I was looking for a vehicle to serve as a backup daily driver (meaning primary duty, some of the time) and a weekend fun vehicle for the family. The Land Cruiser was at the top of the list for where we are, the middle of Australia's Red Center. I was specifically looking for a 100 with a diesel and a manual transmission, as that magical combination seems to last forever, and I really enjoy driving manuals.
There were none available near where we live. Searching for manual transmission models in Sydney, there were two LC100s, and a handful of LC80s. I called one dealership that had a very well kitted out gasoline engine LC100, with a dual spare tire bumper, roof rack, and the other standard bits. They assured me they had the car in stock, and I spent much of the morning taking several trains and buses out to the hinterlands of Sydney to take a look at it. It was NOT a manual.
The other option, though nearly completely stock, was an HZJ105R. Though a bit of an odd dealership, they had the truck. We struck a deal, which required them to ship it to us on the train, a journey that would take two weeks.
Here is the truck for sale in Sydney
It had been registered recently, though the NSW rego tags had expired. Still, it had been inspected and was ready to go, right? Not quite. I failed the registration inspection at the NT MVR. I then had to fix several issues, two costly, but the rest fairly straightforward. After a week, and an additional try, I was able to get the car registered. I immediately took her up a 4x4 track to the top of a nearby hill to celebrate.
There were none available near where we live. Searching for manual transmission models in Sydney, there were two LC100s, and a handful of LC80s. I called one dealership that had a very well kitted out gasoline engine LC100, with a dual spare tire bumper, roof rack, and the other standard bits. They assured me they had the car in stock, and I spent much of the morning taking several trains and buses out to the hinterlands of Sydney to take a look at it. It was NOT a manual.
The other option, though nearly completely stock, was an HZJ105R. Though a bit of an odd dealership, they had the truck. We struck a deal, which required them to ship it to us on the train, a journey that would take two weeks.
Here is the truck for sale in Sydney
It had been registered recently, though the NSW rego tags had expired. Still, it had been inspected and was ready to go, right? Not quite. I failed the registration inspection at the NT MVR. I then had to fix several issues, two costly, but the rest fairly straightforward. After a week, and an additional try, I was able to get the car registered. I immediately took her up a 4x4 track to the top of a nearby hill to celebrate.
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