Why did you buy your Hundy?

[TheDan]

@Slashzero
And you now have the added benefit of reliability and resale value that the vw (and the jeep/unreliable) wouldnt have given you. So if you run into that same jeep stranded with its hood up, you can tow him out to where a flatbed can access him once your done snickering back at him inside.

 

[Beanzermin]

After a trip to Sand Hollow in my old 4runner for some wheeling. I had broken a front 1/2 shaft. The next morning the timing belt let go. After renting a Uhaul and dragging it back to vegas, I came to the conclusion I no longer wanted a stick shift while wheeling on rocks and obstacles. I wanted more power than my old 3.slow V6. I needed more space for gear. It had to be a Toyota with better aftermarket support than my 2nd gen (bastard child) 4runner. I fought with myself between the 80 and the 100 series. The solid front axle would do me a lot better with the jeeps I'm always with. But the inline 6 killed that for me. I knew driving to Utah for fishing and camping that I wanted the V8 power in the mountains. My buddies 100 series had been sitting in front of his house for awhile. Just rotting away. He had a 200 series and a GS-F Sport. Didn't need the 100. So I begged him to sell it to me for a year before he decided it was time. So I bought it, built it, and back on the trails I went! The most comfortable vehicle I've ever been in off road. Definitely happy I made this decision!

 

[geanes]

So I wouldn't have to buy a minivan......seriously.

Had a 2012 Outback that we loved. Replaced it with a 2016 Outback. Turned out, even though the car was larger, it had a smaller diagonal opening for the hatch. This presented a problem as my wife is an artist and routinely paints 48" wide canvases. I could fit one of those canvases in the '12 Outback, but not in the '16. We began considering options as Jenn would NOT drive anything with a trailer (originally proposed a small trailer with enclosed "pizza" trays so multiple canvases could be stacked. We began looking seriously at minivans and things like Ford Transits. As we were searching, I began thinking about a BIGGER version of the Outback that we could use for multiple purposes (we have always loved going to Colorado and the Outback served our needs admirably). I reached out to a friend who owned an 80. I drove a couple and wasn't really "feeling" it. I then started looking at the GX470. Really liked them, but the cargo door was a MAJOR issue as it made unloading canvases a pain when you parked curbside...also, most galleries only have parallel parking out front so the door couldn't open all the way if other cars were present. Then, I started looking at the 100 Series. I fell in love with the tailgate setup. I finally purchased my LX with 150k on the clock in March of 2017 with the idea that I'd drive it only for delivering canvases around town and 2-3 trips to Colorado per year. My Outback would be my DD. Well, here we are in August of 2018......I sold my Outback earlier this year and have 193k on the LX. I LOVE it and can't imagine life without it. I've armored it up (spending WAAAY more than I had originally intended), taken 3 trips already this year to Colorado plus one to Big Bend. Going back to Colorado again in September and Big Bend in October.

 

[LEX]

In a nut shell. Totaled my '11 Taco 4x4. Wanted to wait till the 3rd gen Taco was available so I purchased a low mile 100 for the mean time. Fell in love with the Hundy so I decided to keep it. Didn't like the new Tacos anyway.

 

[KillerBox]

I told myself that as soon as I had my kids raised that I was going to buy myself a fun weekend vehicle and finally build the stereo that I wanted since I was 14 years old.

1.) So I wanted something that will last for a long time.
2.) The LX 470 were originally bought by people that have no desire to take them offroad or to hurt them in anyway.
3.) Enough room to do a Logic7 sound system and still keep the vehicle usable.
4.) I only wanted an aftermarket headunit for my stereo. No more work arounds OEM navigation systems or patch up jobs.
5.) Vehicle with lots of OEM sound proofing material (even though I added more).
6.) A vehicle that I wouldn’t take a killing on deprecation by only using it on the weekends.
7.) Later, I have the ability to offroad if I desire.
8.) I have the ability to take 8 people on a trip with a boat and luggage.

So I went looking for Land Cruiser first but, they were all driven harder. So last year, I found a 2001 LX with 107,000 miles. The exterior had a couple of scratches and dings but, the interior still looked and smelled new.

My guess after buying it, the LX had a stalling problem and the previous owner couldn’t figure out how to fix it, so they sold it. I ended up leaving the LX at my local Toyota dealership for over a month before it stalled on them. The Mass Air Flow sensor was slow to respond.

Changed out the MAF and now it runs just like a brand new SUV! I couldn’t be happier with my LX!!! I think I have about 113,000 miles on my 2001 now.

 

[Exiled]

I bought the first one on impulse in 2007. I'd just sold my diesel-converted FJ62 and needed something to daily drive, and couldn't find an 80 that wasn't either over-priced or chewed up. Found a mint 1-owner '99 UZJ100 with 77K miles in Scottsdale, AZ and snagged it, even though I hated the color her name is "the Watermelon"). Put some mild mods on it, loved the way it drove (drives, still going strong). So did my wife, so a few month later, I found an '03 in Denver that was in awesome shape (trade-in from the first owner at a Mercedes Benz dealer) and had 40K miles and bought that one (also in 2007). That became a family-hauler and minivan substitute, and my wife loved it (her name was "the Hippo"). Eventually replaced the '03 with a '16 200 series ("Aretha") last year. And then earlier this year I started looking for a cleaner early UZJ100 to daily-drive (as the 'Melon gets long in the tooth and is reassigned to hunting/wheeling duties), and after 6 months of looking, I snagged a 1-owner, 125K-mile white '99 UZJ100 in Boulder, Co (her name is "Luna") that is in amazing overall condition and came with an OME mild lift on an otherwise unmodified Land Cruiser. I *love* 100s, the power-to-weight ratio makes them so much more drivable than 80s and they suit my limited four-wheeling style just fine. 100s have awesome visibility, great quality interiors that are pretty comfortable, and with minor modifications can be great overland platforms. I've had many Land Cruisers over a 32-yr uninterrupted ownership span and 100s are some of my favorite, driving mine every day is like therapy.

 

[CloudCity]

Basically I've always owned oddball and semi-exotics such as classic cars ('57 Cadillac and '62 Mercedes), and modern Porsche, Mercedes, Jaguar, etc. I didn't have any experience with Japanese vehicles and almost none with American cars so I had gotten used to the maintenance requirements and associated costs of those vehicles, then my former FIL showed up with a Tacoma, then a V6 RAV4, and seeing the build quality relative to operating costs, which were MUCH cheaper than I even thought was possible, I was curious.
I had always loved the 80-series since I was a kid and started looking at those, but they were just too old for me to daily drive, so I started researching the 100-series. Drove several and looked at several more, then eventually found the perfect one for me in the form of an LX. So far the ownership experience is very similar to other high end vehicles I've had, even being a 14-yr old rig, but the quality is evident at every step. I started watching videos and reading articles about how these are built and the Japanese engineering ethos, and man I am hooked.
Mercedes dealers would keep my car for a week to a month or more even for simple repairs, I never got out of there for under $1,000, and the attitude from the service departments was somewhat shocking for the price I was paying, so I am very happy to say that I will probably not buy another European vehicle and fully plan to spend the rest of my life, and my finances, with a Toyota or Lexus.

 

[collk22]

We bought our 100 series a few months after moving to Colorado. Ultimately, the carseat for #1 didn't fit well in the back of my Frontier ('05, NISMO package RIP) so we figured we'd get something bigger. Glad we did as baby #2 came along unexpectedly shortly after the move. Overall, the 100 series has been a great vehicle for our family - comfortable, plenty of space, supremely capable relative to our adventure wants and needs.

 

[jsigone]

had sandstone FJ Cruiser it was!! Awesome truck in the dirt. ATRAC and rear locker, with 33s and added King suspension. Rode like a dream on and off road. With one toddler/kid I was able to "deal" with the suicide rear doors. Now 2nd kid with the oldest being almost 3 and the baby is the hand carrier thing. Dealing with the two rear doors got old real quick in parking lots and in the garage. After 6months I had enough with those back doors. Was looking for something else with 4 real doors again, less blind spots and fun in the dirt.

Between the 4runner trails/ DC 2nd gen taco / LC100 series. The 100 won in everything but MPG and suspension design and was half the price. But my FJ with 33s got 15-16mpg anyways. I picked up a 01 LX470 last summer, actually a 1y ago. Got a decent price for it, but zero rust and decent maintenance record, 100% socal truck. Threw off the balding tires the PO had and started making this rig my own. The LX drives like a dream, wife n kids love it. It has been reliable up until the last few months. semi expensive fixes but hope they last a while. Brake booster failure and AHC started failing last week. Ironically as I started accumulating the parts to lift it so it was good timing.

The 100 series is what I should have gotten when I shopped for the FJ yrs ago. Older n wiser now with a lil less money but it's worth it. Taking the kids wheeling and they can see out the windows whats around us is amazing. Lots of good photos and memories in this last yr with the 100. Many more to come!!

 

[Sherpa100]

I told myself that as soon as I had my kids raised that I was going to buy myself a fun weekend vehicle and finally build the stereo that I wanted since I was 14 years old.

1.) So I wanted something that will last for a long time.
2.) The LX 470 were originally bought by people that have no desire to take them offroad or to hurt them in anyway.
3.) Enough room to do a Logic7 sound system and still keep the vehicle usable.
4.) I only wanted an aftermarket headunit for my stereo. No more work arounds OEM navigation systems or patch up jobs.
5.) Vehicle with lots of OEM sound proofing material (even though I added more).
6.) A vehicle that I wouldn’t take a killing on deprecation by only using it on the weekends.
7.) Later, I have the ability to offroad if I desire.
8.) I have the ability to take 8 people on a trip with a boat and luggage.

So I went looking for Land Cruiser first but, they were all driven harder. So last year, I found a 2001 LX with 107,000 miles. The exterior had a couple of scratches and dings but, the interior still looked and smelled new.

My guess after buying it, the LX had a stalling problem and the previous owner couldn’t figure out how to fix it, so they sold it. I ended up leaving the LX at my local Toyota dealership for over a month before it stalled on them. The Mass Air Flow sensor was slow to respond.

Changed out the MAF and now it runs just like a brand new SUV! I couldn’t be happier with my LX!!! I think I have about 113,000 miles on my 2001 now.

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What size tires are those in the pic. they seem to really fill out the wells. are they 285's??

 

[KillerBox]

What size tires are those in the pic. they seem to really fill out the wells. are they 285's??

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 (LT, 285/70R17, 121R) for $850.00 for 4 new tires from my local Toyota dealership.

As far as I know, my AHC suspension hasn’t been touched since 2001. Every now & then, I get a slight bit of rub while backing up, the tires fully turned to lock & going over my driveway hump.

 

[kcobourn]

In the past two years I found two great 100-series. A galactic grey that I drove for 1 year then sold. And now a one owner black low mile (81K today) that's pristine.

I've obsessed on these trucks for many reasons ...

1 - Nostalgia. My Dad's in the car business & sold Toyotas in the 90s / early 00s.Thus, my first truck was a '97 Tacoma 4x4 LX Ext. Cab followed by a 01 4Runner. Every drive feels like a '97 Taco dressed up in a tux - it's so so so cool!

2 - Priorities changed! We had a kid & a year later it became clear a third car wasn't in the cards yet. So I got rid of the 2011 B8 S4 that I spent 4+ years loving / modding. Reality was this Audi just didn't like city life ... the engine would rarely get to operating temp (Audi rebuilt the motor due to oil consumption, for example), the lowered suspension setup on Austin city streets tore up my sub-frame & underbelly pan multiple times, UT students are a**holes when parking, etc..

3 - Because Porsche. I'm going to eventually buy a 997.2 GTS 6MT as a third car & DD the 'cruiser until it's time to give to my kid as his first car.

4 - IMO the 100 series Land Cruisers represent the peak of Toyota's engineering & quality.

I love it. MPG's be damned!

 

[krice118]

I discovered iH8mud and read abut Hundreds in the Hills and I was sold. I wanted a 100. If I hadnt found mud, I would probably be in a 4runner or tacoma.

My sister was turning 16 and I was 21, the plan was to give her my grandmas 2005 Rav4 that I had been driving and get me a new car. I wanted something 4wd. I looked at everything - trooper, chevy ext cab, xterra, old pathfinder. My dad is a practical guy and has always driven Hondas, Toyotas, Infiniti and Acura. I though there is no way he will buy me a 15 year old car with a lot of miles. I told him I wanted a 4runner but that he didnt want to know what my dream car was. He asked me to tell him and I said a 1997 Collectors Edition Land Cruiser or a 98-99 Land Cruiser with a rear locker. He had no idea what most of that meant. He was like yea its old but its Toyota. Then we started to look.

I fell in love with the 100 before I ever drove one. I love the looks and the pracicality of it.
V8, super comfortable, TAILGATE, built extremely robust and durable- need I say more?
I figured this was the 1 and only car may parents would buy me, so I made sure to get one that was at the end of Depreciation and one that would last me 30+ years

 

[bentonrover]

After owning Land Rovers for years I had know idea what I was missing out on. My last rover 06 LR3 V6 was supposed to be the reliable one lmao. After hitting 110k like clockwork things was falling apart. Traded it in after the transfer case was screaming. Shame cause I put a lot of time and money into it. On the very reliable bright side I picked up a 1 owner full maintenance history 05 LX. Could not be happier. Cheers to many more years

 

[87warrior]

I wanted a vehicle that would comfortably go where I liked to take my Jeep and cruise down the interstate at 80mph without complaint. In 3 years I have put 50k miles on my cruiser and still enjoy taking it on adventures

 

[FxFormat]

This is why i bought the hundy(s)...we took this road to go hiking and was stuck halfway in, we were in an RDX. Thought we were gonna die that day, nobody around and we had eaten all our food. We managed to stack little rocks to make a ramp to go back over these rocks.

 

[PabloCruise]

For us, it all started when my little DD get run over by a J**p. I have a little Honda Civic Si that I love, and one day while it was parked, a kid came whipping around a parked car and was going to fast to stop once he realized my car was in his way.

We realized we needed a vehicle with a little more room as our buy was growing as was our GSD puppy. We love Land Cruisers, but my wife is not impressed with the ride in my 40 or 55, so I said we should test drive a 100 and see if she likes it. About the same time we stumbled onto a 470 for sale and the deal was made. Originally the wife said we should get it for me, but it turns out she likes it better than the BMW I had gotten for her, so she took over the LX.

It has been a great machine!

 

[SARguy]

All I have ever driven for my DDs are landcruisers. Started in 1974 with a 69 FJ40 Three 40's, a 60, and 4 80's later I gave up and got a 100,

last year I had my last two 80's. Absolutely loved them. Both had about 280k on the clock. I found that I was spending more and more time on repairs and maintenance. Less time to use them. Both 80's fried the wiring harnesses within 3000 miles of each other. Major project to hunt down and repair. Both were starting to burn a lot of oil through the valve guide seals. Both were needing birfs. Both had major falling apart leather on the seats. Worst of all was reading Beno's discontinued parts list.

I had bought in to the hype about how awful it was for Mr T to bastardize the Land Cruiser with independent front end, but when I did the math on keeping at least one of my 80's running long term I started looking at 100's. Found a 470 that looked great. Didnt have much in terms of maintenance history but when I got it home it was obvious that it was gently used, no rust at all, and well maintained with Toyota parts.

When I base lined it everything checked out great. MAJOR LEARNING CURVE ON MODERN SYSTEMS!

Now I have had it a year...... DANG. why did I wait so long to move to a 100. Love the AHC. I dont rock crawl but I do a lot of off road back country exploring, and live in major snow country. With the AHC on high, I am not missing the solid front axle at all. Might change my mind when the ball joints wear out... we will see.

Now I dont lose sleep at night wondering if I can even get parts like I was when I had the 80's.

Comfort.... Wow

Gas mileage... a little better than the 80

 

[aljordan]

Why? In 2003 I was looking for an SUV type vehicle and was looking hard at 4Runners. I was looking at mid to high $20k for this truck at that time. Low miles and a few years old would be perfect. After looking at 4Runners for a few months, on a whim I decided to see what a LC was selling for on ebay. Little did I know it was around a $5k difference. So I then shifted to looking for a few year old LC. I picked up this 2000 model year in 2003 for with 48k miles. Perfect.

The rig now has 230k on it and has served my family very well. it's been driven off and on by my family for the past 13 years and it's never let us down. I fully believe that a 4Runner would have been replaced by this point as they just aren't as durable and robust. I couldn't be happier that I made the decisions to extend my budget back then to get the best of the best.

 

[D21FJ60]

Don't have one yet, but I have been lurking 'mud for a very long time and have wanted almost every cruiser imaginable. Hundy's are coming down price wise, and I hope to be able to afford one i the next year. They aren't too big but have a ton of space.
I was raised in an '84 fj60, so Cruisers have always been my favorite. I want a vehicle i can stick the family in and have space for all our junk, that is very safe and very reliable. The fact that multiple members on here reach the same conclusion regarding high mileage trucks in correlation to how they drive is very reassuring. Aftermarket support is good enough for my needs- lift, bumper, etc.
There's a reason why you see cruiser's all over the world doing the hard work.
Ideally we will be out from under 2 car payments in the next month and down to 1 on a newer, wife friendly vehicle and I can get money put aside for a cruiser purchase and baseline. My thought is if i'm not spending what I currently pay for a car payment + gas in gas for a cruiser, i've come out ahead.
Ideally i'd like a white one and 285's. But we will see.