I have located a 1b1 color 1997 lx450. It has a legitimate 129k on it. Single owner. No rust. Just routine maintenance. It is NOT triple locked. Everything is original. Not accidents. Is it with $18k in today’s market? I think it will be a great build platform.
1997 lx450 value/worth
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How's the interior?
I find it hard to spend over 16max on an 80. But if it really is super clean and in great shape with all maintenance (not maintenance like we do here) then it's probably worth that.
But really though, I'd much rather you get it for 15 then have another 2-3k in doing all the baselining.
I find it hard to spend over 16max on an 80. But if it really is super clean and in great shape with all maintenance (not maintenance like we do here) then it's probably worth that.
But really though, I'd much rather you get it for 15 then have another 2-3k in doing all the baselining.
Its worth $40,000.00.......
Mileage becomes less important as a vehicle ages. Time wears out components too. It's probably significantly cheaper to buy a cruiser that is already built and baselined. If it's really clean though you have to decide if it's worth it to you.
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I agree about buying a built one. This one is rust free and out of Cali. I’d love to get a built one, like the one I had and sold to a member here, but they seem to be getting a premium lately.
What do you want to build? Do you wrench?
$18k is sound for a daily driver with no intention to modify, tho you could do with just about anything else for less money up front and lower running costs throughout.
But if you wrench and intend to do more than dirt road overlanding, I think you'd be a bit ahead by finding a factory 3-locker and building that instead.
At this point, low-mile 80's are worth more as flippers or buy and holds. They attract the money that cares less about off roading.
Higher-miles and less-perfect-body 80's are the ones to bother building as they ease the butt-pucker considerably in sketchy (read exciting) off roading. And they lose less value when sketch goes south.
$18k is sound for a daily driver with no intention to modify, tho you could do with just about anything else for less money up front and lower running costs throughout.
But if you wrench and intend to do more than dirt road overlanding, I think you'd be a bit ahead by finding a factory 3-locker and building that instead.
At this point, low-mile 80's are worth more as flippers or buy and holds. They attract the money that cares less about off roading.
Higher-miles and less-perfect-body 80's are the ones to bother building as they ease the butt-pucker considerably in sketchy (read exciting) off roading. And they lose less value when sketch goes south.
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I do wrench. In the way of a build, I would add a winch, front and rear bumpers, front and rear lockers. I’d re-gear and go with bigger tires. At that point, I’d probably just drive it.
Bought my ‘97 LX last year w/ 147K miles and near pristine inside and out, but was already had basic mods and triple locked.
That’s a really nice truck and a great color. They’ll get 18K from somebody for sure. I’d rather see it triple locked for that price, since it sounds like you plan to lock and mod it. I’d be happier at $15-16K with your plan. Otherwise maybe look for something already done up and/or not so “nice”.
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The truck really is gorgeous. I feel uneasy for some reason though. Not a bad gut feeling, just the thought of it not having lockers and what it would take to add them. It really would be perfect for someone who isn’t going to mod it. I have a fully built 1997 4Runner, so to go to this and have to build it up just makes my stomach turn. Should have never sold the one I had. A member on here has it and as it was would fetch $30k right now.
If your gonna beat on it save your money for a less spendy example
I paid less than 1/3 the price a few months ago. More miles on mine but stock and ready to make my own. You are going to be replacing/upgrading the same parts that I am before you know it. Buy low and make things happen at a pace that fits your lifestyle. Just my opinion..
I think it's definitely $18k in today's market, and I'm in SoCal. If I were to buy it, though, I'd get a quick oil analysis on the oil. Either it has had the HG done, or I'd be thinking about doing it. My $0.02.
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$18k? Wtf?????
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Glad I bought my 95 15 years ago for $7500
Shhhh.
Where's that picture location, may I ask?
COYS
SILVER Star
IMHO, there's not nearly enough info supplied to determine price let alone value here. Assessing condition on such a complex piece of machinery (automobile) nearly a 1/4 century old is a bit of a fool's errand where the forum is actually getting more value out of the interaction than the op who's asking for help. It's always fun to speculate esp when it's not your money, baby!
I'm no pricing expert and I haven't been in the market for almost 3 years now, but here's what I've observed since 2018:
An 80 <$10K is going to remain in this price range because it'll have rust, been neglected, but still can run for many miles by an industrious owner who likes to wrench and is OK with replacing aging parts with aftermarket O'Reilly's grade bits.
The majority are going to fall in the serviceable category between $10K-$15K. Cosmetically won't be great with fading paint, ripped up leather, dirty carpets, degraded interior plastics, but mechanically in good enough shape to operate for tens of thousands of miles, but will absolutely show some symptoms of a less than ideal driving experience alongside the usual flow of minor to major work that need to be tackled preventatively or reactively (bias towards the latter).
The only 80s that interested me back in early 2018 were 1FZ-FE 80s that sat squarely in the $18K-22K range. These were truly cosmetically clean inside/out w/ maybe 2-3 caring owners max, and had a random variety of preventative maintenance performed. K294s drive a few thousand more benjamins than a non-locked 80. I came across 1, just 1 fully rebuilt, Toyota OEM+ example (quality aftermarket bumpers, lifted, etc) pushing low $30s which would easily fetch $40K+in today's market. These remain unicorns.
Moving headlong into 2021, the youngest 80 series are now approaching that quarter century mark where teenager dreams are fully financed by middle aged wallets. You're now seeing more buyers who want to treat their 80 more like a Land Rover Defender (driven on sunny days & for cars and coffee fun). The really neat thing about the 80 though is that unlike the Defender, it's reliable, comfortable and talented enough to actually drive daily - which was how it was originally marketed to the US audience as Toyota's very first luxury SUV designed during peak jpn - or overland Planet Earth. Even at $30K+, 80 series are still cheap money compared to the inferior Defender. People with deeper "Defender" lined pockets, including those who were originally looking for a 60 series, have begun to enter the 80 market and driven prices up. Why and how? Social media. Check Doug DeMuro's yt 80 feature to his near 4m subscribers. Look at Joe Rogan's well publicized by Jonathan Ward $xxx,xxx 80 build. Follow the popular #fzj80 tag on ig. Look at amazingly talented vendors like Delta Vehicle Systems and enterprising 80 yodas like Wits' End making some truly world class accessories for our jalopy! It's evidence that the 80 ecosystem is growing and can power added quality, variety and value. Barring any unforeseen scenarios out of our control (cough pandemic cough regulations cough _____ ), I believe we're just beginning to surf the 80 wave with another decade left before we find land.
IMHO, the true unicorn 80s are here in this forum that are NOT for sale and if ever FS will exchange hands under the table. These are folks like @NorCalFJ100, @Mighty690 and @midfat who have invested blood, sweat and a ton of time meticulously replacing parts with factory or better while respecting the FSM instructions. You can actually drive these across the continent(s), insure them and put on a pinstripe or two while remaining assured you're still hanging 10 on the value curve. You want to buy the owner first then the 80 to mitigate your risk and maximize OCD satisfaction that you are now the steward of a well loved Land Cruiser.
Sorry so long, but just wanted to share a somewhat holistic way to think through valuation. Good luck & Happy NY!
I'm no pricing expert and I haven't been in the market for almost 3 years now, but here's what I've observed since 2018:
An 80 <$10K is going to remain in this price range because it'll have rust, been neglected, but still can run for many miles by an industrious owner who likes to wrench and is OK with replacing aging parts with aftermarket O'Reilly's grade bits.
The majority are going to fall in the serviceable category between $10K-$15K. Cosmetically won't be great with fading paint, ripped up leather, dirty carpets, degraded interior plastics, but mechanically in good enough shape to operate for tens of thousands of miles, but will absolutely show some symptoms of a less than ideal driving experience alongside the usual flow of minor to major work that need to be tackled preventatively or reactively (bias towards the latter).
The only 80s that interested me back in early 2018 were 1FZ-FE 80s that sat squarely in the $18K-22K range. These were truly cosmetically clean inside/out w/ maybe 2-3 caring owners max, and had a random variety of preventative maintenance performed. K294s drive a few thousand more benjamins than a non-locked 80. I came across 1, just 1 fully rebuilt, Toyota OEM+ example (quality aftermarket bumpers, lifted, etc) pushing low $30s which would easily fetch $40K+in today's market. These remain unicorns.
Moving headlong into 2021, the youngest 80 series are now approaching that quarter century mark where teenager dreams are fully financed by middle aged wallets. You're now seeing more buyers who want to treat their 80 more like a Land Rover Defender (driven on sunny days & for cars and coffee fun). The really neat thing about the 80 though is that unlike the Defender, it's reliable, comfortable and talented enough to actually drive daily - which was how it was originally marketed to the US audience as Toyota's very first luxury SUV designed during peak jpn - or overland Planet Earth. Even at $30K+, 80 series are still cheap money compared to the inferior Defender. People with deeper "Defender" lined pockets, including those who were originally looking for a 60 series, have begun to enter the 80 market and driven prices up. Why and how? Social media. Check Doug DeMuro's yt 80 feature to his near 4m subscribers. Look at Joe Rogan's well publicized by Jonathan Ward $xxx,xxx 80 build. Follow the popular #fzj80 tag on ig. Look at amazingly talented vendors like Delta Vehicle Systems and enterprising 80 yodas like Wits' End making some truly world class accessories for our jalopy! It's evidence that the 80 ecosystem is growing and can power added quality, variety and value. Barring any unforeseen scenarios out of our control (cough pandemic cough regulations cough _____ ), I believe we're just beginning to surf the 80 wave with another decade left before we find land.
IMHO, the true unicorn 80s are here in this forum that are NOT for sale and if ever FS will exchange hands under the table. These are folks like @NorCalFJ100, @Mighty690 and @midfat who have invested blood, sweat and a ton of time meticulously replacing parts with factory or better while respecting the FSM instructions. You can actually drive these across the continent(s), insure them and put on a pinstripe or two while remaining assured you're still hanging 10 on the value curve. You want to buy the owner first then the 80 to mitigate your risk and maximize OCD satisfaction that you are now the steward of a well loved Land Cruiser.
Sorry so long, but just wanted to share a somewhat holistic way to think through valuation. Good luck & Happy NY!
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Even with the demand, the mileage is driving the price of that truck.
