Land Cruiser. The End.

[JeffB]

It’s come to my attention that 2021 will be the end of the LC after a 60+ year run, depending on how you count it. And it seems that whatever Toyota is going to call the LC in future years isn’t coming to US shores. I’m really bummed about it, actually. I know it was a dinosaur by most traditional metrics and only sold about 3k units per year. But damn. What a vehicle. I still think it’s the best car ever made. I was drinking a little rye last night when I found out about all of this and texted the Toyota guy I use and asked him to find me a 2021 heritage edition. Or one in dark blue. I must have the last model year if it’s really ending. @Muleski please tell me this is a reasonable decision and help me formulate the argument for when my wife asks me why we are minus a bunch of money in the account ...

Toyota to discontinue legendary Land Cruiser in US after 2021

Toyota is already hinting that its iconic and pricy off-road SUV may return, however.

www.cnet.com

 

[Erik Timmerman]

That is a great looking car. I didn't know they are still making them. You should definitely get one.

 

[Muleski]

Sad news, indeed.
I suspect that there will be very serious demand, and inflated pricing on the last ones to roll off the line.
I was just making a short list of things to take care of later in the spring on ours, while I smiled and said to myself: “I just LOVE these vehicles!”

Absolutely go for it!!! Being an older retired guy, I’ll wait for a two-three year old, slightly depreciated one. My wife fully agrees that we will ALWAYS have one in our garage.

Though, our son just picked up a very nice used Sequoia for very, very short money. Not the same vehicle, but still...a lot of vehicle.

No more LC’s. That’s sad. Not sure if it’s wise. However, they come with a huge sticker price these days.

 

[François Pugh]

Go for it. If you can afford the LC, you can afford the gasoline.

 

[JeffB]

Sad news, indeed.
I suspect that there will be very serious demand, and inflated pricing on the last ones to roll off the line.
I was just making a short list of things to take care of later in the spring on ours, while I smiled and said to myself: “I just LOVE these vehicles!”

Absolutely go for it!!! Being an older retired guy, I’ll wait for a two-three year old, slightly depreciated one. My wife fully agrees that we will ALWAYS have one in our garage.

Though, our son just picked up a very nice used Sequoia for very, very short money. Not the same vehicle, but still...a lot of vehicle.

No more LC’s. That’s sad. Not sure if it’s wise.
However, they come with a huge sticker price these days.

I think it has to be done. There’s a 1999 LC in the family with 320k miles and still perfect. I replaced the main family car last month - my wife’s 08 Sequoia that had 175k on it. It also was still fine but the technology - Bluetooth phone connectivity, etc - was dated and became annoying. So there’s now a 2020 Sequoia in the garage that I expect will last 12-15 years. I’ve never had a new LC and it’s a bit indefensible from an economic point of view. That said, assuming no major crashes, it might be the last new car I ever buy for myself. Not being fatalistic - they really are 500k plus mile cars and I don’t want anything else.

 

[graham418]

I didn't know they were still making it. I thought they stopped when they brought out the FJ

 

[Muleski]

I think it has to be done....assuming no major crashes, it might be the last new car I ever buy for myself. Not being fatalistic - they really are 500k plus mile cars and I don’t want anything else.

I completely understand, and this timing is really funny, but my older brother who owns a 2016 200 {his FIFTH LC} just texted me. He was saying that his is a baby. His son in law, my niece's husband, was a military contractor in Afghanistan, and his private vehicle was an LC......just broken in at almost 800K miles!

Absolutely a 500K mile vehicle. Built like a tank. Yes, a lot of old technology, but a TANK.

Mine is a 2003, with 145K miles. Not even broken in.

 

[JeffB]

I didn't know they were still making it. I thought they stopped when they brought out the FJ

It was always made; just very small numbers. 3,000 to 3,500 or so annually. And it also is a dinosaur. But it’s one helluva a car.

 

[VickieH]

After this, explaining the new puppy is going to be a breeze.

 

[JeffB]

After this, explaining the new puppy is going to be a breeze.

The God’s honest truth is that my wife is an absolute saint. In the dog thread I mentioned that I didn’t tell my wife I was bringing another Golden home until I did it. What I failed to say is the rest of the story - a couple days later, I left town on business for 3 weeks, leaving her (at the time) with 3 kids ages 9, 5, and 4. And the puppy. And incredibly, my key still worked when I came home. I definitely do not deserve her.

 

[scott43]

I can tell you there'd be an accidental discharge in my house..whether I was dead before or after the business trip is open for debate...

 

[JeffB]

I can tell you there'd be an accidental discharge in my house..whether I was dead before or after the business trip is open for debate...

I think they play the long game much better than we do. All she has to say is something like, “remember the whole surprise puppy thing when the kids were still young and then you left” and she gets whatever she wants. Rightfully so.

 

[DanoT]

The Land Cruiser is not available in Canada; instead we have the Lexus LX570 which has the LC chassis and engine. Is there a Lexus LX570 in the US? If not maybe there should be.

 

[Philpug]

I never got the "love" for these. I respect that they are durable and have longevity but so do many cars now-a-days. If I'm spending high five figures on a SUV, it damn well will have some "Utility" as in room to bring stuff along. Sorry.

 

[scott43]

I just read something..MSRP for the Land Cruiser in Dubai is $48kUSD...

 

[JeffB]

I never got the "love" for these. I respect that they are durable and have longevity but so do many cars now-a-days. If I'm spending high five figures on a SUV, it damn well will have some "Utility" as in room to bring stuff along. Sorry.

That’s fair, to a point. I think it’s reasonable to expect almost any modern car to go at least 200k+ and perhaps much longer with regular maintenance and no major service issues. LC was doing that in spades, at least to my biased way of thinking, back when 100k in most models was a big deal. Part of it for me is also some nostalgia - my mom always had a LC; I spent lots of time in them as a kid, and she’s gone now, so I’m sentimental about the brand. I agree that for very high 5 figures, you can get a lot of nice stuff, and many things like the new Lincolns and even RR with nicer interior appointments. But ... it ain’t a LC.

 

[Muleski]

That’s fair, to a point. I think it’s reasonable to expect almost any modern car to go at least 200k+ and perhaps much longer with regular maintenance and no major service issues. LC was doing that in spades, at least to my biased way of thinking, back when 100k in most models was a big deal. Part of it for me is also some nostalgia - my mom always had a LC; I spent lots of time in them as a kid, and she’s gone now, so I’m sentimental about the brand. I agree that for very high 5 figures, you can get a lot of nice stuff, and many things like the new Lincolns and even RR with nicer interior appointments. But ... it ain’t a LC.

I agree, also to a point, that Phil has a valid point. My wife and I had two 80's, which were no enormous inside. When our kids became toddlers, we opted for a GMC Suburban {new}, and since my neighbor owned the dealership, we traded it in for another...too early. Vehicle one was a good one. Vehicle could not suck enough. It literally fell apart inside of 60K miles. Two transmissions, to start. My friend had a great line....for the biggest dealer in the region: "What did you expect, it's a crappy American vehicle!"

He bought it back to resell at a very good price, actually after I traded it in on a CPO LC. We drove that one from 35K miles to 265K, and it was great. And great at 90mph driving cross country, six times. The main reason that we sold it was because I found my current vehicle, incredible condition, low miles, one owner, fully booked. Christo Slee told me it might be the cleanest used 2003 100 that he had seen. It's been great.

We have driven these things all over the country. As has my brother. There are a lot of great vehicles out there. My sister in law is on her third long wheelbase Denali. can't recall the model. My brother much prefers the LC.

The first thing that I do with these is remove the third row seats....never to be used again. I've never needed more too than they have in them, particularly with the second row seats folded up.

I guess I'm a "cultist". Just love them. We have tried to bring some other big cars into the fold, and they did not last: Cayenne GTS 6 speed. Range Rovers {two}. Tiguan TDI. Nope. None lasted. Got stranded twice in one of the RR's in the first month. Hated the gearing on the Cayenne. And the Tiguan....hah. I had a Subaru loaner for more than 70% of the six months we owned it. "Only $30K" of warranty work. Stuff like a new ENGINE, new trans, and on and on.

I'll take the LC. Prefer it to the Lexus, though the Lexus leather sure is nice.

As my son says, "This thing has serious soul....."

 

[Philpug]

My wife and I had two 80's, which were no enormous inside. When our kids became toddlers, we opted for a GMC Suburban {new}, and since my neighbor owned the dealership, we traded it in for another...too early. Vehicle one was a good one. Vehicle could not suck enough. It literally fell apart inside of 60K miles. Two transmissions, to start. My friend had a great line....for the biggest dealer in the region: "What did you expect, it's a crappy American vehicle!"

Take a look at almost any "What vehicles will go 200K plus" list. Every one has Land Cruisers and Suburban/Yukon/Silverados on them. IMHO, American vehicles aren't as bas as they used to be and the Japanese ones aren't as good.

 

[JeffB]

I guess I'm a "cultist". Just love them ...As my son says, "This thing has serious soul....."

That’s it, the soul. It’s like an old pair of Red Wing boots, back when they were really Red Wings. Or pick your favored analogy with some other old school design. No, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, and yes, it’s incredibly dated. But it for damn sure will take an ass kicking and then get you back home. I’ve owned and driven a lot of cars from all the major nameplates. The unassuming LC beats them all.

 

[François Pugh]

The Dinosaur Technology is part of what makes them so reliable. There's not as many computer modules to break down after 10 years and a couple of hundred thousand miles.
Reminds me of my old lost-leader pre-ordered Chevette (weird, they didn't have any no-option models in stock at the advertised price ). I never had a problem with the air conditioner, the radio, the electric door locks, the electric windows, the power steering, the power brakes, the electronic fuel injection, nor the hydraulic clutch in the- 200,000 kms I put on it. Mind you, I did have to deal with the snapped clutch cable (it was a challenge driving a 5-speed through the city without using the clutch), the leaky heater core, and the non-floating carburetor float.