Advice on whether I should buy a Land Cruiser (3 Viewers)

[45acp]

Owning a 60 or 62 involves a strong level of commitment, busted knuckles, blood, sweat, and tears...and money. It has its elements of a cult -- maybe its the other way around and the 60/2 own us. Plus if you are gonna live in LA ( why? there are lots of us looking for a way out) or most anywhere in California you will have to deal with smog compliance every two years, and that in and of itself is a nightmare that, again, demands commitment.
This is not meant to discourage but to make you aware of the relationship you are seeking.

Based on your needs and wants, a series 100 or a 4runner might be the best option--preferably post year 2000, for smog reasons.

Footnote: if you happen to like guns, know that California gun laws suck--you are warned.

Best of luck in your purchase

 

[MoaByte]

If I lived in LA, or the Midwest, I don't think I'd happy with my 60. It's great for my area

 

[Beehanger]

Hi Everyone,
Total noob here looking for advice on whether I should buy a land cruiser. It’s Obviously my decision, but I just wanted to hear what input people have especially regarding my background and limited experience with cars. and if there’s any general information place on the internet where I can do my own thorough research rather than just random websites please comment them! Any and all advice welcome even if you don’t read entire post!
Okay, About me:
—I’m 23 and am just starting out in the world, I have owned 1 car that I am selling for 35k and need to purchase something cheaper, I have a limited knowledge about cars but am willing to put some time in on YouTube, forums etc to learn more (Is this a deal breaker if I can’t repair, understand its ins and outs, and maintain it myself?!)
—I have a budget of about $18000 and am absolutely in love with the fj62, my dream car, and figure now is my chance to buy with me being young and with value of land cruisers increasing.
—Depending on price I’d be willing to put a few thousand upfront in to getting it in excellent shape (I’m only buying a rust free cruiser in already decent condition) but need something reliable!
— it would be my daily driver and only car, and I would want something safe and reliable enough to go on LA freeways when I likely move there in a year.
—I Am an avid fisherman and outdoorsman and want something I can tow a drift boat in and camp in.
—how often to I need to maintenance the vehicle and how much should $ I plan to put into it annually to keep it running well?

that being said, right now I’m in touch with private sellers and a private land cruiser dealership with prices spanning from $8000-$25000, and have been on the phone a lot with that dealer/mechanic (seems like very genuine guy) who would be happy to update and maintenance a vehicle I buy after I purchase it out of state and ship it to him before he ships it to me (I wouldnt see the car in person but will FaceTime private owner and dealership mechanics and have them get an inspection on it before I make any sort of purchase.
Any and all input appreciated! -Dan

Wow thanks for all the replies and great advice! I honestly wasnt Sure if I was going to get any replies, you are all great people. after reading, maybe the 62 isn’t right for me because my Very limited knowledge about cars, but I believe life is short and my heart is telling me not to settle for a forerunner or Tacoma for the next 8 years (I may not move to LA), It wants a cruiser, man! But Like I said I need reliability b/c I’m a noob Rn, I’m thinking maybe a later 80 series or 100, what do you all think of that?(I love the 80 series, or would it be another Big project at $15K; can I have the best if both worlds?)

And, on a more personal note, I have been going through a rough Patch lately and it’s nice to find a community like this, I’m almost choked up. I Graduated college in may and I am still figuring things out and who I am and what I want to do with my life. The whole reason I was talking about moving to LA earlier is because that’s where the opportunity for music industry is (I love to jam guitar and songwrite) not my beloved Idaho (boiseans hmu lol) , but am starting to question everything now! I just don’t want to feel like I never left idaho and never took a shot at the world. I Moved out of my somwhat dysfunctional parents home recently which was really important for me. im happier and Working some, but I have to leave my uncles in a month and now I’m on my own and It’s decision time in where I’m going to go and what I’m going to do LOL. I almost don’t feel ready b/c I lived in a somewhat pampered Christian environment growing up and never really felt like I was Fully my own free person until recent.. So, Whether it’s me getting a land cruiser for my car, or trying to find a stable job where I’m not yearning for more, or Trying to figure out how to make an impact on the world without moving back to smoggy LA where my connections and music buddies are, I finally feel like im starting my journey BUT I am in the dark because I Honestly don’t know much about those three things or how to go about them! (lol) So I know this is a car forum, but it’s just nice to have support from a good group of People who are few steps ahead of me willing to help. I really appreciate The input!

-Dan

 

[ff347]

Before you dive into ownership(if time permits) join a local club if possible. Volunteer to help work on other people's rigs and soak it all up. You will meet new and great people and most likely end up finding out about a cruiser through someone that you could buy.

If you go with the older series you will need tools, time, space, and a way to get around if you can't finish a project.

You are at the beginning of an awesome adventure in life it sounds like. Good luck and I wish you the best. You should get what you want and I hope you find it.

 

[BlackCat]

I say do it. The nice thing about them is their value. So in 6mo or a year you find out it’s not a good fit for you, you’ll be able sell it close to what you paid for it. Life is short. Follow your dreams.

 

[Beehanger]

I say do it. The nice thing about them is their value. So in 6mo or a year you find out it’s not a good fit for you, you’ll be able sell it close to what you paid for it. Life is short. Follow your dreams.

What’s like the minimum I should pay And max miles to avoid a rust bucket?

 

[NearJetties]

Get a 100 and save the rest.

the 62 won’t tow the boat and as mentioned you’ll be sinking time, money, tool purchases, and bloody knuckles into. When baselined they’re very reliable for 30+ year old vehicles but they’re still 30+ years old.

people have mentioned 60s over 62s. I was new to wrenching when I got my 62 and favored it for the fuel injection. It’s way simpler if you’re not already familiar with carbureted vehicles imho.

the other solution is a truck with a swap but good ones are out of your budget. Avoid bad ones like the plague.

edit: was picturing a ski boat, had to google drift boat. Would tow that fine. Recommendation still stands

 

[White Stripe]

Wow thanks for all the replies and great advice! I honestly wasnt Sure if I was going to get any replies, you are all great people. after reading, maybe the 62 isn’t right for me because my Very limited knowledge about cars, but I believe life is short and my heart is telling me not to settle for a forerunner or Tacoma for the next 8 years (I may not move to LA), It wants a cruiser, man! But Like I said I need reliability b/c I’m a noob Rn, I’m thinking maybe a later 80 series or 100, what do you all think of that?(I love the 80 series, or would it be another Big project at $15K; can I have the best if both worlds?)

And, on a more personal note, I have been going through a rough Patch lately and it’s nice to find a community like this, I’m almost choked up. I Graduated college in may and I am still figuring things out and who I am and what I want to do with my life. The whole reason I was talking about moving to LA earlier is because that’s where the opportunity for music industry is (I love to jam guitar and songwrite) not my beloved Idaho (boiseans hmu lol) , but am starting to question everything now! I just don’t want to feel like I never left idaho and never took a shot at the world. I Moved out of my somwhat dysfunctional parents home recently which was really important for me. im happier and Working some, but I have to leave my uncles in a month and now I’m on my own and It’s decision time in where I’m going to go and what I’m going to do LOL. I almost don’t feel ready b/c I lived in a somewhat pampered Christian environment growing up and never really felt like I was Fully my own free person until recent.. So, Whether it’s me getting a land cruiser for my car, or trying to find a stable job where I’m not yearning for more, or Trying to figure out how to make an impact on the world without moving back to smoggy LA where my connections and music buddies are, I finally feel like im starting my journey BUT I am in the dark because I Honestly don’t know much about those three things or how to go about them! (lol) So I know this is a car forum, but it’s just nice to have support from a good group of People who are few steps ahead of me willing to help. I really appreciate The input!

-Dan

After reading this I would say a 100 series for sure. Its a great beginner cruiser where you can learn to wrench and will be a very usable practical vehicle for you situation. You can do some camping with it, pull trailers, go offroad, go down the highway nicely, and modify it. If things settle down for you later and you enjoy wrenching get your 60 series then. As far as the music industry, from the little I know of it, I personally feel its like the other entertainment industries-toxic. I wouldn't touch it and just enjoy playing your guitar with friends.

 

[diesellibrarian]

Sounds like you've been bitten by the 60-series bug. If that's the case, no other vehicle will do. In a moment of weakness, I recently considered moving into a 4th gen 4Runner. The move make sense in every way, but I drove a couple and it just felt like I was driving a bloated Corolla. Decided to keep my 62 and keep working on it (it's my DD as well). There are plenty of us shade tree mechanics on here who manage to keep their trucks running even though we don't have a garage or big fancy tool box.

You seem like an enthusiastic, thoughtful, and resourceful person. With $18,000 you can find a very solid base that should offer reliable transportation, and give you something fun to wrench on on the weekend. You'll add to your skills and confidence, and you'll become part of a cool community.

 

[onemanarmy]

I'd buy a newer 4runner and wait for the 60'62 bubble to burst.
Crazy prices now.....not the time to be buying.

 

[BMValentine]

60/2’s were just named by hagerty as the “coolest collector car going in to 2020” so there is a bubble now as others have mentioned. Prices have gone up about 5+grand from what they were just 2 years ago. You’ve caught the big at an expensive time.

 

[MoaByte]

I would like commend you on having great taste.

 

[IslandJ]

I miss my 60 that I sold a couple months ago. I learned a whole lot on it, more than any other vehicle. It was a great experience and fun to drive in LA traffic. Avoid rusty rain gutters and any covered up rust if you can. 80 series, 100 series and 4runner’s are all great platforms. I do prefer driving my wife’s 4th gen 4runner W/V8 if I’m jumping around LA all day. The 60’s have incomparable character an aesthetics, in my mind, to the other platforms mentioned. Just my two cents

 

[FJBen]

You've come to a great forum for advice on this. As everyone has stated, a 30 year old truck is going to need some help. You will go broke paying someone else to fix it all the time. Get some tools, friends and start learning and searching on mud. Pretty much everything is on here that you would need to fix.
You might be able to search around and find a cheaper one, but usually that means you will need to do more work. $12~$15K would get you something decent to start with. I'd spend the rest on a cheap economy commuter car. Civic/Jetta/accord etc...

I'm currently driving an old 88 Dodge Ram D50 pickup (daughter is driving my tundra...not sure how this works...) and rebuilding the t-case in my BJ74. Not having to rush, or figure out rides because your only vehicle is down is huge. I used to be in that boat when I was younger and learned quickly to have a cheapy vehicle as well.

Land Cruisers are fantastic, fairly simple to work on and pretty tough. They will put up with a lot of neglect and abuse...which a lot of them have when talking 30 years or older. Nothing wrong with getting a cheap 60/62 (under $10K,) then a commuter and just learning and working on it. I'd be watching the classifieds on here, lots of good cruisers with known history get sold here.

If you only want 1 vehicle to go out and explore, build up and enjoy. I second the 100 series. There are a few in the classifieds with maintenance done and some mods in your price range.

good luck!

 

[MDarius]

Probably more of the same. I've owned an 80 since 2005 and until this year a 60 since 2010. I rarely drove the 60 because there was always something that it needed. When all my other vehicles, including "reliable" models less than 6 years old, were offline for wathever reason, the 60 always ran. Maybe it didn't run smooth, and I was the only one that could start it, but always ran. Maybe I had to pull off the freeway every 30 minutes to let it cool down, but it always ran.

Starting procedure under 50 degrees outside:
1. Pull out manual choke 1/2 way
2. Pump gas 7 times
3. Crank the engine for about 3-5 seconds
4. Pump the gas 3-5 times (depening on how the cranking sounded)
5. Pull the choke out all the way and crank it over again. Be ready to push it back in to adjust it before it dies.

Started every time.

It smelled like gas. My hair moved in the wind with the windows up and the doors closed, but somehow water never leaked in.
It climbed mountains like a goat. It had manual 4-60 air conditioning (Manual windows, rolled down at 60 MPH.)

Would I daily drive it in LA? Yes, if it passed emissions reliably, didn't have a cooling problem, and had AC. Having rust falling off and crappy steel bumpers earns a certain amount of respect around cars that are worth 6 figures, and you just can't buy that with more cash. People always got out of my way for some reason. Maybe it was that, "I hope you're insured, because I'm not!" look I have about me.

Drive what you love, love what you drive. In order to love it, you have to hate it at some point. That usually includes blood, swearing, and a missed deadline. If this is what you want in your life, go for it. Even a $15,000 60 series is going to have something it needs in LA. You're putting daily miles on a vehicle that has already lived a full life. Roll the dice, close your eyes, get in, strap in, and shut up!

Now, if you were my kid I'd smack you upside the head and tell you, "Hell no!!" Get a high MPG car and work on this on the side. But, you haven't lived until your only transportation leaves you stranded and you have to solve the problem on your own. Go be an adult. This is the fast track to learning how to solve problems.

BTW, it's a big world, but it's not so bad being a Christian kid from a small town in Idaho. City kids have it much worse. And a dysfunctional family? HAHAHA! Functional families are a myth, like a reliable Land Rover. We've all got shadows in our closets. If you don't either you're lying or you are someone else's shadow. Get over it and don't blame them for your woes.

That's all.

 

[MANUCHAO]

Started every time.

It smelled like gas. My hair moved in the wind with the windows up and the doors closed, but somehow water never leaked in.
It climbed mountains like a goat. It had manual 4-60 air conditioning (Manual windows, rolled down at 60 MPH.)

Would I daily drive it in LA? Yes, if it passed emissions reliably, didn't have a cooling problem, and had AC. Having rust falling off and crappy steel bumpers earns a certain amount of respect around cars that are worth 6 figures, and you just can't buy that with more cash. People always got out of my way for some reason. Maybe it was that, "I hope you're insured, because I'm not!" look I have about me.

Drive what you love, love what you drive. In order to love it, you have to hate it at some point. That usually includes blood, swearing, and a missed deadline. If this is what you want in your life, go for it. Even a $15,000 60 series is going to have something it needs in LA. You're putting daily miles on a vehicle that has already lived a full life. Roll the dice, close your eyes, get in, strap in, and shut up!

Now, if you were my kid I'd smack you upside the head and tell you, "Hell no!!" Get a high MPG car and work on this on the side. But, you haven't lived until your only transportation leaves you stranded and you have to solve the problem on your own. Go be an adult. This is the fast track to learning how to solve problems.

BTW, it's a big world, but it's not so bad being a Christian kid from a small town in Idaho. City kids have it much worse. And a dysfunctional family? HAHAHA! Functional families are a myth, like a reliable Land Rover. We've all got shadows in our closets. If you don't either you're lying or you are someone else's shadow. Get over it and don't blame them for your woes.

That's all.

^^^

 

[Beehanger]

Probably more of the same. I've owned an 80 since 2005 and until this year a 60 since 2010. I rarely drove the 60 because there was always something that it needed. When all my other vehicles, including "reliable" models less than 6 years old, were offline for wathever reason, the 60 always ran. Maybe it didn't run smooth, and I was the only one that could start it, but always ran. Maybe I had to pull off the freeway every 30 minutes to let it cool down, but it always ran.

Starting procedure under 50 degrees outside:
1. Pull out manual choke 1/2 way
2. Pump gas 7 times
3. Crank the engine for about 3-5 seconds
4. Pump the gas 3-5 times (depening on how the cranking sounded)
5. Pull the choke out all the way and crank it over again. Be ready to push it back in to adjust it before it dies.

Started every time.

It smelled like gas. My hair moved in the wind with the windows up and the doors closed, but somehow water never leaked in.
It climbed mountains like a goat. It had manual 4-60 air conditioning (Manual windows, rolled down at 60 MPH.)

Would I daily drive it in LA? Yes, if it passed emissions reliably, didn't have a cooling problem, and had AC. Having rust falling off and crappy steel bumpers earns a certain amount of respect around cars that are worth 6 figures, and you just can't buy that with more cash. People always got out of my way for some reason. Maybe it was that, "I hope you're insured, because I'm not!" look I have about me.

Drive what you love, love what you drive. In order to love it, you have to hate it at some point. That usually includes blood, swearing, and a missed deadline. If this is what you want in your life, go for it. Even a $15,000 60 series is going to have something it needs in LA. You're putting daily miles on a vehicle that has already lived a full life. Roll the dice, close your eyes, get in, strap in, and shut up!

Now, if you were my kid I'd smack you upside the head and tell you, "Hell no!!" Get a high MPG car and work on this on the side. But, you haven't lived until your only transportation leaves you stranded and you have to solve the problem on your own. Go be an adult. This is the fast track to learning how to solve problems.

BTW, it's a big world, but it's not so bad being a Christian kid from a small town in Idaho. City kids have it much worse. And a dysfunctional family? HAHAHA! Functional families are a myth, like a reliable Land Rover. We've all got shadows in our closets. If you don't either you're lying or you are someone else's shadow. Get over it and don't blame them for your woes.

That's all.

thanks friend, appreciated this. I’m thinking a 100 series just because I don’t know half of anything about cars yet. What you said is right on, been trying to wake up to life recently but don’t want to slow up and pretend I’ve arrived or that it somehow isn’t on me. Time to get messy!

 

[Beehanger]

You've come to a great forum for advice on this. As everyone has stated, a 30 year old truck is going to need some help. You will go broke paying someone else to fix it all the time. Get some tools, friends and start learning and searching on mud. Pretty much everything is on here that you would need to fix.
You might be able to search around and find a cheaper one, but usually that means you will need to do more work. $12~$15K would get you something decent to start with. I'd spend the rest on a cheap economy commuter car. Civic/Jetta/accord etc...

I'm currently driving an old 88 Dodge Ram D50 pickup (daughter is driving my tundra...not sure how this works...) and rebuilding the t-case in my BJ74. Not having to rush, or figure out rides because your only vehicle is down is huge. I used to be in that boat when I was younger and learned quickly to have a cheapy vehicle as well.

Land Cruisers are fantastic, fairly simple to work on and pretty tough. They will put up with a lot of neglect and abuse...which a lot of them have when talking 30 years or older. Nothing wrong with getting a cheap 60/62 (under $10K,) then a commuter and just learning and working on it. I'd be watching the classifieds on here, lots of good cruisers with known history get sold here.

If you only want 1 vehicle to go out and explore, build up and enjoy. I second the 100 series. There are a few in the classifieds with maintenance done and some mods in your price range.

good luck!

Thank you, likely goin with a 100, love the gold and brown hopefully ones there!

 

[AussieHJCruza]

As someone of a similar age and considering 18k to spend:

Buy nice 60/62/other land cruiser for 10k
Buy POS beater, Camry or Honda Accord or something for 4k
Buy decent metric socket set, Decent jack and axle stands for $1k
Have 3k for parts

 

[gbogh]

Buy decent metric socket set, Decent jack and axle stands for $1k

they had better be gold plated for that price! but I second the use of this 18k budget if you don't end up in a 100