200 series Deisel cruzer

If you have a look over on the LCOOL forum you will find plenty of information

Probably depends on the age of vehicle your looking at, but what I can say about my sons 2009 (I think) model is that it was a pain in the butt for a long time. Firstly of course big dollars had to be spent fixing the suspension to make it able and legal to tow his about 3 tonne boat and carry plenty of scuba and fishing gear and 3 blokes.
Then there was the galloping oil consumption problems Toyota put down as "you've got to expect it with a high tech engine"!!!!
Personally I would have thought that would be one of the last things you'd expect but then I'm old fashioned.
A transmission that wouldn't drive after being unused for a week while away working, that too was "just the way things are"!
Eventually after getting consumer affairs involved they had it for over 3 months as (parts were not available apparently) while they fitted a new transmission and fixed the engine.
And loaned him a Pajero at an inter departmental cost of over 3 grand a month while they did it.
Goes good now though but should have been better from the start with a cost of over 90K.
AlanH.
PS. I was called a "troll" for posting this before as it obviously upset someone.

Free world and I asked the question thanks mate

I have a 2011 GX cruiser and couldn't be happier having come from a 2009 Patrol that the clutch clapped out at 29,000km.

cheers

Peter,
I'll assume you are talking used vehicles. My suggestion is to stick to the 2010+ models as most of the commonly publicised problems were sorted by then.
200series had its fair share of teething problems. I started doing the research on these, but got overwhelmed with the amount of reading. You can spend a few weeks going through the archives at LCOOL. But 200series owners commonly said it was the best vehicle they had ever owned (many having upgraded from 100series), so I went out and bought a new one last year. This one's like all my other Toyotas - goes like clockwork.

I bought new for a few reasons. The deal was good - most people get at least $10k off the RRP. The problems appear to have all been sorted. 2012 models come with standard sat nav, reversing camera, and 2013 models come with knee airbags, sway control etc and have 5 star ANCAP.

Peter,

I've got a 200 series diesel, purchased new in September 2011. Its now done 47,000klms and the only issue I have had was a squeak in the drivers seat, fixed under warranty.

It does not use any oil and runs like a dream. I upgraded from a 105 series which, at the time of sale, had over 320,000klms on the clock and apart from the usual brake pads, filters and tyres needing replacement over the years had no mechanical issues either. It still had the original clutch in it when I traded it in.

I have had quite a number of Toyota's before this and they have all been bullet proof and problem free. Of course, buying a second hand car, of any sort, can have problems as you never know how it has been treated or serviced.

I also did a lot of reading about the oil burning issues with the early 200's but this seems to have been fixed in 2009/2010.

Regards,

Sn00py2

I have a 2010 model and have had problems other than a squeak in the drivers seat and fixed under warranty.
Initially a small amount of oil usage, about 1.5 litres per 10000k, only when towing my 3 tonne van but all but disappeared after 20000k.
Have now done 95000k and still very happy with it.
Traded up from a Disco 3 which spent more time in the workshop than on the road.

We also have a 2011 diesel VX and apart from the fuel consumption around town (it weight 3500Kg constant), overall I am pretty happy with it.

The things I don't like are the radio (bluetooth connection difficult and you have to hit a button to turn the screen off even on auto), the trans if a pain in the, it is gutless doing long climbs (POWER BECOMES DERATED) and the chimes.

The only warranty issue in 38,000k was a slight spingy noise behind the dash.

The ones with problems are few and far between BUT like all things on the world wide web; you could swear every Landcruiser had problems.

What I love is the power and it's ability to go almost anywhere with ease, it is scary how easy it does things..... highly capable vehicle.

And I would recommend KDSS, when fully loaded ((4100kg) yes I know, have you checked yours?) the KDSS helps heaps in stopping pitching and improves stability... great with a loaded roof rack.

G`day Peter r14,
It depends where you want to drive it, they perform tremendously well on the black top or on good gravel roads.
On badly corrugated roads the "Crumple Zone" at the front allows everything forward of that to vibrate to the extent that they fall to pieces. The only one that I have had some personal experience with had issues with, ... The welds on the bullbar gave way, the driving lights rattled loose and fell to pieces, the sand flag holder broke, the uhf antenna base broke.
The most serious problem was with the alternator failing because it got full of mud due to it being located lowdown at the front of the motor. (On the Simpson Desert)
THEREFORE .... no alternator = no Battery = no computer = NO GO.
A mechanic estimated 4 > 5 hours to remove enough of the engine parts to enable access to the alternator. And then a long wait to obtain a new one.
I don`t have one because they are full of electronics and extremely difficult to get fixed if something goes wrong anywhere away from a major city, expensive tilt tray lift from anywhere else as they are virtually unrepairable by anyone "out bush".

If you are going "off road"and want my opinion, get a 60 or 80 series = no electronics.

Going to stand well back now and watch for the Flak. LOL

( I`m not worried what the lcool mob say , they won`t talk to us 60 series owners) LOL

Scrubby.

yeh Scrubby we drive the 80 now and am worried about the up grade the 80 we have had 14 years never lets us down great car but time to up grade is it the right thing who knows haha

Peter you will find that people that don't own them know of lots of issues, but those who own them are generally happy. I have no idea why this is.

Go to LCOOL to go real owners opinions.

Things like bullbars etc were early accessory issues fro Toyota. 6 YEARS ago.
There is a survey on LCOOL "would you buy a 200 again" I think 97% said yes.

I have a 150's Prado, and after a couple of little issues with it, I'm currently happy with it..... except for all the chimes..... last year when we were in the outback, the chimes got to me.... then a 200's owner rocked up beside me and yep..... the same flamin chimes that drive me nuts is also in the 200's and I guess in most new cars these days too.... Would I upgrade to a 200's from a 150's..... not as this point in time but as the 3 kids grow bigger, we might have to reconsider a upgrade then but to what... I don't know at this stage..... What sort of fuel economy do these 200's get around town for normal driving & then when fully loaded on a touring trip (not towing)? We just came back from a 8k trip fully loaded & shaped like a brick and averaged 13.2ltrs/100kms

Hi Peter, we recently purchased a used, low km (50,000) 2008 VX TTD and couldn't be happier. We had heard and read the stories about oil usage and we spoke to the previous owner (we bought through a car yard) who had no problems with oil whatsoever. We have had the vehicle now for 6 months and love it. We use it to tow our camper trailer and honestly you don't know it's there behind you. On a trip to the Flinders Ranges over Easter we averaged 12litres/100km towing plus doing a couple of rocky 4WD tracks on the station we stayed on. Around town it does around 14litres per 100km.

We have also been to the Simpson Desert in it, and across the Desert (French, Rig, WAA combination) we averaged 19litres per 100. So needless to say we are rapt with the fuel economy. It handles very well in the sand, you just have to turn off all the electronic traction controls, vehicle stability control, etc and put the centre diff locks on and away you go.

A couple of things to look for: the earlier 200's which came with 8 seats only have a 93 litre fuel tank. We fitted an LRA 65 litre sub tank which allows us to keep the spare in place underneath, it lowers it by a couple centimetres but didn't affect our clearance at all. If you can get one with KDSS fitted that is a bonus. It is amazing how much more stable the vehicle is cornering, and also doing low range 4WD over rocks etc. Some of the earlier ones also had a recall on the factory fitted Toyota bull bars, but most of these have been rectified. If you get a VX or Sahara, it is very difficult to removed the second row of seats because of the curtain airbags and airbags in the seats - do some research on the LCOOL forum. The third row of seats have to be unbolted, they don't just unclip like the 100 series. As someone else has mentioned, the chimes in the doors or seatbelt are very annoying!!

We have owned a Pajero, an 80 Series petrol, a 100 Series Sahara petrol/gas and now the 200 VX TTD and it is by far the best 4WD we have owned in our opinion.

Good Luck, Leanne

Lets just clear this up a bit Peter, those of us that actually own one love them, I have thrashed mine on corrugated roads several deep creek crossings etc and can,t break it not that I want to, yes I spent $1700 up grading the suspention but I did that on the 80 series and the 2 x 100 series I owned.

Then there are those on this thread that don't own one but would probably love to if they could afford it trying to bashes them. I am about to trade my near new Colorado in on another 200 so as the wife and I don't argue as to who gets what car in the morning, at the moment it is who goes out the door first grabs the keys to the 200, the only thing to be careful of is, that once you go to the V8 you can't go back to the 3lt lol.

Phil

Thanks to all of you for your comments and phil you should make a ad for Toyota I loved it still laughing
Heap of good and bad and what I thought there would be but still good to find out stuff this is a great site
Cheers

Have a 2008 200 series turbo diesel - hands down the best Landcruiser I have ever owned - stock standard, it was much much more capable than my fully optioned/worked 100 series - no oil usage, great mileage - LOVE IT - did 40,000 around Oz - 20,000 very hard off-roading and no issues at all.