Which 200 would you buy?

[typehxr1]

Hi All!
Same old story.....long time lurker making his first post. This site is an incredible source of information. Love it!

I am in the market for a 200. My monthly mileage varies wildly but I would say I average 2500 per month. 95% of that is highway driving between Louisiana and remote areas of southern and western Texas for oilfield work (thankfully still employed). The other 5% is going down fire roads with gravel and mud (if it rains) to get to a job site and family hauling when I am home, though the wife's GX460 usually pulls duty for that.

I am aware of both its on-road and off-road prowess, legendary QDR, resale, 25 year minimum service life, etc. I am looking for advice not so much on IF to purchase, but rather WHICH to purchase. I plan on keeping it for a long time. For me, the LC is the "be all, end all" and I will lust after nothing else. I want to still be driving this when my oldest child gets his DL in 14 years.

I like all of the additional features that came with the '13+ models but don't know if those are really worth the extra money in the links I've listed. What say you? Money being no object, what would be your top choice and why?

Cars.com (CPO from Toyota, CarFax ding, dropped price by $4k over phone to $56k

Cars.com (CPO from Toyota, CarFax ding)

Check out this 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser on Autotrader (immaculate service history)

Check out this 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser on Autotrader (got pictures and surprisingly not rusty)

 

[Tremek]

I'm in a similar evaluation position as you, and I have decided 2013s sound like the sweet spot right now. Any newer and you're still eating massive depreciation (14s for example are on average 10-15k more than 2013s) and any older you're going to be playing the options game (and no ventilated seats, period?) plus it sounds like there's quite a bit of minor but potentially meaningful updates. You can still find many lowish mileage 2013s, there wasn't a 2012 model year so if you go back to 2010-2011 (which would be my minimum threshold as I believe 2010 was the first year for niceties like Bluetooth) you will pay nearly as much for a 2010-2011 with more miles compared to a 2013.

My $0.02, feel free to chime in anyone else if I have misstated anything.

 

[rcpalmer78]

Even at $56k the first one is a bit high. Second seems spot on and the color is great. Would definitely go 2013+ if finances allow. Good luck!

 

[Atx Cruiser]

Money being no object I'd so for the 2nd one on cars.com you posted. I have a 2013 nearing 70k on the odo and love it. I bought it about 5 months ago and am very glad I chose a 2013 or newer.

 

[Tremek]

It may or may not matter to you but Toyota dealers are offering 2.9% for 60 months on CPO LCs through the beginning of October. I'm currently putting together a deal for a <50k mile CPO 2013 for under $50k. No reason to buy a non-CPO truck for the same or more money in my opinion.

 

[typehxr1]

I'm in a similar evaluation position as you, and I have decided 2013s sound like the sweet spot right now. Any newer and you're still eating massive depreciation (14s for example are on average 10-15k more than 2013s) and any older you're going to be playing the options game (and no ventilated seats, period?) plus it sounds like there's quite a bit of minor but potentially meaningful updates. You can still find many lowish mileage 2013s, there wasn't a 2012 model year so if you go back to 2010-2011 (which would be my minimum threshold as I believe 2010 was the first year for niceties like Bluetooth) you will pay nearly as much for a 2010-2011 with more miles compared to a 2013.

My $0.02, feel free to chime in anyone else if I have misstated anything.

I feel like we are sharing a brain! Ventilated seats are higher on my wish list than I care to admit because I live in the south, so I don't care nearly as much about them being heated, so this is a negative against the '08-'11 models. Then I read on here about bluetooth audio not showing up until 2010, so that was another negative against the 08 and 09. And then I was like, well, this is trivial creature comfort B.S......not my main reasons for purchasing an LC. But then again, @ $40k and over, it would be nice if what I bought had what I wanted. I am also seeing the gap shrink between the 13s and everything before as well. Thanks for the input.

 

[mark71]

Buy year you really want. You're going to be driving it for a while, so you don't want to live with regret.

My 2 cents.

 

[typehxr1]

Most of you picked the 2nd option. I mean, part of me is saying "hey, they are willing to CPO it, so don't worry about it." The other part of me is like, "I don't wanna spend this kinda coin on a car w/a ding." When discussing price on the phone for the first link (the 2013 silver one in New Orleans), I told the guy that he should appropriately discount it from the current asking price because you know the person that traded it was told they would get less money for the trade due to this. I know I have in the past when I traded a vehicle w/an accident. He scoffed, so I told him my search was moving elsewhere. I get a call back 5 minutes later w/a $4k price drop.

How do you guys feel about the CarFax ding on the first two? By your replies, it sounds like it doesn't bother you. I suppose CPO helps as I probably wouldn't consider it from a broker-type dealership.

 

[jblatl]

Buy the newest one you can afford. I was looking at the 2013 trucks and stumbled over my low mileage 2011 and could not pass it up.

My wife lets the kids 5 and 7 eat in the car, just FYI perforated seats are not kid friendly, and do not clean up or wear as good as solid leather.

 

[Romer]

I don't have a carfax account and don't see the ding to evaluate.

When I looked, the 2013-15 was the sweet spot to me in features. I ended up with a 2014 with 25K miles. I wanted one that was new enough with a low enough miles that the service history would not yet be a big deal. It was still new enough that it's long term reliability would solely be dependent on me. I also avoided vehicles from the rust belt as once that starts, not much you can do about it

 

[slowride]

This is a quality of life decision. Clearly you appreciate the LC for what it is... You plan to keep it for a decade or more... I'd go with the 2013+ it will give back to you, every mile and everyday a more enjoyable drive, riding with the added features. By the time you amortize the extra $$$ over the next decade+ you'll be happy you sprung for that that primitive blue tooth technology from the early 2010's... (remember when a single disc CD player was a $1,000.00+ option in the 1990's, wow things will never get more advance than this...)

If you can afford it, get it... If you every have to sell the LC, it will still have those additional valuable features when you cash in your chips.

Jeff

 

[Reckless]

At those prices, why not buy 2 2008-2009 LC's rather than 1 2013?

The only thing better than a land cruiser are two land cruisers.

 

[typehxr1]

Buy the newest one you can afford. I was looking at the 2013 trucks and stumbled over my low mileage 2011 and could not pass it up.

My wife lets the kids 5 and 7 eat in the car, just FYI perforated seats are not kid friendly, and do not clean up or wear as good as solid leather.

We have a 2013 GX460 w/the Ecru interior. Thankfully, we have not run into any issues w/this yet. I've never actually gotten used to having cooled seats....ever. My wife has had them in 2 of her Lexus vehicles though.

I don't have a carfax account and don't see the ding to evaluate.

When I looked, the 2013-15 was the sweet spot to me in features. I ended up with a 2014 with 25K miles. I wanted one that was new enough with a low enough miles that the service history would not yet be a big deal. It was still new enough that it's long term reliability would solely be dependent on me. I also avoided vehicles from the rust belt as once that starts, not much you can do about it

You don't need a carfax account to view the reports on the Cars.com ads for the 2013 silver and the 2013 gray one. Click on the link in the ad.

At those prices, why not buy 2 2008-2009 LC's rather than 1 2013?

The only thing better than a land cruiser are two land cruisers.

If we didn't already have the GX, this would definitely be a nice route to take!



I have to admit that I am truly shocked that none of you picked the black 2008 from AutoTrader being that one of the perks of purchasing a LC is being able to grab an older, high mileage one w/out issue.

 

[Reckless]

I fully recommend a high mileage 2008 for the right price. I personally bought a high mileage 2009 1 month ago (125k) for alot less.

 

[Romer]

You don't need a carfax account to view the reports on the Cars.com ads for the 2013 silver and the 2013 gray one. Click on the link in the ad.

I did and the 2nd one doesnt give me the report just the window showing how many items the report has asking me to sign up

 

[mooneywa]

I like the one in Homestead. I didn't see what the carfax ding was on it though. As you saw, I just got a '15. I too agree that the '13 and up has a lot of the amenities that are standard on much cheaper and more common cars these days. (Except the darn 1 touch, 3 blink turn signal).

Solid price, but if you can get the folks in LA to match the price of the one in FL, that'd be hard to pass up.

 

[slimwat]

I would not pay that much for an 08. Mileage isn't a concern (for me at least) so if you're going to pay that much get every bell and whistle. I have an 08 with a toddler so it's nice not to worry about spilled milk etc. but the nav/lack of bt audio leaves something to be desired.

 

[Reckless]

I don't know why everyone makes such a big deal out of bluetooth, there is an aux input. Also, cooling seats aren't worth another $10k IMHO. Id rather pay less and save the money for the 300 or backup 200.

 

[Tremek]

Bluetooth for me is for phone calls, and the updated electronics matter as you can't switch them out. Cooled seats are a nice-to-have and as long as we're making big purchases, another 10k over the life of the truck isn't a big deal.

Edit: 2013s also come with HIDs, right? That's a huge deal for me. I really, really prefer HIDs at night. I also like to think some of the early kinks should be worked out on a low-mileage 2013, whereas I don't need to worry as much about wear items that I would otherwise be also looking at on an '08 etc.

On that note, tomorrow I should be finalizing a deal on a '13 CPO with just under 50k miles. Looking forward to joining the family!

 

[dukmon]

BT is an easy and inexpensive adder.