Just testing the water.

[lovemylc]

Hey Guys,

Long story short, I started a an upscale spec home ($989,000) just before the market tanked. Two years of interest payments have wiped the and me out. It is time to start selling stuff...

The purpose of this post is to see if there is anyone out there who might like my Cruiser. I am just testing the waters before I do autotrader.com or stick it on the side of the road.

1997 Landcruiser, white with tan leather interior.
Maintenance up to date with records
Birfs started clicking on hard turns about 6 mos ago
I bought it Jan 2006 with 110,000 miles on it, now has 140,000. Paid $14,000 which is average retail for this area in a car in this shape - it was a mall cruiser. I am asking $12,500.
Never did carfax, but I know it has been in a front end accident. Was repaired, but hood sits about 1/8 too high.
5 Firestone Destinations MT's with maybe 10,000 miles on them
LEDs in all the interior, including 4 bulbs in peepholes that cast a little light on gearshift, coinbox / drinkholder area.

I haven't taken pics yet, and the few times I tried posting on Mud, the next post was always the little middle eastern kid asking what he was supposed to do with a little box with a red X in it. Email me at emorganatfca.org and i will get some pics taken and sent to you...or figure out how to post pics

Disclaimer: I know prices vary around the country, but I bought two in comparable conditions witin 4 mos of each other within $500 of the same price. The ones that are in good shape in this area get a little more...

FYI - The price of the house is going to get dropped to $769,000 next week if you want a beautiful home in Park West, Mt Pleasant SC built by a custom home builder

(Mods - if this should go in the buy-sell section, I understand, but since I was gauging interest and its nor for sale yet, wasn't sure...)

[sundaypunch]

Isn't that why there are "classifieds" (to ask if someone wants to buy your vehicle)?

[CID 96]

I do feel sorry for the situation that you are in, but I guess you are wanting honest feedback, so...

I saw a '96 that was pretty clean, no collision damage, but with 200K for only $4000. I bought my truck 1994 FZJ-80 a year ago with 140K for $6350.

Good luck with your sale, lets hope the house sales first and you can keep the LC.

[RavenTai]

Just as it is the wrong time to sell an expensive house it is the wrong time to sell a SUV that gets poor millage, I am afraid you are going to have a hard time getting 12.5 for you 140K 80.

[Elijah]

Originally Posted by RavenTai

Just as it is the wrong time to sell an expensive house it is the wrong time to sell a SUV that gets poor millage, I am afraid you are going to have a hard time getting 12.5 for you 140K 80.

I agree.

[calfj60]

just interested what a custom home in that price range in your area looks like...any pics or links??? Seeing that all we can get here in So Cal where I live is a small older house..

[RavenTai]

$1M buys you a very nice house just about anywhere in the south. some places it buys a mansion.

saw one recently around here, 6K square feet on 60 acres went for around that

[calfj60]

WOW!!!!!!

[informationjunky]

250K is a 2500 sq ft house in a swim tennis burbs with a land cruiser in the drive way (for tech contenet).

IMHO check craigslist for comp values of your land cruiser in the south east.

[BenMara]

Wat a shame

[azrider]

the most irritating part of buying my cruiser a few months ago was the fact I had to email back and forth to sellers a ton of questions. Its like the sellers think it costs him per word to post. And what is the #1 question to a one-line-description-seller?........(ding,ding,ding!, we got a winner Johnny!) Does it have factory lockers with the dial on the dash?

From someone that just researched and bought one, stuff like the birfs clicking and mis-aligned sheetmetal would send yours down to bottom of the list unless the price reflected the cost of the repairs. I wouldnt try selling it like that unless you really really need the cash, there are just too many out there for buyers to pick from.

[gaylonw]

I purchased it from a MB dealer in Colorado where it was a trade in.
It had the following attributes going for it:
123K
3 Owner car(all non smokers)
No Mods
CDL
New windshield
Rebuilt Front Axle
Michelin LTX radials
Toyota maintained, with history supplied
State inspected
No leaks or mechanical issues in the drive line
No Damaged or replaced sheet metal( all sheet metal still had vins attached)
No rust through and no rust under neath
Good Dk Green metalic Paint
Exceptionally clean interior/ seats and carpets look new (no wear anywhere except for driver seat)
Drawbacks:
Tacky gold plating trim(badly faded)
F&R bumper ends where scraped
Front bumper, Grille and headlite surrounds badly pitted from stone or gravel used for snow removal out there
Rubber on steps was loose and mud flaps were scraped up
Driver seat had usual wear on seat back and seat pad
Wood dash delaminated
Price paid $9800+$1000 transport charges =$10800
I have since replaced the Frt Bumper, rear bumper ends.
I also rebuilt the steps with new OEM treads and new rear flaps.
I replaced all trim with OEM chrome and the headlite surrounds and grille with new.
I replaced all wood dash pieces with new and had the front driver seat leather and padding replaced with OEM.
Did complete 30K PM for which it was due for from service records.
All in, I have $15000 in it and it is like new, a great ride.

Hope this info helps you in your analysis of Market value; of course the recent fuel price spike that has occured since January needs to be considered as well.
I lived in Greenville SC in the late 80's and had a high end home($700K) and I know from experience they take a while to sell even in good times, because there are not as many folks able to 'play' in that price range in that Market as there are in some other Metro areas of this great country of ours.
Good Luck on the sale of your home and the LC!.................gm

[lovemylc]

I appreciate the honest feedback. I forgot about Craigslist and searched there. The Cruisers on there in this area were 1993-1995 and were between $8000 - 9000. They were not as well meaintained as my DD. Autotraders had a ton on line within the area (SE) and ranged in price from $6500-16000. Averare price was $10,000 for a 1997.

The benefit, though, and hope it pans out, is that the 80 has become a big hit with the high schoolers. I guess the Too Fast Too Furious craze is over. Now it is preppy kids in the burbs who have their trucks blinged out like Romer's and hardly do anything with them except to go muddin in the greenways in the neighborhoods. Yee haw!

I will get it cleaned up, drop the price, and put it on here if anyone is interested.

[sundaypunch]

Originally Posted by RavenTai

Just as it is the wrong time to sell an expensive house it is the wrong time to sell a SUV that gets poor millage, I am afraid you are going to have a hard time getting 12.5 for you 140K 80.

With the issues it sounds like maybe an $8000 truck to me.