I had a 100 series a few years back that I loved, but I thought it would be fun to try some harder and more technical wheeling. I bought a JKUR totally stock and built it to 37s (thread here: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/144558-The-Big-O-JKUR-build-thread), but after a while I got a little bored and wanted a change for something fast. I went to an Audi S4, but missed having an SUV. I figured I'd combine a fast car with an SUV and got a Porsche Macan. That car was unbelievably fast and fun to drive, but then I missed being able to go off road and never wanted to take the dog, carry anything that was dirty, throw the bike in the back or even drive it if the weather could be bad. What I eventually realized is that I actually just missed having a Land Cruiser!
I've looked at the 200 on and off for a couple of years, but all the ones I went to look at were pretty much destroyed and overpriced (see here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/200-series-in-denver-warning.823095/). I renewed my search a few months ago and decided it would ideally be a 2013+, low miles, under warranty, grey or silver, and modified well if at all possible...for a good deal. Somewhat of a tall order right?
After lots of letdowns, I found a local 2014 with 32k miles and several good quality mods: ARB front/rear bumpers, ARB Intensity lights, Warn 9.5XP, Front Runner roof rack and OME lift with Duratracs. It's somewhat of a long story...The guy listed it for sale about 6 weeks ago, and I looked at the day he listed it. I liked it and was very interested, but he pulled it off the market for about a month to wait for his new truck he ordered to come in. He texts me about 2 weeks ago saying his truck was in and was relisting the 200, so I went to the Porsche dealer to see if they'd want to buy my car from me. They did and offered at least as much as I could get private party, so I was getting ready to sign over the title and go get the LC. The seller of the LC texts me he just traded in the LC on his truck, so I ask where it was traded in and called them about 15 minutes after their deal was over. I went in the next day and made a deal to buy the LC trading in my car (they ended up using the Porsche dealer's offer as a buy bid and flipped it to them) and getting the tax advantage that way, and we all walked away very happy.
I've had it for 2 weeks now, and I'd love to tell you all how it is to drive...But my wife has driven it every single day however since I bought it, which is hilarious because she did not like to drive the 100, the JKUR, our Yukon or anything else I've owned! I think that's a good testament to how solid and comfortable it is, and in my 20 mile drive home the night I bought it as well as the next morning cruising around town in a foot a snow, I can testify to what a great vehicle it is.
Since it's already set up pretty well, my mod list will be fairly minor. The tires on it are 285/65/18, and I'd like to go up to a tire that actually measures 33-34" likely a KO2. Ideally I'll go down to a 17" rim (Tundra Rock Warrior most likely) as well. It doesn't have sliders or skids, so that will be the first thing I get. I'll be ringing up Slee soon to get his sliders and ARB skid plate system, and I'm thinking about the ARB drawer system again that I had in my 100. I kicked around the idea of a RTT for years, but I just can't see it being practical for my/our usage. I think building a nice sleeping platform on top of the drawers will work best and be cost effective, and I foresee the majority of my camping being solo. I hate setting up ground tents, and last time we did we got flooded out in the middle of the night which really sucked. I used the rear locker in my 100 and both lockers in the JKUR extensively, so I'm considering those in the future after I wheel it a bit to see how good the tech systems do. I've never wheeled with the tech aids like ATRAC, turn assist and crawl control, so I'll give them a shot before I spend a ton of coin on lockers.
We will definitely be going to Moab in May and the 200 meetup in Colorado in July/August and hopefully lots of trips in between. I'm looking forward to being back in a Land Cruiser, and I'm hoping my wife will eventually give me the keys back. I've already joked with her a few times that we can be a 2 Land Cruiser family if she really likes mine so much, but my fear is she'll want to keep this one and I'll have to find a replacement
Here's the 100:
The JKUR:
The day of trade in/purchase:
The next morning:
I've looked at the 200 on and off for a couple of years, but all the ones I went to look at were pretty much destroyed and overpriced (see here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/200-series-in-denver-warning.823095/). I renewed my search a few months ago and decided it would ideally be a 2013+, low miles, under warranty, grey or silver, and modified well if at all possible...for a good deal. Somewhat of a tall order right?
After lots of letdowns, I found a local 2014 with 32k miles and several good quality mods: ARB front/rear bumpers, ARB Intensity lights, Warn 9.5XP, Front Runner roof rack and OME lift with Duratracs. It's somewhat of a long story...The guy listed it for sale about 6 weeks ago, and I looked at the day he listed it. I liked it and was very interested, but he pulled it off the market for about a month to wait for his new truck he ordered to come in. He texts me about 2 weeks ago saying his truck was in and was relisting the 200, so I went to the Porsche dealer to see if they'd want to buy my car from me. They did and offered at least as much as I could get private party, so I was getting ready to sign over the title and go get the LC. The seller of the LC texts me he just traded in the LC on his truck, so I ask where it was traded in and called them about 15 minutes after their deal was over. I went in the next day and made a deal to buy the LC trading in my car (they ended up using the Porsche dealer's offer as a buy bid and flipped it to them) and getting the tax advantage that way, and we all walked away very happy. I've had it for 2 weeks now, and I'd love to tell you all how it is to drive...But my wife has driven it every single day however since I bought it, which is hilarious because she did not like to drive the 100, the JKUR, our Yukon or anything else I've owned!
I think that's a good testament to how solid and comfortable it is, and in my 20 mile drive home the night I bought it as well as the next morning cruising around town in a foot a snow, I can testify to what a great vehicle it is.Since it's already set up pretty well, my mod list will be fairly minor. The tires on it are 285/65/18, and I'd like to go up to a tire that actually measures 33-34" likely a KO2. Ideally I'll go down to a 17" rim (Tundra Rock Warrior most likely) as well. It doesn't have sliders or skids, so that will be the first thing I get. I'll be ringing up Slee soon to get his sliders and ARB skid plate system, and I'm thinking about the ARB drawer system again that I had in my 100. I kicked around the idea of a RTT for years, but I just can't see it being practical for my/our usage. I think building a nice sleeping platform on top of the drawers will work best and be cost effective, and I foresee the majority of my camping being solo. I hate setting up ground tents, and last time we did we got flooded out in the middle of the night which really sucked. I used the rear locker in my 100 and both lockers in the JKUR extensively, so I'm considering those in the future after I wheel it a bit to see how good the tech systems do. I've never wheeled with the tech aids like ATRAC, turn assist and crawl control, so I'll give them a shot before I spend a ton of coin on lockers.
We will definitely be going to Moab in May and the 200 meetup in Colorado in July/August and hopefully lots of trips in between. I'm looking forward to being back in a Land Cruiser, and I'm hoping my wife will eventually give me the keys back. I've already joked with her a few times that we can be a 2 Land Cruiser family if she really likes mine so much, but my fear is she'll want to keep this one and I'll have to find a replacement
Here's the 100:
The JKUR:
The day of trade in/purchase:
The next morning:
