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Land Cruiser Reliablity?

4K views 18 replies 16 participants last post by  BurritosDaddy 
#1 ·
I am new to LC's but want to get one for my wife. Since they are so friggin expensive i'm looking at used. Really used. I have heard 93+ years are preferred because of the 4.5liter. I know it's a toyota & that they are built like a freight train but how's the powertrain on these things. Assuming the owner beforehand took care of it......should I be afraid of 150k? How miles can be racked up before problems start occuring? I am not looking to wheel it.....more of a passenger hauler:eek: I intend on putting bigger shoes on it though......How large can be stuffed before running into problems?
Thanks
 
#3 ·
I had a 95 FZJ80 LC with 217K when I sold it and it drove like it was new. Just check em out good and be prepared to maintenance the front ends (i.e. brakes, seals, ect.) due to the full-time 4WD and how heavy the truck is...
 
#4 ·
my mom still has her 95 fj80. she's been very unlucky and has had numerous problems. it only has 139,000 miles. we bought it at 50,000 miles. so far the a/c condenser broke, and leaked out into the passenger side, makes a funny noise also. idle positioning sensor is wacky. it burned oil like crazy, but i think we may have fixed that after we redid the valve seals. it has left her stranded on the side of the road 2 times because of an electrical problem with the ecu. the brakes also seem to be extremely problematic. very spongy, no matter what u do. we have replaced every single component on the brake system, and still is very spongy, and very shitty braking. i sware if she has one other problem with that thing, im gonna rip out her front axle so i can sas my taco and send that heep to the junk yard.
 
#5 ·
The one I just bought is a 97 and has no mechanical problems. Test drive it lock the wheels in a turn both ways, if you hear clicks it needs new birfs. I test drove a few before buying the Lexus I found. Warning u will not pass a gas station
 
#6 ·
the only real maintenance issues these have are the headgasket. If it hasn't ever been changed, it needs to be changed. There is also something called the PHH (pesky heater hose), which is prone to leaking and not very easy to change. There are kits available for this to make it a one time hassle so that it won't leak anymore. As for reliability, they are just like every other Toyota. I wouldn't be scared of 150k. The 93+ is preferred because the prior models were just as heavy and had the less powerful 3FE engine in them. The do drink gas like a bum w/ a bottle of thunderbird, but they are great.
 
#7 · (Edited)
The 2007 Land Cruiser is a 4-door, 8-passenger luxury sport-utility, available in one trim only, the 4X4.Upon introduction, the Land Cruiser is equipped with a standard 4.7-liter, V8, 265-horsepower engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.The 2007 Land Cruiser is a carryover from 2006.
 
#8 ·
Drove a 91' got rid of it at 155k with no problems. Land Cruisers if cared for will go 200k easy and still feel like new. Although if you have shitty mechanics who don't know how to work on LC's will cause them to be problematic as with any car. Bottom line is that they're tanks, keep oil in them and they'll run forever.
 
#9 ·
check out sleeoffroad.com its the mecca for gear for the LC's. its a toyota, i mean, you cant really go wrong.
 
#11 ·
agree w/ calamaridog, they are not economical people movers, but they are great vehicles. Just take your time and be patient to find the right one. i bought mine w/ 183k miles on it and have 221k now, drives awesome. My roomate has 202 on his original HG. There are lots of hg tip on mud to see if yours might be suspect. You can fit 33's w/ no lift and still be able to flex em. 93 and 94 had the 4.5 but did not have dual airbags or OBD.
edit: and the motor is designed for 3 rebuilds at 300,000 mi, so only 900k :)
 
#12 ·
I live in Outback Australia, and couldn't go past this without commenting. Landcruisers are the one and only car we can buy here for reliability, i live 2 hours drive from my nearest neighbour so i can't afford to have the thing break. I have 2 landcruisers, one is a 78 series trayback which is great, but i also have a 100 series cruiser. The 100 series has 450 000km on the clock (280 000 miles) and it hasn't skipped a beat considering it's petrol, and they are crap. My mate in Western Australia has a diesel 100 series, and it's clock has 12 000 on it, cos it's been all the way round, (630 000+ miles) and he drives it everyday. Landcruisers are the strongest cars you can buy, as long as you buy the right one.
 
#13 ·
I am from Scotland and have spent lots of time in Western Australia, The Diesel Toyota's are the only one to buy we ran them round the clock in Scotland and I can assure you they are one of the most reliable trucks out there. I have a gas Tacoma now and it will be the last one i can assure you.
Import a real Toyota built in Japan.
 
#14 ·
guess what guys! 2nd engine rebuild in under 5000 miles... i think this truck is plagued. if it has one more problem... im gonna sell it for scraps. i know it a good truck, other than it completely being a pos, btw, read up on my post above if u wanna hear all the problems it has already had.
 
#15 ·
WOW!! Who did the engine rebuild?

I am on the http://forum.ih8mud.com/ forum quite a bit which is for all series of Land Cruisers and I have not seen a streak of issues like yours. Was that thing in a flood or salvage title?
 
#17 ·
i thought i would make my final update on my moms cruiser. looks like its time to let go of it. after a lawsuit, 3rd engine rebuild, its been done. engine sounds like a diesel, its coming from the valves, i think, toyota has no idea and says its the head, the guys were we took it to get the head resurfaced said its the pistons, and im just tired of this shit. my poor mother is stuck drivin this obnoxiously loud piece of SHIT. i can't believe this cruiser turned out to be so bad. the way it is now, we won't get much with the noise its makin. i feel bad cause she's tried so hard to keep on puttin money into it to make it right, and she loves it, but i honestly told her straight up, somebody doesn't want us to keep this truck. i will never buy a cruiser from this era again.
 
#18 ·
I think it was just a string of bad luck with her cruiser. i can understand the frustration about the 80 but don't let 1 bad apple ruin the whole bunch, heck, the 80 is what made me fall in love w/ the Land Cruiser in the first place. Since you mentioned not going for a cruiser from that era, I'd suggest a looking at a 100. I think your mother would love it even more.
 
#19 ·
When I saw this thread, I couldn't believe this was actually a topic. Anywhere else in the world, the Landcruiser is the symbol of reliability, toughness, and capability. It looks like the original poster's question has been answered, but I would like to add - if it has been maintained, don't hesitate at all, if not, get it checked out by a trustworthy mechanic and don't hesitate...landcruisers (especially the older ones) are great.
 
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