I am going to invest in a stock 1996 cruiser within 10 months. I will need the vehicle to perform very well on pavement and be a tank off-road. I plan on adding a header, cat-back, ARB bull bar and I know I want lockers front and rear. (factory or aftermarket lockers?)

Should I purchase the Toy or the Lex?

Why/Why not?

I may consider a '97 if I can get more for my money.

Thanks,
WM

 

Welcome to the forum, though I'm also new to this forum I would like to give you what I have experienced on my LX 450.

Waterman, if you want to invest your money on a stock cruiser within 10 months and don't know if you want the Toy or Lex, then I suggest to get the Land Cruiser.

These are the reasons why:
1. Land Cruiser has a stiffer coil springs than the Lexus.
2. It is hard to find a Lexus with front and rear locking differentials
3. It is easy to find 94 through 97 Land Cruisers with factory e-lockers.
4. Land Cruisers are cheaper than the Lexus LX 450, less 5K
5. You're low profile when driving the Cruiser than when you're on the LX. LXs are too hot for wanna be thief.
6. LX coil springs are way too soft for me and as soon as I have the money I will be replacing them with Old Man Emu suspension kit to get rid of the softness.

I really love to drive the cruiser but back in '99 when I was shopping for one, all the cruisers I found were all around 70k miles and up. One day I stumbled on the local Lexus dealer and found this 97 LX 450 with just 19,000 miles on it and was just traded for a 470. Test drove it and showed it to my wife and she said "go get it." That's why I ended up with this 450 with no locking diffs and that's sucks because if I had the choice I would go for the Cruiser with all the options on it.

Hope this answers your question and helps you in anyway to make the decision in which one you prefer to buy. PM me if you have any questions.

Noel

 

Thanks 4x4CPOSEADOG,

During my research I found that the LC has 20% stiffer spring and shock rates than those found on the LEX.
And as you pionted out most LC80's come with e-lockers and few of the 450's have them.

I will focus my attention on a clean, stock 1996 LC.

Now to find a header, cat-back etc...

WM

 

Waterman,
Personaly I'd perfer the LC. However the best advice I can give you is to take your time and find :
1) a vehicle with factory lockers 'cause doing the aftermarket thing is expensive and the factory lockers usualy don't add to the price cause the average Joe doesn't have a clue.
2) a vehicle that saw shoping mall duty only.
3) something with good maintenance records.

If you plan on adding a bull bar, and want to do real trail stuff, you'll quickly decide that you MUST upgrade the springs and shocks anyway, so the the different spring rates between the LC and the LX is a moot point. OME suspension upgrades are easy, and improve the ride characteristcs on and off road.
In my neck of the woods, the LXs have not maintained resale value as well as well as Land Cruisers, so they are about the same price.