thinking about buying a FJ80 Land Cruiser.

[joosttx]

I need to buy another family vehicle in 2 years and I think the mid-life crisis bug has bitten me. I am really jones-ing for a mid 90's (FJ80) Toyota Land Cruiser with a new Vortec engine in it. This would be a daily driver. Please talk me out of this.

[wsteve464]

HOME | TLCA ;)

[maunahaole]

What’s your objection to the Toyota engine?

[Moke]

One of the best looking Toyotas ever made.

[joosttx]

What’s your objection to the Toyota engine?

1) they are old
2) hard(er) to get parts for
3) hard(er) to find mechanics who know what they are doing with them
4) less powerful
5) consume more gas
6) release more emissions.

There really is nothing wrong with the v6 in the toyota other than it is old. They will go for 400k and more. Modern engines have their plus sides.

[maunahaole]

The later models have a v8.

[joosttx]

The later models have a v8.

They do but kinda in love with the FJ80.

And maybe a fj62 or fj60

[sk_tle]

This + an X-cover iKamper roof tent with integrated bike rack would be nice.

[vertical_doug]

as a toy, yes, or go even older like a fj40. but a daily driver, never.

go more modern with the new jeeps wrangler out, i am sure you can get a previous model off lease for a reasonable price.
as soon as your kid is 16, he gets to drive the jeep.

[Jason Musgrave]

Can't talk you out of it brother, they are amazing vehicles and you won't regret owning one.

I owned/daily drove a 62-series for 12 years, and grew up in an 80-series which I later owned. I saw an article (Jalopnik?? Will try and find it) that posits the 80-series is the best engineered Toyota of all time, I completely agree with that sentiment. My folks had a 1993 80-series, it's what I learned to drive in and floated around my family until my wife and I ended up with it. I sold it last Oct with 390k miles on it (had recently don't a 8000 mile cross country trip in it), still running strong.

There really is nothing wrong with the v6 in the toyota other than it is old. They will go for 400k and more. Modern engines have their plus sides.

Small correction here, the Toyota engine is a straight-6 not a V. It's an absolute tank of an engine (the same blocks are sometimes used in conjunction with a BC stroker kit to good effect in drag-racing. And the transmission in them was originally intended for a 30,000lb bus - they last forever!

With my 62 I was really tempted to convert over to a small-block Chevy, like you said it nets you better fuel economy and better power. Maybe ping JustinF, he's done the conversion and can give you real-world feedback. On the 80...mine was too nice, didn't even consider it. I suppose if you found one with a questionable heart then maybe but that truck is really refined from the factory.

[TTX1]

“Please talk me out of this”

I’ve talked myself out of this several times.

Context:

Very good friend had one of these. He always had his nose in some catalog of Old Man Emu parts, and the truck was always at some shop getting parts installed... snorkle kit, lift kit, winch, lights, etc. probably had an extra 1,500 lbs of “just in case” on it.

At the time, I had an ‘89 Pathfinder (which I affectionately called the Partyfinder), this was the original 2-door deal with an actual frame, a manual transfer case with a true 4wd low range and locking hubs, and the Nissan V6.

Granted, we lived in Vermont, not Moab, but he never went anywhere I couldn’t go. I put 210k miles on that thing over 10 years, 190k on the original clutch. I eventually sold it when the body became deeply perforated.

My friend graduated to a LR Defender, which still didn’t go anywhere I couldn’t go in my factory Partyfinder.

I was a ski rep for few years in the early 90s and my company car was a Hummer. I spent time at the AM General test track in South Bend Indiana, and completed their product manager training. Learned all about approach angles, fording technique, how *not* to use a winch, controlled descents on steep/loose terrain, you get the idea. Even got to put a Hummer into a four wheel drift on a high bank oval track. Good times. Which brings me to the FJ... you probably can’t do that last part - deliberately, consistently - in an FJ.

A few years later, my SIL married a guy who drove an FJ. We’d meet up for long weekends in the Berkshires. At this point, I was in to my Audi wagon phase. I never had a problem getting to camp. A couple of times we all piled into the FJ to traverse some unmaintained road to a hidden spot grandma told us about, but these moments were few and far between. The main benefit of the FJ was passenger capacity.

My BIL always needed to find a gas station, coming or going. He also graduated to a Defender, and then eventually to a custom Jeep, which he drives today.

I’m still into Audi wagons, and I don’t think this would change if I lived in NorCal. Hard to imagine a better family hauler, Tahoe shuttle, highway cruiser.

If I’m easy on the right pedal, I get 30mpg or better. AWD is great, and much like bikes the right tires make a huge difference - these cars are A+ in the snow and A++ with dedicated snows. Maintenance is economical if you know what you’re doing. There are millions of cars on the same platform out there - parts are not an issue.

We’re a 2 car family. My wife gets a new car every few years. She presently has a new MDX. It’s our third Honda product, and we’ve never had to do anything other tires, wipers, oil changes, fluids. It goes just fine on fire roads.

This arrangement gives me the flexibility to drive almost whatever I want. My car is theoretically a backup family hauler, but in practice it’s a bike/ski/small appliance/recycling hauler. I have the roof rack, but I rarely use it - my gear rides inside. Stealth. I imagine that would be a plus in NorCal too, but by all means fly your flag with a roofbox and all your gear if you like...

At this point I’m on my 5th Audi wagon. This one is a 2011 I just picked up in Jan. I did a passive search for about a year until this one popped up at a Chevy dealer in DC, originally from AZ. I gave a deposit over the phone, flew down, drove it back to Boston. It was $12k out the door. VIN search indicates 1 of 11 in this configuration, i.e., less common than an FJ. And it turns out that it’s APR stage 2 (bonus!). It hauls ass.

Assuming that you are also a 2-car family, and that you want something fun but also somewhat practical, and something that works for hobbies and recreational pursuits, it’s hard to argue for an FJ (or a camper van, or a Hummer, etc etc) unless you’re truly going to use it all the time.

If we spent more time in the wild, I might feel differently about the FJ, but there is no version of (vintage) FJ ownership that doesn’t seem like another (expensive) hobby at this point. DD? That doesn’t make sense unless you’re the guy who runs the FJ shop.

We might rent an AWD camper at some point, but we’re about to head out for a week in the Bershires and Southern Vermont in the MDX, no complaints.

Of course YMMV. And my wife would definitely go for a new FJ over the MDX... but that’s another story.

Happy shopping.

[dogrange]

My high school girlfriend had whatever version of this existed in 1986. It is a POS. Super bumpy and not fun to drive. Geared for crawling along crappy roads. I am sure it is great if you are looking for something to cruise the backroads of the Sahel to chase and kill the last lions left in Africa, but outside of that I would stay far away.

[Ras72]

I'm with the rest of the group. Won't talk you out of it. Will only talk you into it.

I own a 95 TLC. Owned it for 15 years now. It was my DD for 13 years. Current and temporary job location being the only reason I'm not driving it now.

I originally bought it to pass down to my (then) unborn son. He's now 14 and angling for the rights. He doesn't know it yet but an older Honda civic or accord may in his future.

I simply can't say enough good things about the vehicle. The build quality is superb. Even down to the little cruise button at the end of the blinker lever...

These people are your friends. IH8MUD Forum Get to know them. Listen to them. Trust them. Even agree with them when they trash talk Jeepers and Land Rovers.

[chasea]

Its been 16 hours and you don't own one yet? Where are we on this?

[maunahaole]

Its been 16 hours and you don't own one yet? Where are we on this?

He occasionally hangs with Lionel and we are only on page 1. Please be patient.

[Nate@Scarab]

You and me, same boat. But I'm after one with the OG lump. And I think my budget is smaller, but if you find anyone who will take a Ducati 1098S in trade, please light me up.

[Matthew Strongin]

I primarily drove trucks, 4x4s, off-roaders, etc as my daily driver since I got my first license and I'm in the "don't do it" camp. They're fun, but they also kind of suck at being cars for regular driving. My two or three most favorite vehicles over the years were all sporty sedans or wagons that had all the real world utility of the 4x4s without the crappy handling.

[joosttx]

I'm with the rest of the group. Won't talk you out of it. Will only talk you into it.

I own a 95 TLC. Owned it for 15 years now. It was my DD for 13 years. Current and temporary job location being the only reason I'm not driving it now.

I originally bought it to pass down to my (then) unborn son. He's now 14 and angling for the rights. He doesn't know it yet but an older Honda civic or accord may in his future.

I simply can't say enough good things about the vehicle. The build quality is superb. Even down to the little cruise button at the end of the blinker lever...

These people are your friends. IH8MUD Forum Get to know them. Listen to them. Trust them. Even agree with them when they trash talk Jeepers and Land Rovers.

I have been lurking for several months on IH8MUD. Thanks for the tip.

[joosttx]

You and me, same boat. But I'm after one with the OG lump. And I think my budget is smaller, but if you find anyone who will take a Ducati 1098S in trade, please light me up.

For Sale 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ6 - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive sale

this one is down the street (so to speak) and over priced but I very good candidate for a new motor.

[davids]

I notice wagons.

And sometime in the last week or so I walked past a lovely A4 Avant, the older model but rolling with the new wheels.

Cambridge, maybe? Or downtown?

At this point I’m on my 5th Audi wagon. This one is a 2011 I just picked up in Jan. I did a passive search for about a year until this one popped up at a Chevy dealer in DC, originally from AZ. I gave a deposit over the phone, flew down, drove it back to Boston. It was $12k out the door. VIN search indicates 1 of 11 in this configuration, i.e., less common than an FJ. And it turns out that it’s APR stage 2 (bonus!). It hauls ass.