What should be known to those who are considering buying one of the most famous and coveted “rogues” with mileage?
Produced since 2007 with a couple of intermediate restylings in 2012 and 2015, the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 SUV gave way to its successor under the 300 index only last year. The range of prices for these cars with mileage is now huge: from 1.7 million rubles for copies of the first years of production with runs under 500,000 km to 17–22 million rubles for two-year-old cars that have not traveled even 7,000 km.
However, is it worth getting involved with such cars, which are in demand among car thieves and often, along with traces of an accident, hide a criminal past? What should you look for when choosing a used 200th Land Cruiser so as not to buy a pig in a poke?
How to choose a Land Cruiser with mileage?
- Despite the reliability of Toyota cars erected in a cult , the paintwork of the most expensive SUV of the Japanese brand cannot boast of reference resistance to chips, scratches and, as a result, to corrosion. There are frequent cases of the appearance of foci of the “red plague” around the perimeter of the windshield due to poor fastening of rubber moldings, under which dirt is packed and moisture penetrates.
- The wheel arches also rust after the anti-noise mastic peels off them. Yes, and the frame often “blooms” after 5-6 years from the start of operation. The wear-resistant interior of an SUV ages and loses its presentation after 200,000 km. Therefore, if there are scuffs, cracks and scratches on the plastic in the cabin, it is reasonable to question the authenticity of the lower odometer readings.
- A group of companies involved in booking cars showed a video with tests of a protected version of a Japanese SUV
- The gasoline 288-horsepower 4.7 V8, inherited from the pre-styling “two hundred” inherited from the Land Cruiser 100, is considered one of the most reliable engines of this model. His runs to the capital easily step over 500,000 km. Carrying out maintenance regularly and changing the timing belt with rollers and a pump after 100,000 km, you will only have to put up with a good appetite for the motor.
- The reputation of the 309-horsepower 4.6 V8 engine that appeared after restyling with an aluminum block and a timing chain, whose resource is three times that of a belt, was spoiled by the SAI system that appeared in the name of ecology. It can “bewilder” already after 80,000 km, giving out a bunch of errors on the tidy and limiting the engine power.
- And the repair or replacement of its components is not only expensive, but does not always guarantee its further trouble-free operation. Also, the “sores” of this motor include a pump that flows after 100,000 km and dampers that turn sour with age, as well as cracks in the intake manifold.
- The most popular on the secondary market are SUVs with a diesel 4.5 V8, which is also able to overcome over half a million kilometers to capital. His timing chain resource is 250,000 – 300,000 km. If the engine does not spin up above 2500 rpm, and the on-board computer gives an error, it is likely that the turbine control units in the right wheel arch have lost their tightness and are out of order.
- The most reliable and hardy box of the 200th Kruzak is the 5-speed Aisin automatic, which was originally installed with the “old” petrol V8. “Sharpened” for a more dynamic ride “six-speed” of the same company is less tenacious and quickly clogs the oil with wear products. However, if you change the oil in both boxes after 50,000 km, then before serious repairs they go 300,000 – 400,000 km.
- Four-wheel drive Land Cruiser 200 is the least troublesome for cars after the first restyling in 2012. In earlier copies, differential gears could crumble, chains stretched and actuators failed. The culprit of shocks in the operation of the transmission may be broken crosses of cardan shafts. Especially the front one.
- Horror caught up be healthy! To conquer the snow-covered Urals in the cold, to see the mysterious Dyatlov Pass, the positions of nuclear missiles… And we only have the Land Cruiser 200 as our trump card.
- In addition to the bushings of the front and rear anti-roll bars, which require replacement every 50,000 km, there are no particular complaints about the running of the SUV. it can withstand runs up to 200,000 km without major repairs. And the hydropneumatics from Lexus, which appeared on the model in 2016, is also considered reliable. Without problems, she nurses more than 400,000 – 500,000 km.
Only the brakes can be attributed to the weak and costly parts of the running gear of this Kruzak. They wear out quite quickly in a heavy SUV and require replacement more often: the pads have to be updated after 20,000 km, and the brake discs after 40,000 km. Together with the installation of the latter, a bulkhead of the calipers may also be required.
Is it worth getting involved with a used Kruzak if you need a prestigious and reliable frame SUV? How to choose a used Toyota Land Cruiser 200 and what to look for when inspecting it? What “sores” of the Japanese “rogue” can be encountered and which versions should be abandoned? You will find out the answers to these and other questions by watching the video of the Auto Plus channel, dedicated to the features of choosing a used Land Cruiser.