Best year of the 80?

[Scott_sFZJ80]

I have a '93 and it came with R134a and it's plenty cold. But if I remember correctly wasn't the R12 tested to be about 2 deg. cooler than the R134a? And yet another reason why people were complaining at the time not to switch. I don't seem to miss the 2 deg. difference.

Oh and the '93 are the best! Just because... : )

 

[cruiserman]

I thought the switch from R12 to R134a refrigerant was sometime in '93, so all '94's have R134a. That is something to consider if you live where you'd use a/c alot, system work/recharge on a R12 system can be $$$$.

Easy enough to convert to R134A from R12. Plus you get to keep the dryer out of the rocks.

 

[ultimauk]

slide the climate control lever a bit towards the red and away from the blue?

This climate control lever that you speak of, is it in the FSM?

 

[Hulk]

The 95-97 Cruisers have a much plusher interior. Plus you get the later model grille on the front. We've owned a 97 and now own a 96. People assume it's a very recent vehicle because of the way it looks. I think the earlier models, 93-94, are just as good for wheeling, but show their age a bit more. If you're going to be picking up clients in it, go for the last few years, get the leather interior, etc. The LX450s were made in 96 and 97 as well, and are almost identical to the 80s, with a few more luxury items (like a subwoofer and a CD changer).

If you're ever going to wheel it, think hard before buying one w/o the front/rear locking diffs.

If you're not going to wheel it, and just want a great Cruiser for reliability, toughness, etc., then think seriously about a 100 series Cruiser. You can get a '98 or '99 model for about the same price as a '97 Cruiser. You also get a V8 engine, better fuel economy, and a better ride on the highway.

 

[RavenTai]

I thought the switch from R12 to R134a refrigerant was sometime in '93, so all '94's have R134a. That is something to consider if you live where you'd use a/c alot, system work/recharge on a R12 system can be $$$$.

sorry that was a contraction of my post in the linked thread, but leaves the wrong impression here, the complete thought is 96-97 and maybe/sometimes 95 have all of those enumerated features listed in the previous thread,

I defiantly like 134a, I have the class time required to apply for a license to buy R12 but it is still very expensive. 134a in systems originally designed for it works great is freely available and relatively cheap.

for offroading -early diesel models : minimal electrical crap that say's "gooood night" in the water conditions, (ABS, SRS, OBD-II) , manual locking hub (2wd),
to the maal - as new and shiny as posible

I wish such cruisers were availalbe in the US, but alas they are not

 

[Cruiserhead05]

We own a 94 and a 95.....I dont notice too many differences except the tranny in the 95 may be slightly smoother but i've read the 94 may be slightly tougher. my 94 is at 245k miles with nothing major doen to its tranny....at all. I prefer the 95 dash over the 94. i think the layout is just better and as said before the 95+ do seem a little more plush and the addition of airbags is cool i guess.
Nevertheless, the 95 is stock with no lockers so i would choose the 94 with the ome and lockers over the 95 any day...even with its mileage

 

[reffug]

1993 of course.

 

[semlin]

you can find a reason to prefer any year you buy. They are all very good trucks. A 91 may not stand up to a 97, but it will cost less than half the price and still be a better vehicle than anything else you can buy for the same money.

If money is no object get a 97 40th anniversay edition with lockers, low mileage and full maintenance history and call it done.

if money is an object then figure out your budget and what it will buy then do some prioritizing between mileage, condition and features.

 

[Hulk]

Some people prefer the 97 Collector's Edition over the 97 Anniversary Edition. Something to do with the two-toned leather in the Anniv. Edition.

 

[GeoRoss]

...if money is an object then figure out your budget and what it will buy then do some prioritizing between mileage, condition and features.

Good advice, this is what I had to do since everyone is S. AZ wanted lots of money and didn't want to negotiate.

Ross

 

[macneill]

99... ;p

 

[snowwolfwarrior]

Well the best must be from the UK on a 96 4.5 gas guzzling petrol, better off bing a petrol than a diesel, as diesel is now dearer then petrol!!!!! thanks to the loving government here in the UK, they made diesel cheap and green to make everyone buy a diesel car, then quickly upped the price of diesel over petrol...DOH!!!!!
Just to mention that diesel here in the UK is now 92p a litre, that's $1.91 a litre in the USA, petrol is 86p a litre here making the price in USA $1.58

 

[gregc]

What I LIKE about my '94:

Ever since I can remember, Land Cruisers had always had T O Y O T A emblazoned across the front the 91-94 is still instantly recognizable as a 'cruiser with that grille.
I don't like the new grille design with the ellipical (is that a Venn diagram?)

I like the paper-clip trick to view the ECM codes without a $canner

I can fix just about anything on this truck, all newer vehicles seem to have more electronics and sensors and less that can be really fixed.

I do miss the nice, cushy leather interior...a stereo that WORKS...and newer with less mileage is ALWAYS a good thing.

It 's really about condition...checking out the truck you're buying...and setting reasonable expectations of how much work a 10-year-old truck with 170k is going to need on an ongoing basis.

G