This is my ad for CL/eBay, but I thought I'd let Mud take a crack at her first. Blue book is $18k, not counting the new tires, 90k+120k service, and Bajarack Utility Rack, but I'm ready to get this thing sold so I can buy a new motorcycle, so I'm asking $15 which is a hell of a deal, if I do say so myself. There's at least $4k of service, parts, and random equipment that comes with this fine rig.
It was in this very Land Cruiser, driving back from a canceled trip to Afghanistan for business, that my girlfriend informed me that she had, uh, maybe told that douchebag bouncer she knew from the bar that he could spend the night while I was supposed to be gone. And thus ended our plans to drive this 2003 Galactic Grey Land Cruiser up and down the Pan American Highway together. The next day I got a job offer back in Manhattan. Seemed like a sign.
I don’t miss my girlfriend a lick, but I’m going to miss this truck.
Driven by the au pair of a rich Idaho investment banker, this Land Cruiser was babied for most of its life—lots of babies, from the amount of old french fries I dug out from between the seats and the Spanish language DVDs I found jammed in the rear DVD player. (French fries are gone, I’m afraid but the DVD is included. De nada.)
90k and 120k service is done, including the infamous water pump and timing belt using genuine Toyota parts installed by a genuine Toyota tech. Five new Duratrac Wranglers have less than 5,000 miles on them. (But I must confess, a few hundred of those miles were off road in Death Valley.) Bajarack made a custom flat rack for the top which worked fantastically with the roof-top tent. (Not included; it was a loaner.)
Paint’s pretty good, especially because I’ve been extra diligent about touching up dings and such, but let’s not talk about it too much or I’ll start bitching about how Toyota doesn’t know how to dye plastic that doesn’t fade in less than a decade.
Running boards are off, replaced by a couple of hillbilly rock sliders that are welded on to the frame. They're actually pretty badass, except for the driver’s side one that was welded about an inch out of whack. It drives me crazy, but everybody else says they can’t see it, but still, if you’re going to buy this truck it might drive you crazy, too. The rocks won't notice.
I’ve got a set of homemade drawers in the back that are great. Nothing fancy, but they’re surprisingly handy. I never could have guessed how much I would like them, but now I can’t imagine going on a camping trip or a long haul on the road without them. (The drawers replace the third row seats, but I’ve still got the seats which I'll include, of course.)
Interior leather is in decent shape—no scuffs, no rips—and I’ve kept it lubed and shined up after every trip, but it’s just typical Toyota leather: showing its age, but totally fine.
If you’ve driven a 100-series Land Cruiser you know what sort of vehicles they are. Tough, capable, maybe just barely pushing a little too big compared to the 80-series, but totally comfortable on road and off. All the little things add up: the power seats, the five-speed transmission, the smooth running engine. Add to that the ability to throw it into 4-low without getting out of the comfy heated seats and it’s the sort of 4x4 even a softie like me could love.
But I can’t love it anymore, because I don’t need a truck in New York City. So if you want a great deal on a lightly modified Land Cruiser with another 100,000 miles of service left in her (at least), it’s waiting for you in Eugene, Oregon.
(If you’re looking for a greedy, pain-in-the-ass girlfriend, there’s one of those available in town, too. Check your local bars for listing.)
Bonus gear includes imported German tire chains, a fancy grease gun, various maps and camping equipment, and anything else I can't stuff into the saddlebags of the new BMW motorcycle I'm going to buy as soon as you buy this Land Cruiser. VIN is JTEHT05J232034439. My phone number is (347) 495-0610 and my email is joeljohnson@gmail.com. Let's get this sucker sold.
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