Daily Driving a 70 series troopy or pickup? Opinions requested

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DekraDTM

DekraDTM

Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Threads
4
Messages
27
Location
Boston
Hi Everyone,

I am new to the forum as well as to Landcruisers and Toyotas. I am moving to New Hampshire in two months and am looking for a bombproof daily driver with 4WD. I've been familiar with the 70 series for some time now, having owned four Mercedes G Wagens over the years. While the G is over-engineered and very strong, parts were expensive and there were no shortages of things to fix. I want something with space for cargo, parts that are available in the US (and available more cheaply than MB parts) and something that retains value (hence the reason for going the 70 series route).

How much reliability can I expect from a Troopy or Pickup with the 3b or 6cyl? Could anybody who drives their 70 series daily chime in on what you have done to bring your car to a reliable state? I would be driving 35 mins each way each day, but all of the driving will be on paved roads. Any advice as to what I should prioritize as I search for a reliable 70 series would be very much appreciated.

Thanks for your insights.

Hunter
 
I've never had a 70 Series leave me stranded although I've limped home on occasion. Having said that, unless I had a alternate means to get to work, I wouldn't solely rely on a 25+ year old Cruiser as my daily driver. Parts can also be an issue and while most are available, a waiting period in procurement is also common. This of course I my opinion and my opinion only.
 
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I daily drove my Prado for about 5 months, and it never broke down on me. There were a couple of days when it was out of commission while I was replacing my turbo, and thats about it.
 
I daily a 77. Plenty of space (unless you have rear-facing car seats). They are reliable trucks, but, as stated previously, having only an old ass truck for life isn't so smart. Get a bicycle or consider a different vehicle.
 
I daily a 77, I agreee with @divemedic on the rear facing car seats (a big reason why I mine is for sale shortly) Other than that its a utilitarians suv. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

I had a 75 pick up and the single cab is tight. It was a cool cool truck but in the end the 77 was far more practical with a roof rack for me.
 
I have enough faith in my 77 Series to make a 15-16 hour drive in late September however there is a Tacoma in the garage in case my faith is unfounded. :)
 
I've had to dd my truck for a few periods over the years, at the start its really cool but the novelty soon wears off, big heavy truck, agricultural comfort, harsh suspension, average brakes and stopping ability, limited power, difficult to park, hard to manoeuvre in busy traffic, poor turning circle..... don't get me wrong they are still cool trucks but the dynamics all change if you have to drive them every day :)
 
^^^^^^^ Probably the best advice you'll get.
 
Haven't a clue the availability or expense of G parts, but I don't know that I'd ever use either of those as selling points of NA 7Xs.

I've been DDing an HZJ73 for a while, sharing time with a '78 40, '76 Pig, then (as the seasons went from spring to hell here in OK) cycling the AC equipped, '97 80 in the rotation, and will soon add a Troopy to the lineup.

I drive a lot, both surface streets and highways:

They're loud like Cruisers.
They smell like Cruisers.
They shift like Cruisers.
They're clunky like Cruisers.

And I wouldn't trade that, even though modern options are present, BECAUSE they're Cruisers, and DDing is part of that overall experience, however irrational that is.
 
I had a 86 bj-70 I that was my dd for a few years. As long as the maintenance was up to date, it never broke down, and this is living in Fairbanks, AK. Drove it year round. I did have to get studded tires for winter since the short wheel base made winter driving a challenge whenever we had a ice storm. Had BFG AT's and the first slick road and the cruiser would swap ends even at 25mph. Got studs and all was good again. I never got tired of driving it, and I drove it a lot around the state even in the winter. Now I have a HJ-75 pickup. It is my dd, I don't see any problems with it as long as I keep up on any required maintenance. The 70 had awesome turning radius. The 75 not quite so good, longer wheelbase I guess. The only down side to the pickup is the limited cab space to put stuff in in a covered/protected cabin, and the seat does not go back far enough for most taller people, but that being said I drove it 4600mi in 9 days last spring and getting ready for a 1600mi trip starting next week if I can get all the maintenance done that I have planned for it before I go.
It would definitely not be the most comfortable commuting vehicle, but if that does not matter then should not be any problem.
 
Hello DekraDTM,

Listen to the wisdom of the posts above. Not kidding here. You are and will be living in the north eastern US, what do you need a LandCruiser for? Certainly they are cool cars, given one's preferences, but that alone isn't reason enough to get one. I'll wager you'll do just fine with an older Toyota pick-up, say with the 2.7litre 4-banger, 4 wheel drive, etc etc, and you'll be well served. If you are aching for a Cruiser, okay, i get it, but ask yourself why; you will have to find your parts sources, mechanics who can and want to deal with them, and so on in that vein. In our part of the planet, they do not necessarily make sense, so mind your decision. Great cars, certainly, but if you don't know, a Cruiser here may mean you must buy two cars, so you can get around while waiting for Cruiser bits, at least until you have your Cruiser sorted properly. There is any number of reliable and cheap vehicles available to get around, and Cruisers don't come cheap. Think about it, pal. I love Cruisers, i love mine, it is my daily driver, but i am paying for the damn thing. There's a reason i call it my wife.
 
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sadam_husain said:
I've had to dd my truck for a few periods over the years, at the start its really cool but the novelty soon wears off, big heavy truck, agricultural comfort, harsh suspension, average brakes and stopping ability, limited power, difficult to park, hard to manoeuvre in busy traffic, poor turning circle..... don't get me wrong they are still cool trucks but the dynamics all change if you have to drive them every day :)
Click to expand...

That's a big bingo. Well said amigo.

Oh, and it's a very expensive hobby or lifestyle.

TO ANyone: Please don't complain on MUD how expensive owning a Land Cruiser is.

That's reality.... Ask @cruiserdan
 
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I have daily driven Landcruiser Utes and a troopy for years for work just do routine maintenance and you will never have a problem with them all the ones I drive now have more than 400,000kms on all of them
 
OGBeno said:
That's a big bingo. Well said amigo.

Oh, and it's a very expensive hobby or lifestyle.

TO ANyone: Please don't complain on MUD how expensive owning a Land Cruiser is.

That's reality.... Ask @cruiserdan
Click to expand...

Hello Beno,
I hear you. I hope i did not sound like i was complaining, to me it's well worth the expense. If i did not choosse the right builder, and as a result my expenses are stupid, that has nothing to do with the quality of the car; i do know that once it is properly sorted and fettled, i will not find a more reliable vehicle. And one of my goals is to never buy another car, so expensive now to me is an investment in long-term reliability and therefore low maintenance and running costs. I don't think LandCruisers can be beat for that.
Sadam, you're right on in regards to the agricultural nature of a 75 (in my case), but, frankly, that simplicity is one of the attractions.
 
61Mk+ said:
....frankly, that simplicity is one of the attractions.
Click to expand...

Simplicity.

An important component to the Cruiser experience is being stripped of modern accompaniments, wrapping ourselves in a cocoon of simplicity, and enjoying brief reprieves of disconnectivity from the fast paced, modern world in which we function.

It's within these reprieves, when mobile technology is rendered useless by the manual transmission, resonating interior, and wind noise, via the manually cranked windows for lack of AC, that zen like peace envelops.

A relationship exists within this connection of man and machine that cannot be achieved in any other way.

Trust develops between each, a trust that's impossible to achieve piloting a modern vehicle with drive by wire and enough ECUs monitoring every aspect of complexity, on top of complexity, requiring more complexity.....because, quite frankly, it doesn't trust you, yet renders itself inoperable when it fails.

In 25 years, the OS of new vehicles may be as antiquated as an abacus, rendering useless.....yet, Cruisers will still be 'too dumb to die'.

Simplicity is THE attraction.
 
Well said Delancy! These cars are about passion and can take you further than any modern day piece of plastic. Modern vehicles are being designed for those who have to chase Pokemon and hit "like" ever few minutes on Facebook. They want their vehicles to feel like operating an app on their phones. Problem is that this really isolates you from the driving experience. Yes, modern day vehicles are filled with lots of gizmos that are supposed to help save you. But what happens when the time comes and people no longer know how to control a skid on ice by pumping the brakes because they expect the computer to do this? The components that are supposed to save lives are also making poorer drivers. There is no reason a 25 year old truck can't be a daily driver if properly sorted out. A vehicle that operates using only mechanical items will almost all the time give you a warning something is not happy. A vehicle relying on electronics can crap out the next time you try to start it. Think of how many times a computer has let you down! More and more parts companies are coming online with Diesel parts so this is not a worry. I have known guys stuck in small towns for several days waiting on electrical components for new vehicles. Yes it is nice to crawl into a new car that has a nice stereo and better working a/c. However, it can't put the same smile on your face as driving a vintage Land Cruiser. Life is short go with what will bring you the most pleasure and put the largest smile on your face.
 
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