Land Cruisers

[Ironass]

The Toyota brand does not send many pulses racing. Back in the 90's I had a succession of Toyotas when working for Inchcape, the UK importer - mostly Previas to get the kids in. Always reliable but dull as ditch water, cars for pensioners. Even the Supra was not super. A brand not on my bucket list.

I have just bought a 2004 Land Cruiser with 220,000 miles on the clock, the cheapest on offer. I'm due to drive it to Ukraine early next year and leave it there as part of an aid convoy. I'm now wishing I could bring it back. Toyota were the driving force behind Just In Time supply chain management and the Ishikawa model of planning what could possibly go wrong. Not very interesting for petrolheads but this vehicle shows why it made sense. Absolutely everything works and, if it doesn't there s a comprehensive hand book that tells the owner what to do. It also has all the electronic gizmos that were available at the time and they work too - range, altitude, direction, speed, time elapsed, mpg, 6 CD disc player plus cassette and a plethora of warning lights - none of which are illuminated.

It has never been undersealed so has surface rust on the chassis but the components have been designed to last a lifetime. Two diff locks - centre and rear - and the choice of high or low ratios means it can go anywhere. Even the seats are in good condition.

So I have changed my mind - this is a brilliant machine and explains why other off-roaders never challenged its supremacy in those part of the world where that is necessary .

[_Rodders_]

Did it make it to Ukraine?

I'm always on the lookout for a 100 Series (which is what I'm assuming you're referring to) but so many are now sold by people I wouldn't want to buy from and the absolute cheapest diesel is around £7k so far from bangernomics motoring. The engine alone is worth £3-4k so that kind of puts a floor on prices.

[Smint]

_Rodders_ said:

Did it make it to Ukraine?

I'm always on the lookout for a 100 Series (which is what I'm assuming you're referring to) but so many are now sold by people I wouldn't want to buy from and the absolute cheapest diesel is around £7k so far from bangernomics motoring. The engine alone is worth £3-4k so that kind of puts a floor on prices.

100s have even more pipework than Prados to suffer corrosion issues, referring to the hydraulic suspension mainly, however if you get suspension issues contact Pleiades at Sawtry, experts in Citroen hydraulics which are very similar to 100/200 series suspensions.

I looked at several 100s, only to be constantly disappointed when i went underneath and saw just how many misdescribed 'minters' turned out to be neglected sorry things being sold by street type dealers.

Already had a 95 series Collie and had more or less given up on upgrading, however a 120 LC5 popped up one morning at a motorhome sales centre having been traded in for a camper van, it sounded right so i nipped over and slid underneath and because of what i saw bought it on the spot, still have it 10 years later during which time its only actual failure was the alternator packed up about 4 years ago, even that didn't cause a fail to proceed, £120 and couple of hours to fit.

Have run big Toyota 4x4s since the mid 90s, first was a 70 series, none have ever let me down but i do look after them and probably overservice them, the most important thing is to take regular rust prevertion measures underneath and inside vulnerable body cavities, other than that they're pretty bomb proof and generally simple enough to work on.

Good 100 and 120 series if not actually increasing are stabilising in price, plenty of rusty knackers for sale with buckets of gloop slapped on underneath to disguise the horrors.
£7k won't buy a good example of either.