Talk me into or out of a 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser

Yes, I had a sour experience with my GX470.  Well, from 115-127k miles, before that it was a typical Toyota, needing only gas, oil, brake pads and tires.

Anyways, I would like something larger as my DD than the Golf R.  Just to carry stuff, people and the dog, particularly when I go skiing.  I have other fun cars/motorcycles I can drive and ride, so while the Golf R is a total hoot as a DD, I don't really need it.  It's also a MT, which my wife refuses to learn how to drive and it would be useful having another car she and my daughter could occasionally drive.

Alright, so here's why I'm gravitating to the 200 series. 

#1  Last of the breed, so will hold it's value even better than usual, which is amazing

#2  Love the rear tail gate.  Very useful to sit on while going skiing, mtn biking etc

#3  Good sized back seat

The Cons:

#1  Abysmal gas mileage

#2 Incredibly high entry cost

#3  For what #2 is, it's not equipped properly.  No apple car play for instance, there are much nicer SUV's available for the same price, if not less

#4 Used ones with ~100k miles on them are $50k.  Ones with 25-40k miles on them are $85k.  Not a value proposition to buy a used one.

Ok, I'm leaning towards trying to find a 2020-21 Heritage Edition 5 seater.  I don't need the 3rd row and would rather have the storage.  It's the last of the last and a special edition, which should mean it'll hold it's value even better.  However, in todays market, it's selling for a decent amount over MSRP, even tho they're used. 

I can depreciate it through my company and get a good amount back, so I'll be in the black (so to speak) on it for quite awhile.  That said, I'm having issues justifying basically a 6 figure purchase price for one of these.  I can't help but think I can buy so many other things for that amount.  Or am I looking at this wrong?  That after I depreciate it I can basically drive it for free for 3-5 years and then sell it for at least the same amount, if not more, than what I have in it?

Don't know why you would buy one of these vs a Tahoe/suburban unless you need the off-road ability. 
 

Im two years into my $3000 rusty suburban.  It has 200k miles. Including all oil changes and some repairs(yes. It's not a Toyota). I'm 5700 out .  That's two years and all the costs associated with it   

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

Because I don't like Tahoe's/Suburbans.  The suburban in particular is too large to fit in my garage/driveway and I suspect the newer Tahoes are the same...

Alternatives to a Land Cruiser would be maybe a 4Runner TRD Pro, X5, Cayenne Turbo, or the Audi A6 allroad.  My issue with the German alternatives (even tho I'm totally a German car ho) is that in a typical market they depreciate 50% in 3 years.  The 4Runner and Land Cruiser won't.

I spent a week with a 2021 LC Heritage Edition to review (and tow my enclosed with). It was... fine? It's got some swagger and presence by virtue of it being An Land Cruiser, definitely high on the cool factor to the right person.

It towed fine but not exceptionally well (read about that here) and otherwise... I dunno. It's priced into the stratosphere for what it is, given its competition, but the point of this is "luxury via durability" where everything else at the same or similar price point is "luxury via features." The drivetrain is ancient and gets fuel economy in line with its age. Key tech that almost anything else has now is omitted here. 

Given Toyota's new Sequoia that dropped two nights ago, I'd honestly prefer that if you must have a nice big Toyota SUV for the same (or less?) money. And if you're not going off-road with it, get something that uses its interior space better and is more modern and on-road focused. Sequoia, Expedition, GM trio, etc.

But if you want a Land Cruiser, you want a Land Cruiser, and a new 200-series is the best one you'll find. And, to your point, it'll likely hold its value. 

If you just want something big and well-mannered and capable and nice, I'd look elsewhere. I drove 47 new vehicles last year and the LC Heritage wasn't really standout beyond "the die hards will go nuts for this."

In reply to Brake_L8 (Forum Supporter) :

Yeah and that's exactly my issue with it.  It's grossly over priced for what it is, the same way the 4Runner was grossly under equipped for the price, until recently.  That said, I'm not entirely sure the entry price will matter since it'll hold it's value like no other.  Well, other than a huge gulp when initially buying it.

I need to look at the new Sequoia, I'm just worried that it's too large to fit in my garage.  The Land Cruiser will barely fit for instance, anything longer and it'll almost be impossible to walk in front of it to go up the stairs to the house. 

I definitely have a sweet spot for what will fit in my garage and what I'm willing to drive as my hauler/winter DD.  That's one of the reasons I don't care for a suburban or Tahoe.

Doc, what is it like 22' for your garage to the stairs? I'm trying to remember. 

I have a few friends with them.  Toyota seems to have accomplished the near-impossible by building a vehicle that feels huge on the outside yet cramped on the inside.  I know you're thinking of it as a place to park some cash, but I don't agree with the idea that it won't lose value if you're going to use it as a DD.  The value will drop proportionally with miles, even on those.  They do get major cool points.  Their reputation for reliability comes from 20-30 years ago when very few vehicles were that reliable.  Now basically every new vehicle is that reliable.

In reply to ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) :

I don't disagree with you that they're riding the coat tails of previous generations.  That said, they just don't depreciate like other vehicles.  For instance, one with 120K+ miles on it still goes for $50k.  One with 30k miles on it is $85k, these stickered brand new in 2021 for $89k.

In reply to bmw88rider :

I need to measure but the GX470 was 188" and that was fairly tight.  Since that SUV had the stupid barn door rear door that required a swing out for my hitch bike rack, I couldn't keep the bike rack mounted on it and still fit in the garage.

The Land Cruiser is 195" long, that's probably the max I can fit and still walk in front of it to go up the stairs to the house.  Complicating matters is I can't put down a parking block since it'd interfere with the 4 post lift.

Yeah. That's a problem for any of the full size trucks/suv. I just went through this with the Frontier. It was literally the largest truck that would fit at 204" So all of the GM and the Sequoia will be too big for sure. That puts you at a mid-size or LC. 

So 4Runner TRD Pro which will not depreciate or LC really would be the options outside say the Cayenne which you have been down that path before. 

So I'll say go for it if you want to put out that level of $$$

I'd do it.   I love my 100 and it's worth more now than when I bought it 3 years ago.

Talk you out of this? No, I won't do it. 

Car prices are silly right now. It may hold its value better than average (even a lot better), but how long are you keeping whatever it is?

I'm guessing at some point in the next couple-few years, there's going to be a correction on new and used prices, and everything's going to take a hit. A more expensive thing now will presumably take a bigger hit in absolute terms, even if it's a similar or slightly lower percentage hit?

But I'm not here to talk you out of buying the thing you want to drive. I'm just wary of relying much on the sanity, continued insanity, stability, or predictability of the used market over the next 1-5 years.

Have you considered a Nissan Armada? They are known as the Patrol in the rest of the world and are a newer platform and are probably cheaper. The VK56 engine is amazing, and the Patrol is equally capable off road, if not more so. Same platform as the Infiniti QX80. You can accessorize it as you please with all the aftermarket support for these.

I honestly think the 200 series heritage will appreciate. For people that can afford them, there isn't much else. Very much considering training our gx460 or sequoia in on a 200. 

The land cruiser is different because it's engineered to not need a replacement part for 25 years!! That's just crazy. Also that's why it's alway behind on tech. The LC is the modern version of the Land Rover series ii. 

I have a 2015 200 series.  Your pros and cons are spot on.  Aside from drinking gas and somewhat behind tech, there is nothing to not like.  My brandy brand new 2021 F150 has more squeeks and rattles and silly faults (icing up backup sensors, condensating headlights, wind noise) than my Land Cruiser.  Its 400ish horse and 400 foot/lbs of torque which is absolutely plenty for a small SUV.  They turn on a dime.  The interior is of the utmost comfort and visibility is excellent.

I recommend one completely.  As a matter of fact I am selling mine (long story) so if you want a very very nice southern 2015 in gray over black with 140k miles, TRD Rock Warriors and BFGs, and all maintenance up to date, let me know.

In reply to grover :

I'm not sure it'll appreciate, but it may depreciate more slowly than a "regular" 200 series.  I dunno, it's mostly an appearance package other than the wheels and the fact you can get it without the 3rd row seats.  Not sure that's worth the huge premium in price, especially since all of the 200 series from 2016-2021 are the same mechanically

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

I'll drop you an email

The 4Runner is 90% of the truck for 60% of the cost

In reply to Steve_Jones :

More like 65% of the truck imho. I find 4Runners laughably small inside, which is why I ended up with a sequoia. Also, the v8 in the 200 series is a better motor. 

In reply to grover :

I find land cruisers  too small inside.  3 kids plus 5 mountain bikes and camping gear completely overwhelms my suburban.  I can't imagine fitting it all in a landcruiser.  Perspective though. 

Why not a fully depreciated 955 Cayenne Turbo? 

grover said:

In reply to Steve_Jones :

More like 65% of the truck imho. I find 4Runners laughably small inside, which is why I ended up with a sequoia. Also, the v8 in the 200 series is a better motor. 

You'd be surprised how close they are. 
Land Cruiser is 4 inches longer, 2 inches higher, 2 inches wider.

4runner has 1 inch more headroom, 1 inch less legroom, and 3 inch less hip room  

They're different trucks, with different buyers, but $90k vs $50k does not get you much more truck.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

Luckily I really only carry 4 people most the time and a lot of times only 3.  My daughter is almost 17 and doesn't really ski with us anymore.  I'm pretty confident that the Land Cruiser will be plenty big enough, maybe even too large.  Plan is to remove the 3rd row seats to have maximum cargo space