it’s nimble, still built in Japan and has a V8.
The width thing is a myth. A 200 series is 4 inches wider than a Jeep and 2 inches wider than a 4 Runner. 3 inches wider than a GX 460. It looks chunky. My experience in going off road where a guy brought a Tundra was the Tundra ended up high centered a lot due to the length. We finally had him leave it on the side of the trail and went back for it at the end of the day.
I don't disagree with you on the GX. It does give up some capacity and robustness to the 200-series and Tundra.
Vehicle width is more than just track width. Most stock cars have their tire sidewall inset of the body. The LC200 with incrementally longer Tundra arms puts the tire just over flush with the bodylines (depending on wheel offset).
Body Width: Tundra @79.9" vs LC200 @77.5"
Track Width: Tundra @67.9" vs LC200 @64.7"
Wheelbase: Tundra @145.7" to 164.6" vs LC200 @112.2" (A huge part to why there's a significant difference in bigness on the trail)
The LC at 112" wheelbase is why it is such an amazing rig. It swallows so much gear up with it's height yet has a shorter wheelbase than a Jeep JK.
The tundra, I'm actually looking at one at the moment. Lc200 robustness with a crazy aftermarket support for performance suspension. A tundra just eats up high speed paired with the right suspension, usually starting at a set of 2.5 coilovers all the way to bed mount bypass.
The tundra, I'm actually looking at one at the moment. Lc200 robustness with a crazy aftermarket support for performance suspension. A tundra just eats up high speed paired with the right suspension, usually starting at a set of 2.5 coilovers all the way to bed mount bypass.
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Ahhh...I just noticed this thread got bumped. Well 4+ years later I'm still in the same boat 
. However, for a time I decided to keep the 80 and just after this thread started, I added a GX470. The 80 has taken me all over since this thread strarted: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Surf& Turf X2, Sequoias, Zion, and many others. I added a 2" lift to my GX and some 33" tires. It's a great machine too and just got back from a 7 state skiing adventure with it up through Jackson Hole, Idaho, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Utah skiing...had a blast. So now I have a 26 year old 80 that will be sold on the 1st (guy flying in from Chicago to buy it) and my 14 year old 125K mile GX. Looking ahead, I realistically have about 10 years of trips left with my kids (12 and 8 YO). So with wife, 2 kids, 2 small dogs and all the gear, I'm now ready and needing to pull the trigger on a newer platform.
2018ish Tundra Platinum can be had for mid 40K with very few miles. LX or LC are still much more expensive unless it's much older or with way more miles. Looking hard at GX460, but would need to also add an offroad trailer for all the gear as the cargo space is significantly less than an 80 and the 80 is way too tight now. After the funds clear from the 80 sale, I'll need to determine if I want to add the offroad trailer or just go with the Tundra+cap, which should accommodate everything well. I guess I'll figure it out eventually but it certainly won't take another 4 years! Thanks for all the thoughtful replies...
. However, for a time I decided to keep the 80 and just after this thread started, I added a GX470. The 80 has taken me all over since this thread strarted: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Surf& Turf X2, Sequoias, Zion, and many others. I added a 2" lift to my GX and some 33" tires. It's a great machine too and just got back from a 7 state skiing adventure with it up through Jackson Hole, Idaho, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Utah skiing...had a blast. So now I have a 26 year old 80 that will be sold on the 1st (guy flying in from Chicago to buy it) and my 14 year old 125K mile GX. Looking ahead, I realistically have about 10 years of trips left with my kids (12 and 8 YO). So with wife, 2 kids, 2 small dogs and all the gear, I'm now ready and needing to pull the trigger on a newer platform.2018ish Tundra Platinum can be had for mid 40K with very few miles. LX or LC are still much more expensive unless it's much older or with way more miles. Looking hard at GX460, but would need to also add an offroad trailer for all the gear as the cargo space is significantly less than an 80 and the 80 is way too tight now. After the funds clear from the 80 sale, I'll need to determine if I want to add the offroad trailer or just go with the Tundra+cap, which should accommodate everything well. I guess I'll figure it out eventually but it certainly won't take another 4 years! Thanks for all the thoughtful replies...
Comparing the Land Cruiser and Tundra isn't comparing apples to apples. They're both good at some things, and have advantages for others. It really boils down to how you plan to use the vehicle to figure out which is better for your needs and intended uses. If, for example, towing and hauling stuff were my main uses, the Tundra is a clear winner. I have one of each at the moment, and for me, the Tundra gets about 1/10th or less of the use, because the Land Cruiser is so much better at all of the things they can both do.
If you're willing to go the Tundra route with a cap, then you might as well consider a Sequoia too. I'd compare the Sequoia to the LC before a Tundra, since at least they're both SUVs. Not that there's anything wrong with the Tundra, but pickup vs SUV is a totally different decision IMO.
nwfl4runner
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Tundra is great just long wheel base - they get hung up a lot more when we’re off-roading. And who doesn’t need a truck bed?????