I own an 83 300TD purchased from essentially the original owner about 3 years ago. Came with ALL service records. PO spent a lot of money on it, even had the engine rebuilt at one point. During his last 2 years of ownership: rebuilt transmission and diff, new springs and shocks, rebuilt SLS, new front end, etc. The only thing that don't work on the car are cruise control (no big deal) and AC (a big deal in the hot months up here). I don't drive it in the winter (rust belt), it's rust free except for a few spots on the hatch.

I test drove the other day a 1999 Land Cruiser 100 (similar to Lexus LX470) with V8 engine. Smooth, comfortable, working AC, roomy, tough as nails. Under the cushy soccer-mom interior, the LC is overbuilt for 3rd world usage.

Both vehicles have over 200,000 miles. 300TD gets much better fuel economy, of course, but I'm retired and don't put on many miles anymore. I've owned earlier diesel Land Cruisers which were much more truck-like, all had manual transmissions. This 100 was very impressive to drive in, could hardly believe I was driving a 16 year old truck with 200k miles given the smooth quiet ride, floating over the potholes. If it was diesel it might be perfect.

I don't think I could justify owning both vehicles, but part of me is leaning to the 100. When I drove the 300TD the other night, after test driving the 100, I thought "why am I still driving this?". I've owned W123's for over a dozen years, but maybe the time has come to move to something else?

Pondering...

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

It's a personal choice of course. .. but I'm confident the TD will still be in service LOOOOOG After the LC
is dust

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Quite a coincidence, but I am the original owner of a 1983 300TD and a 1998 Landcruiser 100. Both have about 205,000 miles. TD is for summer, LC is for winter--I also live in the rust belt.

They are both wonderful vehicles but I could never bring myself to drive the TD in the salt--it would have dissolved long ago if I had. If you can only have one of them, and live in the rust belt, go for the LC--mine is just now starting to show some rust--I hope to get 4-5 more years out of it. The LC requires much less maintenance than the TD and I must say, in my old age, I prefer the seating position of the LC on long trips. On the other hand, the TD is the most graceful wagon ever built--my biased opinion--and you don't see yourself coming down the road very often.

If you lived in Australia, you could get the LC 100 with a 6 cylinder turbodiesel instead of the V8 gasser--that would solve your dilemma--and mine too.

Peter

Hi Peter, coincidence indeed that you own those 2 vehicles!

I was starting to think the same thing: keep the TD since I know it well, all has been done to it, and it gets great mileage for putting around the city for 3 seasons. The 100 as you say is much more comfortable to drive on trips (or when AC is needed!), in my case to the cottage about an hour and a half from the city. Since I'm retired, don't put on many miles any more, the 100 could last me a while yet, if I can keep the rust at bay, and I've had a lot of practice doing that over the years (this one was originally from California, has spent a few years in the rust belt but been well treated against rust, so it has a chance).

I wish I could make my girlfriend (and even my son) to see the perfect logic of this kind of arrangement. But for her (and most people) buying a 16 year old vehicle of any kind with over 200,000 miles on it is not sensible... :-)

A few years ago, I chanced upon a 92 LC with 6 cyl inline diesel engine and 5 speed, that a serviceman had brought back from Europe. Referred to as "poverty pack", with vinyl floor, no AC, barn doors in the back. I eventually sold it because the 5 speed was a bit of a pain in the city and I wanted something more comfortable for envisioned long-distance road trips. Bought a nice used Dodge Cummins 3/4 ton with camper on the back, but trips didn't materialize, I just sold the Dodge and now looking for its replacement. When you've owned something like an LC, it's hard to settle for something less in a SUV, though a 4Runner may do the trick too. But this 100 sure felt and rode nice I must admit.

Cheers.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

My opinion, too old to bother with and so many miles. There are lots of luxury SUV's like that out there for very very little money now a days, and don't have high miles.
I understand a LC is something a little more special, but parts are very dear on those (I think, we have a Toyota Hilux turbo diesel and prices are killer when they still exist). Very large potential for high repair bills (or walk away).
The 300TD is almost as good as it gets for road trips (been coast to coast with them) if the seats are proper and everything sorted, better highway tourer then city runabout.
If you like highway rides and all wheel drive look at an Audi A8, never rust and very nice on the highway with very cheap buy in.

Something about rust. Be sure to pressure wash the underside some time before winter ( now ) scrape / wire brush and paint with a light color of rustoleum. Then just before winter give it another coat, repeat the process in the summer. What this does is slow the rust, some of the rust will pop through but after a few go rounds that will stop.

This procedure will add more than a few years to the car. The light color is so you can see rust developing and makes it easier to see when working under the car.

Just curious when you google "Repairs on a Land Cruiser 100".....what do you find?

LC100...can't disagree, nice SUV.

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'89 260e (212K Mi.), '92 400e (208K Mi.), '92 400e (not a misprint) (146K Mi.), '95 C220, '81 240D--Sold

Almost 300K on my '98 LC. Fantastic vehicle.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 445K

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Objects in closer are mirror than they appear.

Well, my TD has more miles, but point taken about mileage, no getting around it. If I could find an LC with half the mileage I'd be happier.
I'm not interested in just any "luxury SUV", certainly not current Mercedes. I've got past history with Land Cruisers and a respect for the marque, as I do for W123. If I didn't get an LC, I'd probably go for a 4Runner (same drivetrain, bit smaller truck). I like Toyota, what can I say? :-)
Those 100 series LC's and Lexus LX (same vehicle mechanically) were around for several years, so I would expect parts not to be a major issue, but will check. An import Hilux would be a different matter.
You're right, the TD is better on the highway than scooting around town, but it is by no means as comfortable to drive on highway as that LC100 I drove, not by a long shot.
I'm not after highway and AWD. The LC would be handy driving the gravel roads around my cottage, and hauling stuff to-from city. TD can haul a fair bit too, but doesn't seem to like the gravel that much.
Thanks for your thoughts.

I hear you about rust! Light paint is a good idea, most people paint black. Up here we shoot oil under our vehicles before winter, a whole industry was built on that. Does a pretty good job, and has kept this LC100 looking solid underneath. Anyway, rust kills all cars. How many TD's do you see on the roads of the N-E these days?...

Some of the usual stuff. What you DON'T find are engine and transmission issues, even with high mileage. And with Toyota, usually all the electronics and electricals are pretty reliable. Leather interior wears out, too bad Toyota didn't use mb-tex equivalent.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

Thanks Chris. That's the kind of comment I hear time and again from high-mileage LC100 owners, and rarely "what a POS, so glad to get rid of it" or "fell apart on me" or "always in the shop". I feel the LC and the "good old" Mercedes share many attributes, such as quality of design &components, built to last, quality construction, etc.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K