Can I find a decent rig for $15k? (1 Viewer)

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I'm in north alabama and thinking about letting my 79 go for 15k. I've done tons of mechanical work to it over the past several years. Needs some rust repair. Rear sill, rear quarters and passenger floor pan at a minimum. I would say medium skill level repairs. If I was going to do it I'd take the body off and dig in. Just completed a 300 mi camping trip in it last weekend with no issues. It's a solid runner but just depends what you're looking for.

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Some mods ok but body good shape and original engine a must.
 
All of my good deal buys have been rigs that were never listed online. That said, everyone is pretty spot on in regards to price.

I always try to find the best shape body/frame wise as possible. The engines in a lot of these have been swapped even if for another F/2F.

I do know of a 40 thats been sitting for a few years, I'm tempted to go talk with them.
 
You got to search off CL or FB to find the best deals. By the time a 40 hits CL these days it's either a scam, an SA truck or way over priced. I found my 40 on a used car dealer's website out of Idaho. If I recall I was just doing google searches for "FJ40 Land Cruiser yellow" and got a hit. First thing I did was to make sure it wasn't listed on Ebay or CL (don't think FB had marketplace back then) and didn't find it listed anywhere else. Negotiated over the phone and had it shipped east.
 
It can be done...I picked up my 75 a few months ago on really good condition. It had the usual rust but overall not bad at all. Just under 78k miles, 3 owner vehicle. I found it on Craigslist. Just search “craigslist fj40” and see what pops up. Mine was literally 20 miles from my home. Maybe I got lucky. As others have said have cash available and move quickly. Then have extra cash available to have fun with it. Good luck! Let us know what you find.
 
It is possible, but there are many of us watching and waiting to buy as well. Many of the FJ's I bought were on a leap of faith from the seller. There's no way I was going to fly or drive out to buy the many I purchased. I never really got burned, but let me say it helps to have cash ready and a feel for a fraudster. You will find a great FJ you want to buy, and it's going to be 1000 miles away. You'll have to deal with car shippers and the unknown. But like we all know, the originals are becoming more scarce. So keep an eye out, I post many in classifieds area for everyone, the good ones I find. Read our comments there, you'll gain some great insight.

Some sellers are crazy too, this on FJ seller in San Francisco area recently refused any kind of electronic deposit for the vehicle. No Paypal, No Zelle, Nothing he said. He said he was going to meet the buyer in front of the bank, and go in and count the cash on their machines. That was the only way he would sell the vehicle.
 
It is possible, but there are many of us watching and waiting to buy as well. Many of the FJ's I bought were on a leap of faith from the seller. There's no way I was going to fly or drive out to buy the many I purchased. I never really got burned, but let me say it helps to have cash ready and a feel for a fraudster. You will find a great FJ you want to buy, and it's going to be 1000 miles away. You'll have to deal with car shippers and the unknown. But like we all know, the originals are becoming more scarce. So keep an eye out, I post many in classifieds area for everyone, the good ones I find. Read our comments there, you'll gain some great insight.

Some sellers are crazy too, this on FJ seller in San Francisco area recently refused any kind of electronic deposit for the vehicle. No Paypal, No Zelle, Nothing he said. He said he was going to meet the buyer in front of the bank, and go in and count the cash on their machines. That was the only way he would sell the vehicle.

Well, with the possible electronic possible frauds, you cannot blame him.
 
I picked up my sweetheart of a rig here on Mud a year ago for south of 10k. Very little rust, very few issues... been driving weekly it since.
 
Whatever you do, don’t buy a green one. They look the worst against beautiful mountain backdrop photos...:grinpimp:


take a drive in the country as well, you’d be surprised that you can find them hanging out. Those usually need more work but are cheaper.

also do you have any friends that are drivery drivers of any kind? have them on the lookout.
 
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It is possible, but there are many of us watching and waiting to buy as well. Many of the FJ's I bought were on a leap of faith from the seller. There's no way I was going to fly or drive out to buy the many I purchased. I never really got burned, but let me say it helps to have cash ready and a feel for a fraudster. You will find a great FJ you want to buy, and it's going to be 1000 miles away. You'll have to deal with car shippers and the unknown. But like we all know, the originals are becoming more scarce. So keep an eye out, I post many in classifieds area for everyone, the good ones I find. Read our comments there, you'll gain some great insight.

Some sellers are crazy too, this on FJ seller in San Francisco area recently refused any kind of electronic deposit for the vehicle. No Paypal, No Zelle, Nothing he said. He said he was going to meet the buyer in front of the bank, and go in and count the cash on their machines. That was the only way he would sell the vehicle.


I think I'm the one who bought it from that seller :)
 
Well, with the possible electronic possible frauds, you cannot blame him.

Fraud with Zelle? It's like Bitcoin, not likely. It's just people now don't take the time to learn about tech and
jump to conclusions that something is dangerous without figuring out how it works.
 
I think I'm the one who bought it from that seller

haha nice ! well that's cool, did you end up in front of a teller with hundred dollar bills? lol
 
Well, I'm not 100% sure we're talking about the same seller haha but I did pay cash for mine and he did mention a few people offered deposits through those banks/apps. He was an older gentleman who had limited skills in tech and mentioned he was afraid of scams.

I also consider myself lucky because he removed his listing and I thought it was sold. He then called me a few days later since I left him a voicemail and said I was local with cash in hand.

I learned later he removed the listing because too many people were calling him and he had too many things going on at once in his life.
 
He was an older gentleman who had limited skills in tech and mentioned he was afraid of scams.

Sounds like him, he was about my age and a retired contractor. I grew up around computers, I mined Bitcoins in the early days, and made my money in his home town San Jose - Bay Area working on the Internet. He wasn't having any of it lol. I told him, you know your home town loves tech, he said yea that's why I hate it lol.
 
I would expect he would at least accept a deposit, where is the harm in that?

No harm in a deposit via electronic means. But, 20K to 40K , that is a lot to get scammed on. I actually do not need cash but a cashiers check deposited and cleared before signing over a title is ok as well.
 
I actually do not need cash but a cashiers check deposited and cleared before signing over a title is ok as well.

I'll take Bitcoin, Cash, or Cashiers Check that cleared, Zelle

and right a deposit is no risk
 
Sounds like him, he was about my age and a retired contractor. I grew up around computers, I mined Bitcoins in the early days, and made my money in his home town San Jose - Bay Area working on the Internet. He wasn't having any of it lol. I told him, you know your home town loves tech, he said yea that's why I hate it lol.


Yep, that's him. So you're the only one that knows what my fj40 looks like. Just saying... There's nothing special about it haha
 

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