Hello everyone!
My name is Ric and I've just joined the forum as I'm on the verge of picking up my first Land Cruiser. A couple of years ago I managed to get enough funds together to buy a weekend/toy car in the form of an Impreza Type RA (before the values went silly) and am still amazed at just how helpful the couple of forums I'm on have been with that vehicle. With that said, apologies in advance for any no doubt patently obvious questions!
I travel a fair bit with my work and over the last few years that has increasingly been by pick-up truck as I work in outdoor events and flying has been really challenging logistically. I used to own an Amarok before we had a family and carting about in the work Navara has rekindled my love for not going anywhere that quickly in a vehicle that can do anything when you get there. I've always liked Land Cruisers and over the last six months have done my best to immerse myself in just about all I can before heading into a purchase at the end of the summer.
My current daily is a Golf estate and whilst it's on one hand very different from a LC, it does mean that I'm 'weathered' to fuel economy between 25-30mpg. Here are my needs for the vehicle:
- Must work as a daily driver for 10k miles p/year in all Highland weather
- Be a five-door as a big part of the motivation is to enjoy camping holidays with the kids
- Be a diesel as, I know that fuel economy is never going to be high up the list of strengths, but from what I've read they're a bit easier on the wallet in terms of consumption
- Be capable of a handful of light off-road days per year
- Be capable of lugging mountain bikes around
I'd love to get a late 80 series in auto/diesel (I grew up with my dad driving Defender 90's and the smartphonification of modern cars is leaving me with an increasingly large set of rose tinted glasses for that kind of experience) but I don't think that the fuel bills will be liveable. So, logically, my thoughts have turned to a late model 100 series in the same configuration. I'm going to sell the Golf which would hopefully cover off either, my big question is are the later 120/150/200 a better buy and worth the additional monthly payments? I know everyone's budgets are different, I'm just trying to get a beat on if I'm gaining anything much more than a nicer interior and more up to date mechanicals for that?
Basically, it changes every day!
So far I've test driven a 2018 200 Utility which I was on the verge of buying only for the salesman to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I then test drove a 2016 D-4D Invincible which was really nice and again, I hovered over before deciding that I needed to weigh things up a bit more before committing to.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated and it'd be great to contribute some of my experiences on the site once I finally take the plunge.
My name is Ric and I've just joined the forum as I'm on the verge of picking up my first Land Cruiser. A couple of years ago I managed to get enough funds together to buy a weekend/toy car in the form of an Impreza Type RA (before the values went silly) and am still amazed at just how helpful the couple of forums I'm on have been with that vehicle. With that said, apologies in advance for any no doubt patently obvious questions!
I travel a fair bit with my work and over the last few years that has increasingly been by pick-up truck as I work in outdoor events and flying has been really challenging logistically. I used to own an Amarok before we had a family and carting about in the work Navara has rekindled my love for not going anywhere that quickly in a vehicle that can do anything when you get there. I've always liked Land Cruisers and over the last six months have done my best to immerse myself in just about all I can before heading into a purchase at the end of the summer.
My current daily is a Golf estate and whilst it's on one hand very different from a LC, it does mean that I'm 'weathered' to fuel economy between 25-30mpg. Here are my needs for the vehicle:
- Must work as a daily driver for 10k miles p/year in all Highland weather
- Be a five-door as a big part of the motivation is to enjoy camping holidays with the kids
- Be a diesel as, I know that fuel economy is never going to be high up the list of strengths, but from what I've read they're a bit easier on the wallet in terms of consumption
- Be capable of a handful of light off-road days per year
- Be capable of lugging mountain bikes around
I'd love to get a late 80 series in auto/diesel (I grew up with my dad driving Defender 90's and the smartphonification of modern cars is leaving me with an increasingly large set of rose tinted glasses for that kind of experience) but I don't think that the fuel bills will be liveable. So, logically, my thoughts have turned to a late model 100 series in the same configuration. I'm going to sell the Golf which would hopefully cover off either, my big question is are the later 120/150/200 a better buy and worth the additional monthly payments? I know everyone's budgets are different, I'm just trying to get a beat on if I'm gaining anything much more than a nicer interior and more up to date mechanicals for that?
Basically, it changes every day!
So far I've test driven a 2018 200 Utility which I was on the verge of buying only for the salesman to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I then test drove a 2016 D-4D Invincible which was really nice and again, I hovered over before deciding that I needed to weigh things up a bit more before committing to.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated and it'd be great to contribute some of my experiences on the site once I finally take the plunge.