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Hello from a wannabe owner

Class—

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Jan 8, 2020
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uk
Hi Folks,
I’m humming and haa’ing about getting one of these beautiful beasts. On my numerous web searches I came across this very informative (and seemingly somewhat friendly) gem of a forum. So hopefully I can become part of the family here too (just need to buy a Land Cruiser first).

So here I am at 2:15 am scrolling through all these adds and nothing seems to pop up. I guess the biggest problem I have is my measly budget and I know for £5/6k I’m not going to get much but rust :confounded:
Never to be one to let that stop me I have an idea of what I’m looking for, maybe you can tell me the pitfalls of my wish list.

I was thinking on a 100 series, 4.2TD, 5speed auto, hopefully less than 200k and as little rust as possible.
Am I dreaming that I’d ever get anything like that for my money?

This won’t be an over lander, rock crawler or anything special. It will simply be my daily in the winter months and help me get in and out of the valley during harsh weather.

So what do you think? Am I lost in the dream world forever? Should I be thinking of another car?

Watching all these videos of Landcruisers and all these people loving them has really made my heart want one. As for the head, well I’m not sure where it is with it but I know I want one

sorry for the long ramble

Cheers

R
 
Hi mate, know you you feel, when I was looking I was desperate to get one! Have a look at this thread about the 100 series for that amount of cash: https://www.landcruiserclub.net/com...es-bought-unseen-of-ebay-i-warned-him.153596/

Have you considered any other LCs, e.g. the 90 series or 80 series? Aside from rusted beaters from the 1980s the 90 series are the cheapest way in to LC world at least here in Australia. They are not without their issues though, so make sure you do your research.

Also have you considered petrol over diesel? Again I don't know what it's like in the UK but the diesel 4WDs always command a higher price over their petrol counterparts. I went atmo petrol in the end - simpler and with the mileage I do in it each year (less than 5,000km) there is no real fuel economy worries.
 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-toyota-land-cruiser-3-0-D-4D-LC5-auto This is just an example, Low Miles, Looks great, Long MOT, Very cheap Price.. Then go look at the MOT History! Nothing but Corrosion, This is what you will be up against with your Budget of 5/6 grand... I personally would take a punt on an 80 Series. for that Money.... A couple of months ago i bought a 24v 80 series for 3 grand and i cant seem to find any Rust on it at all. But the Trade off was it has a dent and Scratch on every Panel. Its been used as a builders Skip and has 3 million miles on the Clock... But i love it,Wouldn't swap it for the world..:thumbup:.... PS Dont know if the 120 is your thing, But if your near Bath, It maybe worth a peak.
 
I’m with Higgy on this one, mainly because I’m biased, but 80s have lost a lot of favour to the less agricultural 100s, but unfortunately, the 100s have suffered much more from the dreaded tin-worm than most 80s, even though they are younger beasts...

As a winter DD, the 80 will suit you fine, but at that price you’ll probably have to tolerate some untidiness and maybe some maintenance such as a front axle refurb, but that’s not the end of the world.

If you go the 80 route, I’ll bet you end up driving it in the summer too, they’re addictive :lol:.

A petrol would suit you fine, they tend to be in better condition and cheaper .... if economy isn’t a high priority. Let’s face it if it was, you’d be looking for a very different vehicle for your commute...

Good luck in your quest....
 
3 million miles
That's another good point - remember mileage is much less important than a good maintenance record. There are many examples of most of the Toyota 4WD engines of this era lasting 500,000km and more without a rebuild.
 
Hi Guys,
Thanks for all the replies. You have made my hard decision even harder
I have opened my scope and started looking at more. I love the look of the 80’s but I just don’t have the time or space/tools to overhaul them. I read Declan’s 80 overhaul with pure jealousy as I’m mechanically minded but know I would never have the diffs out and fixing everything right.
As for petrol, 13 mpgs is just too low, I’m doing about 500 miles a week atm ( which is one of the reasons I want a 4x4, so I can do these miles no matter the weather) and I would really like 20 something mpg. I’m sure I read someone’s comment in this forum that lpg conversions are not to be looked at as they wear away parts of the engine so are only good for the owners that fitted them and not the next buyer years down the line? :think:
Would a 120 suit my needs more?
I’m getting all confused in the endless options vs wants vs needs
Sorry folks please bare with me. I will become a LC owner yet
 
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For £6k in spending money, you really should be looking at 120s. You will get the best bang for the buck, for a bit less space inside, a lot less rust, and comparable harsh-weather capabilities.

The 120s were sold at the same time as the 100s, the model overlaps a year or so. But they were the smaller(?), cheaper and sold in much larger numbers.
 
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201912285637619
You think that’s worth looking at or am I right about the lpg?
There are a few petrol owners on here, They would be best to answer the MPG question and LPG reliability. Clives right about the petrol ones being in better condition generally.. And it is a great engine so the Aussies and the Africans reckon.. But if it were my money id go Diesel, But thats just my Preference ... Good luck
 
Lots of great advice here. In my humble opinion, the 120 series would be best for your needs as stated. Still very capable, dependable with the comforts of a modern vehicle you really can't go wrong. This would get you into LandCruiser ownership with a lot to be happy about. Happy days ....good luck:)

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I was in a similar position just over a year ago and ended up with a 9'99 100 4.2tdi, I knew I would need to fix some rust, providing it wasn't safety related I wasn't bothered tbh, can always be fixed. I'm not planning on selling it so happy to fix as and when I have £ and keep on top of routine maintenance. I'm happy driving it every time I get in and is one of the few cars that I'd happily just go for a drive in because I can. The kids love it and for a 20yr old car it went 2000miles in 12 days round Scotland last August, 6 up with gear and a trailer tent and didn't miss a beat. I would rather have some rust to fix than drive anything new and boring with all their electrical issues.
 
To be realistic R, your budget for a good 100 series is a good way short. Any Cruiser in your budget is an old vehicle, even 120's with a five spd auto box ( for which the good ones aren't £5-6K) are 15 winters old. With your budget I'd take your time and buy the best condition D4D VX Colorado I could find, should be £5k max and it will serve you well, I ran one for 2 1/2 years before buying my 120 and I loved it. A mint Collie is better than a nail of a 120.
80's are a bit niche and good ones not requiring work prob fetch £7-8K
 
The 120s were sold at the same time as the 100s, the model overlaps a year or so. But they were the smaller(?), cheaper and sold in much larger numbers.
Yes you're right, the UK 120 series Land Cruiser (known to us as the Prado 120) is a little smaller than the 100 series Land Cruiser. Not a huge amount smaller though but it depends on what you want to do with it.

Not sure how things are in the UK but the 120 gets you a few safety features you have to hunt for in the 90 series (airbags, ABS, etc.). Most 90 series here don't have airbags or ABS. AC was even an option then!
 
Hello and welcome R.

Getting a Toyota is always a good idea and I reckon these depressing times are perfect for a bit of Cruiser shopping.

In a moment of temporary insanity a couple of months ago I listed my 100 on eBay. I had one enquiry.

You won’t find a decent 5-speed 100 within your budget but there are plenty of older ones out there that seem to be going nowhere. Most dealer ones will be sheds but there will be a few good examples from private owners keen to get rid.

Good luck with your search.
 
Hi Class .

What makes our Cruisers part of the family is subjective , for some simply knowing they have the toughest car in the street is enough maybe but i think for most of us its an evolution .

It starts out with a small repair because we know its worth repairing . And then we figure there's not huge difference in cost between replacing worn out suspension with a lift or just getting new and standard .

However budget and time decides if its a boon or a bugger to pursue the evolution and from what you say the heavyweights might have you regretting your purchase .

Again its subjective and others may disagree but in my view the least complicated with regards to likely repairs needed is the 90 series and with your budget you can afford any you might find with more than enough change to make it good and make it your own .

The 120 probably costs about the same to run as the 90 mpg wise but as it seems with all the more modern Cruisers finding a good one if you can will likely swallow up your budget .

A very quick look just found this https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/to...-tx-limited-edition-auto-4x4-white/1363551764 but they all look good in photo's , you don't need to be a mechanic to know if rust is superficial or chronic so take a torch and get under the truck to see exactly what you are buying .
 
There are a few petrol owners on here, They would be best to answer the MPG question and LPG reliability.

Don't know much about LPG apart from the valve seat wear issue you read about, and then this made me avoid them. As for MPG from my 5VZ (V6) 90 series Prado (Colorado) it's around 21MPG. It does between 1,000km and 1,300km on 159litres.

Will have to do some accurate measurements next time I fill up (there's no fuel 'efficiency' display in these cars).
 
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