100 Series Land Cruiser years to avoid, and the best years to buy
Every Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series model year: which ones owners and specialists recommend, which have documented problems, which carry recalls, and what they sell for now.
If you want the best road truck, 2003–07. IH8MUD's new-owner thread lists the five-speed A750F as the reason, and several owners there reckon the gearbox is a bigger step than the 2006–07 VVT-i engine's extra power, which costs a lot more. On Expedition Portal, one owner calls 2003–05 'THE years' and warns that the VVT-i trucks' air-injection system is expensive to fix. 1998–99 trucks are the only ones with the optional rear locker, but they also have the two-pinion front diff and, Slee notes, throttle-sensor faults. Condition and the timing-belt history matter more than any year.
At a glance
100 Series Land Cruiser year by year
| YEAR | VERDICT | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | — | UZJ100 launches in the US with the 4.7 L 2UZ-FE V8, the only US engine. It's the first Land Cruiser with independent front suspension and the first with a V8 |
| 1998–1999 | — | Selectable rear diff locker offered as an option, and only in these two model years. Off-roaders still hunt for them, but they come with the weaker front diff below |
| 1998–1999 | Beware | Two-pinion front differential. It's the most common source of front-diff failures when the truck is driven hard |
| 2000 | — | Four-pinion front diff fitted from late 1999 production (model year 2000) with fewer reported failures; 50th Anniversary commemorative models in several countries |
| 2003–2007 | Sweet spot | Five-speed A750F automatic replaces the four-speed, with a no-contact throttle sensor; the late (2006–07) trucks add the VVT-i 2UZ-FE. These are the years owners most often point buyers to, and some say the five-speed matters more than the extra VVT-i power |
| 2003–2006 | Recall | Model years covered by the side curtain airbag recall (16V065000) |
| 2007 | — | Last model year; production ends in August 2007 |
“Sweet spot” means owners and specialists recommend those years; “Beware” means documented problems; “Recall” means check the recall was done rather than walk away.
What a 100 Series Land Cruiser costs (October 2026)
Rough 100s are still cheap, but clean, low-mileage, well-documented trucks now sell for 80-Series money.
| Project / high miles | $6k–13k |
|---|---|
| Driver | $15k–36k |
| Excellent / low-mile | $40k–65k |
Based on 20 Bring a Trailer UZJ100 sales, August–October 2026: $6,350 for a 1999 up to $65,000 for a 37,000-mile 1999. Gray-import FZJ105s were bid to $32.5k–42.5k without selling.
Recalls by year
Best years are buyer consensus from owners, specialists and forums, not spec sheets. See all Land Cruiser years to avoid across every generation.