Gen III Montero vs. 100 Series Land Cruiser

[adrenaline503]

Both are "luxury" SUVs.
Both get horrible gas mileage.
Both have IFS.
Very similar in prices vs. mileage in the Seattle area.

Other than the Montero having IRS and the LC having more power and an optional locker, what would you say the major differences are in actual practice? This isn't to start a flame war about how great one is over the other, but how they will actually differ in the real world.

 

[RU55ELL]

The Monty has IRS, the LC does not. The Monty is a unibody and the LC is body-on-frame.

I love how the Gen 3 looks, but those two things leave me leary on buying one.

 

[Deleted member 13060]

I don't know where the Gen II/Gen III split is......

My Boss's wife has a 2002 Montero Ltd and as the primary tech who services it I can/will say....

1. Unibody
2. IRS that needs frequent alignments
3. Oil changes are a pain. Oil drains on diff, filter drains in your armpit and the plastic skid plates fit like a bad high school shop project
4. Intake manifold must be removed for spark plug changes
5. Temp gauge WILL die and you need to send the cluster to Michigan to be reprogrammed after buying an expensive piece to fix it
6. The Boss's '09 F150 4X4 gets better mileage, handles better, is more comfy and gets driven 10X more than the Montero.

The good that I've seen.....
1. Visability out the front is great
2. Good brakes

Having serviced this car from the day it was bought..... You couldn't give me one.

YMMV RON

PS I'm a German car tech with a wall full of certs and drive a 2011 FJ, for what-ever that's worth.....

 

[adrenaline503]

Ah yes, the unibody. I knew I had forgotten something important. That's a disappointing report GSRON, I hadn't heard about those issues. That is why I asked.

 

[LJ_24]

100 series

 

[adrenaline503]

^ Yes, yes. Its a very nice vehicle. I'm just trying to get over the gas mileage, I know you can't have it all but 13 MPG is hard to swallow.

 

[BIGdaddy]

my dad's 100 series got about 20mpgs on long trips ( and yes, he double checked his fuel gauge/trip meter with a gps unit). His WAS mostly stock, but it can be done. Just don't put a ton of crap on the roof, and keep your bumper lo-pro like the pic, and you should be good to go.

 

[adrenaline503]

my dad's 100 series got about 20mpgs on long trips ( and yes, he double checked his fuel gauge/trip meter with a gps unit). His WAS mostly stock, but it can be done. Just don't put a ton of crap on the roof, and keep your bumper lo-pro like the pic, and you should be good to go.

I JUST bought a ARB RTT that I love. I've already shot myself in the foot before I even started.

 

[BIGdaddy]

I JUST bought a ARB RTT that I love. I've already shot myself in the foot before I even started.

hahaha...well, everything's a tradeoff. You'll really like that tent. Could you maybe tow a small utility trailer with the tent out of the slipstream? (Not a big-***** chaser or anything, just a small cargo trailer with some yakima mounts.)

If you did that, I think you could definitely keep your MPG's in the mid to high teen's if you kept your foot out of it.

 

[adrenaline503]

I have seriously thought about that but I really don't want a trailer right now. I dont have a place to store it right now, and If I were to get a trailer I would get a hardsided Scamp or something. I just have to determine my priorities.

 

[BIGdaddy]

I have seriously thought about that but I really don't want a trailer right now. I dont have a place to store it right now, and If I were to get a trailer I would get a hardsided Scamp or something. I just have to determine my priorities.

Understood, yup.

A solid, buildable steel framed 4x8 trailer has just fallen into my lap, and with the help of some XJ guys from the states and down under, I've seen the "light" with how useful it could be to shift the gear to the trailer and streamline/unload my rig for longer trips. Having only passengers and say, a cooler, in or on my rig, should go a long way towards keeping the mpgs and available power up. (trailer has car-sized tires, and rolls/tows like a dream)

We still tent camp, but I could see this trailer easily accomodating a RTT if we go back to that setup. (We had a maggiolina for about 5 years before we had kids..loved that thing!)

But, I DO have a place to store it inside, and that definitely makes all the difference.

If mpg's are the only downside you find to the 100 series, when considering reliability, comfort, capability, parts locating, servicability, capacity, etc...it might be to your benefit to simply downsize another part of your budget (cable, dinners out, etc) to accomodate a larger fuel bill for daily driving or trips.

That's what I did with my XJ, after realizing it pretty much met all my requirements. I haven't regretted the extra $20.00-30.00 per month that it has required as opposed to some of the alternatives.

food for thought.

 

[adrenaline503]

I'm sure if I took the bus to work everyday I could recoup the money.

 

[adrenaline503]

How do the torsion bars ride on the 100 series? The Montero has 4 coils, I am assuming that those ride better, especially over washboards.

 

[kins18q]

Also considering Gen 3 vs 100 series

I have a similar dilemma. Looking to take a year long road trip from Baja to the Arctic ocean in Alaska. Need 4x4+high clearance to assure access to whatever trailheads along the way. Gen 3 and 100 series are the smallest vehicles that my girlfriend and I can comfortably sleep in after putting in a sleeping platform. Will also add roof top box, and rack.

Budget 10k for whole build including solar power system, refrigerator, tires, sleeping platform

100 Series Advantages over Gen 3
Reliability?- Any 100 series I buy will have many more miles than any Gen 3 I buy
Capability
Durability
Cool Factor

Gen 3 Advantages over 100 Series
Price- It seems like I can get a 5 year newer and 60k miles less for 1500 less than 100 series....
Reliability?- The car will be much newer with less miles
Gas Mileage- Minor improvement over 100
Rear floor compartment for flip down rear seats will hold a 12v fridge completely under the sleeping platform
Bigger Sunroof
More cash left over to build out- I can afford to throw in an OME 2" lift and sliders

So what do you guys think? Newer Monty with less miles so I have the cash to lift and sliders or older, higher mileage 100 series and leave it bone stock.

Example cars I'm looking at:
2004 Gen 3 Limited 138k 5500 Immaculate
2000 100 204k 6900 (no locking rear diff) Cosmetic problems, 1 Owner, always serviced at dealership

Any help is much appreciated!!

 

[samer0214]

Wouldn't towing a trailer offset any gas mileage savings?

I know this might not be an issue for you, but what about resale value/desirability on the long run? I would think the Toyota would hold its value better.

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