Input from LC/LX/GX/Sequoia owners appreciated.

I know a Sequoia isn't a LC.  It is a big SUV with a proven drivetrain though.  Aftermarket kinda sucks, its a distant 4th on this list.

This will be a SHTF/camping/overlanding type build.  Probably wouldn't be a DD much, I've got a beater 02 Accord that I would keep.

Probably wouldn't go older than 05, my understanding is that all of the above received the 4.7 VVTi motor for 05, and a newer 5spd transmission as well.

Budget for the vehicle is up to $25k, thats what I was prepared to spend on a JKU, until I looked around and found a J200 LC (09 i think) for the same.  But I'd entertain anything from a GX470 to a J100, to the newest J200 I could afford.  I should probably narrow that down....

I've been thru ih8mud, I trust arfcom more.  Despite my join date, I still trust arfcom more..wth...

Can be pic thread.  This is what I'm after, AT'S instead of MTs though.

Fat, dumb, and slow isn’t any way to go through life.

The 200 is posh for sure. Watch these:
Xoverland 200 series

Not for the pleasure of bashing Heeps, but the build quality and heavy dutiness of the TLC is unmatch for the given year.

<---FZJ80 here.

OST.

Sure, yeah, like one of the best SUVs ever designed is dumb.

Firing up the ol' derp machine early on in this thread.

200 is sexy but 80 Series is best series.

Thats why the sequoia is down the list, and 4runners aren't even on it.  For 4runner money you can get a LC, albeit a few years older.  I have had a bunch of jeeps, and love them, but their entire online community is based around building mall crawlers, or fixing broken trail builds.

Has anyone ever been about to drive across the outback and said they'd rather take a Jeep than a LC?

The answer is simple. Look for a factory locked fzj80. Fantastic trucks. Also, Ih8mud.com is your friend. Tell them I said hi!

I think they look the best.  Talking to a few guys that have them, the 4.5 is a dog, especially up here at altitude.

In a perfect world I'd find a survivor un modified J80 and have a R2.8 swap done, but I really wouldn't, I'd just spend all that money on a J200.

You need to rethink this statement.

If you can find an early model 200-series that fits your pricing then go for it. The late 100-series Cruisers are nice (I had a heavily modded ‘04 that I still regret selling) but the 200s are just better. I now own a 200.

The GX470s are a nice option also but can be hard to find and you need to confirm it’s smaller size/age/mileage will work for you.

Landcruisersdirect.com

My fat dumb and slow locked and lifted 80 would argue your point on the trail...

One of the most capable trucks on the trail.

Better living through gearing and life in the slow lane is a life well lived...

I believe the Sequoia not built on truck frame?
Also not built in Japan
Land Çruiser with the 350 V8 would be my choice if I had the $80K to spare

I've got a 2011 LC200, flew from Florida to Kentucky to buy it then drove it back. Awesome vehicle.

Don't forget the LX570, I've been seeing quite a few well-priced recently, seem more available than than a lower-specc'd LC, and coming in below your $25k budget, like this one (happens to be in Florida but carguru shows up hits elsewhere)

2009 Lexus LX 570 4WD - $23,880

160k miles so the engine is not even run in yet :-)

I like the solid axels, I'm also a fan of LS swaps.

I look at CL about once a week, there's always some GX's in there that some old person has had forever, has 200k on it, every service record from the Lexus dealer, and under $15k.  I'd rather have a little more room, but the third row is gone in whatever I get, maybe the second row too.  Its the wife and I and the two dogs, so seating isn't a priority.

5.7 iForce as reliable as the 4.7?  I'm familiar with the million mile tundra that had a 4.7, I'm also familiar with 381hp being better than 276hp.  Eventually getting a small camper trailer thing, another reason the J80 4.5 is out of the running.

That does not suck.

LX's have air suspension though, don't they?

If you are willing to buy an imported one Landy customs was great to deal with a friend and I bought BJ42’s. They import some nice stuff from Spain.

Yeah I believe so. My memory from looking at LX470's was that you could swap out the air components and go to LC springs. You might be able to so the same on the 570, assuming it's even a problem given it's a newer generation and might not yet be showing the issues that led to the spring swaps on older 470's.

So get a Toyota Land Cruiser.

I want a FJ60 with square headlights.

Gx470 owner here. Gx is going to much quicker on the road that the 100, better turning radius too. Full time awd with center locker, you can get rear lockers from either the fj or after market if you want. I've found the factory set up plenty capable this far. If you get one with kdss you can only lift 3" but it's on road handling is superior due to the huge sway bars.

On the 4.7 it's a great motor, secondary air injection pump go bad, you can buy a block of kit for a couple hundred and never have to work about them again or replace for $1500ish last time I looked. Oh and it gets 15mpg, 15mpg at 20mph and 15mpg at 80mph. Also the rear suspension is airbags, mine have 185k on them but when they go I'll do a conversion to coils and install helper bags in the could with the original pump for towing.

The aftermarket has really grown on the gx's in the last couple years. The best resource is gxor group on Facebook

If it got totalled tomorrow I'd either get another gx or look for a 200 series with high miles.

So long as you only need occasional use of back seats,also consider FJCs.

Their anemic plus horrible fuel mileage. But hey if you gots 25 k to burn on a pos land cruiser. Who give a fuck

I have an LX470 that I found by the side of the road, total family mall cruiser for a good price and I bought it with 158K on the dial. I now have 215k. Here are some thoughts

- Go to IH8MUD and register

Strongly consider looking for a UZJ. The hydraulic suspension on the LX is a time bomb. When I first brought mine home I flushed the fluid and have been fortunate to have it work perfectly. The most practical thing if the hydro system goes down is to swap it out with a UZJ. When it works - its awesome. I run tall skinny Toyo MTs. These are so stiff that they hold shape if they are flat - stiff ride for sure. However with the plush setting on the shocks, it is like a grocery getter. Turn the shocks to firm and you can blow through the forest down rough fire roads at 30 / 35 mph and the washboard is totally tamed. I try not to hit big holes, but when I do, it does not feel like hitting a bump stop on on a conventional suspension. Also - having read about it, I wouldn't hang expo bumpers on an LX b/c of the additional stress on the hydro system. I have never found a 'need' to raise or lower the vehicle, but it does that too.

The big thing is the timing belt. Ultimately you want to buy if from annal retentive housewife with a full binder of dealer service records like I did that show you the 80k and 180k timing belt job. I did my 180 belt at 210 BTW. The mechanic said it had a lot more life in it too FWIW. Definitely take it to your mechanic and have them look at it. You need to read as much about 100s as you can on IH8Mud and do that portion of the inspection yourself.

Interior - the seat skins / steering wraps are available on h8mud.

The sound system in my LX likes to eat and hold CDs.

They are great rigs if you can find a clean one.

I will say this as someone who is out in the woods a lot - it is geared perfectly (mine is a 2000? the next year they added another gear to the trans). It sort of feels like driving a golf cart out there - power band is right where you want it. With great rubber they will go more places than you would imagine. They are a long enough wheelbase to haul some gear, but short enough to make 10 point turns in the middle of the track with consequences on both sides.

Older Rovers have air and bags, LX has hydro

Ugh, hard pass.  If I wanted something that size I'd get another xterra, or 5 fully built '97 grand cherokees.  I despise FJs.

I wanted one too, but the new ones are stupid expensive, old ones are stupid expensive, etc. I liked sequoia but they were over priced here for a 4x4. So I got a GX460. it's a land cruiser prado with different badges. made in japan, monster V8, full time 4x4 with lockers, easy to upgrade parts, etc. plus it has all the cushy shit that makes a lexus great. I have air conditioning for my ass. it's fantastic.

they have a tundra motor and weigh less. I find myself doing a very comfy 80MPH on the highway here with the ending not even hitting 2k rpm. they are often babied and turned in to repeat. I have 100% dealer history and service, including every single thing they recommended. it's at 100k miles and was 20k, so 1/4th used up for 1/3rd new price. good place plus I could upgrade if I wanted.

check out GXOR on FB, but i did a lot of the same searching as you and this is what I went with. If I came into money or my family got way bigger I would get the LX, but for now I'm plenty happy.

This is true. I drive a '92 and my wife drives a '97.

100 series Land Cruiser owner here (2000 model year). Love that thing but have had to sink about $6K into it as it needed new things like a transmission, new front end, new steering, and new brakes and spark plugs. I only paid about $5800 for it. Love to drive it and it runs like a champ with 225,000 miles on it. I'm guessing I'll own it a few more years and still be able to sell it for $8-10K. Use it to get out to my ranch property in rural Texas and I do mean rural as in no road into the property.

I really wish Toyota made solid front axle 4x4s for the US market.  Toyota 4x4s are the choice of the UN and aid agencies in tough places around the world.  Just great off roaders that you can count on.  A few years ago I was in N. Australia and Land Cruisers seemed to be the most popular off road vehicle.

I don't think there is much of a comparison between the Sequoia and Land Cruiser.  I was told the Land Cruiser has a very heavy duty frame and you can really feel it especially compared to the Sequoia.  It just feels solid and is something to experience.  It eats up washboard roads like nothing.  For me the Sequoia isn't exciting at all, plus with the Land Cruiser you can modify it out with all the cool Australian aftermarket stuff.

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Mine...brand new motor from japan along with every hose, clamp and new wire harness
Nothing wrong with old motor except leaky valve seals at 350000

100% Ditto.

I've been to some remote and unforgiving foreign mining sites and the only thing that holds up sure as hell isn't a Ford, Chevy or Dodge.

Its the Toyotas, tough a nails and reliable as hell.

You'll have to forgive him, as his vision isn't what it used to be.

A.W.D.

Here's mine, all packed up. Leaving for 2 weeks dispersed camping through Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. For me the 100 series hits the sweet spot. Big enough to fit the family and all our gear without being a behemoth like the 200. Better power on the highway than the 80, particularly with the 5 speed that became available in 04. The Atrac system works very well, but you can add front and rear lockers if you wish. Harrop lockers ftw. Saving my pennies now for a 70 series Troopy.

I have a Mustang for when I want to go through life fat, dumb, and fast.

OP, I have a GX470 and love it. Small lift, 33s, skids, about to add a front bumper and winch.

Loving all the Toyota pics !! My LC200 is stock, with tallest tires I could get away with on stock wheels. I also have a 98 4runner with mild lift and duratracs, can't pull the trigger to sell it despite not driving it since I got the LC200 18 months ago :-)

Nice.

I just missed the deal of the century.

My employee sold a 2017 LX loaded back to the Lexus dealer for $40k.   It had 6 k miles on it.   She inherited it. It stickers for 90plus k.

This was two weeks after I bought a 2018 VW Atlas for $42k.

If only I hadn’t bought the Atlas.  It’s great so far,  but it’s not an LX THATS FOR SURE.

These guys know some stuff that might come in handy to you.

http://4xoverland.com/

www.4-wheeling-in-western-australia.com

I thought you were talking about this. I had one. Awesome machine! Attached File

Mine was a green soft top Attached File

Had an 80,  getting a 200, incredible machine.

Between the armored ones we have at work and ones the race stock class in the baja 1000 .

I'm sold, had tahoe's, suburban 2500's and drive new a new 2500 at work. I see zero reason to deal with gm build quality.

The 1995-1997 Toyotal Land Cruiser FZJ80 with factory lockers was the greatest off road machine ever made.

An FJ40 could fit in places that an 80 could not go

FP did not NI

80 series FTW
Attached File

Would like to find a real nice one of them to trade my FJ for.

A.W.D.

2008

OME lift/  33"" Duratracs / onboard air / removed factory steps / TJM bumper

i am looking at a 2013 GX460 with 46K miles on it for $29.5K.  have you had any issues with it?  known issues or things that WILL break?  thanks!