Highlights
- Four owners from new
- Numerous receipts
- Eight-seater
The Appeal
Toyota’s renowned off-roader was first produced way back in 1951, (although the Land Cruiser name wasn’t used until 1954), and the model continues to this day. It’s been produced in convertible, hard-top, station wagon and cab-chassis versions, and the Land Cruiser name was a deliberate attempt to benefit from the popularity of its UK-made near-namesake, the Land Rover.
The Land Cruiser's reliability and longevity have led to a huge following, especially in the Middle East, Russia, Australia and in Africa where it is used by farmers, NGOs, UN and humanitarian organizations, by national armies (often the pickup version) and by irregular armed groups.
Launched in 1996, the Colorado model was aimed squarely at the Land Rover Discovery market, and sought to better its rival for off-road capability, reliability and refinement; it succeeded on all three counts. Somehow the car never had the kudos its ability deserved, making it something of a hidden gem for serious off-road buyers.
W 739 RRU was first registered in 2000 and has just four owners from new. Unfortunately, the car is not currently running and the vendor has decided to sell ‘as is’.
The History and Paperwork
- MoT valid until October 2022
- Current V5 document
- File of invoices for work carried out
- Original service record
The car comes with a file of paperwork including the original service book, a number of invoices for work carried out, and some previous MoTs. The V5 indicates that the car has had only four owners from new, and the mileage (around 86,000) is low for a 22-year-old car. The service record indicates that the car was main-dealer serviced for the first fifteen years of its life and, combined with the recent MoT history, suggests that the mileage is genuine.
The vendor has owned the car for the last two years but has decided to sell it in non-running condition. Consequently, the new owner will need to collect the car with a trailer or similar.
The Interior
- Comfortable and spacious interior
- Seats eight
- Original condition
- Leather seats
- Sunroof
- Original stereo with detachable front
- Compass, clinometer and pitch/roll gauge on dashboard
- Heated front seats
For a car of its age, the interior of this one is generally very good. Only the driver’s seat shows any sign of wear, while all the others are clean and show very few marks. The carpets are a bit grubby and would benefit from a thorough clean, as would the roof lining. However the footwells have been protected by overmats, and the carpets beneath these have no signs of wear.
While the plastic trim throughout has the scuffs and scratches one would expect of a twenty-plus year-old-car, the walnut panels on the dash and centre-console are in very good condition. The door panels are all generally good, although that on the driver’s door has some scratches.
As we weren’t able to start the car, we can’t verify that any of the electrical features (windows, mirrors, air-conditioning, heated seats, or the stereo) work, but the stereo’s detachable front is in the glove box, in its case.
The Exterior
- Five doors
- Rear-mounted spare wheel
- Original black paint
- No towbar
Being a VX model, the car has extended wheel arches, bigger bumpers and side cladding when compared to the lower-spec FX model. All the plastic exterior trim has its fair share of scuffs and marks, but the paintwork is generally good.
All four wheels are a bit tired, but the chunky off-road tyres still have loads of tread, as does the rear-door mounted spare.
The car has no towbar fitted, suggesting that it’s never been used to tow a caravan or trailer.
The Mechanics
- 3378cc petrol engine
- Permanent 4WD
- Auto transmission
- Timing belt changed at 69,000 miles
As the car is not currently running, we were not able to carry out any sort of road test. The vendor reports that the issue is that there’s a split in the gearbox cooler that sits below the radiator, which has led to water ingress into the gearbox. He’s not sure whether this might require a simple flush out or more extensive work.
However, the Land Cruiser has a strong reputation for ruggedness, reliability and off-road ability, and once the gearbox issues have been resolved this one promises to be a lot of car for the money. The file of invoices suggest that the car has been well-looked after and that any previous issues have been promptly addressed.
Again, because we couldn’t start the car, we couldn’t photograph the dashboard’s digital odometer, so the mileage is listed as approximate, judged by recent MoT certificates.
Summary
The RAC’s used car buying guide describes the Colorado as: “…the best real-world 4x4 bar none” and says it “…has the beating of Land Rover. Jeep Cherokee, Mitsubishi Shogun, Nissan Patrol, Mercedes M-class; bring them all on...the Land Cruiser will see them all off”. That’s high praise indeed.
For someone prepared to deal with the car’s current issues, this could be a comfortable and extremely capable off-road bargain buy.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
