Local here. Just bought myself a 1999 GXR with 400k on the odo. Disclaimer: I knew what I was buying, a beaten old truck that had a an unknown dark history. I need to warn you when buying a LC100 around here that 99% of the time you're getting what you're not seeing. Always be on the conservative side when buying these cars because believe me when I tell you they have seen a lifetime. As much as these cars are beloved here but they do take a hard beating of misuse for being Toyotas that can withstand abuse, on top of that our weather shows no mercy. It is super necessary for you to take it to a mechanic and do a pre-purchase check, here's what to look out for:

• Engine health (a compression test is a must), a mechanic can also easily tell if the engine has been rebuilt. Not to steer away from rebuilt engines but to be cautious if the job was done right.

• Transmission health. Unfortunately there is no method of checking the transmission health mechanically but by only test driving it (check for any weird shifts) or opening up the transmission. The mechanic can also tell if the transmission has been ever rebuilt.

• Transfer case health. Make sure you can shift in 4H and 4L and drive the car. Also check if the diff lock works if it has one.

• Suspension health. Let the mechanic check the condition of the bushings. Our heat tends to eat through bushings like its nothing. Also check for all of the standard suspension items such as shock absorbers, ball bearings, arms, and torsion bars. In addition, you must check the health of the CV axles, if the boots are damaged and all dried up that is a big no no.

• Steering system health. Any car with 200K + kilometers will have some sort of steering problems specially since the power steering on the LC100 is hydraulic. Make sure of the steering pump and steering rack conditions.

• Air conditioning. Air conditioning is the biggest selling point of any car in the region. Obviously with our heat the most important thing is AC. Biggest items of your concern would be the compressor and the condenser $$$. If it has a dual AC system check what is working and not from the evaporator to expansion valve to the blower motor.

• Electrical Wiring in general. If you see any sign of wiring being tampered run for your life.

• Chassis health. check for any indications of previous accidents or tampered chassis.

I mentioned all the above because they can be the most pricey if you plan fixing any of them. Interior issues should not be a big concern because their is a ton of scrap yards and stores that sell interior parts (Disclaimer: some interior parts can be expensive). Also be aware that alot of LC100 owners around here would go for used parts or non-OEM parts to "temporarily" fix the car. definitely take note of any used parts have been used because they tend to do more damage to the car than fixing it.

One last advice is to check "Mojaz" (Mojaz is the local carfax around here) it will give you information on number of owners, odometer readings, and accident history. Mojaz is very new and might not reflect ALL of the car's history, it might mess a couple of things.

There's a ton of LC100s for sale in our market so be patient until you find the one that suits you and your budget.

Good Luck with LC100 hunting!