18 years to this day, my father bought the Land Cruiser that I am sitting in now.
Brand new from New Country Toyota in Saratoga Springs, NY with 2 miles on the odometer... I was ten at the time and still recognized what an awesome vehicle this was.
This and the LX470 were considered and my father favored the Cruiser for the conventional suspension, my mom favored the Lexus for the cushier interior and slightly better ride... This won out after my father and her talked about it. I remember a smile growing on his face when he initially floored it on the highway during the test drive and felt the difference in power between that and his old 1FZ-FE.
I remember him going on and on about different features that were upgraded from his '96 80 Series, my mom wasn't too enthused at the time. She was all pissed about the financing and how the dealership tried to change it at the last minute and she initially resented the truck, but eventually warmed up after she realized what a wonderful vehicle it was. My father was pissed because the salesperson scratched up one if the anchor points for the third row seat when he tried to demonstrate it and because of the way his manager tried to change certain terms and conditions.
He had a blast driving it home though, especially since it was pouring rain and the surrounding roads were starting to flood.
I remember sitting in the front seat in the parking lot playing with everything with my sister... I pushed the cupholder down and it popped open, we looked up and just grinned at each other.
Where has the time gone... Such an awesome vehicle, and I've had such an awesome time owning it since it was handed down to me when I graduated college in 2011. This thing let me down only twice... the first time was due to a mouse chewing up the fuel pump wiring after we were gone for a month. The second time was when the factory exhaust finally collapsed internally after 16 or so years.
18 years later, I unlock the door and start the engine, which turns over enthusiastically. The door closes with the solid thunk we've all become accustomed to, and a pervasive silence exists throughout the cabin due to extensive sound deadening and door seals. Put it into drive and pull out onto the road... "This thing is 18 years old?!" A friend asks me. "Yes it is!" I respond as I pull onto the onramp. I give it a little throttle and the transmission downshifts willingly without strain as the engine note builds. These vehicles were never meant for speed, but the fact that you can go from cruising at 80 MPH to crawling on a dirt rutted road at 2 MPH in a snap always puts a smile on my face.
No creaks, no rattles, just the muted sound of wind and tires (and in my case, exhaust) is heard. All the interior pieces just have that feeling of quality, and even at 18 years old, everything is just as tight as it was when it rolled off the assembly line.
Thanks Dad, for recognizing a special Toyota and one that continues to live in my family. I miss you, but your truck lives on and part of you lives on in me as well.
Brand new from New Country Toyota in Saratoga Springs, NY with 2 miles on the odometer... I was ten at the time and still recognized what an awesome vehicle this was.
This and the LX470 were considered and my father favored the Cruiser for the conventional suspension, my mom favored the Lexus for the cushier interior and slightly better ride... This won out after my father and her talked about it. I remember a smile growing on his face when he initially floored it on the highway during the test drive and felt the difference in power between that and his old 1FZ-FE.
I remember him going on and on about different features that were upgraded from his '96 80 Series, my mom wasn't too enthused at the time. She was all pissed about the financing and how the dealership tried to change it at the last minute and she initially resented the truck, but eventually warmed up after she realized what a wonderful vehicle it was. My father was pissed because the salesperson scratched up one if the anchor points for the third row seat when he tried to demonstrate it and because of the way his manager tried to change certain terms and conditions.
He had a blast driving it home though, especially since it was pouring rain and the surrounding roads were starting to flood.
I remember sitting in the front seat in the parking lot playing with everything with my sister... I pushed the cupholder down and it popped open, we looked up and just grinned at each other.
Where has the time gone... Such an awesome vehicle, and I've had such an awesome time owning it since it was handed down to me when I graduated college in 2011. This thing let me down only twice... the first time was due to a mouse chewing up the fuel pump wiring after we were gone for a month. The second time was when the factory exhaust finally collapsed internally after 16 or so years.
18 years later, I unlock the door and start the engine, which turns over enthusiastically. The door closes with the solid thunk we've all become accustomed to, and a pervasive silence exists throughout the cabin due to extensive sound deadening and door seals. Put it into drive and pull out onto the road... "This thing is 18 years old?!" A friend asks me. "Yes it is!" I respond as I pull onto the onramp. I give it a little throttle and the transmission downshifts willingly without strain as the engine note builds. These vehicles were never meant for speed, but the fact that you can go from cruising at 80 MPH to crawling on a dirt rutted road at 2 MPH in a snap always puts a smile on my face.
No creaks, no rattles, just the muted sound of wind and tires (and in my case, exhaust) is heard. All the interior pieces just have that feeling of quality, and even at 18 years old, everything is just as tight as it was when it rolled off the assembly line.
Thanks Dad, for recognizing a special Toyota and one that continues to live in my family. I miss you, but your truck lives on and part of you lives on in me as well.
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