As a tall person I can say that the stock seat is horrid for me and the steering wheel is like holding onto a piece of coat hanger wire. The pedal position of the gas is aweful on long trips as there is no thigh support in the seat. But I will eventually swap in An aftermarket wheel and change seats and the comfort will improve dramatically.
1985 FJ60 buying advice (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter leonethelion
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For something thats only 20-30 mins away why even make a possible deal without just taking a look yourself at the very least?
I would buy two at once if I could find one being sold for $15k in the condition you describe. Current market, from what I can tell, for a rust-free, 5-speed, mechanically-sound FJ60 with a clean interior in pretty close to original condition and with less than 200K miles is $25-35K and up depending on other factors. Thanks to stimulus there is a lot of money floating around these days looking for a home and the collectibles market has gotten a lift as a result. 60-series Landcruisers have seen a very pronounced price spike.
Also, Brian Corsetti has a blog on his website with several articles on what to look for when considering a purchase. Here’s a link to one of the articles to get you started.
Top 5 Things You MUST Do When Test Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 (Buyers Guide) - https://www.corsetticruisers.com/post/top-5-things-to-do-when-test-driving-an-fj60-buyers-guide
Top 5 Things You MUST Do When Test Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 (Buyers Guide) - https://www.corsetticruisers.com/post/top-5-things-to-do-when-test-driving-an-fj60-buyers-guide
CenTXFJ60
SILVER Star
This is a very nice truck. From the pictures I can tell you this truck has no rust concerns. Here are a few questions I’d ask (and you may have already done so): how long has the PO had the 60? Is the paint original? When did he upgrade the front seats with SOR foam? Is that dash crack free (can see the center bezel is excellent)? How does it run and are there any known issues? If by chance this guy has owned it for a good while then you’ll get some answers here and be able to move forward. I’m a firm believer in buying from those that know their vehicle. If the seller can’t answer the above questions then a thorough inspection is critical.
lastly, if by chance this owner has had the truck for a long time and does not know what he has, I’d avoid trying to take advantage of him as a buyer. Cruiser karma is real
. Bottom line is if the seller is genuine and open to meeting in person, I’d get in front of them and learn as much as you can about the truck. You’re getting great advice from everyone here and hope this works out for you.
I wish you luck in your FJ60 journey... my late father would say don't give any unsolicited advice but I will for Land Cruiser fans. Many are much more talented or mechanically experienced than me. Here us my fundamental advice if you get this rig...
For my experience I bought my late 85 FJ60 for 19,900k in early 2019 it had 149k miles, no rust and was "cleanish"; I had ACC in Atlanta do de-smog and repair/replace worn bad parts around 10k in repairs and upgrades. This FJ60 was my used as my weekend dog hauler and beer market/grocery getter..... In April 2020 my wife totaled her car (no fault of hers) she took my 2020 heritage edition TLC as her daily. I used the 85 FJ as my daily till Jan 2021 and it performed well with minor issues. The biggest one was the clutch need to be replaced set me back a few days but everything else clicked. I also had the rain gutter re-sealed and made random upgrades (passage grab handle, tilt roll gauge and blue tooth ect..)
Points:
1) Understand your getting into at 35+ year old truck you need a have a good support system if you can't do the work yourself. That means a good body shop and good mechanic who have worked on these elegant dinosaurs. For me I have a local body shop that can "seal rain gutters" and chase other issues. My local toyota dealership has 2 senior mechanics that worked on FJ60 when they were new.
2) FJ60 "Elegant dinosaurs" to be reliable require constant attention and maintenance. If you're making an FJ60 a daily driver and can't do "the work" yourself expect in invest in constant maintenance much more frequently than your "modern" truck.
3) Expect mundane and old parts to brake/become worn that will become annoyances to replace but will add on cost....many people don't factor this in!
My advice form a 8th month daily FJ60 driver.....
For my experience I bought my late 85 FJ60 for 19,900k in early 2019 it had 149k miles, no rust and was "cleanish"; I had ACC in Atlanta do de-smog and repair/replace worn bad parts around 10k in repairs and upgrades. This FJ60 was my used as my weekend dog hauler and beer market/grocery getter..... In April 2020 my wife totaled her car (no fault of hers) she took my 2020 heritage edition TLC as her daily. I used the 85 FJ as my daily till Jan 2021 and it performed well with minor issues. The biggest one was the clutch need to be replaced set me back a few days but everything else clicked. I also had the rain gutter re-sealed and made random upgrades (passage grab handle, tilt roll gauge and blue tooth ect..)
Points:
1) Understand your getting into at 35+ year old truck you need a have a good support system if you can't do the work yourself. That means a good body shop and good mechanic who have worked on these elegant dinosaurs. For me I have a local body shop that can "seal rain gutters" and chase other issues. My local toyota dealership has 2 senior mechanics that worked on FJ60 when they were new.
2) FJ60 "Elegant dinosaurs" to be reliable require constant attention and maintenance. If you're making an FJ60 a daily driver and can't do "the work" yourself expect in invest in constant maintenance much more frequently than your "modern" truck.
3) Expect mundane and old parts to brake/become worn that will become annoyances to replace but will add on cost....many people don't factor this in!
My advice form a 8th month daily FJ60 driver.....
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