Comparing the 80 to an fj (1 Viewer)

[FirstToy]

Pretty neat alternative compared to the 100.

.................................................FJ...........................FZJ80
Head Room................................41.3.........................40.7
Weight......................................4,295.......................4,763
Length......................................183.2.......................188.9
Width..........................................75............................76
Horsepower................................239..........................212
Torque.......................................278..........................275

The numbers are very misleading. There is a lot more usable space in the 80 as the rear is tall and boxy. The headroom is good in the FJC but perception is the 80 is taller and more 'airy' inside- to me anyway.

The HP/TQ rating is by the NEW standard. Compared to the 80's standard it is more like:
FJC-->265hp 80-->212hp

If you are buying new, I agree the FJ Cruiser is a nice choice. Personally, I would go for a V8 4Runner and get a fast wagon which many of the FJ C's important mods directly bolt-on to.
I also really like the 4 door Rubicon, that's a really nice truck and competitive price range (I think).

obvously the 80 is the king

 

[MoJ]

Depending on the area that 6" difference in length makes a big difference. In my area navigating an 80 between trees can be a chore. On the same trails the FJ breezes through.

 

[CJBury]

Would you guys have as much of a problem with the fj if it wasn't called fj? I think that they should have named it something else. Too much reputation to live up to.

There are a few guys in our club that have fj's. One is on 33's the other is on 35's. They do really well in the woods. Now I'm not saying that I want one, I love my war wagon, but they seem to be a capable rig.

 

[ginericLC]

Would you guys have as much of a problem with the fj if it wasn't called fj? I think that they should have named it something else. Too much reputation to live up to.

That is interesting to think about and I bet some people take that into consideration. For me, it is just the visibility that kills it. I wheel with my family and the rear windows suck. Performance wise and wheelability I'm impressed. I was on the Rubithon Wagon Run and I followed the FJ Cruisers on the last little section before the bridge. I ran very similar lines to them. I chatted with Robbie about this (powderpig) and he said it was because they were similar in size wheelbase wise. I hadn't looked at the exact numbers. I've also chatted with him some about towing at the CO Cruiser Rallye. The Trail Teams tow those trailers all over the place. He said it flat out kicks his 80s butt towing up the passes in CO. He's spent a lot of time in both rigs and he has a lot of positives to say about the FJs. If it didn't have poor visibility I'd own one, even if they named it something else.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

The numbers are very misleading. There is a lot more usable space in the 80 as the rear is tall and boxy. The headroom is good in the FJC but perception is the 80 is taller and more 'airy' inside- to me anyway.

The HP/TQ rating is by the NEW standard. Compared to the 80's standard it is more like:
FJC-->265hp 80-->212hp

If you are buying new, I agree the FJ Cruiser is a nice choice. Personally, I would go for a V8 4Runner and get a fast wagon which many of the FJ C's important mods directly bolt-on to.
I also really like the 4 door Rubicon, that's a really nice truck and competitive price range (I think).

obvously the 80 is the king

If I fit a V8 4Runner would be sitting in my garage....the stupid head liner creeps down to far. One of the reasons I like the fj...I can see the stoplights, Mountains, etc. I'm a wagon man by heart.

 

[mainemike]

I'd have a problem if they badged it a Land Cruiser. It is an alternative to the 4Runner and taco/tundra, as well as the Rubys, H3s, Xterras, discos and such but it isn't a Land Cruiser. Nor was it positioned to compete with the LC.

I think it's a huge compliment to both the FJ and the 80 to be compared to each other; a brand new rig being tested alongside a decade old design, an unknown new-comer vs the world champion, the undisputed expedition champ.... it's a made-for-Hollywood scenario.

I like seeing (alot) of FJs on the road, but I really like hardly ever seeing another 80... the FJ is part of the cruiser family, but it isn't a LAND cruiser.

I think they look really neat, and I'm very happy Toyota made them so capable. Now give me a soft top version; dual-locked Ruby challenger, and maybe I'll start drooling.

 

[Doc]

I wheeled with a bunch of FJ's over the past weekend. Got to see the Toyota Trail Team in action as well. Overall, I was impressed with the FJ. It got into and out of a lot of places that other trucks (modified even) couldn't. The ATRAC worked great to get them up and out of the pits we were in. Sure, it's not a true locker, and that wheel in the air was jerking around, but for the majority of drivers the FJ will be a perfect DD/ 3x per year trail rig.

 

[TiredIronGRB]

for the majority of drivers the FJ will be a perfect DD/ 3x per year trail rig.

That sums it up very good, it is what it is.

 

[ginericLC]

I'd have a problem if they badged it a Land Cruiser. It is an alternative to the 4Runner and taco/tundra, as well as the Rubys, H3s, Xterras, discos and such but it isn't a Land Cruiser. Nor was it positioned to compete with the LC.

There is a book out on the development of the FJ Cruiser. Originally Toyota penned it as a Land Cruiser. All of the drawings have Land Cruiser on the sides of it instead of FJ Cruiser. I'm not sure what changed their minds. And really what can we do, Toyota can call them whatever they want. They are their vehicles to market and badge as they seem appropriate. I know overseas some folks don't like that the Prados are badged as Land Cruisers. I'm glad they didn't call the Land Cruiser either, but if you look at it and compare it to the utilitarian vehicles that used to be called Land Cruisers and compare it to what Toyota is calling the Land Cruiser now it might be a closer relative to the past than the current offering in the U.S.

 

[Nay]

How you justify an FJ over a four door Rubicon Unlimited is beyond me. I've been on the trail with the FJ team, and while I like the FJ, and the team, it's just a reasonably competent SUV in offroad performance.

I've also been out with Rubicons, and there's no comparison, especially with the improved (longer) wheelbase.

 

[NeverFinis]

I don't know how people can even suggest the FJ with its problem with ripping inner fender wells. which eventually lead to bulging fenders. This is a problem with stock FJs with stock bumpers as well as lifted FJs.

One of the four wheel magazines is doing a cummins -> 4 door wranger conversion and I noticed the inner fenders of the wrangler are very impressive. You won't see them tearing due to frame flex.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

How you justify an FJ over a four door Rubicon Unlimited is beyond me. I've been on the trail with the FJ team, and while I like the FJ, and the team, it's just a reasonably competent SUV in offroad performance.

I've also been out with Rubicons, and there's no comparison, especially with the improved (longer) wheelbase.

I'd check out a heep if there were a diesel. The 202 hp is pretty lame.

 

[FirstToy]

The FJC is a pretty impressive wagon. Seeing a modded FJC, it certainly looks the part. It's capable and has a ton of choices for mods- no Toyota wagon has done so much, so quick in that regard. Do I wish the FJC was different? Yes, but what they offer is a great pkg. It's always a risk w/ you do something so different. People will love or hate unique things.

As a 4x4 wagon, the most recent thing Toyota has done is 1997!
Even the 80 was not intended for what we are doing now, it just happens to be a great SFA platform for it.

I think the Jeep Rubicon 4door is really cool. The Chrysler minivan V6 is not so cool. I think the prev. gen I6 is better mated.
Diesel Rubicon would be awesome tho.

As for the "ripping body panels" - don't blow it out of proportion. I would be damn upset if I paid 30K and it did that but it will either be covered or fix it. It's not a unibody, it's a frame-on and this territory has been covered by the Prado owners that experienced the same thing. I think people experiencing this will have it taken care of- it's something new from what I can tell. Too early to say if Toyota has already fixed it in newer models and what they will do to put it right w/ current owners.

Some 80's have body cracks at the rear doors- nothing is perfect...

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I know this is an old thread but my 2 cents
fj cruiser, $30.00 plus mods.
or
$30,000 buys 2 80 series for $10,000 each
#1 is stock
#2 trail rig is sawzalled down to the size (and less weight) than a fj cruiser and you still have $10,000 for special parts/tubing
You can tow use #1 to tow #2 to the trail.

 

[Grolar]

Just to throw my 2 cents because I can.
I was very upset by how claustrophobic the FJ made me feel compared to my 80. I found it really cool from the outside and it seems to be a decent softcore offroader (save the IFS), but this letterbox windshield I really can't take. In general I like to see what color the traffic signals are.

 

[peepers]

It took two of us to extract this FJC which grenaded his rear diff after killing the steering linkage on a small ledge on a Bunny Trail at Gray Rock. It only had 5k miles on it.

yikes! reminds me of that h2 video everyone makes fun of when his steering goes bang!

goes to show ya, it can happen to anyone...

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

How you justify an FJ over a four door Rubicon Unlimited is beyond me. I've been on the trail with the FJ team, and while I like the FJ, and the team, it's just a reasonably competent SUV in offroad performance.

I've also been out with Rubicons, and there's no comparison, especially with the improved (longer) wheelbase.

Aside from a REAL Land Cruiser the only vehicle that would suit me would be the Jeep JK Unlimited. An FJ Cruiser isn't in the same class capability-wise.

 

[gulp3000]

I looked hard at the FJC until I sat in one. The visibily issue was a deal breaker. I'm used to wheeling in my 60 w/no tint and love having big windows all the way around. I have a '97 80 that will be replacing the 60 in a few years as a wheeling rig. Hopefully, when I wear the 80 out (2020-2025), there will be a decent choice available.

I know there will be a bunch of parts that will be hard to source for 80 series in 15-20 years, but at the moment, if your budget is $35,000, you can have a stock FJC... or a very nice 80 w/lockers ($11,000) plus $24,000 in upgrades. Thats about every add-on you want/need with enough left for a rebuilt engine, tranny, axles, and hula girl on the dash.

As far as the Rubicon goes, it's a very nice looking and very CAPABLE rig. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the combination of capability, DURABILITY, LONGEVITY and RELIABILTY that has made Land Cruisers...well, Land Cruisers.

 

[EricG]

I looked hard at the FJC until I sat in one. The visibily issue was a deal breaker. I'm used to wheeling in my 60 w/no tint and love having big windows all the way around.

That's what really kills the FJ for me - the visibility sucks. It looks like it's going to suck from the outside, and then you sit in it and find that it sucks even more then you expected.

The huge windows are one of the things that sold me on the 80.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Personally, the only thing that I would trade my 80 in on would be a SAS Tacoma Double-Cab...