Which is 'the one you want'? (1 Viewer)

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Folks, I think it's time to retire my 80 from towing duties. She's worked very hard for a very long time, and it's taking a toll.

When I bought that car I searched hard to find 'the one you want' - the 1hd-ft equipped version. I was doing a good amount of serious off road work then, so I went manual.

As I understand it, there was only the one diesel 200, the 1vd-ftv, and the one auto box - is that right? And there may have been through-life changes like EGR & DPF stuff?

I'm inclined to go 200 rather than 300 because the aftermarket stuff I want - long range tank, rear wheel carrier, big mirrors, front bars - are all tried and tested.

I would still quite like it to be manual, but I don't think that's really a go unless I want to swap in the 7x gearbox, and probably have to make my own pedal box? Even then, in truth my mostly towing and a bit of beach work these days probably suits the auto better.

So which is 'the one' for me? I see there was a facelift, did this offer any meaniingful improvements? Did any come with stock lockers (AU market)? I'll be looking for more mid range from mine, due to the heavy RV - are any better suited to that line of tuning than others? I don't mind big, slow spooling turbos so long as I eventually get truckloads of torque for dragging up hills.

What should I be asking about VDJ200? I'm not inclined to pursue the petrol powered 200 just because we don't really have them here. Sure there was a handful, but the main reason we have landcruisers rather than anything else, is that's what we have spares for out of town. And that means diesel.

Cheers 👍
 
Most of us are located in the US, so we’re more familiar with the American market. There has to be a more knowledgeable AU based forum for 200s out there :)

I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

1VD was the engine for all 200 Land Cruisers sold in AU. Only transmission was the 6-speed auto. Middle eastern markets had a very base model that came with a manual. So the parts are out there if you reaaaally wanted to do a manual conversion.

The top trims (Sahara and maybe GXR?) had a hydraulic sway bar “disconnect” system called KDSS that enabled on road stability and off road articulation. Everyone in the US has it and most are very happy with it.

The LX570 may represent the “ultimate” Land Cruiser though, especially for towing. It has an even more sophisticated suspension that is capable of self leveling with the tow load. 2016 onward got an 8sp auto. And they all came with the 3UR 5.7 liter gas engine we get in the states which is very quiet and smooth. Of course, since we can’t get the VD, everyone here wishes they could get the VD 😁 Both very capable engines. The LX 570 in the US costs only a little more than the LC we get new here in the states and there were more 570s sold than 200s so it’s possible to find them for a relative bargain. The same might not be true in AU.

I’ve heard legend of factory rear e lockers for the 200. Not sure if those were japan only or if Middle East and Australia got them too. The brake-based ATRAC and multi terrain select systems are very good on the 200 for general purpose off road. To the point where Toyota engineers say they only put lockers in the 300 because of customer desire— not because lockers represent a huge advantage off road. For very technical rock crawling, aftermarket lockers are out there too.

Depends on your needs, but KDSS and LX570 would be the other two factors I’d mix into your decision.

PS: some AU models had a sub tank available. Depending on your range requirements, you might be able to forego needing to install an aftermarket long range tank. Another thing to keep an eye out for.
 
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Interesting, thanks for the thought. Looks like one gets more VDJ201R for one's money than VDJ200R. The 201 is evidently the lexus variant, which we call 'LX450d' apparently.
 
Damn it's ugly though. And not many white ones.
 
Didn’t some LC200s come with AHC in other markets?
 
With a hwat? :)
 
With a hwat? :)
Sorry, AHC/AVS is the dynamic suspension mentioned above that all the Lexus come with. I believe in other markets, maybe not AU though, that you can get AHC/AVS on a Land Cruiser. In the USA, all Lexus come with AHC and all LC come with KDSS.
 
Thanks.

Getting interested in this LX derivative now, but wondering about stuff like steel bumpers. Looks like the wings (do you call these fenders?) are a different shape, so likely the VDJ200 aftermarket options aren't a go. How about a long range tank? Better chance that'll fit I imagine.
 
A competent shop should be able to hook up an LX with steel bumpers as well as a long range tank.
 
There are several well complemented builds on Lx570 on this forum. Search’s bout, lots have done front and rear bumpers, aux tanks, and many other things.
 
But more about the base vehicle, were there changes through the years for better or worse? Cheers
 
I've discovered the VDJ201 lacks a sub fuel tank at all, making installing a long range replacement much more arduous :(
 
2016 was the major cosmetic change crossover point.

URJ201 went from 6 speed to 8 speed auto in 2016.

I have less info on VD changes.
 
DPF added and injector changes in ~2016 according to 4wd 24/7.

 
Thanks for that. Light on for detail as per usual, 4wd (advertising) 247. DPF while pointless is a fairly easy delete, but that EGR as I understand it is doubling the rate of degradation of the cylinders, pistons and valves from day one, and worst in town driven vehicles.

I haven't yet discovered if that existed in early cars, but no one is expecting million kilometer 1vd motors (1h and 2h inline sixes are well represented in the million km club) while they still run egr.

I'd like one that never had it if they exist. No I don't care about climate change :)
 
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I'd like one that never had it if they exist.

The problem is all of the engine builders have invested so heavily to optimize the designs for the emissions stuff they won’t just invest more to make a non-emissions version for the markets that don’t require it. At a base level the engines are different compression ratios, combustion chamber shape, valve port shape, etc.
 
Not sure where you are but a 200 with 5.7 petrol, an 8spd, AHC, on 18s, and oem subtank would be my unicorn. Not sure any LXs ever got a factory subtank, but that would win top pick for me.
 
Not sure where you are but a 200 with 5.7 petrol, an 8spd, AHC, on 18s, and oem subtank would be my unicorn. Not sure any LXs ever got a factory subtank, but that would win top pick for me.
Australian lx 570 got the sub tank as an option.
They’re all right drive though.
Here’s a screen cap from the 2013 brochure

9A0979FD-72F2-421C-88D7-52EF28A9647D.png
 
Australian lx 570 got the sub tank as an option.
They’re all right drive though.
Here’s a screen cap from the 2013 brochure

View attachment 3294651

Damn you Australia!!! You get all the good stuffs! Are you going to tell me factory SC was also available?
 

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