Is your 80 your favorite vehicle? (1 Viewer)

[K Dub]

It's a little early for me to say definitively, but this is something I've been thinking about for the month I've had it. I change cars fairly often, a dozen cars over twenty years, so I can't say that I'll keep it "forever". The only other car, however, that made me feel like this was my Subaru SVX. That car beat the odds by lasting me four years, and I hated selling it. Most of the time I begin to dislike my cars after about 2 years, and actively resent every moment driving it by 3 years, but I really thought I could keep the SVX going forever. Alas, at 220k miles with parts availability nil, I encountered multiple failures that ended up taking that car off the road a decade ago. It still took me almost 6 months to pull the trigger and have it hauled off. I'm glad I owned it, but wouldn't buy another at this point (although I wouldn't mind having another flat-6 someday).

It isn't just the act of driving the 80 that I love, although it beats the snot out of my old Jeep XJ that it replaced. It's the idea behind it, that during the "bubble era" of Japan, these companies had the resources available to build what they considered the best in the world and assert themselves on the international stage. The thought that went into the design is apparent everywhere. I know it isn't fair to Chrysler given their different circumstances and product cycles, but comparing my '93 Toyota to my old '95 Jeep I'd say they're about 20 years apart in tech and design. Sure I could get almost any part for the Jeep from Amazon Prime, but that's only a plus if you ignore the fact that you'll need new parts almost every week to keep up with the failures. I only had the Jeep for 11 months but I was so ready to move on from that POS.

Now, the 80. It's old, it needs some work, parts are getting difficult (although nothing like that weird Subaru), but I feel it'll be worth the effort. Hopefully I can get the mechanicals up to snuff, then focus on the frivolous to make it my dream car. It'll take at least a couple of years to do everything I have planned, so here's to hoping I can make this one last.

BTW, over the years I've owned or daily drove the following engine configurations:
I3
I4
I5
I6
H4
H6
V6
V8
I need an old Saab or Ford to round out the small engines and some sort of exotic for the top end, but I believe I've got a pretty good basis to compare powertrains. It's no mistake that my wife and I both have Toyota I6s under our hoods (hers is an IS300).

 

[DocuDude]

I miss my 60.
I miss that manual transmission shift.
That was when I was most in touch with the joy of driving.

But it didnt have 3 rows or shoulder belts in the rear.
A local bought it and a few times a year I see it and cry.

F^ck a 60, Marry an 80, Kill the FJ Cruiser

 

[LouisianaRubicon]

As much as I love the LS400 platform (I’ve owned 3 now), I find myself jumping in the 80 most days after work with no destination in mind. In all reality I think it’s my favorite vehicle by far because of the memories I’ve made and places I’ve seen in it.
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That LX just has the look. Classic, stylish, and ruggedly good looking.

 

[ZackR]

BTW, over the years I've owned or daily drove the following engine configurations:
I3
I4
I5
I6
H4
H6
V6
V8
I need an old Saab or Ford to round out the small engines and some sort of exotic for the top end, but I believe I've got a pretty good basis to compare powertrains. It's no mistake that my wife and I both have Toyota I6s under our hoods (hers is an IS300).

Can't go wrong with the inline 6. I currently have naturally aspirated inline 6's in all three of my vehicles (all with timing chains as well).

A buddy of mine has a 2017 vette grand sport, 7 speed manual, 460hp. I'd say taking that thing out was probably the most fun I've had driving a car.

 

[Kaninja]

My '76 Celica GT was the most fun. My first car, got my first speeding ticket, 1st road trip, 1st girlfriend, 1st hood flying off on hwy and covering the windshield, 1st use of bondo.

The 80 is a very close second. It takes my family wherever we want to go, up mountains, over curbs, through ditches. By comparison my 1996 Ford Exploder was complete junk.....like I can't believe both are from the same year. My '96 Cherokee XJ falls somewhere in between the Celica and 80.

 

[ppc]

Even though I've owned my '94 80 since new it ranks 3rd on my list. First was my Montego Blue '93 RX7 that was a beautifully designed car, handled like a go-cart, light weight with plenty of power. Always received compliments on it's looks. Third was a hand-me-down 64-1/2 Mustang I obtained in '73 as my first car. Fun car with lots of memories.

 

[jamesg]

Man, that's a tough one! I like them all, they're all running neck and neck; but.... the 60 by a PTO! Second place the 80 by less than a length, and the 100 pulled up lame (Wife's daily driver) The 100 would win on pavement on a long drive.

 

[Bludozer]

I am honestly not sure. It's my DD and I love everything about it, but how am I supposed to choose between these two? FWIW I do think the 80 is the greatest all around off-road vehicle ever made, but favorite??? Man thats hard to say.

 

[girupb]

Not my favorite but I can’t seem to part with the LX450. The 69 Camaro wins hands down as favorite to drive but Selling my 89 Grand Wagoneer was my dumbest move. It wasn’t capable like the 80 but it was just cool as heck and very comfortable to cruise in.

 

[swankstar]

nope, this one is because I get to go fast:

80 is what I've pined after since I first laid eyes on one in 93 though, so it's right up there.

 

[jamesg]

I am honestly not sure. It's my DD and I love everything about it, but how am I supposed to choose between these two? FWIW I do think the 80 is the greatest all around off-road vehicle ever made, but favorite??? Man thats hard to say.

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I know what you mean when you talk about the 80. It seems to have the right mix of new and old ; SFA for example. It's crazy but lockers were an 850.00 option! I could be wrong but I think 7% were shipped with that option.

 

[RFB]

The 80 is the first vehicle I’ve owned that I intend to keep around for a long time. Unless I can swing a brabus 6x6, there’s really no other truck I want to drive. I am in love with its looks and timing in Toyota history and my life.

Like you I’m a bit of a dichotomy as an auto enthusiast. I’ll climb back into a 911 gt3 again, but in the meantime, I’m feeling quite satiated with my humble 2 car stable.

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I would KILL for that garage my work area is a driveway with a steady ocean breeze we will call it, mocking all day.

 

[80t0ylc]

........F^ck a 60, Marry an 80, Kill the FJ Cruiser

I don't know why and they're probably totally undeserving of my hate, but ever since they've come out, I can't stand the FJ Cruisers...lol. To me, they're just plain ugly - along the lines of the H2 & H3 Hummers and those square box Nissan Cubes. Is it possible that there's people that buy vehicles because they feel sorry for them? Sometimes it makes ya wonder...

 

[Tim Collier]

I spent six plus months in Africa in the 80 or 100. That pretty much did it for me, so i bought one.

 

[lumbee1]

My daily driver is a 2013 GTI with a Borla exhaust and Unitronic 1+ tune. The 2.0L turbo and 6spd is fast, fun, and gets 30 mpg and has a fighter pilot cockpit.

My 80 is 23 years old. It is loud, slow, and creaks. I struggle to get 12 to 13 mpg and with bad valve seats it burns oil. I have done a lot of work to maintain the Cruiser and it still needs more.

However, I would sell my GTI in a heartbeat to keep the 80. My Land Cruiser is easily my most favorite vehicle ever. The GTI is a driver's car and is fun but it doesn't come close to the high seating position, the sloppiness of the lift, 35's howling, and the 1FZFE purring along. My kids are 9 and 12 and argue over who is going to get the 80. I always tell them neither.

My list of cars isn't very good. I tend to hold onto them for a long time.
1981 Pontiac Bonneville
1988 Chevy Astro
1994 Dodge Dakota
2000 Nissan Maxima auto*
2002 Nissan Maxima 6spd
* except for this one. I drove the hell out of it and smoked the tranny fluid.

 

[napir]

Bit of a tossup between the 80 and the 911. I've wanted a 911 since I was a kid and finally got one last year. I absolutely love it. Like the 80, I picked it up a little rough around the edges, and like the 80, it's a never-ending work in progress.

Sometimes I think I want to replace the 80, but I just can't think of a fitting replacement. The 90s Toyota trucks and SUVs were my favorite era, with the 80 being the pinnacle. Anything newer is too plasticky and anything older is too uncomfortable to DD like my 80. That said, I'm at the crossroads of whether or not I want to drop a ton of money updating it to be more modern (seats, stereo, sound insulation, regear, bumpers, paint...motor...yikes.). I do wish it was a little (just a little!) more civilized sometimes, and the engine is just a dog compared to more modern offerings. I have high hopes for the next generation 4Runner, so we'll see.

 

[littlegreenmonster]

I have a 40, 80, and a 200. I love them all, but if you told me I could only keep one it would be the 80. I think it’s just so practical, outside of fuel economy of course. It’s like a Camry that will go anywhere.

 

[IanB]

My 80’s have had so much character, nothing else comes close. I loved my Acura 1.6EL’s (EK Honda Civic clone), the GX470 has its moments, the new 4Runner is very nice, but when I lost the first 80 I knew I needed another and nothing would ever replace it.

 

[namsag]

I would be hard pressed to choose between my 80 and my G-Wagen. Tough. Although I will admit my 4Runner is more comfortable than either one.

 

[Rifleman]

It is my current love. My first love was definitely my ‘76 Bronco. I still kick my self for selling it. The 80 is a solid second and a much safer vehicle. It doesn’t draw the attention that the Bronco did but I still get a ton gas pump compliments on it.

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The first gen Broncos were great, i owned two of them. The first one was a 289 powered 1967, and the second one was a 73 that my dad and i built into a copy of "Big Oly" that we ran in the Baja. That was back before the mega bucks race teams, when a father and son team could put together a truck in a home shop that still had a chance of winning. I have to say in my old age, i love my 80 with all the comforts my Broncos never came with.