Anyone ever tempted? (2 Viewers)

[LockedCollector]

So I bought my '11 FJC with ~19k miles for $28k back in 2012. I've driven the snot out of it (miles wise) and I am up to ~97k miles. Only add on is a mild lift and 285 tires. I am one to not care how much I put on the odometer as long as it is well maintained and not abused. Its paid for, zero problems, love driving it, but occasionally see its value on NADA. Can this be true? And if so that is unbelievable. Any of you fine FJC owners ever get tempted to cash in? I mean, I would be hard pressed to let the FJ go but come on that is a great return.

 

[Smaddox]

I had both my 95 FZJ80 and 2012 FJC up for sale in July of this year. It was going to be a whichever sells first. Someone made an offer on the FJC first, I chickened out and waited another month to sale the FZJ80.

 

[1911]

Any of you fine FJC owners ever get tempted to cash in?

The short answer is "no", but I guess it depends on how each person buys and uses cars.

Here's my thought process; YMMV:

Cars depreciate, some slower/less than others, but they all wear out eventually. In my experience, Toyotas tend to hold value more/longer than most, but they're still a depreciating asset. I like to buy my vehicles second-hand, so that someone else has already taken the steep initial depreciation. I also pay cash for them, so I don't have any interest expense or excessive insurance expense. Then I use them 'till the wheels fall off (a long time with a Toyota). If I get tired of them before that happens, I will give it to a family member. Then I start over again.

The other thing that complicates my situation is that I tend to modify all my vehicles to suit me, sometimes (as in the case of my FJC) to a somewhat extreme degree, but the mods I make might not (likely will not) appeal to many other potential owners, so I would also lose a lot of the money I put into mods, plus it would be harder to sell (appeal to less people).

Those are the reasons I usually keep vehicles for a long long time and don't trade in.

 

[NyNomad]

I would have toyed with the idea. until I found out my FJ was in a wreck with a deer before I bought it and now no one will rally take it in on trade.. but that's ok, just passed 150K miles.... the next 150 will....be....EP...IC!

 

[lgrt]

I have a hard time letting go of just about anything... especially something that has so many great memories associated with it and she still more memories to made. Although every time i think about some repair work i have on the list for her it does cross my mind

 

[BMThiker]

I get form letters from dealerships every few months and just laugh. If they knew what my FJC looked like, they would run.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

What dealers are asking for on these is bonkers....


I saw this one driving and looked it up just being curious. They had it at 39,500 when I first looked up. It also had some flaws. And to me at that price point the dealer should spend 10 bucks on touching up the peeling paint and rusty hardware on the bumpers and previous owner paint job on the plastic.

Used 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser For Sale | Fort Walton Beach FL



I think the price of new Toyotas is driving the used market up on fjc,4runner,tacos. If the new trd 4runners weren't 50k I would have one instead of my fjc but I like not having a car payment and they are to similar of vehicle for me to justify.

 

[ttFJC]

I pitty the fool that buys my FJC from me if i ever sold it.

On paper mine probably looks like a great car. 2nd owner, 69k, new clutch with like 5,000 miles on it. Still under factory transferable warranty...LOL..becuse toyota will warrenty an 8 year old vehicle if they sell it certified used. And its a unicorn..6MT Trail Teams....Some poor sap would probably love it and pay cash sight unseen on the internet because of the rare combo. i bet id get every penny i paid for it almost 3 years ago.

AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOK UNDER IT AND BE LIKE WTF! this things hammered!

But i could never sell it, its my own personal unicorn. Of all the cars that are currently available, i wouldn't have bought anything else. Not even a 200. Perfect color, perfect size and NOT A JK!

Plus the wife said she doesn't want me to ever get rid of it. so i might be stuck.

And my dog pretty much lives with me in it on the weekends so he would never forgive me

 

[TheHardWay]

Same with my wife. She loves it and would not likely forgive me if I sold it - WHICH I'M NOT GONNA DO.

 

[NorthFJ]

We honestly don't know what to get next.....it's at a perfect state for what we need,
It's long paid for and at a beat up enough state that we don't worry about the odd bit of trail damage or if the kids spill crap in it or if we have to load it with 2x4s.
Yet, she's still running well, all things considering.
Anything "wrong" with it right now is cosmetic (ok, maybe there's a few small things that should be dealt with but nothing major).....it's been such an awesome rig, it feels like cheating just thinking about selling her to move on.

However at so high an ODO number, it does cross the mind that we're not gonna have her forever.
The question is, what's next? And honestly, with an ODO this high, trading to the dealer or even private sale isn't going to fetch much.
.........so we keep doing the odd repair here and there and just expect the poor thing will be with us for a lifetime.

Not that she's ever let us down at all, but before each long trip we now rub the dash and tell her "just one more good trip old girl, just one more".

Maybe the real question we striving to answer is "just how long will this thing last"?

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

We honestly don't know what to get next.....it's at a perfect state for what we need,
It's long paid for and at a beat up enough state that we don't worry about the odd bit of trail damage or if the kids spill crap in it or if we have to load it with 2x4s.
Yet, she's still running well, all things considering.
Anything "wrong" with it right now is cosmetic (ok, maybe there's a few small things that should be dealt with but nothing major).....it's been such an awesome rig, it feels like cheating just thinking about selling her to move on.

However at so high an ODO number, it does cross the mind that we're not gonna have her forever.
The question is, what's next? And honestly, with an ODO this high, trading to the dealer or even private sale isn't going to fetch much.
.........so we keep doing the odd repair here and there and just expect the poor thing will be with us for a lifetime.

Not that she's ever let us down at all, but before each long trip we now rub the dash and tell her "just one more good trip old girl, just one more".

Maybe the real question we striving to answer is "just how long will this thing last"?

I have a retired neighbor that pretty much lived in his fjc on weekdays driving around town doing errands for his job. He was around 275,000 miles with little or no problems before he traded it in, mostly minor things like broken seat side and interior pieces. His were short stop and go trips so not easy highway miles. He traded it in for a Buick and still comments every time he sees me he regrets it and that his new Buick Is less reliable in his mind

 

[mattv94]

Maybe the real question we striving to answer is "just how long will this thing last"?

It'll last until it doesn't. Then you tow it back home, get it fixed, and it'll last a bit longer

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I get calls from 3 dealers monthly on mine. I just hand the phone to Andrea, she lets them run through all their crap sales pitching and she just says thanks but we'll keep it and hangs up..

2013- 13K on the ticker.... It's our driveway decoration...

J

 

[LockedCollector]

Today I met with the dealer that I bought the FJC from, and they offered $19k trade in for this super low mile Power Wagon. Even though this was a sweet deal, I decided to pass. Can't do it. It would leave me with a payment and without the FJ. Locked and winched, this thing is a beast tho.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

Today I met with the dealer that I bought the FJC from, and they offered $19k trade in for this super low mile Power Wagon. Even though this was a sweet deal, I decided to pass. Can't do it. It would leave me with a payment and without the FJ. Locked and winched, this thing is a beast tho.

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I am biased towards Toyota but I would put even money on that having a mechanical issue before the fjc you have with 97k miles.


I’ve been tempted even more lately on trading my fjc in for a newer model fjc but in my mind mine has been better maintained and I know what I have.


I’ve picked up the bad habit of looking at what others are posting on Instagram with their 4runners and Tacoma’s. Makes me want a newer model Toyota...... I hope they keep up making these type of vehicles

 

[firensteel]

Like some here I get local dealers offering me deals, I get "120% of KBB" for my FJ.
I never got that for any of my American 4x4's I used to own.
My FJ stays but now I have to pay again because my son wants a Tacoma to drive the trails with Dad in his own vehicle.
So several things;
Toyota hold value well and with good reason;
I have been surprised as to how easy maintenance is on an FJ, well planned Toyota;
The aftermarket support is great;
These communities are a great resource.

 

[ttFJC]

I’ve picked up the bad habit of looking at what others are posting on Instagram with their 4runners and Tacoma’s. Makes me want a newer model Toyota...... I hope they keep up making these type of vehicles

until you see what a trd pro goes for

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

until you see what a trd pro goes for

I saw one at the dealer when getting my wife’s car six months ago.... I didn’t know they made 50k tacos. It’s crazy they are asking that and people are paying.
I do like them though and enjoy seeing them. Crazy that Toyota on the grill costs a few thousand extra but it does look good.

 

[ttFJC]

i really like that there making more earthy tones like the grey and the brown rather then the orange and bright ass blue.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

Since it’s somewhat on the same topic as this thread I’ll mention my experience over the last week.

Early this week
I got what I think was a good offer for my 07 Black trd 6sp (its not forsale I mentioned I would sell for a high price I didn’t think someone would pay and the offer was in the ballpark)
So I started looking into getting a newer model fj cruiser since I’ve always wanted a white one. And I would sell if I could replace it

The prices are still pretty high especially for the models made after 2010. I think we are coming to a time where they will start to drop but I enjoy not having a payment to much to trade mine in. So I declined the offer to sell

The high values are in part due to the perceived rarity of the vehicle and the fact toyota is charging close to 50k for a similar product.