Cost to buy all new non-discontinued oem parts (1 Viewer)

[Quone]

I was having trouble finding an answer to my question in other threads. If there is a thread that answers this, let me know.

I’m interested in purchasing a FZJ80 for daily driving and a few weekends of light off-roading during the summer. I would really like to get an 80 series, but I need very high reliability to get to and from work, as close to 100% reliable as possible. I’m not interested in purchasing two vehicles (one for daily driving and one for off roading).

Just as a hypothetical question, if I were to purchase a rust free FZJ80 and did all the work myself, how much would all of the new nondiscontinued oem parts cost? I figured if these parts are replaced, the truck is effectively younger and more reliable since there are less 26+ year old parts to break. The exact cost number might be too tedious to calculate so an estimation would still be helpful.

I want an estimate of the price because if it is too high, it might just make more sense to buy the 2024 j250 or even a more recent j200 to get closer to achieving that reliability.

If I include oem-quality aftermarket parts, how would that change the number?

Thanks again, any input would be helpful. I have a feeling that the juice might not be worth the squeeze by doing this, but the 80 series is awesome and I would prefer to go with it if possible.

 

[OGBeno]

$100K minimum.

 

[Quone]

Wow, way higher than I estimated! That’s like full professional restoration territory. It would bring the price to around a new LX600. I was hoping it would cost less than the new j250. Thanks for the reality check Beno, I need to rethink my life goals now haha

 

[SpenserAK]

Is there a particular reason you are set on an 80? You could get in a great vehicle that does everything you need, perhaps better, for less, and without all the work.

If you aren't planning to do 100% of the work yourself to create this dream vehicle, don't bother.. unless you have pretty deep pockets that render price irrelevant

 

[Quone]

Yes good point. I mentioned I would likely do light off-roading, but ideally I would like a vehicle that can be daily driven reliably, but could also tackle something like hells gate if needed. I don’t have too many specialized Land Cruiser mechanics near me that I am aware of, so if the vehicle has factory lockers and a factory solid front axle, I’d feel that I can more easily obtain help if needed from local mechanics or even the Toyota dealership. But yes, it seems that this level of restoration of the 80 series would require significant cash. Probably a more recent cruiser may be more economical since most of the time I would be using it to daily drive.

 

[cruzinfj1]

Check this place out in Urbana. He may have what youre looking for or wanting to build.

Automotive Repair Shop - Toyota, Lexus, and Scion - Urbana, IL | Specialized Automotive Inc

Eric has over 24 years in the auto repair services industry, servicing the Champaign ,Urbana, IL community. Give us a call to set up an appointment. 217-840-8325

www.specializedautomotiveinc.com

 

[BuzzAZ]

I don’t think an 80 is the right tool for the job. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 80, but it’s a second vehicle and always will be. If commuting is the priority, then get a commuter. A 30 year old solid axle SUV that gets 13-14 mpg isn’t a commuter.

I would look at a Highlander or something similar. It’ll get you down forest roads and light trails with the right tires, but is still very comfortable around town. Rent a Jeep if you want to go to moab, although a Kia Sorento made it up Hell’s Gate, so maybe you could do it.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

I really don't think you need to replace every possible part on day one. Buy a clean 80, baseline and enjoy it. They're never going out of style and values will always be up in the end. No comparison to a J250. 80 is KING!

 

[ZackR]

I wouldn't buy an 80 as a daily or only vehicle. Don't get me wrong they are plenty capable but when you need to work on it there's no fun in rushing things to get it back on the road or chasing down parts.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

I think you can make an 80 a daily no problem. Plenty of people do. There's a lot of factors. Mechanical abilities. Accessibility to quality Land Cruiser mechanics. How much money you're prepared to spend and what your expectations are to a factory fresh ride.

 

[NeverFinis]

I personally wouldn't daily an 80. Get something more reliable and much more recent. Yes, the 80 is somewhat reliable compared to its peers of the time, but it doesn't hold a candle to anything made in the last 15-20 years, with some exceptions. I am personally not a fan of the 1FZ-FE either. The worst motor I have ever owned.

I am mechanically refreshing a LX450 now, without the 1FZ-FE, and I am running into issues with NLA parts that are fairly important: transmission cooler, the pipes immediately next to the transmission cooler, the heater core, etc... So, no matter how much money you spend, there will be things that you can't replace with original OEM parts. There are work arounds, but I feel you lose a bit of quality with going with parts that almost fit.

 

[mudgudgeon]

I need very high reliability to get to and from work, as close to 100% reliable as possible. I’m not interested in purchasing two vehicles (one for daily driving and one for off roading).

Buy something less than 10 years old then.

80 series are 30 years old, and while they can be extremely reliable, this comes through regular, ongoing maintenance and replacement of worn and deteriorated 30year old parts.

An unexpected failure could have you off the road for days or weeks while you wait for parts and repairs
There's no list of parts to just wholesale replace stuff to make it reliable unless you have an open ended check book.
It's fairly typical to spend 5-10k bringing an average 80 up to snuff on PM in the first few years of ownership (home mechanic). I think as the years tick by, that number will go up. Or, if you pay for work to be done, multiply that number several times.

If you think you want to do harder wheeling, be prepared to break stuff, and have the vehicle of the road for longer periods of time, or pay for repairs.
They are tuff, but have their limits.

 

[COYS]

Just buy a BaT 80 lol

Ok the concept is great. Wallet be darned, build yourself a refreshed 80 with shiny new T parts. Yea, buuuudddddy!

Non-vacuum talk, I daily mine in LA, ~10k miles/yr. I have very few mechanical concerns with mine. The biggest 1st world prob is theft/accident.

At this level of usage, you are self-insured. No big insurance corp is going to cover your six figure 80 without very restrictive terms which run counter to actually being able to enjoy aka drive your T bulletproofed b b b beast.

The sweet spot, for me at least, is to have a well loved one with chassis miles that’s powered by a newly built 1FZ-FE + stuff attached to it that make it go and stop in that order.

My biggest regret is not buying a T reman’ed transmission a few years ago. Cest la vie!



Present

Future

 

[CharlieS]

If Hells Gate is your target, you can run almost any 4wd vehicle.

If it is for a daily, check out the GX, 4Runner, or a used 200 series.

I have a 200 series with front and rear
lockers and run most anything I am willing to try. I found my limit at Rose Garden Hill in Moab, but not because the vehicle wasn't capable, just that I am not that capable.

It is easy to spend ten thousand in parts on an 80. Don't ask how I know.

 

[CharlieS]

I don’t think an 80 is the right tool for the job. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 80, but it’s a second vehicle and always will be. If commuting is the priority, then get a commuter. A 30 year old solid axle SUV that gets 13-14 mpg isn’t a commuter.

I would look at a Highlander or something similar. It’ll get you down forest roads and light trails with the right tires, but is still very comfortable around town. Rent a Jeep if you want to go to moab, although a Kia Sorento made it up Hell’s Gate, so maybe you could do it.

Good idea. Even better if the OP wants to run an 80 in Moab, there is a shop in downtown Moab that has a lot full of 80 series. Navtec, maybe?

 

[Broski]

Have you-al looked at the prices of newer cars ?
Makes putting money into a older Land Cruiser look pretty good

 

[mudgudgeon]

Have you-al looked at the prices of newer cars ?
Makes putting money into a older Land Cruiser look pretty good

True dat.

An 80 can be death by a thousand cuts, and constant garage time.
If you're not soneone who likes that aspect of it, it can get old.

I have a love hate relationship with my 80.
I love driving, i enjoy working in it. I love tinkering on it. I hate the time it takes
(Or, more specifically, I hate that my work doesn't leave me with the time or energy to deal with it a lot of the time so things can take for ever to progress)

 

[CharlieS]

True dat.

An 80 can be death by a thousand cuts, and constant garage time.
If you're not soneone who likes that aspect of it, it can get old.

I have a love hate relationship with my 80.
I love driving, i enjoy working in it. I love tinkering on it. I hate the time it takes
(Or, more specifically, I hate that my work doesn't leave me with the time or energy to deal with it a lot of the time so things can take for ever to progress)

Agree 100% both about the outrageous cost of new vehicles and the need to be a hobby mechanic to own an old car (or to be able to afford to have someone work on it). Fortunately I like working on cars, and got my 80 knowing it was a hot mess - I needed a project. Up until recently I needed to have another car for when this one was disassembled. I don't see an 80 as a single vehicle daily driver, unless there are alternative transportation modes around (like if you lived in a urban area and could use a train, bus, cab or uber to get around).

 

[Broski]

I know all to well

 

[jpoole]

This is just an echo of the above but I love my 80 as my primary/only personal automobile and am not aware of an alternative that I would prefer. The important details that make the 80 work for me are that I've been turning wrenches for decades, live walking / cycling distance to all necessities, work from home and my wife (who does most of the driving) has a more civilized car for when we need one. When I'm going along we typically take the 80 and it is also our primary road trip/adventure vehicle but it still sits a lot. Unless we take trip out of town I'm typically burning about 1 tank of gas per month.

The 80 is great because it's easy to work on and, outside of maintenance items, once you fix something you probably won't have to touch it again for years. Once the suspension/interior is back to spec it's a comfortable and civilized ride (if you keep it stockish at least). Cost of ownership if you can DIY all maintenance/repair work with competence is very reasonable.

The biggest risks with an 80 in my opinion are the lack of insurance options and the reduced safety for passengers in some situations, compared to modern equivalents. I've taken steps to minimize risks on both fronts which largely includes 1" or less of lift, 33" tires that are hwy friendly, avoiding weight on the roof or up high when possible and driving cautiously. I've also avoided making the 80 too nice cosmetically which I think helps it not be a target when parked at trailheads or some urban areas where theft might be more likely, and it's also easier to self insure the less you spend.

If you really understand what it takes to make an 80 work in your situation then you'll be able to evaluate your options and decide on a good course of action for yourself. If you don't know what it takes to run a 30 year old vehicle and don't have the tolerance for the risk and learning curve that it will bring to your life until you gain that knowledge you should probably avoid giving it a try. It can be fun and rewarding but it can also be a huge waste of time and $ that only brings disappointment.

In the end, personal automobiles are really expensive (transportation is the 2nd largest personal/family expense behind housing typically, if I'm not mistaken) and the opportunity costs are pretty high. Depending on your life goals you may well be best suited to absolutely minimize your investment (time and $) in transportation so that you have more resources for everything else