80-series Service and Maintenance Question (2 Viewers)

[cruisersandlxs]

Will Toyota dealerships work on 80 series LC's anymore? I'm about to pull the trigger on one, I can do basic stuff like oil changes, etc, but I don't want to be stranded if on down the road I need some more intense service or maintenance work.

Thanks!

 

[COYS]

I'm sure they'd be happy to take your moola, but simple math suggests most of the techs may have been just a twinkle in their parent's eyes when even the youngest of 80s made it to US shores.

Find an LC specialist in your neck of the woods and go from there. Gl!

 

[Comet]

i do not know your situation. Stop, get the truck inspected by someone who knows these vehicles. Don’t give the seller one penny until that’s in the bag. Oil changes are the gateway drug to complete engine teardowns and rebuilds in your back yard. Better even is if you are renting with an HOA board filled with retired electrical engineers hopped up on caffeine.

Go to the clubhouse section for your area and post you need help looking at a vehicle. Don’t give any of those well intentioned actors any identifying information on the location of said 80. We will try to buy it out from under you without looking back.

Where is this 80 you speak of? Follow advice from above. I need a parts truck or three.

 

[cruisersandlxs]

@Comet It's somewhere out "West" lol. And thank you for the guidance.

 

[JoeCova]

They will as long as they can source parts.

 

[thatcabledude]

I think at this stage using a Toyota dealer is barely a better idea than a Jiffy Lube. An 80 is unlike anything they work on. They would be reading the FSM like anyone else can.

Personally, if I had to rely on a mechanic for repairs/maint work I’d look for a “mom and pop” type place that appears to work on a lot of 3/4 ton trucks. I’d talk to them to get a feel and if I decided to have them work on it I’d print the appropriate pages for the job from the FSM to give them.

Your best bet is to do the work yourself if at all possible. This is a easy vehicle to work on.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Go here
NC- Olde North State Cruisers - https://forum.ih8mud.com/forums/nc-olde-north-state-cruisers.54/

and search / ask for recommendations in WNC/ Tennessee.
I think there's an active club in Tennessee too.

 

[jpoole]

Where in TN?

 

[Broski]

I think at this stage using a Toyota dealer is barely a better idea than a Jiffy Lube. An 80 is unlike anything they work on. They would be reading the FSM like anyone else can.

Personally, if I had to rely on a mechanic for repairs/maint work I’d look for a “mom and pop” type place that appears to work on a lot of 3/4 ton trucks. I’d talk to them to get a feel and if I decided to have them work on it I’d print the appropriate pages for the job from the FSM to give them.

Your best bet is to do the work yourself if at all possible. This is a easy vehicle to work on.

^^^^^^ This

 

[Mark W]

It has been a few years since this story occurred... but I used to have the local dealership service manager bring me FJ60s to do emissions, carb and tuning work on. Rigs that the dealer's customers had brought in to him. When I asked him WTF was going on, he stated; "Most of my techs were not even born when the last Toyota carburetor came off the assembly line.

We won't even get started on the likelihood of getting a dealership to do an engine, trasmission or differential rebuild. That just is not what they do nor what they want to do with their time. That is not how the "techs" want to spend their time and not how management wants them too either. So... do you really want YOUR rig in their care (in their hair so far as they are concerned).

My point... Your dealership "techs" are NOT the place to turn for knowledge, expertise and especially experience working on any '80 series. And the dealership higher ups would just as soon you did not even show up with it for the most part.


Mark...

 

[SpenserAK]

My vote is don't buy an 80 or any older cruiser unless you can do most of the work yourself or are going to learn. Or if you have the coin and are willing to pay the right shop or person that knows what they're doing with them.

As good as they are, with the youngest being 27 years old, they're only as good as the work that's been put into them. They're only going to be turnkey (or close) if you're buying it from someone who's already gone through the process, at which point you're not getting one cheap. And you won't bring one to that level for cheap. Don't mean it in a bad way, just know what you're getting into before making a decision.

 

[JoeCova]

It has been a few years since this story occurred... but I used to have the local dealership service manager bring me FJ60s to do emissions, carb and tuning work on. Rigs that the dealer's customers had brought in to him. When I asked him WTF was going on, he stated; "Most of my techs were not even born when the last Toyota carburetor came off the assembly line.

We won't even get started on the likelihood of getting a dealership to do an engine, trasmission or differential rebuild. That just is not what they do nor what they want to do with their time. That is not how the "techs" want to spend their time and not how management wants them too either. So... do you really want YOUR rig in their care (in their hair so far as they are concerned).

My point... Your dealership "techs" are NOT the place to turn for knowledge, expertise and especially experience working on any '80 series. And the dealership higher ups would just as soon you did not even show up with it for the most part.


Mark...

Completely depends, dealer quoted me for a full engine rebuild and was willing to do it which was about the same price as the other two Landcruiser (3rd Landcruiser shop was double) shops in the area.

Likewise the most well known and respected diff builder here in CO is a Toyota Master Tech….

Master techs are not the same guys changing oil and tires..

Not saying all Toyota dealers are good, some are definitely bad, but the same can be said for independent Landcruiser shops as well..

I generally operate that if I want it done right, I do it myself.

 

[Bisons]

Completely depends, dealer quoted me for a full engine rebuild and was willing to do it which was about the same price as the other two Landcruiser (3rd Landcruiser shop was double) shops in the area.

Likewise the most well known and respected diff builder here in CO is a Toyota Master Tech….

Master techs are not the same guys changing oil and tires..

How much were the quotes for the rebuilds?

 

[Broski]

IMO the dealers are crooks,
Recently my son took his Toyota to the Toyota dealer to get a oil change, as he had just moved and did not know any local to him mechanics.
When he went to pick up the car they gave him what they said the car needed a estimate of over $6000.00 worth of repairs.
I went over it with him line by line and deemed none of it necessary.
I got a call from my sister a while back same thing different Toyota dealer. Steelerships
Very disappointing !!!

 

[JoeCova]

How much were the quotes for the rebuilds?

Profitts - $15k-$20k (Exclusively use JARCO Motors)
Classic Crusiers - $15k
Toyota - $15k
Red Line - $30k

 

[calokie]

Taking your 80 to a Toyota dealer for repairs would be like taking your VHS player to Best Buy for repairs. However you might get lucky and find that one 60 year old mechanic still working at the dealer.