Cruiser Quandry?

[lcgeek]

Seeking opinions and thoughts on my cruiser quandry.

I currently own a 97 LC with 65,000 miles, perfect condition, almost ike new...in fact it had 32,000 miles on only 18 months ago...I know I know, what's that matter, right? In any case, the bad news is it does not have factory lockers...

I have been getting close to taking a plunge on a few upgrades for this vehicle, but just before I go down that path - I have found a 96 LX 450 for sale. The LX has had the same owner since 2001, and also has a long history of Lexus service...though I have not gone over the history report line by line yet. This LX has 160,000 miles, but it looks like much less to me...overall in very good condtion. The price $8,500.

Ok, I won't shame myself by disclosing the price I paid for the 97 with 65,000 miles, but lets just say it was around $15K.

Soooooooo....if I only get to keep one, which way do I go? The plan is to turn one of these into a combo daily driver / soft core wheeling and excursion rig.

As added data point, I also have a LX 470, and we use that as the main family daily driver.

What say yee?

 

[lcgeek]

I suppose I should have mentioned the vehicle I am considering, the 96 LX, DOES HAVE FACTORY lockers...duh.

 

[desertdude]

Sell me your 97 for 10K - buy the 96LX for 8.5 and put 1.5K into a few nice mods

 

[brittan]

Keep what you have...cry once and get ARB lockers. I have a 97 with 42000, paid the mileage premium too, and it doesn't have lockers. Lockers are under 2K installed and you are about due for birf rebuilds anyway. I know I run a risk from the fires of hell saying this...but I like the ARB's better than OME anyway. That's my $.02.

 

[desertdude]

...but I like the ARB's better than OME anyway. That's my $.02.

ditto on that - they are fast locking and only leak oil occasionally

 

[-Spike-]

I'm not scared of mileage. That being said, keep the one you have, add ARB's. To get the 160,000 mile rig into the same (or better) condition as your low-miler you would have to spend damn near what you pay for it. It's very expensive to roll back the mileage- meaning replace the parts, not the odometer- and while I'm perfectly happy with my '94 with 170K on the clock, knowing my wife's '95 only has 85K is very comforting. Now just convince yourself that getting a scratch on it isn't a mortal sin and enjoy using it in the manner for which it was designed.

-Spike

 

[WES1977]

Keep what you have...cry once and get ARB lockers. I have a 97 with 42000, paid the mileage premium too, and it doesn't have lockers. Lockers are under 2K installed and you are about due for birf rebuilds anyway. I know I run a risk from the fires of hell saying this...but I like the ARB's better than OME anyway. That's my $.02.

When you say under 2k installed, Your talking done by a mechanic?

 

[brittan]

Yes...Pick up the lockers on a group buy, I believe there is one happening now. The last price I was quoted was +-$700 per locker. Then you pull the pigs and take them down to Wheelers on Washington, I don't know where to go in VA. They threw in an ARB locker in my front diff for $250 on my Taco...I presume it would be the same or close on my LC.
Lockers
$700*2=1400
Install
$250*2=500
Total $1900
You will need to do the plumbing and air install...no big woop.
If you were looking to have someone do the whole sha-bang then I think it would cost more.

 

[Tools R Us]

The other option is to rebuild the locker axles and swap them into the low miles rig?

 

[RHINO]

i'd keep what ya got, the price for lockers is gonna be alot less than the hit you'll take to sell your rig.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I'd upgrade to a UZJ100. 80's suck.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Sell me your 97 for 10K

I bid 10.1K

 

[brittan]

I'd upgrade to a UZJ100. 80's suck.

Thems fight'n words...I will admit that the 100's look better in pictures...

 

[lcgeek]

Sell the 80 for a 100? So my wife's LX 470 doesn't qualify as a 100? Actually thought of keeping my low mile 80 all stock for a while and doing all the mods on the wife's LX

Thanks for all the good ideas, leaning on keeping the 97...

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Thems fight'n words...I will admit that the 100's look better in pictures...

80's suck. Plain and simple. Sell me yours for cheap. That'll make 3 for me (and only 1 100).

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Thems fight'n words...I will admit that the 100's look better in pictures...

My son has my '93 now. He came home with it washed (I never washed it....we trashed it 24/7), DAMN that thing looked sweet!

 

[-Spike-]

80's suck. Plain and simple. Sell me yours for cheap. That'll make 3 for me (and only 1 100).

I need to figure out a way to get written into his will. Then something terrible can happen to him.

-Spike

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

I need to figure out a way to get written into his will. Then something terrible can happen to him.

-Spike

No worries....you won't want to be written in. I don't really want this dudes 80. My next will be another 100, and I KNOW you don't want that.

 

[-Spike-]

Are you kidding? I could give one to the , sell the other and buy 2 more 80's! I'd have my own flock! Or is it herd? Pride? Oh crap, I think my drool just shorted out my keyboard...

-Spike

 

[Brian Macgyver]

The other option is to rebuild the locker axles and swap them into the low miles rig?

Gotta go with bro on this. Money permitting, buy both and swap axles. I know some with newer Troopers or Cherokees who might trade up to an unlocked 80 for the right money. Mostly women with kids. They would be perfectly happy with it. We tend to get spoiled and forget that those people don't know what lockers are and won't miss them a bit. They have never done much wheeling and probably never will. They want a family truck that will go on dirt roads. The 80 is much more sophisticated than their rigs are, and breaks down a lot less.