Am I crazy?

[rsm]

I had a 97 LC. It blew a head gasket so I traded it in thinking that this was just going to be the beginning of many repair problems. I have been looking at 100 series but they just don't have that "something" that the 80 series have. So now I am on a mission to get another 80 series.
Well, I have found one that I really like, it is in great shape inside and out or so it seems, but it has just over 100,000 miles on it. Just how many miles can one reasonably expect to get out of it if I maintain it properly? Am I a nut for plopping down thousands of dollars for a gas guzzler with over 100k mi. on it?
I just can't seem to find another vehicle that I find as appealing as an 80 series. Somebody help me justify this decision.

 

[FJ809496TLC]

Yes you are.

 

[cary]

Yep.

 

[Biff]

Yup your a nut. Although I do know how you feel, the 100's don't have the same look or feel as the 80. I would go with another 80

 

[semlin]

There is an 80 in the for sale section with 268,000 miles. It takes proper maintenance but it is doable. I hope to do it.

It is too bad you had the head gasket problem but that is the only major problem for which the 80 is known. The rest is preventative maintenance and fingers crossed.

Since you traded your prized CE edition in after fixing the HG, you obviously felt pretty strongly about getting rid of it. Now you have to decide if you like an 80 enough to want to take that chance again.

 

[Darwood]

Wow that suck, you got rid of your 80 after it had the only major problem 80's have and now you want another one that will probably have it's head gasket blow on you as well.

 

[Riley]

I've owned 3 Toyotas to date. 2 of them have gone over 200K miles and are still going strong. My 3rd Toyota is my 80 series and it's only got 80K miles so it's too early to comment on.

Considering some other vehicles eat transmissions at a high rate, even doing a HG every 100K miles is no biggy.

 

[landtank]

Why bother, you'll just piss yourself again when that truck needs a HG. Go buy a Honda element and leave us alone.

 

[Darwood]

[quote author=landtank link=board=2;threadid=17717;start=msg171560#msg171560 date=1086740946]
Why bother, you'll just piss yourself again when that truck needs a HG. Go buy a Honda element and leave us alone.
[/quote]

And I thought I was being harsh :

 

[rsm]

No, Now I realize that a HG issue, though expensive, was a repair I should have made, but hindsight is 20/20. If I pull the trigger again and another HG blows I will at least expect it and factor that looming possible expense into the equation. Now it is just about finding the right vehicle (condition, mileage, etc.)
Basically deciding how much credence I should give to the "mileage factor" in my search. I don't want to spend much more than $16K for q 97 for Low mileage, but trying to decide if it is worth the savings to buy one for closer to $10K but sacrifice miles.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

rsm,
have you considered scrapping the idea of low mileage??
that should get you in the 10-12k range for a 120- 150 range. plenty of dough left to get hte head gasket re done before you have a restless night over it. just saying low miles isnt always a good thing, sometimes planning for hte workst and doing the maintenance up front is a much better way to spend your money.
Dave

 

[landtoy80]

Low mi and older vehicle could ba a bad thing. They may of just ran to walmart with it and never got it hot enough to get the carbon out of it.
If it sat for several years, that would be a bad thing too.
Buy one with hi milage and lots of PM's. For $10,557 you can have mine. It will have new newer Newfields in it next week.

 

[GXO]

I test drove a Mercedes with 342K on it the other day, would have bought it if the price was right...

 

[Junk]

Dude, you blew it, but that was only strike 2 (first strike was not buying one sooner ). Just find one. Heck, no reason to even spend more than 14k for a 97. Should be able to get a 96 for no more than 12k and it drops quickly from there.

Miles are less of a concern than maintenance.

 

[StressPuppy]

[quote author=rsm link=board=2;threadid=17717;start=msg171513#msg171513 date=1086737475]Am I Crazy?[/quote]

Boy that is a LOADED question!!!!!

Not sure about your mental state.... But I just bought a 97 with 91k miles on it. Just did an oil change and plugs. The plugs looked great and the compression was solid. I'll finish the other fluids this weekend.

From what I know of these vehicles, with proper TLC (all vehicles need that), 200k is not a stretch. I feel confident that I will get what I paid for it out of it through use and through resale value. Not like the American SUVs that plummet out of sight as soon as you drive off the lot..... :

I would say take your time and find one that catches your eye and makes you feel "warm and fuzzy". Inspect it over REALLY good (sounds like as a PO of an 80 you know what to look for/at) and go from there. I got luck and stumbled across mine (was looking for a 4Runner at the time).

Good luck!

 

[nyk438]

Get another 80. There.

 

[Beowulf]

>> if I maintain it properly? <<

If you and the prior owner maintain(ed) it properly... yes you should consider an 80 Series with 100k miles.

I would guess over 90% of the members of this section have trucks over 100k miles. We get a few defectors from time to time but most of us are planning very long relationships with these vehicles. My '97 has more miles than Nyk's '91 and if the HG or anything else expensive goes tomorrow, I'll whine a lot, cry a little, fix it, and drive on with the best SUV ever offered for sale to the American public.

-B-

 

[Newps]

'Insane in the membrane, insane in the brain!" Don't know why I said that, it just seems to fit.

I looked for a while till I found mine. Although it has no lockers, the previous owner was anal about taking care of it. Mine has 130k, bought it for 11,500, perfect in everyway. Even if the HG goes, that’s part of owning a truck. s*** is going to break. Just know you have the best of all worlds with an 80 LC. There is no other truck on the market that can compete with it, period. Buy anything else and you will regret it.

"Got no brains, going insane, insane in the......."