First foray into 80-series land - first time buyer (of any used car!) - help welcome (1 Viewer)

[missbarilov]

Hi guys!

Not ever a truck owner, but a outdoor and adventure enthusiast. As a pilot and airplane owner, somewhat mechanically minded.

Always wanted a Toyota SUV, was previously obsessed with 3rd gen 4runners but have now seen the light and want to pull the trigger on an 80series, preferably LX450.

Don't care about the locker thing (seems like I can just throw those puppies in there for ~2k and besides I wouldn't be able tell if they're functioning correctly anyway), but do care about a bigger engine and gas mileage. I'm more of an expedition-style driver; on a scale from 1 to rock crawling I'm probably a 4.

My issue is that I'm writing this from Brooklyn, NY where I am in the process of moving out of an apartment with a ton of furniture across the country. Renting a truck costs 1.5k not including all the fees so in a perfect world, I will find my Lexus covered wagon and drive the thing all the way to sunny california where I will settle and live to wheel the southern sierras.

Realize I'm doing it backwards (looking for the thing on the East Coast where brine and salt rule the land), but I figure if I can get into something that I can re-sell at no more than a 2K loss, I'm still coming out on top of the U -haul and if it's a beauty and I keep it, then all the better.

SO I'm looking at this truck here tomorrow. I have photos of the undercarriage and it looks like it's not bad on the rust front. Was thinking of giving him an offer for ~5k given it's not locked and has some rust on the body.

Anyone come across this truck and found anything wrong with it? Any advice on what to look for when I get in front of it? I saw the newbie buyers guide, but any other tips are highly appreciated.

Thanks all!
Kat

 

[Bryanseye]

Looks good. My LX spent the first half of its life in Jersey but is relatively rust free, so they do exist. If you are looking to tow then sell, a 100 series may be the better option though.

 

[BigAxeJack]

Hello and welcome!

(official 'mud salute)

That looks like a good one for the area, probably garaged. the list of work done sounds about right, but you should ask for service records, and look for front axle work. It would cost around 1k for a shop to perform and would be called front axle service or rebuild or similar. If the "inner axle oil seal" was replaced then they went all the way. This is good information on the condition of the vehicle, and could be a negotiating point if it hasn't been done recently (60k service interval). You can do it yourself with basic tools, it's just messy.

You say you have a "ton of furniture". Do you intend to rent a trailer and pull it with the LX? If so, I have to agree with the earlier post that a 100 series LC or LX470 would be better suited to that job. The 450 would do it, but it would be slow going and would put a strain on the 6 cylinder engine.

Did you see the new buyers guide on the Slee Offroad site? That has loads of good info. Also the Cost of Ownership thread on the 80 series FAQ is a must-read.

 

[missbarilov]

Hello and welcome!

(official 'mud salute)

That looks like a good one for the area, probably garaged. the list of work done sounds about right, but you should ask for service records, and look for front axle work. It would cost around 1k for a shop to perform and would be called front axle service or rebuild or similar. If the "inner axle oil seal" was replaced then they went all the way. This is good information on the condition of the vehicle, and could be a negotiating point if it hasn't been done recently (60k service interval). You can do it yourself with basic tools, it's just messy.

You say you have a "ton of furniture". Do you intend to rent a trailer and pull it with the LX? If so, I have to agree with the earlier post that a 100 series LC or LX470 would be better suited to that job. The 450 would do it, but it would be slow going and would put a strain on the 6 cylinder engine.

Did you see the new buyers guide on the Slee Offroad site? That has loads of good info. Also the Cost of Ownership thread on the 80 series FAQ is a must-read.

Thank you! Yes, looking like maybe I over-estimate the mightiness of the 4.5L. I would be pulling a trailer with a couch and table in it. The rest would fit in the back (I live relatively light).

Have been on the Slee new buyers guide, thank you! You guys have it great with these forums! We don't have this much knowledge sharing in the airplane world

 

[gummycarbs]

Too much rust. I can see it in the engine compartment, so the frame and underside are going to be gross.

Towing your stuff across the country is a terrible idea. Rent a box truck and, if you have a vehicle, tow it on a trailer behind you. Towing a heavy load is a lot of work and wear on a vehicle, and pretty unwise on a new-to-you 20 year old vehicle.

Move, then shop for a clean West coast Land Cruiser. Preferably not an LX because plastic is for Tupperware.

 

[missbarilov]

Too much rust. I can see it in the engine compartment, so the frame and underside are going to be gross.

Towing your stuff across the country is a terrible idea. Rent a box truck and, if you have a vehicle, tow it on a trailer behind you. Towing a heavy load is a lot of work and wear on a vehicle, and pretty unwise on a new-to-you 20 year old vehicle.

Move, then shop for a clean West coast Land Cruiser. Preferably not an LX because plastic is for Tupperware.

hah! Thank you! You may be right now that I'm thinking through it - might be a bit of me jumping at the bit to give myself an excuse to buy one of these things.

This is what the undercarriage looks like:

 

[BigAxeJack]

[QUOTEI would be pulling a trailer with a couch and table in it.[/QUOTE]

If that's truly the case then I retract my statement regarding the need for a 100.

You would want to be mindful of engine temp and make sure your cooling system is in good working order for the mountain passes.

But we're putting the cart before the horse. Let us know how that 450 looks in person.

 

[gummycarbs]

hah! Thank you! You may be right now that I'm thinking through it - might be a bit of me jumping at the bit to give myself an excuse to buy one of these things.

This is what the undercarriage looks like:View attachment 1612462

Yeah, way too rusty. It's good for an East coast winter beater, but awful if you're going to keep, maintain, and modify it. You'll find similar rigs at similar prices in Oregon, for example, with only the slightest rust where the paint has worn (e.g. spring perches). And SoCal rigs will have absolutely none at all.

 

[missbarilov]

[QUOTEI would be pulling a trailer with a couch and table in it.

If that's truly the case then I retract my statement regarding the need for a 100.

You would want to be mindful of engine temp and make sure your cooling system is in good working order for the mountain passes.

But we're putting the cart before the horse. Let us know how that 450 looks in person.[/QUOTE]



Wilco! Meant to see it tomorrow or the day after.

It does say it has a new radiator and thermo, etc. so I'm concerned if it had overheating issues in the past. In any case, keeping an open mind about the whole idea. I'll be a Yota SUV owner, just in that phase when I'm spending all my time on CG asking "are YOU my new truck?" so easy to get carried away in dreamland

 

[missbarilov]

Yeah, way too rusty. It's good for an East coast winter beater, but awful if you're going to keep, maintain, and modify it. You'll find similar rigs at similar prices in Oregon, for example, with only the slightest rust where the paint has worn (e.g. spring perches). And SoCal rigs will have absolutely none at all.

Sweet thanks for the advice!

 

[gummycarbs]

Oh, and you're almost guaranteed to need $1k - 2k in parts bringing these old vehicles up to spec, particularly for a long trip. Unless it was owned by a total Cruiser head, you're going to need to replace vacuum hoses, service the cooling system (new hoses, possibly a new radiator), a front axle rebuild, probably rear axle service, stock suspension will be shot, stuff like that. They're reliable vehicle, but things do go wrong, rubber degrades, and steel (e.g. rear heater, hard brake lines) rusts.

 

[scottryana]

Sell the couch and the table it isn't worth the hassle of trailering across the US. Unless it is some kind of family heirloom and if so, have it shipped and insured.

Then you free yourself up to actually adventure and explore on your cross country trip.

I have done this more times than I care to admit. I currently have full storage units in 3 states. But the last trip where I had to hurry up and make it across the US and stick to the hwy's was my least fun.

Pack heavy in the truck, sell the couch and table, box up the rest of your things and ship them and enjoy yourself.

 

[missbarilov]

Sell the couch and the table it isn't worth the hassle of trailering across the US. Unless it is some kind of family heirloom and if so, have it shipped and insured.

Then you free yourself up to actually adventure and explore on your cross country trip.

I have done this more times than I care to admit. I currently have full storage units in 3 states. But the last trip where I had to hurry up and make it across the US and stick to the hwy's was my least fun.

Pack heavy in the truck, sell the couch and table, box up the rest of your things and ship them and enjoy yourself.

This might be the best idea of them all.

Whats the deal with the front axle anyway? First time I'm reading about it being a common issue.

 

[scottryana]

The front axle like any car is a maintenance item. On trucks like the Land Cruiser people neglect regular maintenance because "They are so tough" and that is true, they are tough and they will go a long time while being neglected. But at some point someone has to pay the piper. So if the previous owner has done it at least once or twice in the last 20-25 years it is probably fine. If not, it will need to be done.

This might be the best idea of them all.

Whats the deal with the front axle anyway? First time I'm reading about it being a common issue.

 

[missbarilov]

The front axle like any car is a maintenance item. On trucks like the Land Cruiser people neglect regular maintenance because "They are so tough" and that is true, they are tough and they will go a long time while being neglected. But at some point someone has to pay the piper. So if the previous owner has done it at least once or twice in the last 20-25 years it is probably fine. If not, it will need to be done.

You mean it's not a "forever" truck?

Thank you - super helpful. Realize this is basic stuff, so appreciate the knowledge.

 

[Aloha Jen]

Welcome! I agree with @scottryana, you can always get new furniture when you get settled. The 80 you posted doesn’t look too rusty, you should get it and start your adventure across country! Take lots of pictures and post your drive experiences here on Mud, sounds like it would be a really fun trip! Plus, you have Mud members across the country that could help you out along the way with any issues, this is a great forum with tons of knowledgeable land cruiser people on it. Go for it!!!

 

[missbarilov]

Welcome! I agree with @scottryana, you can always get new furniture when you get settled. The 80 you posted doesn’t look too rusty, you should get it and start your adventure across country! Take lots of pictures and post your drive experiences here on Mud, sounds like it would be a really fun trip! Plus, you have Mud members across the country that could help you out along the way with any issues, this is a great forum with tons of knowledgeable land cruiser people on it. Go for it!!!

Yes!! Doesn't that sound like so much fun?!

 

[N22]

Welcome!
That doesn't look very rusty for a NE truck.
Do have to look out for an occasional one where they paint over the rust, usually can tell those by the sloppy paint job on the frame.

 

[Aloha Jen]

Yes!! Doesn't that sound like so much fun?!

It really does, I would love to do a cross country drive like that in my 80 series! But you have to be a little careful of the advice you get on this forum, some of these guys tend to be on the more paranoid side with the preventative maintenance stuff. You don’t have to expect $2k in maintenance once you buy it, I certainly didn’t. If it’s in good shape, you may just need an oil change, top off all your fluids, lubricate the important stuff and hit the road!
Spend $10 on a cheap OBDII reader off Amazon, download a free app(I used OBD Fusion for iPhone) to connect to you phone and you can keep an eye on all your 80’s vitals, like coolant/engine temps. If you are traveling across country, it may be wise to get that long distance triple A just in case. I don’t have any experience with that (living on a small island and all!), but have read it’s good to have on the mainland with long drives.
The 80 series would be an awesome way to see the country. You may have problems with it (it is a 20+ year old vehicle) or you could do 3000 miles across the country with no problems at all!! There certainly is some risk, but the rewards and experience could be huge! Anyway, best of luck whatever you decide to do. If you decide to go for it, be sure to post tons of trip pictures here!

 

[nukegoat]

I would suggest you buy a rig out in California.