100 Series Questions

[cathl]

Hi again, I'm not a regular poster sorry but please could I ask for some help again? Some of these questions may be a little stupid - sorry for that!

I have a 1998 Amazon which I love dearly, I've had it for 10 years and have hardly had to do anything to it, it is now starting to need a little bit of tlc and parts etc aren't so easy (cheap) to come by.

I currently need some parts for the door hinges and someone's breaking one on eBay so that's great.

First question: I think it's a 100 Series but I'm not sure. I'd like to buy a Haynes manual for it but I don't know if I need 80-98 or 98-04, how can I tell? It was first registered September 98.

Second question: Since I bought it I've been told it's an import (it has a Japanese vin number) but everything in it is in English - the only bit of Japanese anywhere is on the fuel cap (it's also in English there too). I called Toyota HQ and they said it might have been a "special order" but couldn't tell me much more than that. The first owner was the dealership so it could make sense. Does anyone know anything about this?

Third question: If I decided to sell it what would be a fair price? I see them advertised for anything from £2-10k. If it's not worth much I'll keep it but if it is I am thinking about selling as I don't "need" it. It's a GX, 4.2 Diesel, manual, fab condition, 164k miles, white, all electrics working: air con, power heater, 2x diff locks, cruise control, still got the two extra rear seats, 2 owners, 10 years of full main dealer service history. Even got a cover for it

Thank you for any help

 

[uHu]

Your cruiser is a rare gem, according to your description. Manual gearbox is very popular on these, although the auto is much easier to drive. At your current milage, you are getting towards the point where the cruiser will need as much maintennace as any other car, although at longer intervals. You could easily drive it another two times the same miles.
The hinges are btw adjustable; so as long as nothing is broken, you should be able to adjust it to compensate for the wear on the hinge bolts. (I did mine about a year ago, first time. Took about half an hour for three doors.)

If it's a true 98, it's a 100-series. It will say on the metal badge in the engine compartment.
Stay away from the Hayne's manual for this car, as it's useless. Or rather worse, as it is inaccurate and wrong, in some cases. Get the FSM (Factory Service Manual). You'll find it on paper or on DVD on E-Pay.

Q 2 and 3: Can't help.
BTW, if you enter your VIN at toyodiy.com, it will tell you some facts about your model.

If you take some action against rust (proffesional Fluid Film, or similar), before it is too late, and give it normal maintenance, your love affair should continue for another 15 years, at the least. Just take special care of front wheel bearings, spindle bearings, and U-joints, as those are the points normally neglected by the "professionals".

PS:
Cruisers are silly cheap in the UK. Cross the channel and the price doubles.

 

[cathl]

Your cruiser is a rare gem, according to your description. Manual gearbox is very popular on these, although the auto is much easier to drive. At your current milage, you are getting towards the point where the cruiser will need as much maintennace as any other car, although at longer intervals. You could easily drive it another two times the same miles.
The hinges are btw adjustable; so as long as nothing is broken, you should be able to adjust it to compensate for the wear on the hinge bolts. (I did mine about a year ago, first time. Took about half an hour for three doors.)

If it's a true 98, it's a 100-series. It will say on the metal badge in the engine compartment.
Stay away from the Hayne's manual for this car, as it's useless. Or rather worse, as it is inaccurate and wrong, in some cases. Get the FSM (Factory Service Manual). You'll find it on paper or on DVD on E-Pay.

Q 2 and 3: Can't help.
BTW, if you enter your VIN at toyodiy.com, it will tell you some facts about your model.

If you take some action against rust (proffesional Fluid Film, or similar), before it is too late, and give it normal maintenance, your love affair should continue for another 15 years, at the least. Just take special care of front wheel bearings, spindle bearings, and U-joints, as those are the points normally neglected by the "professionals".

PS:
Cruisers are silly cheap in the UK. Just cross the channel and the price doubles.

Hi, Thank you so much for the advise re the Haynes manual - saved me a headache there!

This is what I got from toyodiy.com, guess this means it is 100 Series! But it throws up more questions than it answers - e.g. If it is Europe then surely this means it isn't an import, and it says VX when it is a GX

Search by VIN or Frame #: VIN entering help
Market
Europe
Year
07/1998
Make
TOYOTA
Model
LAND CRUISER
Frame
HDJ100
Vehicle characteristics
GRADE: VX: VX TYPE DESTINATION: EUR: EUROPE DRIVER'S POSITION: RHD: RIGHT-HAND DRIVE ENGINE: 1HDFTE: 4200CC DIESEL TURBO TRANSMISSION: MTM: MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT TYPE: 5F: MTM, 5-SPEED FLOOR SHIFT COLOR CODE: 056 TRIM CODE: FE10
Search Results
VIN* Model code From To Frame Characteristics
JT111TJA0.. HDJ100R-GNMEZW 01/1998 - 07/2002 HDJ100 VX EUR RHD 1HDFTE MTM 5F


Going to find a pic of it then maybe I'll get some more interest on my post

 

[fbnss]

I think the simplest way to tell ( those in the know please do correct me if i'm wrong ) would be to see whether or not it has a solid front axle or independent suspension. Solid = an 80, ifs =a 100 (unless its a cheeky 105)

edit : Doh! didnt see your last post.

 

[uHu]

The business with VX or GX is not critical. These designations vary with the market in which they are sold. (As are e.g. the U.K. names Amazon and Colorado, or Austrian Land Cruiser 500).
Traditionally, the cruisers came in 3 flavours:
Standard - Cloth upholstery, manual A/C & heater, generally no bells & whistles, plastic carpets.
GX - Automatic A/C & heater, electric windows, seat heaters, etc
VX - All bells & whistles and leather

7/98 is important when it comes to getting the right parts, diagrammes and schematics. Juli 1998 means it is from the end of the first batch of the 100 series. Changes normally came in August every year (some exceptions).
The W at the end of the model code is for Winter, and means that it has a heater element in the fuel filter, and probably a back seat heater, among other things.

 

[cathl]

The business with VX or GX is not critical. These designations vary with the market in which they are sold. (As are e.g. the U.K. names Amazon and Colorado, or Austrian Land Cruiser 500).
Traditionally, the cruisers came in 3 flavours:
Standard - Cloth upholstery, manual A/C & heater, generally no bells & whistles, plastic carpets.
GX - Automatic A/C & heater, electric windows, seat heaters, etc
VX - All bells & whistles and leather

7/98 is important when it comes to getting the right parts, diagrammes and schematics. Juli 1998 means it is from the end of the first batch of the 100 series. Changes normally came in August every year (some exceptions).
The W at the end of the model code is for Winter, and means that it has a heater element in the fuel filter, and probably a back seat heater, among other things.

Thank you, makes sense, it is definitely a GX (no leather) and it does have an engine heater but not a rear seat heater. I read that the engine heater was standard on diesel models destined for the UK.

I was trying to use this to decipher the model code but it doesn't quite fit the logic: http://www.tlocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=66209&sid=1174942ac0bc848b87d4bdb49527b1c1

It was a hard find to get a manual gearbox when I bought it, there was only this one for sale in the whole of the U.K. I specifically wanted the diesel manual because my research told me they were better on fuel.

I'll start another thread to ask about price. I specifically wanted to understand whether this 'import' business lowers the value, because I am likely to be blagged by someone wishing to buy because I don't know what I'm talking about. It would be good to get some facts to answer that if I can.

I'm unlikely to do any repairs myself unfortunately nor my husband. He's keen to keep it (says its 'bloody useful'!) but we need to find somewhere we can take it to get it looked after for us - the rust proofing etc. I have a good garage I take it to who's happy for me to find second hand parts and fit them for me, but he's not reeally a 4x4 geek. My husband wants to 'mop' the paintwork I don't know if this is a good idea or where to go for this.

 

[cathl]

I think the simplest way to tell ( those in the know please do correct me if i'm wrong ) would be to see whether or not it has a solid front axle or independent suspension. Solid = an 80, ifs =a 100 (unless its a cheeky 105)

edit : Doh! didnt see your last post.

Thank you useful anyway!

 

[uHu]

Correction: Winter packet (W) includes a heater for the 2nd row seat passengers, not a rear seat-heater. This heater is placed under one of the front seats and has a button and a heater control at the back of the centre console storage box. ("back seat heater" was a sloppy use of the language )
If you don't have this, the W code might be one used for Japan domestic market only.
Does the model code reported by toyodiy match the one printed under the hood (on the firewall)?

 

[cathl]

Correction: Winter packet (W) includes a heater for the 2nd row seat passengers, not a rear seat-heater. This heater is placed under one of the front seats and has a button and a heater control at the back of the centre console storage box. ("back seat heater" was a sloppy use of the language )
If you don't have this, the W code might be one used for Japan domestic market only.
Does the model code reported by toyodiy match the one printed under the hood (on the firewall)?

Ah, you mean this (yes I have one )

I checked and the model codes do match which is FAB