Best Toyota for $15K

Carb850

New member
I'm looking for some advice and input about a future purchase. Honestly I may be 9-12 months away from pulling the trigger but I want to do as much research and planning as I can in that time. Essentially I'm coming from zero offloading background. I currently drive an Accord but I want to start getting into some family tent camping trips which require more room than I currently have and I love the idea of some offroad adventures with like minded folks. The question I'm still debating is whether to keep the Accord and add a used off road truck/suv or sell my DD and get a nicer newer 4WD. I can make an argument for either and will likely not know for sure until it comes closer to the time to make a decision. The one thing I know is that I want a 4WD Toyota in the form of a 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Tacoma, or Tundra. If I go new I'm leaning toward a 4Runner TRD Offroad.

The real question comes in is what I would get if I went used and kept my Accord. I do not have an exact budget this early in the planning process but a $15K initial investment is in the ballpark. Anything I would get I would not go too wild of a build. I don't want something that stands out too much in my neighborhood. Also, while I had to admit it my mechanic abilities is rather limited. I have a great academic knowledge of cars and mechanics but I tend to struggle with the actual work. I used to own a Jeep Commander which I hoped to wheel but life changes had me sell before i got it Offload. Even with help, I was unable to get the OME struts installed, I had to take it to a mechanic. So that being said, I want the most reliable platform I can find.

If I was to look for a $15K (+) or (-) Toyota what would be my best bet for factory capability and reliability? I keep thinking about a Land Cruiser series 100 since I think they have craw control and center locking differential on many models but I do wonder if they are so sophisticated that they could cost a lot to keep running. If I opted for a used 4Runner in this price range I'm thinking it would likely not have a locking diff or crawl control making it less capable stock. BTW, I'd consider the Lexus LX or GX if the price is right but I'd assume they should cost more than their Toyota counterparts.

I'd like to what everyone thinks.

Thanks,
carb850
 

Hummelator

Adventurer
I have owned 3 toyotas so far. 2 tundras and an FJ cruiser.
I would suggest a tundra. I say a tundra over a Tacoma for a few reasons.
-Tacomas hold their value like crazy- Which is great when your selling but not so much when buying. In my area, I can pick up a double cab 4x4 tundra 2007-2009 for $7000-$12000. Leaves a little extra for upgrades.
-The tundra is going to be more comfortable. Even a double cab has a comfortable amount of legroom in the back. I also like the fact that when in the driver seat, you are sitting higher up as you would on a chair rather than lower to the floor having your legs straight out.
- My FJ was a pig on fuel- not much worse than my tundra. If I remember correctly the FJ had the same engine as the Tacoma.

It has been my experience that having a truck offers much more versatility than an SUV

Sure the tundra may not have crawl control or locking diffs, but chances are if you are as in experienced with off-roading as you suggest, you'll likely be able to get around with normal 4x4 as long as you stay on trails within your abilities.

Either way, stick with Toyota and you'll be alright. Go test drive each one and you'll figure out what you like fairly quickly.
 

Carb850

New member
The one reason I'm still considering the Tundra is because they do seem like you can get better deals used than on Tacoma's. I would not want something as large as the Tundra for a DD, but as a secondary vehicle it is an option I'm still considering. I'm torn on the truck vs SUV, I can see merits of both.

Do all the 2nd Gen Tundra's have limited slip rear diff? Does that only kick in a moderate wheel speed? Just wondering how effective limited slip is in terms of off road conditions. I can only imagine it would be a significant cost to upgrade to a locker.

My one concern on a Tundra is the size. Living in Appalachia most of the trails here are tight so the size could be a hinderance, but again I would likely be sticking to easy to moderate terrain honestly.
 
I DD an Accord and have a Taco. The peace of mind of having a work car is a fantastic feeling. If you have a project going on and need the truck back on the road by Monday morning you'll be rushing to get it done Sunday night. Same goes for a trip. You get home late Sunday night, rigs filthy and loaded with gear. So you have to rush to unpack so you can be ready for work in the morning. You'll find that a used GX is on par if not slightly cheaper than a same model year 4 Runner.
 

JLee

Adventurer
I paid $8150 for my '05 GX470 last October. They're easily found in the $10k range, same with 100's. Sometimes the Lexus models are a better deal and less well-used (not to mention pampered with dealer maintenance).
 

FJOE

Regular Dude
The best place to start is to think about your needs. 9-12mos out is plenty of time to narrow it down and start looking. Think about this vehicle not only as a means to get out and about, but also as an investment. Remember, you are now on ExPo. The things you learn here will have you putting a fair amount of time, energy, and money into your project. Rightly so, because you want it to perform a certain way. The biggest question is- pickup or SUV? I would start there. Will you see a need in the future for carrying more gear, or kids, pets, etc? Do you think if you got a truck, you'd one day put a slide-in camper in the back? it sounds cheesy, but make a written list of pros and cons of each. Then make a list of needs vs. wants. Where those lists meet is your vehicle. When I was preparing to take a vehicle abroad, there was no doubt I wanted a Toyota 4wd. My needs were reliability, ease of maintenance, availability of parts, and cargo carrying capacity. I don't have a family or pets, so interior space wasn't a big deal. If the truck gets wrecked, it stays in country and gets sold or scrapped. If it survives a couple years, it will come back home with me. I ultimately chose a 1995 T100 for all the above reasons. It's been with me since December, and is going strong here in the Middle East.

My point is, coming on here and asking "what should I get?" won't get you far (decision wise). You have to decide for yourself. Plus, as someone's signature on here says, 80 series LandCruiser is the ultimate answer, anyway.
 

Carb850

New member
Trust me, I think about it too much as it is. Just ask my wife. LOL No one can make the decision for me but they can point out factors of vehicles I haven't considered before.

I'm really curious about the maintenance cost and upkeep of used Land Cruisers, Lexus LX's, and Lexus GX's. Being able to find one of those three for under $15K sounds fantastic but I never owned a used luxury car. I believe some of the Lexus models mentioned have adjustable height suspension. Are they troublesome? Easy to replace with aftermarket? Any significant differences in the cost to own the GX vs LX/Cruiser?
 

fjmario

Adventurer
I drive an FJ Cruiser, and my sister used to own a Taco so I have experience with those as well.

For 15k, id rather get an FJ than a Tacoma but both are Toyota so you cant go wrong with either one.
 

Arclight

SAR guy
The one reason I'm still considering the Tundra is because they do seem like you can get better deals used than on Tacoma's. I would not want something as large as the Tundra for a DD, but as a secondary vehicle it is an option I'm still considering. I'm torn on the truck vs SUV, I can see merits of both.

Do all the 2nd Gen Tundra's have limited slip rear diff? Does that only kick in a moderate wheel speed? Just wondering how effective limited slip is in terms of off road conditions. I can only imagine it would be a significant cost to upgrade to a locker.

My one concern on a Tundra is the size. Living in Appalachia most of the trails here are tight so the size could be a hinderance, but again I would likely be sticking to easy to moderate terrain honestly.


I would actually look at a first-gen Tundra. I went with a T100 (Which I wouldn't suggest in your case, as they are getting pretty old). But the GEN-1 Tundra isn't a lot bigger than some of the new Tacoma configurations and it's a very reliable vehicle. And it doesn't go for $15K with 160,000mi.

Arclight
 

Hummelator

Adventurer
The one reason I'm still considering the Tundra is because they do seem like you can get better deals used than on Tacoma's. I would not want something as large as the Tundra for a DD, but as a secondary vehicle it is an option I'm still considering. I'm torn on the truck vs SUV, I can see merits of both.

Do all the 2nd Gen Tundra's have limited slip rear diff? Does that only kick in a moderate wheel speed? Just wondering how effective limited slip is in terms of off road conditions. I can only imagine it would be a significant cost to upgrade to a locker.

My one concern on a Tundra is the size. Living in Appalachia most of the trails here are tight so the size could be a hinderance, but again I would likely be sticking to easy to moderate terrain honestly.

I am not sure If it's called a slip diff but The way it works is once the truck senses that a wheel is spinning faster than the other, it applies the brakes to the faster spinning wheel. In my experience it has not been a great design- lockers would be great but are not a cheap option.
 

JLee

Adventurer
Trust me, I think about it too much as it is. Just ask my wife. LOL No one can make the decision for me but they can point out factors of vehicles I haven't considered before.

I'm really curious about the maintenance cost and upkeep of used Land Cruisers, Lexus LX's, and Lexus GX's. Being able to find one of those three for under $15K sounds fantastic but I never owned a used luxury car. I believe some of the Lexus models mentioned have adjustable height suspension. Are they troublesome? Easy to replace with aftermarket? Any significant differences in the cost to own the GX vs LX/Cruiser?

Shouldn't be much more than any other Toyota. The 4th gen 4Runner, FJ, and GX470 are all on the 120-series chassis. 4Runner and FJ suspension will work on a GX, and you can easily convert the rear air suspension to coil spring.

I haven't owned a 100-series and don't know much about their height control other than it's all four wheels, not just rear.
 

ExPo4Runner

Land Cruiser Fanatic
Shouldn't be much more than any other Toyota. The 4th gen 4Runner, FJ, and GX470 are all on the 120-series chassis. 4Runner and FJ suspension will work on a GX, and you can easily convert the rear air suspension to coil spring.

I haven't owned a 100-series and don't know much about their height control other than it's all four wheels, not just rear.
AHC (height control) on the 100 series was only on the Lexus variant and late model years with the option.
 

JLee

Adventurer
Does it mess up anything to use some aftermarket setup like OME and do away with it? Any impact on the KDSS or Crawl Control?

100's don't have KDSS. On the GX, you can install aftermarket suspension and retain KDSS (if so equipped).
 

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