FJ62 vs. 1st Gen 4Runner (1 Viewer)

[RichardYoter]

Hi all,

Brand new to this site, but after daily driving an old Toyota for the last 2 years, I thought it was time to make an account. I have daily driven a 1986 4Runner for 2 years now and have racked up 30k miles of adventures in that time. Never once broke down on me, but of course always handled preventative maintenance. Unfortunately, at 299,950 miles a negligent dump truck backed over my front end and totaled it…

Now I’m thinking about buying a 1988 FJ62 with 280k miles to be my new (old) love affair. I’m no mechanic, but I don’t mind trying to do small to medium sized jobs myself and absolutely love the experience of driving simple, analog 4x4’s.

My question posed to all of you experienced LC owners is what are your thoughts on FJ62 reliability and cost of ownership compared to a 1st gen 4Runner? Do you consider one to be more reliable than the other? I took the 4Runner across Baja 1,500 miles and frequently drove it to mammoth (albeit very slowly). Think the 62 would be a fun upgrade and just as reliable as a daily/adventure rig if taken care of?

This is my first post, so apologies if I did something wrong and thanks for your patience.

-Rich

 

[cruiserpilot]

You’d be foolish not to buy an FJ62.

 

[RichardYoter]

That’s what I was hoping to hear

You’d be foolish not to buy an FJ62.

 

[kirvesmies]

welcome 'board this crazy train known as mud (official welcome)
your drive to mammoth probably won't be any faster if stock, but you'll be able to carry more stuff. no, a 60 series would not be the wrong thing to do.
i'm in the middle of getting a 60 on the road coming from mini trucks n 1st gen 4runners
oh, one thing, leave cost of ownership off the table would be my 2cents

 

[TheElegantFox]

An FJ62 is my daily(I have taken the bus fairly often), if you're an attentive owner, you'll get some great experiences in it. IMO, Land Cruiser ownership is a more elevated experience than the 4Runner, it's just more special and what Toyota marks as their best engineering. If you outsource a lot of your maintenance, you may run into some headaches as not every shop will work on a vehicle of this vintage nor will they have Cruiser experience. It took me about a year of mechanical base-lining to sort my truck, but if you do your research, you can shorten that a lot. Not every truck needs the same maintenance, service history is paramount.

Short list of what I've done to my truck for DD use:

• Most seals
• Harmonic balancer
• AC compressor
• Rebuilt front hubs
• Shocks
• Tie-rod ends
• Rear diff rebuild
• Transfer case servicing/vacuum switches
• Kickdown cable adjustment / throttle position sensor (new)
• Water temp sensor/temp sender replacement
• New front brakes, including 1 caliper
• Firewall water leaks
• Front seats reupholster

I'm probably forgetting a few things here and there and that's not counting small little part swap jobs. Reliability is a reflection of you as an owner as much as the core engineering of the truck. The 4runner is engineered to meet a lower price point and has shorter life cycles on it's parts, with some not being overbuilt like most things on an FJ62. That being said, a lot of items, if original on the FJ62, are near or past their original service life (getting a new radiator this week myself).

I have made some lifetime memories and have some great stories from my ownership journey. I will say, if you utilize the forum community, local club chapters, and the FSM, you'll have a great time. Even with the work I've done to mine, I'm still glad I have it over a 4runner. It's not a bad product and it's got it's own fanbase, but Cruiser culture is a little more special to me personally.

Cruiser Cult - https://www.cruisercult.com/ is a great resource for community sourced parts.

 

[gbogh]

I have a first gen 4runner and a fj60. I daily-ed the 4runner for 5 years. The big differences in my head are the driving experiences. The 4runner is the sportier of the two- smaller, noisier, nimbler, more Rev-happy, and has a removable top. The 4runner also gets 6 more mpg on average.
If I had to get rid of one today, it would the 4runner. The fj60 is just more composed/refined.
HTH

 

[SteveH]

I think you will like the FJ62. Mine (10 years ownership) has been very reliable and fun. It sucks gas, big-time. It will give you the same '80s Toyota vibe that your 4Runner did (the smells, the sounds, jiggling the keys in the worn locks, and so on). I owned a 1st gen 4Runner for years and I don't miss it, but it was fun. The FJ62 is downright stately compared to the 1st gen and I like that.

 

[dbbowen]

haha I guess im the only one that liked their firstgen 4runner better than their land cruiser

 

[Mace]

So maintenance wise, The 62's auto can be very expensive and problematic when in need of repair. If your first gen was a 22r motor repairs are considerably cheaper as well. The 3.0 has it's potential issues. Axles are essentially identical price wise. IMHO, costs are similar till you get to the various transmissions between the two. Both autos are a concern. Manual to auto, the auto is more potentially problematic and expensive. I loved the old first gen runner, I love my second gen runner and the various 60's over the years. Baselining the 62 will be very important for reliability.