Buying an FJ, some questions (1 Viewer)

[John Spies]

First, do you really need the packages? I just want something rugged and dependable, I am not very concerned with 'rear sonar' and so on.
Now, the question is this...I say all this now, but will I regret it later? I would hate to aftermarket poorly and just wonder if those who have a stripped down FJ wish they had done otherwise.
I actually like the black wheels and manual trannie; am I nuts?!

I am not an 'off-roader' per se, but I do live in the mountains of NC and need 4-wheel drive and the ability to run over stuff now and then.

Also, any leads for good salespeople and good dealerships? I can go to Easley SC, Asheville NC, Atlanta, GA, etc.
cheers!

 

[hammer1]

i ended up with the basic vehicle, with the conv. package #1.
it has the aluminum wheels, which i coudnt care less about, but i took them anyway.

Seems toyota outfits the truck to what they could call demographics, therefor figuring that the general populace wants such-and-such on their vehicle.
i waited 3 months for mine...i would guess your could specify what you want, and the dealer would simply put your car on " the list" and Toyota would eventually spit one out like you want, but the wait could be a long time.

 

[lllateralus]

It all depends on what you want!
If you dont want the keyless entry, rear sonar, (a must if you as me... try backing up to your garage wall without it), cruise control etc.. dont pay for it.

My FJC is my daily driver, so I wanted the durability and low gearing of the 6 speed manual tranny for off roading, but also wanted the FJC to be a nice vehicle for me to drive too... so I got a fully loaded black 6MT FJ back on March 27th and have over 9K miles and couldnt be happier.

 

[Runner Ryan]

I got myself the base model. The cheapest you can get. Still has all the important stuff, like the rear locker. Also power windows, air, and you can add a lot of stuff for free.
Like the A-trac, and I'm working on free cruise control. The packages just give you "bling".

 

[OFRD_GRL]

First, do you really need the packages? I just want something rugged and dependable, I am not very concerned with 'rear sonar' and so on.
Now, the question is this...I say all this now, but will I regret it later? I would hate to aftermarket poorly and just wonder if those who have a stripped down FJ wish they had done otherwise.
I actually like the black wheels and manual trannie; am I nuts?!

I am not an 'off-roader' per se, but I do live in the mountains of NC and need 4-wheel drive and the ability to run over stuff now and then.

Also, any leads for good salespeople and good dealerships? I can go to Easley SC, Asheville NC, Atlanta, GA, etc.
cheers!

i WISH i could have gotten a base model...
i got the model w/ everything because thats all that was available to me...
now running boards, stock wheels, front bumper, among other things are sitting in my garage useless... and the special bling skidplate looks retarded with my bumper and is made of tin foil.

 

[Quixote]

The cheapest I could find had the conv. package, running boards, tow hitch, and carpet mats. The conv. package, at $1,800+ is somewhat over priced but has some useful features.

I like the cruise control, especially for areas with low speed limits - just set it and don't worry about getting a ticket!

The privacy glass is pretty nice for city dwellers like me, especially when we transport our rock star friends who don't want to be gawked at!

DRL should be standard on all vehicles sold, I believe it comes standard on FJs sold in Canada.

Parking Sonar is much more helpful than I originally thought it would be, given the poor rear visibility of the FJ. A backup camera would have been better for the price.

So, if I were to do it again I would go with the choice I made. I needed the car as my old one had died and I was paying $900 per month for a rental Jeep. If I weren't so desperate I would have waited a little longer for a more basic model.

 

[Runner Ryan]

DRL should be standard on all vehicles sold, I believe it comes standard on FJs sold in Canada.

The DRL have been on all vehicles in Canada since the late 80's / early 90's. I think I would find the backup sonar annoying. The truck already has too many warnings/beeps.

 

[etp095]

hammmer is right aboutt the wait for something out of the norn.it took me almost 4 months to get my fjc.i'ts a sun fusion 4x4,auto,cq pkg and rear locker.acording to many dealers i went to my fjc configuration amounts to less than 1% of fj's built in my demographic area(midwest).it may take you a while to get it exactly as you want if it's even being built the way you want.my msrp was $26085 and i got a $1000 discount off msrp from don jacobs toyota(milwaukee,wi) very good buying experience.i live outside chicago and traveled 90 miles because this dealer was willing to get me the fjc i wanted.if one region doesn't have what you want get on that computer and start sending emails.good luck with your search.