LC200 First Impressions

[Raj]

I sat in my LC200 and went to midlands safari (could not drive so took back seat). it was long drive on M40.
1. I was surprised by how quiet it was on motorway compared to my honda and lexus. I always thought petrol cars are better than diesel when it comes to noise but LC200 can beat lot of petrol cars on cabin noise.
2. Suspension was really good and comfortable except occasional clunk, its actually good car to sit back and relax on long drives.
3. I heard a lot on youtube that the seats are very comfortable but I felt the back seats on my lexus are more comfortable than this one and had more cushioning.
4. Sat on 3rd row of seats inside the safari park with legs spread horizontally and although i felt claustrophobic, got used and i could sleep with a pillow on one side. Very good for kids.
5. Didnt feel hard to get in and out of third row (I am 5.11)
6. My friend who drove told me it's handling around corners (big and small slip road curves while joining motorways, B roads and roundabouts) is good and he felt its nothing more different or difficult than his car. Media reviews say you have to be very careful with handling this car, not sure what they mean by that. Only concern he had was parking space.
7. He felt car is quick enough for general driving and only complain he has is he cant feel the speed and there is risk of over speeding on motorway.

After I start driving i ll know how it feels from drivers seat but as a passenger its very good for cross country trips. Noise levels of my current tyres are 75db, if I could get tyres with 69-70 db, and with sound deadening at engine bay and under body it might feel like limo. After I start driving after May15, i will first join GLASS and take some 4x4 training classes, then i ll know more. its like a marriage, there is life time to know and live with this car.

 

[guyc]

Thanks for the report - I'm currently tyre kicking 200's so it is quite useful hearing someone elses perspective.

 

[Oak]

Thanks for sharing this - please make more posts about the 200 series. It's really usefully info.

 

[Jacob100]

Bet you can't wait. It's a very special 4x4 when you can talk about limo comfort and green lanes in the same sentence.

 

[Raj]

Thanks for the report - I'm currently tyre kicking 200's so it is quite useful hearing someone elses perspective.

Super. It took several years for me, every day i read something about land cruiser, every now and then people suggest a different car and say this is worst car (if you remember there is one review by Jeremy Clarkson. He used all his writing skills to say that this is bad car) etc etc but its like first love, i kept coming back and finally got one.

 

[Raj]

Bet you can't wait. It's a very special 4x4 when you can talk about limo comfort and green lanes in the same sentence.

Technically today is end of 4 weeks, which is one month in some sense so i might take it for a drive tonight after 12

 

[guyc]

Super. It took several years for me, every day i read something about land cruiser, every now and then people suggest a different car and say this is worst car (if you remember there is one review by Jeremy Clarkson. He used all his writing skills to say that this is bad car) etc etc but its like first love, i kept coming back and finally got one.

I have read the Clarkson review and he really doesn't like it but he is putting it in the same category as a Volvo XC90 which I don't think it is. Most of the reviews are similar - it's a bit old school, designed for driving across Africa, will never let you down and has had the buttons blunderbussed at the dashboard. Whilst I doubt I'll ever have the opportunity to drive across Africa, the other characteristics are quite appealing and I'll get used to all the buttons. They are easier to use than a touch screen.

I recently test drove a Porsche Cayenne - it has a 3500kg towing capacity. Nice car but the torque converter lag made you select the accelerator rather than pressing it which resulted in bonkers acceleration often when you didn't want it. We both (me and better half) decided that we preferred my 80 but maybe we are just used to it.

I can see a 200 in my future but I've not got the space / time for two LC's and it makes the decision much more difficult.

 

[Raj]

If you are near by, you can take my car for drive and see if 200 suits you. When buying I test drove this car and didn't understand anything as I never drove a diesel. None of my friends had this car but mentally i am fixed to this colour and model so I went ahead n got it. Even on autotrader there are not many and ve to travel long distance to just see the car so didn't bother to check another one.

 

[Raj]

Today took 200 for a proper drive since I got it. From Reading to Tregaron covering the military training range n devils staircase on the way and returned now. Total about 550 miles. Average mpg after refuel was 26. I look at mpg as it’s an indicator of cars health. After driving through all those A, B and unnamed roads I felt driving 200 is not any difficult. It’s easy n confidently did all those curvy roads of Wales at 40-45 miles per hour speed. Although with accord I would ve done at higher speed. Parking was tight in few towns but i know my size so it was ok. The comfort and drive was better than Lexus RX. Suspension was really good, you have drive or be passenger to appreciate how well it rides.
started yesterday 12:30 PM and reached just now. 3:00AM on Sunday.
The trouble: at 11:30PM, while coming back, at Cardiff AHC Light appeared and car went down to LO mode. Stopped at hard shoulder n tried switching off and on ignition n tried all layman tricks but nothing worked. RAC line was not open so drove 110 miles at 35mph n reached home this time.
The good thing is the car got me home. don’t know what all got burned or broke underneath. Ll sleep n see that after garages are open on Tuesday.

 

[guyc]

That's one thing about my 80 - it make 26 MPG seem economical.

The 100 forum is probably a good place to look at all things AHC related as I think the system is the same. Hopefully the vehicle will still be under warranty.

 

[Raj]

Thank you GuyC, I ll check 100 AHC threads again. LC proved the statement ‘it gets you there, it gets you back.’ Atleast it didn’t go into limp mode or something like that. whatever was breaking underneath, it got me back home, just that it was slow n long drive from Cardiff to reading, took 2.5 hrs

 

[karl2000]

The trouble: at 11:30PM, while coming back, at Cardiff AHC Light appeared and car went down to LO mode. Stopped at hard shoulder n tried switching off and on ignition n tried all layman tricks but nothing worked. RAC line was not open so drove 110 miles at 35mph n reached home this time.

Sorry to hear that Raj, probably something simple. Given that you bought the car very recently from a Toyota dealer, I think you should get them to sort it out. Hopefully covered by warranty as Guy says, but even if it isn't I still think they need to sort it, especially given the you have looked after it and treated it so far.

My understanding is that under the Consumer Right Act you have 6 months to reject the car, but you have to give them dealer the opportunity to put the defect right. The dealer will know all about this, and you are good customer with your Lexus as well so hopefully there will be no trouble at all.

And of course you wlll let us all know the situation on LCC, so they can choose between good publicity and bad publicity!

 

[Raj]

Thank you Karl. Will sort it out after bank holiday.

 

[Raj]

26 in regular driving might not be possible. I did proper hypermiling cruising below 50 mph for 120 miles due to suspension issue. Normal mpg might be between 21-24. Last week changed all tyres to geolander AT, which have lower fuel efficiency than Dunlop’s. So I think 21-24 on geolanders is good mpg

 

[Raj]

Sent car to Jemca Toyota Reading. I left car there yesterday, they called me today and asked to come so they can discuss about the car and what happened to it. I went there and they showed underneath whats wrong. To repair they might have to separate body from the frame and replace all the small pipes running between body and frame. Its almost 5 days worth labour to start with and it can extend further, with estimated bill of 8-12K to start with.

I talked to the dealer from whom I got the car and he asked me to get it back so he can have a look and get it repaired.
Just 6 year old with 50K miles and full toyota stamps, still the car is now not roadworthy. There is lot of risk involved in buying a LC 200 in UK. One can buy brand new LC150 for the price of a 6 year old LC 200 within 60K miles.
If it was any other car, just by year, mileage and service history you can blindly buy but a land cruiser this is the risk involved.

 

[karl2000]

Raj so sorry to hear that! WTF?!

What did they say happened to it??????

 

[Raj]

Hi Karl,
They said there is a suspension oil leaked. May be pressure built up and all the liquid kicked back and something burst and leaked. The small pipes running some suspension fluid from front to back are to be replaced along with the suspension system itself. To replace all the small pipes running from front to back they have to lift the body, i felt its like building a new car again
I tried to take video as they said its useless to even take video as the damage is very severe.

 

[Gav missin]

I think you need a second opinion on this. Also it must surely be under warranty still from where you brought it. I read recently that Craddocks are dealing more and more with 200s as they become more reachable financially. They may be a good independent for a second opinion.

 

[Raj]

Hi Gav, Thank you. I too checked Craddocks and they are in my preferred garages list. Due to distance, I didnt call them and book appointment. Among all garages I checked, Frogs island 4x4 workshop is closest one. Now with all that complaints on the car, I cant even drive it too far.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I'm not familiar with 200's Raj, but I've worked on the AHC on 100's and that AHC problem looks the same as we get on the 100's, just a bit sooner than you'd expect. You should only need to change the pipe the guy showed you going from the valve block to the top of the ram. On the 100 access is very tight and you have to drop the fuel tank to do that side so it's a bit of a pig of a job, but doesn't need the body off. The other side is probably worth doing as PM. The struts themselves may be ok. That rusty part he made a hole in is just a weather shield, but I'd change them for piece of mind if you're planning on keeping the car a long time. The rest of the underside doesn't look too bad for a UK car. A good independent garage should be able to sort those faults out without making such a drama out of it as the guy in the video did.