07 What To Look For When Buying?

[SoFla1]

Greetings:

I am in the market for a 2007 LC. What are the top things to look for? I am asking owners and value their experience and first hand knowledge.

thanks

[marlot]

I'm a huge fan of the 'baby' landcruisers; and coming from a family who always ran landrovers that's a huge compliment.

I'd slightly recommend an LC4 over an LC5. Although failures are rare, the height adjustable suspension on the LC5 can go wrong (the sensors gradually fail). Most LC4s came with a turn-by-turn satnav but if you're lucky you might be able to find one with a full screen TNS600. or you could fit an aftermaket 2DIN into the space. Some LCs had the spare tyre on the back door, some had it underneath; underneath is more convenient in my opinion.

The only other (rare) fault on the landcruisers is the seals at the base of the injectors failing. The original (copper) seals can fail, letting exhaust gases into the oil, sludging it up - in extreme cases leading to engine failure. If buying a used LC of that vintage, I'd get a garage to swap them to the later (aluminium) design. You should then be good for miles to come. Cost isn't huge - ragard it as sensible insurance like you would a cambelt swap. This really should have been a recall but instead Toyota have been supplying replacement engines for the few people affected as long as they have a full dealer history.

Finally check for a thump from behind as you pull to a stop. Use it as a bargaining point - it usually just means the propshaft needs greasing.

If this sounds like doom and gloom, its not meant to be - these cars are super reliable. Especially when compared with the rest of the family's LRs.

To compensate, tyres last forever on LCs - 50,000 miles is common. If you want to stay on the tarmac the original tyres are fine, but if you want to be able to tow off muddy campsites etc then General Grabber AT2 or (the new) AT tyres are the way to go. Whichever you run, you need to up the tyre pressures from the toyota recommendations (or they wear the tyre shoulders). For the original tyres to about 33-34 psi, for the Generals to 36-38psi.

The toyota towbars are made by brink if you want to bypass the dealers and go to a towbar fitter. Or the fitting instructions (for towbars and lots more - eg satnav) are online at http://www.toyota-tech.eu/ (under 'owner'/installation manuals).

PS. The general grabber AT2s are also snowflake marked, and as such are brilliant in snow - though they are an all year round general purpose tyre.

[Phoenix999]

If you can find one in your budget range I would go for an Invincible model, this is based on the LC4.

The spare wheel in under the rear floor and the bonus is that the engine is chipped by Toyota to boost the power output to very slightly over 200bhp.

I had mine for 2 years and loved the lazy driving style but had to sell it as I refused to pay the tax hike :ffs:

Whatever model you get I am sure you will enjoy it

[marlot]

Only the first generation of invincibles were based on the lc4 and had 200 bhp, later ones were based on the lc5 (and had the EU4 173 bhp engine). But good car if you and find one.

Be careful, though. I also found there was at least one fake out there - a normal lc4 which had been chipped and had tinted windows, and being sold by a Toyota dealer.