What will last longer? A 1989 Toyota Truck or a 1989 Lexus LS400
 

I have been wondering about this and a bunch of us at work were wondering about this question. What would last longer, a 1989 Toyota Truck or a 1989 Lexus LS400

http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/C...2p.hmedium.jpg


http://aytolexus.ru/wp-content/uploa...0_file_389.jpg


seems like we were all split 50/50

I would say it depends on how well the car/truck was taken care of and how it was driven by the owner(s).

Ok, lets say both were maintained equally well at the same Lexus/Toyota split dealer.....

Lets also say that the Toyota was driven moderately rough (off-road etc) while the Lexus was driven fast (lots of high speed highways and lot of passing)..

I would say LS400. Easy.

i'd have to say a 50/50 split. maybe a SLIGHT favor to the truck ONLY IF it is the diesel version. :p

According to top gear the Toyota would! haha :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xPlxOWnoMI

The truck. Not even close.

If you were shopping for a vehicle and these were the two you were considering, the LS400 would be the likely winner. A 20+ year old gold LS400 would likely have been driven conservatively to church by an older person. A 20+ year old lifted Toyota pickup would likely have been driven hard off-road by a mullet haired mouth breather.

that truck that is posted is stock.....



I think it could go either way. those older toyota trucks were built just as tough as a Lexus. They were designed for the deserts and jungles of 3rd world countries; to be used for work day in and day out.

i agree. more rugged. less shat to break.

If its a Hilux it will survive the test of time lol

Trucks.

Just the frame and tires will save it from the brutal effects of everyday driving.

Keeps going and going, like energizer bunny :D

Attachment 504098

We keep a '89 white LS in the showroom of our dealership, with 463,000 miles that had a flawless history. Original everything.

What's the Cookie Monster doing?!? :uh:

^^^ taking them to Sesame Street:D:woohoo:

where was that toyota commercial where the GF dropped the BF's truck off the cliff and it still ran???:p:thumbup:

Need to define the term "last longer." Are we just talking about starting and driving? Or are we talking about every feature/function still 100% operational? Can't have the LS lose the comparison if a power window motor dies or the ABS pump goes out whereas the Toyota might not have either of these.

I seriously think the LS was OVER engineered. When this car was designed and built, it's like they spared no expense getting it right. That really can't be said about ANY car today IMHO. It's all about cutting corners and reducing cost now. Some cars that are in the six figure range are the exception, but for people like me they might as well not exist.

As long as it isn't abused I think the LS would last longer than the Toyota truck.

One other note - whenever I see a Toyota truck of that era on the road - it's pretty rusted out. It might run, but it doesn't look pretty. When I see an LS of that era, it usually looks pretty darn good from the outside.

Well if you define 'last' as 'remain drivable without dropping a boat load of cash to keep it that way' then there's no question the truck will leave you far better off. It's possible the truck's engine might not be as bullet-proof as the LS' but the fact is if it gives up on you, you can probably spend as much money as it would take to fix the LS's gauge cluster to get a whole new engine.

I guess frame rot would spell the end for the truck but I don't think that was an issue with those trucks, was it?

the truck with the LS's 1uz engine will be unstoppable lol.

that LS cluster fix is <$5 bucks in parts lol....

Agreed, under same conditions/maintenance for both.

I guess if you know how to fix it (read these forums) but if you take it to a dealer they'll probably want to just replace the entire thing.

It was just an example... really there are just a ton of parts in Lexus vehicles that cost way more than people would expect. I remember wanting to replace the wood trim around the shifter on my 99 GS400 and finding out it was something like $450 for just a flimsy 6 oz trim piece.

yep Truck....less electronic crap to break

true!

but if you're going for a dependable vehicle, I bet the truck has half as many parts to fail

Contrary to what many believe, the LS400 is not very reliable. Its got a number of design flaws and a ton of common issues that are very costly to repair. The truck on the other hand is rugged and basic, easy to repair, and parts are cheaper.

bwahahahaha ROFL :D :D

I agree, less electronic stuff, less things will fall apart.

Hands down, the truck. My mom's 1991 SR5 V6 4x2 extracab is problem free.

the ls400 was subject to a cruise control and brake light recall the very first year they were introduced.

22R is a legendary motor for Toyota. :thumbup: The 1UZ-FE in the LS is legendary as well. Both are bulletproof motors that last a long time.

I always get a kick out of watching this:

Killing A Toyota Truck
part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9iu2Gou8kM
part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uc4Ksz3nHM&feature=fvw
part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZDt...eature=related

Thread needs a poll

But I vote the LS

If the truck in question is 1989 4x4, 4 cylinder 22R-E with 5 speed tranny, I'll take the truck all day long. I see them on Autotrader for around $4-$6k with high miles. You can drive it for years and sale it for a little less than you're paid.

Wow, that is impressive.

dad's old celica had the same engine and 5 speed

i think it would be a maintenance issue. even if they were drivin hard, but were maintained, either would last.

Given equal care, in most cases, I'd bet on the LS.

Why? Basically, one big reason. 1980's-vintage Toyota trucks, to get around the 25% import-truck tariff in effect at that time, were shipped over on the boat from Japan with only the cab/frame/drivetain assemblies complete. The beds and tailgates were then welded on at the West Coast Toyota delivery warehouse. They used crappy, defective welds, which tended to rust, from the inside out, no matter how well you washed, cleaned, or took care of the truck. That is why virtually every 80's vintage Toyota truck shows the same rust-lines in the exact same places.....right around the bottom of the bed, where it attaches to the ladder-frame. Eventually the rust not only eats up the bed-attachment, but then attacks the frame itself. Then, the truck gradually becomes structually unsound and more and more unsafe to drive. The problem was not really solved until about 1990, with the lifting of the tariffs, and a new generation of Toyota trucks.

^ yup, that's why I voted LS

(I remembered last time mmarshall told someone that :p)

Frames can be fixed and in a worst case scenario, replaced entirely. Something you can't do on an LS.

Old LS's look much better than the old trucks because trucks are usually abused by people using it as a work truck or beater. LS's generally don't suffer this fate.

Also, a *HUGE* factor no one has mentioned yet in this thread: the aftermarket and junkyard parts availability.

The parts availability for trucks completely annihilates the offerings for an LS. From crate engines, to custom rear ends, suspension, body panels... These types of things are a catalog away from being on your truck. Not so much with the LS. You break one wrong "dealer only" part on the LS, and you might have just written it off.

So if by "last longer" you mean "keep running 100% with reasonable cost", then the truck takes it, no question. They are designed for abuse and easy repair.

Interesting thread. :thumbup:

IMO, If you are going to try and repair or replace corroded frame rails on a 20 or 30-year-old Toyota truck, that doesn't make as much sense as replacing the truck itself. You are, in many cases, talking more parts/labor than the truck itself is worth.

The typical LS is also built, in the factory, to noticeably higher standards than a Toyota truck. There are a number of good pickups (the F-150, arguably, the best), but the LS is truly a world standard in may ways.

Don't mistake what I'm saying here, though. I'm not saying that newer Toyota trucks are built to a poor standard......they most certainly are not, though the latest, post-2006 Tundra, admittedly, has not been impressive. But, unlike the LS, they are not considered a world-class standard.

I'll agree Toyota trucks have far more aftermarket parts, but that's not necessarily the truck itself....that's the custom parts catalog. The way I understand the longevity question in the thread, it concerns the vehicles themselves....not a bunch of customized parts.

Truck... I would love to say the Lex but I have to go with old faithful on this one.

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0015_large.jpg

This is what typically happens to 80s-vintage Toyota pickups. The rust starts out as a small brown line around the entire base of the bed, just about even with the top of the rear-wheel wells, then gets progressively worse and expands, until, eventually, this is what you end up with.

Of course, the wetter the climate, the more it snows, and the more road salt is used (or exposure to beach salt air), the faster the rust is going to expand. But the initial rust, from the crappy welds, actually starts from the inside out, regardless of climate or road conditons.

http://www.monster-performance.com/sale/engine.jpg

If my eyes are not deceiving me...that is a LS400 motor in the engine bay of this Toyota Truck