WHY DID YOU... BUY YOUR HUNDY? (1 Viewer)

[SLVRSCRN]

OK, readers, the year is 2018... and STILL we're seeing posts about contemporary purchases of ~1998-2007 model year Toyota Land Cruisers and Lexus LX470s...

WHY DID YOU... BUY YOUR HUNDY?

I'll start, when I moved to Boston, my daily driver, a beloved Subaru BRZ, just wouldn't cut it with serious snowfall. I searched, and decided a Land Cruiser, with its' mythos of impenetrable reliability, was the vehicle for me. It helps when things last 400K+ miles...

WHY DID YOU... BUY YOUR HUNDY?

 

[atnolan94]

I wanted something more capable than all the ford trucks I had always owned. One of my best friends and fellow car nut had an LX470 and it got the wheels turning in my head. I originally wanted an 80, but after searching and researching I determine that a 100 is more powerful, comfortable, and reliable, and I truly believe almost very bit as capable for my purposes. I see the TLC as the pinnacle of capable meets comfortable and it was a no-brainer.

 

[SLVRSCRN]

"pinnacle of capable meets comfortable"... beautifully said for the 100 series!

 

[ogsuv]

I was a car stereo installer in the 90s. Sat in, and worked on, one of the executive's 80 series. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Several years later, bought an 80.

Logged 100k on it and moved onto a 99 hundy for another 100k.

LC #3 started with 224k and I am at 252k. Nothing I would rather drive.

 

[beachbumin]

Known I wanted a cruiser since I was 16 drooling on an old fj40. Searched high and low for an 80 at first then after two disappointing trips to try and buy one I stumbled into my 98 lx470. Seems insane that a 20 year old vehicle has more performance and luxury than most of the cars I see on a daily basis. I may be a little biased but oh well.....

 

[ScubaJon]

I wanted one so I bought one

 

[Hokie LX]

@SLVRSCRN I was in a similar boat as you. I was driving a highly modified BMW 335i in college and after down in North Carolina when I got my job in Buffalo, NY and knew that that car was not going to do well up there on those crappy roads. I originally bought a 2011 Z71 Tahoe to daily in Buffalo and sold it after 6 months as it was a lot of money for a truck I didn't love. I then got a uber low-mile 2013 Audi S4 because I missed driving a sports car but needed snow capability and drove that for a while but eventually decided it was entirely too nice of a car to destroy in Buffalo.

My search for a winter truck originally started with a Jeep XJ. Then migrated to a 3rd Gen 4runner but I was unable to find one decently priced that wasn't already a rust bucket. My brother drives a pristine FJ62 so he got me on the Landcruiser path. I was searching nationwide for ~1 month before I found my truck. I wasn't overly picky between the LX and LC and a LX showed up first that met all my criteria. I liked the LX because I spent hours and hours researching them online (as i do with all of my potential buys) and liked the build quality and capability of it while still being a luxury truck.

The truck was in ATL at the time and was a 2 owner truck. I found it the day after it was posted and immediately called the seller and interrogated him about the truck. It had all service records through the same dealer since it was brand new and was in phenomenal shape. No rust and mechanically perfect. AHC worked flawlessly. Flew down that weekend, bought it, and drove it 1000 miles back to NY with no issues. I had originally planned to keep it for ~6 months or so to get me through the winter knowing I was moving south in the spring.

It's been a year and a half and I will absolutely NEVER sell this truck. I love it and will drive it until it dies, and may even then resurrect it with a new powerplant. It's comfortable, dependable, a little unique as you don't see many of them driving around anymore, and I like the interior as it's simple and not overly-"technologied" like the new vehicles.

Adding an obligatory picture of her as she sits at 186k miles.

 

[Igoteyedeas]

For me, it started way back in 1997 when my dad was looking at replacing his Ford Explorer. He looked at the Expedition, Durangos, Jeeps and the last one was the 1998 LandCruiser. He ended up getting the EB Expedition, but that's not to say the TLC didn't leave a lasting impression on us both.

As I grew older and started working for a valet company, I got to drive nearly every car on the road. Occasionally I'd get some of the Luxo-SUV coming in from time to time (read: G500/55/63, Infinitis, etc) and the TLC always left me in awe. So comfortable. So quiet. So capable. I went on the hunt and found one that was being sold on the cheap due to mileage and some other issues, and it's all history from there. That said, no vehicle has ever captivated me quite like my 100. The idea that I can take a vehicle—packed full of gear—nearly anywhere on the globe (confidently) and then come back, wash it and take co-workers/clients on a ride is something special. In the 2.5 years I've had my Cruiser, I've gone through roughly 5-6 cars (as my tastes change) and the only constant in my stable is the Cruiser. I intend to keep it that way even as the mileage climbs past 250k.

As my good friends purchase new TRD Tacos, Trail Edition 4Runners, etc and talk to me about how much better they are because they're "newer" or "better optioned" and have FAR less mileage. Be that as it may, I hop in my ~20yr old truck with a giant, s***-eating grin on my face every day. I love these damn trucks.

FWIW: IH8MUD is one of the best car communities I've been a part of, which makes owning a TLC even more of a pleasure. Cheers guys.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

I had to move to the peoples Republik of Kalifornia and my super duty wouldn't pass emissions... plus I had no need for it out there. Bought the '99 because I couldn't find a tacoma for a decent price... .SO glad I got the 100

 

[landylover21]

I didn't buy mine, my father did 20 years ago when I was only ten. He knew the Land Cruiser was more than just a 4Runner or Sequoia (which at the time, didn't even exist), it was a legend, and at the time, the new 100 Series was leaps and bounds in terms of innovation.

After my grandfather started living with us we needed more room and the third-row SUV market back then was nothing compared to what it is now! Him being a big Toyota/Lexus fan, checked out the Land Cruiser and LX470 and after talking with my mom, decided on Elsie, my Mahogany Pearl '98 that is sitting in my driveway now.

My mother preferred the Lexus' creature comforts and dealership experience, my father preferred the mechanical simplicity of the Cruiser's suspension (which is ironic considering he was a huge BMW fan). She lived a pampered life as my dad was very stringent with maintenance, and didn't see much action during the winters for the first 15 years of her life.

Long story short, after growing up with this truck I realized what an awesome vehicle it was/is and when I graduated college, I had the opportunity to get a new car or get behind the wheel of the Land Cruiser. I looked around at a few options mainly 4Runners, but ultimately settled on taking my baby girl, and so she lives on to this day!

My mom keeps offering to trade me her '14 570 to get her 100 Series back, but I refuse time and time again, I love this vehicle!

 

[Ayune]

Got stuck too many times with other vehicles in Oregon sand & snow.

When I was single I had a 60 and 4Runner that were awesome. Now I have a family of four and a comfortable & capable vehicle to match our outdoorsy lifestyle. Just a logical progression...

 

[bucfl]

In my 20’s I had a buddy with an ‘80. The. Beastliest thing I’d ever seen. Not the most comfy but a capable beast. We used it on surfing trips and would camp in it. We piled thru a stump to get where we wanted. It was just awesome.

Fast forward 20 years and we had been looking for a SUV. I wanted a LC but for some reason I bought a Nissan Armada. It was great family car and had every option. But it sucked gas and this tickin behind the dash. Was going to tackle it but we decided to take it to dealer incase I blew the air bags. Delete detonated air bags and they could not get any of plasti to fit or line up. They bought it back. Blessing in disguise!

I bought the car I always wanted. My wife worried about how old it was and the mileage. She now wants one.

I love that we can go camping and trails in comfort and turn around and take her to a restaurant in style.



‘nough said....

 

[yeti in ga]

I started the addiction with an 80s, then dropped a brand new taco to get back to a 99 Hundy, I wanted to drive the best dam vehicle on the planet, built for anything except good gas mileage. But hey when you add up the cost savings of no payment, driving a legend forever, keeping it out of the land fill.. I am saving the environment and my money. My 99 hundy is way nicer than a taco TRD dc... I just wish I would own one of every LC model...

 

[ylexot]

I've been through a lot of SUVs, including some fun with a 60 series FJ to BJ conversion. Had a long affair with an FJ62, which I dearly miss, a brief encounter with an 80 brought on by the need for a 3rd row, which we gladly exchanged for a 15 year old LX470.

As much as I miss my 62 and BJ, the 100 has been my favorite vehicle. Having kids has something to do with that calculus, but it is a fantastic blend of capability, maneuverability and comfort.

 

[Ouray19]

I'm tired of camping with my family sardined into a state park with 1000 other people within shouting distance. I wanted to truly be able to reliably get to the middle of nowhere. I have always loved land cruisers. Those two things led me to here

 

[bluesquirrel]

Use:
Camping, hunting, off road travel, family hauling.

100 specific:
Toyota, it's a Land Cruiser, longevity, and dependability

 

[cmck]

Oddly while working in India for 3-4 weeks, I started looking at overlanding vehicles and reading up. Two items have stuck with me from that time.

One was that for the price of a “Jeep Cherokee” you could have a land cruiser. (sorta true)

Second was the second paragraph mostly in this article Top 10 Used Overland Vehicles that made good sense to me about overlanding in the US and that lots of highway miles will be needed to get you there.

It’s been great for my needs and I have enjoyed “wheeling” it with the 60’s, 80’s and FJ guys in the Gotham City Land Cruisers club.

 

[RyanStl]

In HS and college I would see Land Cruisers from time to time and I always loved how they looked. One night camping with friends I was complaining how my 2 yr old Subaru XV was just not working with my family that includes five kids. We have an Odyssey, which I thought would work for family duty, but even though I loved the XV, it was annoying to have to move car seats around when I needed the capacity for whatever reason. I was also a bit over my head with the car payment. It came down to the fact that I needed a vehicle with three rows that I could buy with cash for $8-11K.

One of my camp friends has an 80 series that I love and talks about how solid Land Cruisers are. However, he didn't want to recommend it because of high cost of parts. He is the reserved type that talks up the Land Cruiser, but then down plays because he doesn't want to be responsible for giving advice. I had been reading Dave Ramsey, and that night decided I needed to sell my 2 yr old, warranty covered Subaru with three years of payments left. I decided the only three row vehicle right for me would be a Land Cruiser

When I got home I started to research like crazy and went to Mud at my friend's advice. I really wanted an 80, but then realized a 100 would be right for me to use as a DD. I got super lucky in my search because at the end of '15 when I was looking I actually had options of different trucks. I realized used car dealers won't budge, the good ones sell super fast, and jumped on the first good Craigslist find I had available. I sold my Subaru and found my current 100 in two weeks.

The cool thing is my buddy let me drive his 80 for a week. I still check Craigslist and since I bought there have been very little options.

 

[SierraWheeler]

^Funny, I was also listening to a lot of Dave Ramsey when I bought mine.

Not only was it my top choice (reliability, capability, looks, comfort) but I could also purchase for <$10K cash and get a clean, bad-ass truck without going into debt. Win-Win if you ask me.

I also discovered MUD before I finally decided on a 100. Not sure if I would have gotten on the right path if not for this awesome group of people.

Also love that it is the only real "go-anywhere" SUV with a tailgate!!

 

[ToHiHy]

Expedition Overland inspired me. I blame them for many thousands of dollars spent but love every penny of it. Plus I needed something to tow my sled trailer through the rough stuff every winter!