Toyota LandCruiser 70

Warranty...what warranty? – The main issue is with the aftermarket service or lack there of. A warranty is given as a guarantee and supposedly for peace of mind. Don't be fooled, Toyota Australia do not care! My wife and I bought our brand new 2022 78 series from our local Toyota dealership (after nearly 19-months wait), taking delivery in September 2022. We took our first… Read more

long distance trip from the NSW Central Coast to Port Douglas QLD. On 14 April 2023 and 2,500kms into the trip the Troopy went into limp mode, stranding us in Townsville QLD on a Friday afternoon. We contacted Toyota roadside assist who told us the roadside assistance was virtually useless as any tow was for a maximum of 10km country/urban or 20kms urban/country (I cannot remember which way). Luckily for us, we were exactly 10kms from the closest Toyota dealership. We contacted the local Toyota dealer who straight away told us it was not a warranty issue. They hadn't even seen the Troopy! They even suggested we have a local mechanic look at and fix the problem at our expense as it would be nearly 3 weeks before they could book us in for a basic inspection. We questioned this as we were concerned it may cause issues with our warranty. We were told, any work done by any mechanic not Toyota certified or approved would not be covered under the Toyota warranty and void that particular part of the warranty. Obviously, not an option.

After organising a tow and a lengthy wait, the Troopy reset itself and we were able to drive. We reviewed the owners manual, and as per the manufacturers recommendation, we took it immediately to the local Toyota dealership for an inspection.

At the dealership, we were told we had contaminated fuel resulting in the Troopy going into limp model. Then were told rats had possibly eaten through cabling. Bear in mind, they had not even inspected the Troopy. After desperately pleading our case, the head technician looked over our Troopy, and not surprisingly the fuel was eliminated as the cause of the problem as did the rats eating electrical cabling, which was frivolous. The dealership found the issue to be a fault with injector 1. The dealership contacted Toyota Australia recommending injector 1 be replaced with Toyota Australia agreeing. There was no issue with a diagnosis being done on the spot, albeit after a lengthy wait.

We were told the fault was not a safety concern and we would be able to drive but needed to be aware the issue could reoccur at any time. The spare parts needed could not be sourced until at least 2 weeks later, so we decided to continue our trip. The Troopy made it safely to Port Douglas and back without further issue regarding the injector.

When home, on 25 May 2023, we took the Troopy back to the dealership where we bought it. We provided the details and the paperwork from the Toyota dealership in QLD including Toyota's recommendation to replace the faulty injector. We were told we would have to go through the entire process again while waiting for Toyota Australia to approve this warranty claim, a claim that would take weeks. We questioned this as QLD had managed to do this as we waited?! Again, the paperwork already provided these details and supported the recommendation to replace the faulty injector 1. Reluctantly, we left the issue with this dealership and were told they would be in touch. They provided us we paperwork informing us the problem could reoccur at any time.

Today being 13 June 2023, and without any contact from our local Toyota dealer. I propose a thought, having a car that could go into limp model at anytime is a danger to everyone on the roads. Imagine driving on a road or freeway with 2,3,4 or more lanes travelling at 110km/h, when suddenly the car in front of you dramatically reduces speed and there is no safe place to pull over. This is an accident is waiting to happen! Would you expect to pay $82,000 for a brand new car that has demonstrated the unpredictable ability to go into limp model?

This may sound like an isolated incident, but far from the case. I have reviewed many social media platforms where similar issues occurred to either 70 series or 200 series Landcruiser's. There was one glaring consistency, this being Toyota and their dealer network immediately went into defence claiming not to be responsible for the problem and offering little to no assistance to help the customer, irrespective of the customers location. Their standard response, "you got contaminated fuel" without even assessing the cars.

I urge anyone thinking of buying a Toyota (new or used) to given strong consideration to the lack of aftermarket assistance and Toyota's rhetorical commitment in honouring your consumer rights as outlined under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). When selling you a car, they are prepared to do almost anything. Ask for help after your new Toyota presents a fault and watch them run for the hills, they'll treat you like a leprous!

Toyota's business plan for customer service is obfuscation, excuse the pun 'driving' their customers to the extreme in order for them to simply give up or fix what Toyota should have fixed in the first place. As consumers we have rights, but do not rely on Toyota to honour your legislated rights. Unfortunately for Toyota, I am not the type of person to simply roll over to the whims of a multibillion dollar global business. I'm prepare to hold them accountable, sharing our experiences to hopefully save others from the same misery.

Yes, there are many aftermarket businesses providing aftermarket accessories replacing genuine Toyota parts but why should you spend $80,000+ on a new car, only to have to spend thousand of dollars more to fix their problems and at the expense of your rights (warranty). Hold Toyota to account!

Through the same dealership, and waiting for the delivery of our Troopy, we bought a brand new 2021 Toyota Hilux. The handbrake failed within months of purchase with Toyota Australia refusing the warranty claim on the basis we drove it in mud and this is not what the Hilux is designed for!?! This matter is currently before the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal set for hearing on 5 July 2023. I look forward to my day in the Tribunal. Obviously I have major issue with Toyota Australia, but do not be fooled, our experience's have been shared to warn other's about Toyota Australia. Buyer beware!

Get it done in a Cruiser- enough said! – I have a 2019 GXL Landcruiser Cab Chassis with the Toyota heavy duty alloy tray and wheel carrier. The only dealer fitted options was a set of Big Red LED driving lights on an ARB bar, GME UHF, hayman Reece tow bridle, mats and Toyota canvas seat covers. I won't need a winch because I don't do that sort of driving. Besides with a V8, low gearing… Read more

and lockers as standard, I can really just about go anywhere. I just don't see the reason to flog an $80,000 ute that I plan on keeping a while. This is the reason my last one lasted so long. I love driving it. From the step up into the roomy cab and the fact that the sun won't burn my upper body through the windscreen because it's not swept back like a sports car. A fact you notice when you kick the V8 into life and the idle sounds awesome. Ready for work. Try ordering a Blue one, it takes 3 months to get here. Why, because this is a popular 4WD and people are prepared to wait. So I waited and am extremely happy with what may be, the last V8 cruiser ute. That's right, it has the 5 star ANCAP rating and is the most advanced cruiser ever made but Toyota can't keep doing that forever so my new car may just increase in value? This car can do everything I want it to do in standard form. It already has a long range tank, good tyres and great wheels. The suspension is raised enough for most of the tracks I tackle. It can wade. I won't be submerging it so the existing Toyota snorkel will do me for the dusty roads it was designed for. I love the look of it. Toyota capped price servicing at $340 for 10,000 km intervals will do me. Oh yeah it has a 5-7 year warranty depending how you service it. My only other passenger is a Blue Heeler so he doesn't need a cup holder which is just as well as there is only one. Ya gotta dig that, a ute designed for driver and dog! That's right, if its cold outside the Dingo Dog gets to ride in the cab! Finally, the lack of electronic gimmicks and buttons missing in the Landcruiser cab is pure joy. I don't need or want them. In other 4WD's my dog has learnt to press them in the centre consoles. Alarming. No the 2019 Landcruiser is old fashioned on the outside and perfect on the inside. If you're thinking of getting one don't wait, they are the best ute on the market today bar none. Hughesie - Robinvale

2012 VDJ76 6yrs of ownership and still going strong – After 6yrs of ownership (purchased new) I decided it was time for an honest first hand review. If you are in the market for a comfortable 4x4 wagon look elsewhere, these are as basic as they come even in GXL spec as mine is. I will start with the negatives, - They are noisy on the hwy, (the gearbox is geared way to low) the handling and… Read more

brakes are average at best.

- 1 cup holder for the entire family

- Basic seats

- Leaf springs in the rear and the shorter wheelbase gives poor ride comfort.

- No auto option from factory (aftermarket conversions cost $20,000 - $26,500)

The positives

- With factory difflocks these are extremely capapble straight from the show room floor

- The absence of all the electronic sensors & gadgets that fill cars today is a huge plus, a lot less to go wrong when travelling remote places.

- Manual locking hubs ( less to go wrong again)

- No automatic climate control, still basic slide/cable controls (less to go wrong again)

- Solid chassis, solid front diff and leaf rear suspension, these can take a beating even when fully loaded without any issues

- Low down torque and the low gearing make towing or 4wding very easy.

- These hold their value, at time of writing still approx 6mth waiting list from Toyota (depending on colour)

My 76 has been fautless over the years clocking up 135,000klms. The fuel consumption avgs 12L/100klm around town or hwy driving and towing our 1.5t van consumption is approx 16L/100klm.

The major consideration is to the servicing, I service mine every 5000klms to keep the internals of this engine clean. The 1VD does not like dirty oil and can lead to expensive repair bills.

Due to the primitive qualities they are not a 4wd that suits a lot of people but 70 series owners are rewarded with the solid construction and reliability expected from these 4x4s.

Pretty good- perhaps overrated – It's my first cruiser, although my job involves maintaining them, I've seen them devolve from the 75 series. Lighter and lighter in manufacture, but the reputation and hype ensures a high price for what you get. I enjoy working on them, mostly because for maintenance they are well thought out, Accessible and logical. I'd have to say that the… Read more

suspension is archaic, the engine is poorly laid out- lots of afterthoughts. Drives nice enough- but very basic and not as well 'tuned' as say a discovery 1.

Had a 200 series 6 speed auto fitted – Since haven the auto fitted this vehicle it has turn into a dream to drive on road around town-highway uses and really going bush. Has dropped the fuel consumption considerably with the rpm down by 900 and not knowing why autos are not an option. We use the vehicle for touring-camping (not towing) around the out back coving 30kms a year and… Read more

serviced by Toyota every 10kms. At this point there has not been any small and major problems it as I like to carry out preventive maintenance.

Better 4wd cars out there – This car is terrible. I drive one for work daily. It’s manual which is awful. Handles like a tank. It’s 2022 not 1982. The wing mirrors stick out too far. Ride comfort is next to 0. The air con is controlled with a slider. I haven’t used a slider to control the air con in a car since 2009. Marty McFly could happily use this car to travel back to… Read more

1955 and he would blend right in. It’s that old fashioned. The interior is dull and out of date. Don’t get ripped off buying a 70 series just because of its prestige.

Dont buy a 79 series land cruiser unless you read this first! – Have a 2010 79 series. The vehicle isnt bad at all and I always dreamed of owning one. But when I compare to my mates 4x4 he has had no issues over a period of 7 years, I on the other hand had had plenty. As 4wders we go trekking often. I have had several hubs one diff and my gearbox fixed. Also injector problem somehow blew my engine at about… Read more

110000k's. Now sometimes luck plays a part but I can only say the price of repairs on this vehicle well"unbelievable compared to others, also the intial price of the vehicle. Each injector was near $1000 each for ect. Now in that time with the same size tyres +lift' my mates vehicle could get further and did not break a thing, only one flat tyre and bent rim, he has owned his similar a amount of time. So buy one if you like them as I did, but you better have deep pockets if/when something goes wrong.

Toughest 4x4 on earth, goes anywhere, insanely reliable – I bought this with 200,000km on it, I have had it for 9 years and it now has 412,000km on the original engine! This is by far the best 4x4 I have ever owned and the price of these vehicles is totally worth it, no other 4x4 comes close to the durability of the VDJ79. My mechanic showed me a comparison of suspension components from Hilux compared… Read more

to my 70 series, the difference in strength is chalk and cheese. I have done basic services most of the time, this ute just goes and goes. The best thing about the VDJ 70 series is that they hold their value like no other vehicle... you can do 100,000-200,000 km and it might devalue $10k or less. Unreal.

Having driven a huge bunch of cars I've chosen the best one – I used to have only good cars in my disposal. It was Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. I cannot say that G class Mercedes-Benz worse than Toyota VDJ76, but.... when it comes to money , I wanna say: 'yes, Toyota is a winner'. Landcruiser VDJ 76 is the same reliable, well-done and awesome 4x4 car but in 3 times cheapper. Regarding other brands... I… Read more

prefer not to say, don't want to offend other car owners. I know that for someone LC is not not cheap as well, but when we talk about a good car we must be honest and clear.

Reliable workhorse – My model is ute with a service body, i use it for my electrical business and my tow horse. The vehicle as standard doesnt have as much power for towing as my v6 jeep, however all other aspects of towing are better. The 4 wheel disc brakes rear leaf springs and being manual suit my towing requirements. I had to upgrade the suspension as over time the rear springs sagged. I would purchase a similar model if something happened to this one.  Show details

There a good ute, but just remember they are a truck – Where do i start? Cons- To me the two main cons is the wind noise on the freeway and only one cup holder. I found even filling the gap between the snorkel and cabin with some pipe lagging cut this down dramatic. I do find it frustrating that toyota dont address simple things like this but then again they are supposed to be a proper work truck… Read more

therefor no apology from Toyota. I havent really noticed the rear track as much as others but once again i agree with most this should have been updated.

Now for the good stuff.

The whole car is so under stressed! With a few simple mods including a tune these things have some serious v8 grunt compared to any other dual cab ute i have driven. As for handling there more then fine straight off the shelf.

Fuel consumption averages 11-12 per 100km with gvm around 2.8 ton

Strangely enough when i pull all my tools out and load up caravan approx 1.8ton this figure doesnt seem to change much. Maybea 13-14 per 100.

There is one last thing to be aware of before purchasing and that is price. I reckon once you build one to basics you need to allow 80k but expect 65k return in 4-5 years with around 100k km.

Bad Clutch – Out of 10 Comfort-4 Turning Circle-3 Fuel Economy-2 Clutch-1 Reliability-8 Needs 6 speed gearbox Was told by Toyota after market exhaust causes clutch to slip but just a way out of warranty I think. Have owned 4 cab chassis’s since 1988 and apart from the reliability they have not changed much in that time.  Show details

Will never buy a toyota again – Had to have the rear brakes replaced and the rotors ground under 50,000K at my cost, the clutch is slipping under 60,000K and needs to be replaced with a heavy duty clutch and pressure plate at my cost, the brakes fail to stop the vehicle on rough gravel roads and are in my opinion dangerous, warranty void owing to after market exhaust and wheels installed. Will put another 100,000K on and trade it in on anything but a Toyota.  Show details

Great Ute – After looking at various vehicles decided on a dual cab cruiser . Very happy with our choice , Turnball Toyota in yarram were fantastic , Linda couldn’t have been more helpful , we went with the yarram dealership based on there after sale service , which we have found over the years to be outstanding .  Show details

Large car – This has a large engine so it has enough strength to carry a very large caravan. GPS is good but could be better with more specific details e.g. shop names, location names. There is plenty of legroom. Car is very reliable but running costs of petrol can be very high.  Show details

Great Ute! – I picked up my 2007, 79 series V8 turbo Diesel ute around 7 years ago with 65,000kms on it. I've just hit 260,000km's. What an incredible work car it's been. Never let me down. Built like a tank, powerful engine & great to drive. Interior is basic, but suits my needs as a builder. I do things with it that shouldn't be done & drive it hard. I can't… Read more

see myself changing to another ute anytime soon. The mods it had on it when purchased were a diesel chip, after market cruise control, tipper & rear airbags. I simply can't fault this car.

Most capable 4wd off the showroom floor – This is the most capable and reliable 4wd available in Oz. Yes it has a computer but still has the bare minimum electrics and a solid front axle, and doesn't yet come with a DPF and the nanny controls. The wheelbase, while longest of the 70 series, could still be a bit longer to avoid a pendulum effect with certain loads and spring rates. The… Read more

motor can easily handle 50-100 extra kw via remapping etc, but handling becomes a bit of an issue then, as the rest of the car was designed in the 80's. With a campertop on fuel usage is still only 12-14 L/100 km. May the pre DPF cruisers will be spoken of in hushed voices around camp fires long after the EURO 6 other unreasonable emission control laws kill off the 70 series altogether.

Great for camping – I recently used this car to go camping with a caravan The car is clearly of great quality, as it hardly made any noise nor were there performance issues when it towed my very heavy caravan. I wish that there was more legroom in the back seats. Running costs can be high due to petrol  Show details

Caught on Fire – We had a 2014 dual cab v8 landcruiser gxl ute catch on fire in the middle of night had not been driven for 2 days prior not suspicious as we have aggressive guard dogs. Any body heard of this happening. was only 2 and a bit yrs old. Do the computers burn or are they like a black box and shouldn't burn????  Show details

Replacement for our written off Prado – Great car for towing our caravan and is very economical to run as it runs on both Petrol and LPG. All it needs now is a wheel alignment and an LPG check to make sure it's running well. Plenty of room to put our gear in when we go caravanning.  Show details

76 Cruiser Not Perfect but OK – Our 2012 76 has done about 110,000km and has towed an off road van for about 25,000km. We have not had the clutch issues that others have reported despite the extensive towing kms despite a combined travel weight of about 5.7 tonne when all water tanks etc are full. The engine/exhaust are standard and we cope pretty well although we have to use… Read more

3rd for steeper hills. We're in no rush though. We use top gear when towing but only on the flat or gentle inclines. Toyota don't recommend towing on top gear as it is an overdrive. Fuel consumption driving around home is about 10.5-11 lit/100km with about 400kg of after market gear and about 60 kg of tools etc. Not a lot of CBD driving though. Towing at about 95-100 km/hr we average about 17 lit/100km.

We have not had any issue with excessive engine oil use reported by some others, although I do wonder if a contributing factor is how ell engines are run in.

We have a Lovell Spring GVM upgrade that is pretty hard, particularly initially when they provided the wrong shocks....and have still never owned up to that. Now have EFS shocks which have helped soften the ride.

Internal space doesn't offer a much leg room for the driver or rear passengers and, really, only one blinkin cup holder...get real.

The difference of 95mm in front to rear track is another frustration although as we have not done a lot of sand driving it has not been an issue. It has certainly been very stable when towing our van with an ATM of 2500kg.

Diff breathers are not much chop and should be replaced with ones that offer genuine filtration and are raised higher. Then snorkel is not really a snorkel and should only be regarded as an elevated air intake due to the lack of effective sealing at the joints.

Would like a bit more stone protection than that which comes standard so have added some in a couple of spots.

Have added a reversing camera recently and should have done so a lot earlier. Great for hitching up the van and also for safety when reversing in car parks etc particularly where children may be around.

In general, though, the 76 has performed well off road and as a stable tow vehicle and we are happy to not to have lots of bells and whistles that just become another thing to fail when off road.

essential equipment out bush or in between – very reliable car, handles all kind of road conditions just brilliantly, running costs compared or in regards of usefulness very economical, well spreaded car all over the Australian continent so able to find repair specialist anywhere, haven't had any driver complaining about hard to handle, rather the opposite, everyone seems to be convinced about how easy and comfortable the vehicle is to navigate through any traffic/road conditions  Show details

Very disappointed, poor warranty, poor quality bearings – Ive had the landcruiser from new, it now has 100k on it. Problems, terrible fuel economy. 14.8l per 100km. Poor quality suspension, sagging and squeeking. Failed bearings, wheel, steering and i even done a rear diff. Geared to low 2400rpm at 100kph. Sucked dust through genuine air filter. Poor warranty, would not cover diff because i had to… Read more

replace suspension and it had 50mm lift. I think this was a dealer issue. Gowans toyota burnie. Really annoyed.

Windscreen is so straight its a rock magnet, had 2 of them.

Vehicle is very heavy and gets stuck in soft ground very easily.

Terrible steering lock.

Scheduled servicing is rubbish, they dont replace fuel filter and light will come on in about 18000km.

Pay a premium for rubbish, the only good thing is the resale.

Ive spent probably about 5 grand on mine i shouldnt of had to.

It has cost me around an extra 3 grand in fuel to run in a year, compared to a ranger or similar vehicle.

Ive done a deal to trade mine, not sad at all. The dealer will never get another sale from me over the diff.

Also doors were loose and chattered on corrigations, had to adjust. Then wife pushed dent in door when closing.

Dont write any silly comments this is all true and vehicle has been maintained and not abused.

Land cruiser 76 series – Love this vehicle. Traded our much loved Prado (which had electrical issues and less than 50k traveled) my wife calls it the "tractor" most capable vehicle which is great for towing and 4wding is unstoppable. High praises. Upgraded version is better value than previous model that did not have the auto hubs and longer 2nd and 5th gear. Just love… Read more

it.

November 5th 2018 Update: 76 series Landcruiser with DPF

Well we have had our cruiser now from new for 2 years- the upgrades are- suspension--bp51 ome-- parabolic rear springs--front bar from uneek-- winch--3" exhaust with pedal torque and power module from torqit--and more..........I really love this vehicle named 'the beast'. With the upgraded suspension and chip its such a great truck to drive. We tow a van and are looking to make a Simson crossing July 2019, so I'll post another review then. 50,000k and still like new except for bush kisses!

76 track issues – Bought a new 2015 GXL wagon last year to replace my 2014 LS Challenger. Only reason I changed vehicles is I wanted bigger tow capacity and to put a tinny on the roof, everyone said by a cruiser. So I did big mistake in general it's ok but the track issues are concerning I have nearly lost my caravan using this vehicle where as the old challenger… Read more

no issues at all. Hence after this my wife swore she would never get in the car if we are towing the van. I have found out that these vehicles are notorious for this as there is about 100mm difference between front and rear track. I've had people tell me that when they are behind me it looks like I'm crabbing down the road, I just tell them that it's the "ooh what a feeling" build quality. I have tried to get Toyota to fix it but I've got a better chance of winning powerball. Would I recommend this vehicle to anyone no way it's first and only new Toyota I'll ever buy. To further add insult to injury the clutch in this model is really only meant for the previous 6 cylinder motor hence why they slip when towing. Toyota know it's an issue but won't do anything about it till it claps out.

Clutch slip at 100,1000km – My clutch showed signs before 100,000km of slip, $73,000 vehicle,,my 5th L/cruiser and first to have a clutch problem.... Last service the head Mechanic at Toyota didn't know how to collaps the back seat in my troopy and still dosnt! I hope they make the right decision for their own good and learning..... And not mine. Stay tuned....  Show details

After having Gvm upgrade refused insurance – Very happy with vehicle preforms well and have had no trouble, only managed to get it bogged twice despite many off road miles. Had ARB 3700 GVM suspension upgrade fitted from new [2011], when reviewing my comprehensive insurance was refused by some major companies because of this modification, had to stay with company I was with despite much higher premium. ARB still sell this upgrade.  Show details

The best – 70 series dual cab GXL it's pretty much the perfect car for touring, camping, if you have kids (and maybe grandkids down the track). Having upgraded tyres, suspension and all that I think the only thing he might consider looking at in the future is diff ratios......we had to change the diff ratios in the Jeep Wrangler to make it more derivable… Read more ·  1

because it was actually pathetic going up hills!

Fuel economy is ok, about the same as the troopy v8 we had.

I have driven a lot of different toyota cars, and we have owned different Landcuisers (utes, 80 series, hilux, troopys) even a Jeep Wrangler! I can certainly understand why people might go for the comfort of a 200 series or Prado etc. But then I get into a workmate ute with the vinyl etc, and it's just so easy to clean, I kind of feel like carpet in the GXL for this kind of vehicle is a bit of a downgrade, however I don't think I'd go without central locking and power windows these days.

For some reason jumping in a 70 series ute just feels like home, Hiluxes aren't that bad, the old one we had generally didn't carry a load and had an alloy tray so was drify on the rear end on pea gravel roads (when cornering). With the new ones I don't like the 6 speed manual gearbox much but I guess it just takes getting used to.

In saying all that for city driving a well set up 70 series DC can be kind of hefty and sluggish. But you just have to work out what your main priorities are I guess. Or have more than one car.....n+1 with n being the number of cars you have and n+1 being the number of cars you need.

Legendary troopy – It might not have all the latest tech but you don't get the legendary status over night. Show details