Finally got a Cruiser! We are very happy!

[RT Cruiser]

Hello everyone.

I’m glad to be part of this community.

For the majority of my life I’ve driven Toyotas, Hondas, and Subarus. I’ve had a Toyota Supra, MR2, truck, Corolla, 4Runner, and a Lexus ES250. Several Hondas, and two Subies. After lots of research and driving around, we decided to go after a Land Cruiser.

This past weekend we purchased a 2008 Land Cruiser in Iowa and drove it home to Colorado. It has the colors we wanted - salsa red color with beige interior. It's from a 1 owner who got it as a dealer demonstrator. Non-smoker, non-dog user, and a small accident to the rear left quarter panel. All the vin stickers are in place. There is very little rust underneath. Remote starter and Upgrade package. 225,000 miles.

We love the interior space, rear cargo capacity, 3rd row, 4x4 capabilities and KDSS, wheel travel, high seating positions, climate controls for each row, and how big it is in traffic without it being obtrusive, its true steel cage, locking diff, great towing capacity, 6 speed tranny, big V8, and so on. No one has tailgated us since we owned it unlike the constant tailgaters we had in the Subaru. In the middle of nowhere CO and NE, the Cruiser easily did 75 (speed limit, of course) with only a kitten's purr from the engine.

Feel free to say hello, give your opinion, say if I missed something of made an error.

The initial maintenance:
Coolant: Zerex Asian Red 5 gallons, 4-5 gallons of distilled water.
Brake fluid: Valvoline Synthetic Dot 4, 2 32oz bottles.
Steering fluid: Valvoline Max-Life Synthetic ATF, 2 quart bottles.
Differential fluid, front: Valvoline Synthetic75W-90 gear oil, 2 quart bottles.
Differential fluid, rear: Valvoline Synthetic75W-90 gear oil, 4-5 quart bottles.
Transfer case fluid: Valvoline Synthetic75W-90 gear oil, 1-2 quart bottles.
Propeller shafts grease: Valvoline Multi-Vehicle Moly-Fortified grease, 2 14.1oz canisters.
Serpentine belt: Continental OE 4080948, then use the current one as an emergency spare.

Later maintenance:
Drop the tranny pan and change the fluid: Toyota ATF WS fluid and filter.
Engine oil and filter: A full synthetic 0W-20 or 5W-20. Either Valvoline or Mobile 1.
Spark plugs: No idea.
Engine and cabin filters: K&N
Floor mats: Maybe WeatherTech.

 

[99Cruiser]

Welcome. You obviously have good taste since that is the best color combo. Mine is a 2008 with just over 100k miles.

 

[Markuson]

Welcome to a great forum, and congrats on your new Cruiser! I’m In an 08 as well and love the thing.

 

[dwai]

Bruhhhh! team 08! legggoo!!!!

 

[Volunteer]

Welcome to the club, I also have an 08 Salsa with 150K

 

[Cruisin911]

Nicely done. Likely see you around. Im convinced that Colorado is the LC capital of the US.

 

[Rigger]

'08 Salsa owner here, too.

Congrats to the OP on his new rig!

 

[tominboise]

Your list looks good but I'd skip the K&N filter and go with OEM or OEM equivalent. There wouldn't be enough of an performance improvement to measure.

 

[Markuson]

Your list looks good but I'd skip the K&N filter and go with OEM or OEM equivalent. There wouldn't be enough of an performance improvement to measure.

K&N filters are made to be cleaned & reused.
That’s a benefit...

 

[RandyCSVT]

Weather tech front and 2nd row mats are great. The trunk mat is nowhere near as sturdy.

Stick with OEM paper I take filter instead of k&n. Given the off road driving I do I prefer the better filtration of a stock filter vs a k&n. I am all for reusable filters on street/performance cars, but my LC sees super dusty off road conditions and a paper filter is best for these. Just add a filter minder to monitor for restrictions in airflow


Stick with the stock Toyota serpentine belt. I tried aftermarket and they squealed. The Toyota one has a felt like lining that seems to keep it quiet.

 

[Markuson]

Weather tech front and 2nd row mats are great. The trunk mat is nowhere near as sturdy.

Stick with OEM paper I take filter instead of k&n. Given the off road driving I do I prefer the better filtration of a stock filter vs a k&n. I am all for reusable filters on street/performance cars, but my LC sees super dusty off road conditions and a paper filter is best for these. Just add a filter minder to monitor for restrictions in airflow


Stick with the stock Toyota serpentine belt. I tried aftermarket and they squealed. The Toyota one has a felt like lining that seems to keep it quiet.

FWIW...I do use OEM engine filters...but a K&N cabin filter.
Cabin filters aren’t exactly Mission-critical.

+1 on the Weathertechs for first two rows as well.

 

[auggafj80]

Congrats, another 08 salsa owner here. Wasn’t my first choice when looking but love it now. 215k miles.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Thank you everyone for the kind words of welcome and advice! Apology for the late response. Last week we took our LC to the mountains around Lake City and Creede, Colorado. Although the high passes were closed, we managed to slug through mud, several streams, steep inclines, and rocky roads where high clearance was needed. It put a smile on our faces!

The only damage was some tree-limb scratches which will come out with Meguiar's stuff, and very minor dings to one of the side rails. The spare tire challenged many rocks on the road and won.

My only disappointment is the LC does not have the mechanical level to move the transfer case in/out of 4lo and high. This was the reason why I looked at a 2006. But, the big 5.7l engine was more than enough for the steep trails, water, and mud! And the 6 speed tranny purred so quietly on the highway it put my family to sleep!

On our return trip home via I-25, the LC averaged 21 mpg! What a great vehicle.

 

[Tripledave]

Wow, 21 mpg! Never in mine. Regardless, the best color sir. Congrats

 

[Markuson]

Thank you everyone for the kind words of welcome and advice! Apology for the late response. Last week we took our LC to the mountains around Lake City and Creede, Colorado. Although the high passes were closed, we managed to slug through mud, several streams, steep inclines, and rocky roads where high clearance was needed. It put a smile on our faces!

The only damage was some tree-limb scratches which will come out with Meguiar's stuff, and very minor dings to one of the side rails. The spare tire challenged many rocks on the road and won.

My only disappointment is the LC does not have the mechanical level to move the transfer case in/out of 4lo and high. This was the reason why I looked at a 2006. But, the big 5.7l engine was more than enough for the steep trails, water, and mud! And the 6 speed tranny purred so quietly on the highway it put my family to sleep!

On our return trip home via I-25, the LC averaged 21 mpg! What a great vehicle.

Not sure what you mean by “does not have the level to move the transfer case in/out of 4Lo/hi.” Did you mean “lever”? If so...it’s not a lever like the 2006. It’s a rotation g switch of the dash.

Perhaps you mean you put it in neutral and it would not switch? Or...?

 

[RT Cruiser]

Not sure what you mean by “does not have the level to move the transfer case in/out of 4Lo/hi.” Did you mean “lever”? If so...it’s not a lever like the 2006. It’s a rotation g switch of the dash.

Perhaps you mean you put it in neutral and it would not switch? Or...?

Yes, I mean the mechanical lever that former gens have to move between 4Hi and 4Lo. (Due to a faulty fuel cap, there were times I could not engage the 4Lo last week.) When it comes to 4x4 capabilities, I prefer things that I can touch and move instead of electronic buttons. If I could change anything I would have a mechanical lever to shift between 4Hi and 4Lo, and another one (or locking hubs) to lock the diff and real buttons for the heating/cooling.

 

[Markuson]

Yes, I mean the mechanical lever that former gens have to move between 4Hi and 4Lo. (Due to a faulty fuel cap, there were times I could not engage the 4Lo last week.) When it comes to 4x4 capabilities, I prefer things that I can touch and move instead of electronic buttons. If I could change anything I would have a mechanical lever to shift between 4Hi and 4Lo, and another one (or locking hubs) to lock the diff and real buttons for the heating/cooling.

Ah. Yes. I understand and agree. Silly electronic triggers entirely unrelated to 4Lo should never be capable of locking people out.

But... if you pick up an OBD2 reader, you can clear those codes in the field in about 15 seconds, and get your functions back.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Ah. Yes. I understand and agree. Silly electronic triggers entirely unrelated to 4Lo should never be capable of locking people out.

But... if you pick up an OBD2 reader, you can clear those codes in the field in about 15 seconds, and get your functions back.

Oh, thank you!!!

 

[Markuson]

Oh, thank you!!!

To clarify... Not ALL codes clear and free you up easily.
But....there is a very common one that shows up as you describe, and is related to the evap system. Apparently triggered by fouling the charcoal canister, though it’s full cause is not fully nailed down.

With your OBD2 reader... Look at codes.
If you see one or more related to Evap etc (many OBD2 readers give at least SOME written description) clearing it should free up the lights and allow you back in to shift to 4Lo, etc.

 

[RT Cruiser]

To clarify... Not ALL codes clear and free you up easily.
But....there is a very common one that shows up as you describe, and is related to the evap system. Apparently triggered by fouling the charcoal canister, though it’s full cause is not fully nailed down.

With your OBD2 reader... Look at codes.
If you see one or more related to Evap etc (many OBD2 readers give at least SOME written description) clearing it should free up the lights and allow you back in to shift to 4Lo, etc.

Very helpful. Let me know if the house next to you comes up for sale! It'd be easier just to have you show me, right? But I'm grateful. I'll copy this and stick into my LC folder.

I did purchase a new fuel cap and will test out the 4lo soon. Maybe next week we can take up into the trails outside Denver and muddy it up again!