Toyota LandCruiser 100 and 105 Series Buyer's Guide Sydney: Buying a 20-Year-Old Legend Properly
The 1HD-FTE turbo-diesel, the 1HZ, the 4.7 V8, independent front suspension versus live axle, the rust spots that cost five figures and what a mobile inspection checks before you buy.
The 100 Series (independent front suspension) and 105 Series (live axles front and rear) were sold in Australia from 1998 to 2007 and are still the default touring wagon for a lot of Sydney families. The good ones are 500,000 km vehicles. The bad ones have been overloaded, badly modified or left to rust. The difference is rarely visible from the driveway, which is why this is the model where an undertray-off inspection earns its money.
100 or 105 — which one is which
| 100 Series | 105 Series | |
|---|---|---|
| Front suspension | Independent (torsion bars) | Live axle (coils) |
| Engines | 4.2 turbo-diesel 1HD-FTE (from 2000), 4.7 V8 petrol 2UZ-FE | 4.2 non-turbo diesel 1HZ, 4.5 petrol 1FZ-FE |
| Trim | GXL, VX, Sahara | Standard, GXL |
| Best for | Highway touring, towing, comfort | Hard off-road use, simplicity |
Engines and what goes wrong
- 1HD-FTE 4.2 turbo-diesel (100 Series, 2000–2007). Toyota's best-regarded diesel of the era. Watch for oil and fuel weeps around the injectors and lines, injector wear at high mileage, and the state of the turbo. The timing belt is due every 150,000 km — no proof, no assumption. A tuned example (aftermarket chip, bigger turbo) can be fine, but a poor tune shortens engine life; we ask and we check.
- 1HZ 4.2 non-turbo diesel (105 Series). Slow, simple, very long-lived. Injectors are typically due around 250,000 km; manifold studs and fuel-pump leaks are common. Aftermarket turbo kits are everywhere on 1HZs — the quality of the install decides whether it is an asset or a liability.
- 2UZ-FE 4.7 V8 petrol. Reliable, thirsty. Check for cooling-system neglect and dual-fuel (LPG) conversions and their certification.
- 1FZ-FE 4.5 petrol six (105). The least popular engine; oil consumption, smoky start-up from valve-stem seals and head-gasket trouble if coolant was neglected. It is the one engine with a timing chain rather than a belt.
The checks that matter on a 20-year-old LandCruiser
- Rust. Roof gutters, the top of the windscreen aperture, under roof-rack feet, tail-light seals and the rear quarter around the fuel filler. A magnet and a paint gauge find filler; a wet carpet or musty smell means water is getting in.
- Chassis and mounts. On 100s, the lower control arms crack at the torsion-bar mount; on 105s, control-arm and panhard mounts crack from hard off-road use. We look at every mount with the car on ramps.
- Overloading. Bull bar, winch, drawers, roof rack, long-range tank and a second battery can put a touring 100 over its GVM before anyone gets in. We note the accessories and flag GVM risk, because it affects insurance as well as wear.
- Front end. 100 Series CV boots and joints (especially on lifted cars without a diff-drop kit); 105 Series swivel-hub seals and breathers.
- Automatic transmission. The four and five-speed autos are strong if serviced; a 1HZ with an aftermarket turbo and a towing history is the combination that finds the weak spots.
- AHC (Sahara). Toyota's hydraulic height-control suspension is expensive when neglected — we check ride-height operation and fluid on every AHC car.
- Electrical add-ons. Amateur dual-battery and accessory wiring is the most common fire and fault risk we see on these cars.
What we check on a 100/105
Ramps up and the undertray off where it is fitted, safely accessible and permitted, so every leak is traced to its source (rear main seals and timing-cover weeps are the usual suspects on high-mileage 1HD-FTEs). Every bush and mount, the swivel hubs or CVs, the transfer case and diffs for leaks and play, the exhaust and the fuel tanks. The OBD-II port on these is limited compared with a modern car, so we lean on the physical inspection: compression-related signs on cold start, turbo shaft play, coolant condition, the timing-belt sticker and the service book. Body: paint gauge (spot check on Comprehensive, every panel on Elite), rust probe points, door and tailgate seals.
Approximate Sydney asking prices, September 2026
| Example | Typical asking |
|---|---|
| 105 GXL 1HZ, 300,000–450,000 km | $18,000–$32,000 |
| 100 GXL 1HD-FTE, 250,000–400,000 km | $28,000–$45,000 |
| 100 Sahara 1HD-FTE, low km, full history | $45,000–$65,000 |
| 100 V8 petrol | $15,000–$30,000 |
A clean, unmodified, full-history turbo-diesel commands a premium of $10,000 or more over a modified one, and that premium is usually worth paying.
Which inspection to book
Comprehensive ($329, or $296 with code SAVE10) is the minimum for any 100 or 105 — the undertray-off leak check and the full bush and mount inspection are what these cars need. For a $45,000-plus Sahara or a heavily accessorised tourer, Elite Buyers' Protection ($449) adds the every-panel paint readings, on-site negotiation and written repair cover of up to $3,000 for 30 days.
Common questions
Is 400,000 km too many for a 1HD-FTE?
Not on its own. Service history, oil leaks, turbo condition and the timing-belt record matter far more than the odometer.
Which is better, 100 or 105?
For Sydney driving and towing, the 100. For serious off-road work, the 105's live front axle is stronger and simpler.
What does a timing belt cost if it hasn't been done?
Budget four figures at an independent specialist, more if the water pump and tensioner go with it — a fair negotiation point if there is no proof.
Should I worry about a car that has been to the Cape or the Simpson?
Only if it wasn't looked after afterwards. Dust in the airbox, silt in the chassis rails and sand in the brakes tell us how it was treated.
Lock in your inspection
Book a mobile pre-purchase inspection at the seller's address. Same-day slots across Sydney from $199, with a written repair cover on Elite (30 days / up to $3,000).
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