It seems like there's been a prevailing sentiment on the forum lately that owning an 80 Series Land Cruiser is getting to be more trouble than it's worth as these vehicles age more and more and parts become harder to source. Indeed, the 1FZ is a very expensive engine to rebuild for what is essentially a dead-simple tractor motor.; and the same could be said for most of the rest of the vehicle as well.
This was part of the reason I ended up switching back to a mini-truck in the form of a 96 Tacoma. However, I've come to miss the robust drivetrain, solid axles, corrosion resistance, and interior space of the Land Cruiser. Even so, the gloomy tone of some of the replies to prospective J80 owners on here does give me pause.
Some posts make it sound like anything less than a painstaking nuts-and-bolts restoration will not suffice. However, these are also designed to be simple and durable machines to be operated in harsh conditions with minimal maintenance (especially the NA diesel models). After all, they aren't some high-stung supercar, and there's only so many things that could leave you stranded if you keep fluids in it. They are getting older, sure, but you still see Mercedes wagons and old Ford and Chevy Pickups from the 80s and 70s driving around here that appear to be unrestored.
I suppose I'm trying to better understand this disconnect, (real or perceived) between the J80's simple and robust construction and its high costs to keep on the road. I understand it was expensive when new, but so was the W124 Mercedes, and they are renowned for their ease of maintenance and durability, even when used as bush taxis in remote Africa.
In any case, if these old axle Land Cruisers are getting too onerous to keep on the road, what is the best alternative that has the same overbuilt robustness and rough-road capability? A GX470, perhaps? Is that solid front axle really worth the extra hassle of owning an older vehicle these days?
This was part of the reason I ended up switching back to a mini-truck in the form of a 96 Tacoma. However, I've come to miss the robust drivetrain, solid axles, corrosion resistance, and interior space of the Land Cruiser. Even so, the gloomy tone of some of the replies to prospective J80 owners on here does give me pause.
Some posts make it sound like anything less than a painstaking nuts-and-bolts restoration will not suffice. However, these are also designed to be simple and durable machines to be operated in harsh conditions with minimal maintenance (especially the NA diesel models). After all, they aren't some high-stung supercar, and there's only so many things that could leave you stranded if you keep fluids in it. They are getting older, sure, but you still see Mercedes wagons and old Ford and Chevy Pickups from the 80s and 70s driving around here that appear to be unrestored.
I suppose I'm trying to better understand this disconnect, (real or perceived) between the J80's simple and robust construction and its high costs to keep on the road. I understand it was expensive when new, but so was the W124 Mercedes, and they are renowned for their ease of maintenance and durability, even when used as bush taxis in remote Africa.
In any case, if these old axle Land Cruisers are getting too onerous to keep on the road, what is the best alternative that has the same overbuilt robustness and rough-road capability? A GX470, perhaps? Is that solid front axle really worth the extra hassle of owning an older vehicle these days?