Whats the deal with buying an LC250?

[JDM808]

So... I dont claim to know anything about toyota and their dealers, I have never actually bought a car from a dealer. But I am curious, I have been looking for a white 1958, and they seem extremely hard to find. Are the new 250's limited production? are they still sitting in QC hold? Granted I am in Hawaii, so that makes it even more difficult, there are basically two dealers in all of Hawaii, Servco & Maui Toyota. Servco has no idea when they are getting more, Maui toyota says it will take years, and they dont know what they will get allocated.

I guess I was under the impression this vehicle would be built at high volumes, but it just doesnt seem like it to me. The dealers are getting hundreds of new tacomas, but LC are trickling in by the 1s and 2s and already sold.

Is it the same in the lower 48 or ? What am I missing here? It seems like folks on the board arent getting theirs quick either.

 

[BigMF]

I think it's a combination of things. First, a little history. The last 10-15 years, Toyota only sold more than 4,000 Land Cruisers once. I don't have the numbers for Tacomas but I'm sure it's significantly higher than 4Runners and they've sold over 100K 4Runners per year for the last 8 years in the US. In fact, they've already sold twice as many in 2024 than 200/100 Series LC's sold in the last 15 years combined. So, to expect SUPER HIGH column is unrealistic.

Second, yes, the QC hold put the supply chain in a weird place but I don't think that is why you are experiencing the drought as much as the just the lower production volume compared to other vehicles.

My 2 cents.

 

[Werlyb23]

That’s interesting…two of the dealers in Vegas have 35+ enroute in the next month and both have close to 10 on the lot currently at any given time

 

[JDM808]

That’s interesting…two of the dealers in Vegas have 35+ enroute in the next month and both have close to 10 on the lot currently at any given time

Thats good to know, Hawaii is just crazy about all things toyota. And trends usually end later here, i think a lot of the dealers are still thinking the market for any new vehicle is super hot. The ford and GM dealers are still asking for insane markups on every thing... I have no problem buying on the mainland, just didnt think i would have to...

 

[ryanjl]

Before I bought mine, I would look on the "inventory" page on Toyota's website. This was in around late April, early May. I started calling almost every local dealer that showed they had some available. Either they were already spoken for with deposits (and not taken down from Toyota's website), or the dealer was asking for insane markups.

I found mine and put a $1k deposit down in mid-May, and picked it up at the end of June. As far as I know, I got the last one in my area that was available and not marked up with arbitrary $10k of dealer boat payments.

 

[JDM808]

I guess one benefit of the Hawaii dealer is no port add-ons, and no markup, if you can get one.

 

[OSS]

We’re still not at a point anywhere in the USA that a potential customer can visit a Toyota dealership and see the exact model of Landcruiser they want — and buy it right then.
That day may never happen.

 

[BigMF]

We’re still not at a point anywhere in the USA that a potential customer can visit a Toyota dealership and see the exact model of Landcruiser they want — and buy it right then.
That day may never happen.

I don’t know that that will happen ever again with most vehicles. There might be some selections to choose from but gone are the days where there will be 150 vehicles on a lot to pick from.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

So... I dont claim to know anything about toyota and their dealers, I have never actually bought a car from a dealer. But I am curious, I have been looking for a white 1958, and they seem extremely hard to find. Are the new 250's limited production? are they still sitting in QC hold? Granted I am in Hawaii, so that makes it even more difficult, there are basically two dealers in all of Hawaii, Servco & Maui Toyota. Servco has no idea when they are getting more, Maui toyota says it will take years, and they dont know what they will get allocated.

I guess I was under the impression this vehicle would be built at high volumes, but it just doesnt seem like it to me. The dealers are getting hundreds of new tacomas, but LC are trickling in by the 1s and 2s and already sold.

Is it the same in the lower 48 or ? What am I missing here? It seems like folks on the board arent getting theirs quick either.

Where in Hawaii? Looks like Big Island Toyota might have a couple

 

[JDM808]

Where in Hawaii? Looks like Big Island Toyota might have a couple

On Maui, buying interisland isnt an issue. But i want a 1958, most of the ones I have seen have been either FEs or land cruiser trim.

 

[LXbruiser]

Toyota halts 6 production lines at five of its plants in Japan due to parts shortage (By Reuters June 20, 2024)

No further details were given on which plants are affected or what parts are involved.

 

[OGBeno]

Toyota halts 6 production lines at five of its plants in Japan due to parts shortage (By Reuters June 20, 2024)

No further details were given on which plants are affected or what parts are involved.

Huh? There are no Japan plant production stops.

 

[LXbruiser]

Huh? There are no Japan plant production stops.

Plants probably restarted since the news is a month old. The point is production delays. Here in Vancouver Canada, there were 2 available last week that sold quickly.
Went with a friend this morning to buy an FE but the dealership lost the sale. They insisted he trade in his Rav4 but my friend refused, I wonder the real reason for this nonsense stipulation

 

[JDM808]

Plants probably restarted since the news is a month old. The point is production delays. Here in Vancouver Canada, there were 2 available last week that sold quickly.
Went with a friend this morning to buy an FE but the dealership lost the sale. They insisted he trade in his Rav4 but my friend refused, I wonder the real reason for this nonsense stipulation

that is strange...

 

[VisuallyOriented]

If the Rav4 was financed or leased and your friend also wanted to finance the Land Cruiser then the total amount of financing could be too much to be approved by the finance companies.... or the dealer thinks they can make more selling the FE and were trying to make more money on your buddies deal by profiting on flipping the Rav4.

 

[LXbruiser]

Yeah it was the dealership trying to make more off him

 

[Rednexus]

The two local Toyota dealers I utilize here in the St. Louis are both claim to have one each, both are listed at the TSRP. The bigger of the two dealers (highest volume dealer in the state) claims to have 3 more in transit and 2 more being built. I checked a few more of the dealers in rural Missouri (one in a town of 40K and the other in a town of 12K) and each of them also claim to have 1 in stock each, again listed at TSRP.

I would imagine it's very geographic. My corner of the 48 probably has a very low proportion of Toyotas and imports overall as it was a Big 3 town for decades (still is with a GM plant) with lots of union workers. Folks here prefer Jeeps and Broncos as that is who their dads, grandpas, and uncles worked for back in the day. The demand here just won't be as high as other parts of the US.

 

[calokie]

So... I dont claim to know anything about toyota and their dealers, I have never actually bought a car from a dealer. But I am curious, I have been looking for a white 1958, and they seem extremely hard to find. Are the new 250's limited production? are they still sitting in QC hold? Granted I am in Hawaii, so that makes it even more difficult, there are basically two dealers in all of Hawaii, Servco & Maui Toyota. Servco has no idea when they are getting more, Maui toyota says it will take years, and they dont know what they will get allocated.

I guess I was under the impression this vehicle would be built at high volumes, but it just doesnt seem like it to me. The dealers are getting hundreds of new tacomas, but LC are trickling in by the 1s and 2s and already sold.

Is it the same in the lower 48 or ? What am I missing here? It seems like folks on the board arent getting theirs quick either.

If your in Hawaii the LC25s are probably stuck at the port getting 4" lifts and deep offset wheels installed before hitting the dealer lot

 

[JDM808]

If your in Hawaii the LC25s are probably stuck at the port getting 4" lifts and deep offset wheels installed before hitting the dealer lot

oh god... thankfully havent seen one on 33x14 boggers on 20s yet. but it will happen.

 

[calokie]

When I went to Hawaii in 2019 I saw all the Tacoma's and tundra's on the Toyota Lot all of them pre fitted with lift a wheels....

A Bay Area dealer in Oaktown has this 1958, I do think it looks good with this leveling kit and wheel combo @69k
I've seen a few 1958s sitting at the same lots, going on 2 plus weeks here in the Bay Area, CA.