I love the LC performance on the beach so I overlook what I consider minor issues. But I do question the turn on of the traction control when coming out of 4lo. And no heated mirrors on the 1958. Come on Toyota! At this price point, don't cheap out!
Adios Amigos, only made it 8 months...
- Thread starter PA-Cruiser 200
- Start date
I'm coming up on almost exactly 2 years with mine, a 24 FE. I've been looking to get into something else for the last 6 months or so but unfortunately it just hadn't worked out as planned. So far, I haven't had any offers for trade-in higher than $57k with 14k miles. I thought about selling it myself but don't want to scammed. Mostly, I just want something with a lot more power and feels exciting to drive, but in an SUV format, and prefereably a V8. So far, my top two options are a G 63 or X5 M. I almost picked up an X5 M in June, but now I'm probably going to buy a very low mileage 23' G 63 instead in the next week or so. My primary complaints are slightly different but some are the same.Well, after just eight months, I have said goodbye to the LC250!
Here's a quick rundown on why I decided to depart from the 250:
-No outside dimming mirrors???, plastics are cheap, etc., etc., I could go on and on...
- The hood is thin and oil/tin cans and rattles/shakes as you drive, which is very distracting.
- The Ridged fog lights are too heavy for the front fascia and rattle and shake when hitting bumps, again, very distracting.
- The MPG rating is not accurate, a tank depending on season got me 275-325'ish miles and an average of 18-22 MPG.
- The safety system is terrible!!!! The cameras, even if you turn them "off" are still "on" and will give you popups if you cover them... And, if the front sensors get covered with snow, you can't acknowledge them and they go away, they relentlessly keep popping up!
- The removal of KDSS or E-KDSS means you get a LOT of body roll which made my kids car sick.
- Cramped driver’s seat, my leg was always resting against the door (I'm not a big person!).
- Horrifically high rear load floor that gets super-hot if you over pack the rear compartment tight or mistakenly cover the rear vent…
But there are some good:
-Distinct looks and Trail Dust is the best color on any new vehicle. However, that rounds it out...
- The engine is quick and peppy.
- The steering is AMAZING and effortless.
- Seats are comfy.
Toyota could not fix my hood or fog light issues and said they were normal and gave me a 7yr/100k mile platinum warranty, but for $70+K, no thank you. You shouldn’t live with mediocrity in manufacturing. Maybe Toyota will fix the issues I find egregious, but for now, I’ll stick with my 2018 200 series. Not one issue since my purchase.
Truth is transparency: The MSRP was $70,898, I paid $66,000 out the door in November ’25. I sold it back to Toyota for $62,000. Not bad for 8 months.
I also have a set of OEM rectangle headlights for sale. I swapped them for the round FE/1958 headlights. If interested, please send me a message.
Good luck folks and thank you for all the dynamic conversations!
- MPG itself doesn't bother me but the small tank does, I've never done better than 300 miles.
- Rear load floor is way too high, I thought I'd be able to get over this but haven't.
- I've disabled some of the warnings and alerts but I've never gotten the pop-up notifications to stop.
- Hybrid system just bothers me, the on and off, surging while breaking, overall good low end torque but sometimes there seems to be significant lag outside of the standard turbo lag which is expected.
- Loud vibrating/rattling at idle, I've been told this is normal but on several occasions but it sounds like something is broken or is going to break.
- Electrical gremlins, espcially with the radio, the audio will sometimes stop and even a couple of reboots of the system doesn't fix it, I have to turn of the ignition and on again.
- No ability to set heated or ventilated seats and/or steering wheel in the app. I contacted Toyota about this since other said this was an option they have. Toyota told me my vehicle doesn't have the module to do this while I thought the FE had everything optioned.
- Rough shifts when the transmission is cold. I've learned to feather the throttle to avoid the jerkiness of it but doesn't seem like something I should have to be doing.
- Tons of plastic, my 5th Gen 4Runner had a lot of plastic too, but interior panels get scuffed very easily in this vehicle.
I might not be to far behind PA Cruiser. ....
2026 Land Cruiser Premium, Hert Blue/GrayScape, purchased in MD on March 15, 2026, less than 4000 miles. GLoss Black Hood Trim Piece and various spots on the Grill are melting. According to the Service Manager in Lexington Park, it will not be covered by new car warrenty because it's from the sun reflecting off windows at my work location., but it's funny that other vehicles parking in the same area are not having this issue. It's due to cheeeeeeaaaappp materials!!
A Toyota Rep will be in town on Aug 6th to evaluate my LC. If Toyota doesn't cover the replacement, I'm out. I will never give Toyota another dollar.
If anyone is interested in purchasing a LC with some melted plastic, let me know.
2026 Land Cruiser Premium, Hert Blue/GrayScape, purchased in MD on March 15, 2026, less than 4000 miles. GLoss Black Hood Trim Piece and various spots on the Grill are melting. According to the Service Manager in Lexington Park, it will not be covered by new car warrenty because it's from the sun reflecting off windows at my work location., but it's funny that other vehicles parking in the same area are not having this issue. It's due to cheeeeeeaaaappp materials!!
A Toyota Rep will be in town on Aug 6th to evaluate my LC. If Toyota doesn't cover the replacement, I'm out. I will never give Toyota another dollar.
If anyone is interested in purchasing a LC with some melted plastic, let me know.
WOW, almost amusing.........there is always that one guy. Love to know what he finds that is better. Guess he likes that overweight tankish feeling LC200....which only a few thousand people bought annually during its lifecycle and I , for one , had zero interest in. I, like others above, have thought since day 1 that my LC250 is one of the best bargains out there for its abilities, comfort, etc esp at the price. Gonna take a 100K RR Sport to compete. I could say Defender 120, but not my forte.
Load height horrific: Dude must be 5'5" which could explain a lot all by itself.
Legacy brands have to up their game. I won't mention it, but a Korean competitor to the EV throne has knocked it out of the park and others are going to have to catch up or get left behind.
Sounds like a dealer with little ability here IMHO. My hood has never moved. My foglights have never flickered, bounced etc. I give no explanation for your cramped driver's seat critique. 100% bizarre esp since you say seats are comfy later in the positives. To me, it is even more comfortable than my last Range Rover. Body roll makes me think you think you are Mario. As a 20yr track rat, I think the LC250 punches way above its intents here. I see posts like this , I think troll and see no reason to kisass. You bought it for the image, live in the overpopulated mid Atlantic and can't play bob n weave around all the other local talent.
Load height horrific: Dude must be 5'5" which could explain a lot all by itself.
Legacy brands have to up their game. I won't mention it, but a Korean competitor to the EV throne has knocked it out of the park and others are going to have to catch up or get left behind.
Sounds like a dealer with little ability here IMHO. My hood has never moved. My foglights have never flickered, bounced etc. I give no explanation for your cramped driver's seat critique. 100% bizarre esp since you say seats are comfy later in the positives. To me, it is even more comfortable than my last Range Rover. Body roll makes me think you think you are Mario. As a 20yr track rat, I think the LC250 punches way above its intents here. I see posts like this , I think troll and see no reason to kisass. You bought it for the image, live in the overpopulated mid Atlantic and can't play bob n weave around all the other local talent.
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This thread is getting a little carried away now....
Apparently, there is more than one guy. The guy above thinks the Land Cruiser is worse than an '84 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible because he can't park it directly in the sun all summer long in the magnified reflection of a glass building.
Ever thought that maybe
Absolutely. Well-written.
Apparently, there is more than one guy. The guy above thinks the Land Cruiser is worse than an '84 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible because he can't park it directly in the sun all summer long in the magnified reflection of a glass building.
This is starting to sound like the GX550 forum. I love the elitist view of how much better their vehicle is supposed to be for what they paid for it. Someone spends over $70K for same thing I negotiated around $60K -is that supposed to mean mine is a shitbox, or maybe he should get warranty service first in front of others. Ok for the $60K car to have an issue, but not on their $70K one.
Go learn to negotiate, & really learn to know what you need for tomorrow, not what you want today. LC is the poster child for intended functionality in a vehicle, & I think it’s very cool that means so many different things to so many owners. Price has little to do w/ quality anymore, but a little common sense & knowledge does lead you to it.
Go learn to negotiate, & really learn to know what you need for tomorrow, not what you want today. LC is the poster child for intended functionality in a vehicle, & I think it’s very cool that means so many different things to so many owners. Price has little to do w/ quality anymore, but a little common sense & knowledge does lead you to it.
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And we're on fire...
I was going to buy a rubicon but 65k for it?? Hell no, epitome of cheap plastic. Looked at Landcruiser and ordered one. Cayenne was on the list too, but 120k to get off road pack, no thanks. $70k is not an expensive vehicle anymore.
I hope that you are able to find something that meets your expectations.
Genuine Toyota Land Cruiser 250 First Ed. Black Hood Moulding P/N 75770-60071
You can get this part for 150 bucks.
To each it's own and I am satisfied with my LC Premium so far. When I'll get another vehicle, it will be GX550 Overtrail+ or Defender 110. I like Defender looks better, but it has unibody construction...Anyways, might be in couple of years.
Just curious as to how you determined the fog light were too heavy for the mounting area and creating noise?
Butt dyno. The most precise instrument there is
I was willing to play along until I read the fog light comment. This is utter BS.Well, after just eight months, I have said goodbye to the LC250!
Here's a quick rundown on why I decided to depart from the 250:
-No outside dimming mirrors???, plastics are cheap, etc., etc., I could go on and on...
- The hood is thin and oil/tin cans and rattles/shakes as you drive, which is very distracting.
- The Ridged fog lights are too heavy for the front fascia and rattle and shake when hitting bumps, again, very distracting.
- The MPG rating is not accurate, a tank depending on season got me 275-325'ish miles and an average of 18-22 MPG.
- The safety system is terrible!!!! The cameras, even if you turn them "off" are still "on" and will give you popups if you cover them... And, if the front sensors get covered with snow, you can't acknowledge them and they go away, they relentlessly keep popping up!
- The removal of KDSS or E-KDSS means you get a LOT of body roll which made my kids car sick.
- Cramped driver’s seat, my leg was always resting against the door (I'm not a big person!).
- Horrifically high rear load floor that gets super-hot if you over pack the rear compartment tight or mistakenly cover the rear vent…
But there are some good:
-Distinct looks and Trail Dust is the best color on any new vehicle. However, that rounds it out...
- The engine is quick and peppy.
- The steering is AMAZING and effortless.
- Seats are comfy.
Toyota could not fix my hood or fog light issues and said they were normal and gave me a 7yr/100k mile platinum warranty, but for $70+K, no thank you. You shouldn’t live with mediocrity in manufacturing. Maybe Toyota will fix the issues I find egregious, but for now, I’ll stick with my 2018 200 series. Not one issue since my purchase.
Truth is transparency: The MSRP was $70,898, I paid $66,000 out the door in November ’25. I sold it back to Toyota for $62,000. Not bad for 8 months.
I also have a set of OEM rectangle headlights for sale. I swapped them for the round FE/1958 headlights. If interested, please send me a message.
Good luck folks and thank you for all the dynamic conversations!
Awful lot of hyperbole in this thread.
Something does seem off in that post but to each is own. I love mine. Nothing is perfect but I enjoy it a lot and the poster should enjoy what he drives so good luck.
Definitely a disconnect in opinions, usage, or maybe just a Friday-made vehicle. If that's the case, might as well chime in with mine. GREAT vehicle after 63k miles. Just put 2200mi in the last week and I couldn't be happier. Even the AC made it through the 118deg Arizona/Nevada weather, which is the one system that came closest as a gripe
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On one hand you have those who are unhappy and, for whatever reason, have the need to announce their opinion on repeat as though happy owners are delusional. On the other hand you have those who are happy and, for whatever reason, have the need to defend their opinion on repeat as though unhappy owners are delusional. It’s a cycle of one side trying to inject their logic into an alternatively logical opinion. It’s also exhaustingly predictable.
A group of supportive members deciding previously supportive members are Benedict Arnolds. This is why I cringe whenever someone announces their exit with their justification. Stay, go, whatever works for you, just do it. @PA-Cruser was always cool with me, and they have their own valid reasons for selling. If it wasn’t your money in the line, who cares. They’re still an LC owner! @Sparkle_Tooth had an atrocious experience with their’s, and not a single person in this room can fault their decision to walk away. I would have at least got myself into a new unit if I dealt with that nonsense.
What the heck are we doing people? I can love my LC and understand 100% why someone wouldn’t. Toyota can defend Toyota. I’ll begin earnestly defending them when they start paying me to own their vehicles.
A group of supportive members deciding previously supportive members are Benedict Arnolds. This is why I cringe whenever someone announces their exit with their justification. Stay, go, whatever works for you, just do it. @PA-Cruser was always cool with me, and they have their own valid reasons for selling. If it wasn’t your money in the line, who cares. They’re still an LC owner! @Sparkle_Tooth had an atrocious experience with their’s, and not a single person in this room can fault their decision to walk away. I would have at least got myself into a new unit if I dealt with that nonsense.
What the heck are we doing people? I can love my LC and understand 100% why someone wouldn’t. Toyota can defend Toyota. I’ll begin earnestly defending them when they start paying me to own their vehicles.
This is not at all unique to the LC250.
DubDub,
All good points and I am in complete agreement with you! Unfortunately, the post in question is an over-the-top public and contrived rationalization of a personal decision.
Don’t waste my bytes!
Yea. I’ve never seen Miss Daisy’s fog lights shake or rattle.
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