Deal or no deal?

[Driver]

Not to tech, but I would like opinions. 93 FJZ80 w/200k for $5500. (It's actually listed in the for sale section.) Seller is firm on the price. Negatives Dirty, a few small dings, no lockers, bumpers scratched up pretty good, not really cared for or at least that's what it looks like, dirty engine bay, whining noise while steering, no maintenance history at all. Dull paint. A few broken pieces here and there. A/C needs to be recharged. Front brakes need to be done. Positives A local buy, runs good, OME lift, new starter. I've told the owner I'd give him the money Monday evening, but it's painful sitting here wondering if I should do it.

 

[C6H12O6]

That price is just ok for a rig in that shape. The prices on these things are really coming down. If you want lockers and a rig that has been care for a little better, hold onto your money and keep looking. Patience, Grasshopper.

If you are going to beat the crap out of it anyway and you are willing to spend the $$$$$ to go through everything the right way (baselining all the fluids, belts, hoses, tune-up, etc.), a dirty, dinged up rig might be ok.

Some folks prefer the ARB lockers anyway if you are going to get hardcore with this thing, so that might not be a deal breaker. If you really want a rig with factory lockers, keep looking. It is a PITA to retrofit, and you'll find they don't really add that much money to the rig when you buy it, but $$$$ to add later.

I went through the same thing last year when I bought mine. I looked for 9 months before I found mine. It was well worth the wait to find exactly what I was looking for at a decent price.

 

[TroutRunner]

Sounds like a lot of issues to deal with off the bat. You list all these problems and then say "runs good". If these other issues have been let go...I wonder what else has?

Thoughts to ponder,

TR

 

[TB Cruzer]

I think I would pass. for another couple thousand you could have a much cleaner, nicer one. And as said before, it's condition is probably a sign of how it's been cared for overall. Not very good it sounds like.

 

[chicago]

Check around on craigslist.org...search your city and surrounding cities and get a feel for what pricing is going for. Ive been looking a bit recently too on CL, and that sounds a bit high to me too. I saw one in the Reno CL section (its sold now) that was similar to the one you described for 2500...There were pics, and it looked really CLEAN.
It didint have a lift though...it was totally stock.

WWW.CRAIGSLIST.ORG


Chicago

 

[RAYJON]

I am with the rest keep looking,

I found my 93 about 6 months ago with 200+ on the clock, lockers and a full matinence history for 5200.. the previous owner even had the birnfields done regular.. In 6 months the only things I have done to it are brake pads(100 series), Tires, Cleaned the EGR, a Valve cover gasket and put Toyota plug wires back on it ( had aftermarket didnt like them) . The rest of the truck is great. Paint was clean and everything else worked great.. Some of he stuff I have done it is me being @#$ the plug wires and brake pads I didn't need but did anyway.. Now I do hvae some stuff that I think needs to be done in the future but overall great truck...

Just stuff to look for PHH, Head Gasket, front oil pump leak, rear output shaft and the birnfields...
. also the Power steering pump making noise is going to set you back about 250 for a pump from Cdan + labor. and the A/C can get expensive. if it needs a recharge something is wrong, both my 93 and 97 still have totally stock A/C systems with no freon or 134 added..

 

[Driver]

Thanks for your opinions. I don't think the price is great. It's alright, but I think getting her up to par would be a pain and costly. I think when we buy used cars we all want the same thing. A good deal, clean car, maintenance records, and an owner who is OC and keeps a wrench around at all times. .

 

[chicago]

Yeah,
Most owners dont know which end of a wrench to grab...Not that Im picking on em cuz I agree, cars and trucks are very intimidating to work on if you are un- educated. The trick is to get over your fears and GET EDUCATED.
My dad told me a LONG TIME AGO..."I have more time than I do money, and I could screw it up 5 times in what it would cost for me to pay someone." I thought this was a pretty good life motto.
The guy I bought my 62 off of didnt know a thing about wrenching. It had a bad alternator and I got a great deal from him because of it!
Like I said...Ive been looking into the 80's rigs...theyre surprisingly reasonable. I have noticed however, theyre selling QUICK!

Chicago

 

[semlin]

well i'd hold out for lockers myself if i planned to take it off road. The $2500 it will cost to put'em in afterwards will never happen.

otherwise, at 200k i'd be mostly interested in body and frame coniditon, compression, oil consumption, how well it idles, whether the birfs clicked when turning sharply uphill in both directions, and how the tranny shifts and its fluid looks. everything else is affordable parts.