FJ80, a good buy in today's market?
- Thread starter SaturnAscends
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Gascan
All chaps, no jeans.
I’m going to reply with a quote I posted a little bit ago, to a very similar question; my answer still seems relevant:
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- #3
Fair enough, but I've been seeing 300k mile examples going for 20k on the west coast.
Yes, but 'asking' and 'going' usually end up quite different.
The LC segment is all over the place right now, so it's really case by case.
But if you're after resale value for foreseeable future, I recommend looking into square-body American V8 rigs.
70s/80s/early 90s and start base lining.
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- #5
I was kinda going off articles like this: 2021 Bull Market List: 10 collectible cars (and one motorcycle) on the upswing this year - https://www.hagerty.com/media/magazine-features/bull-market-2021/ (see bottom). All the signs are pointing to it being a good investment, covid market or not.Yes, but 'asking' and 'going' usually end up quite different.
The LC segment is all over the place right now, so it's really case by case.
But if you're after resale value for foreseeable future, I recommend looking into square-body American V8 rigs.
70s/80s/early 90s and start base lining.
I realize it's still quite possible for me to bite off more than I can chew with this thing though.
No. The current market is a passing fad. These trucks are awful and are constantly breaking down. Just look at all the detailed threads from thousands of owners telling you exactly whats going to break and when. Excruciatingly detailed accounts of how to rebuild rather than replace a part. The service life of the engine block is pathetic at 900,000 miles expected (three decks at 300,000 each). Who in their right mind would want to sit in a rig thats at least 27 years old. Get a jeep, at least their aftermarket support includes angry eyebrows and red accompaniments.
wanna sell yours?
wanna sell yours?
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- #7
Good point, a Jeep will last a million miles with only oil changes, especially a Compass with an indestructible CVT transmission.
Send it!!!!
If money is tight, who in their right mind would choose an older vehicle in unknown condition, that gets 10 - 13mpg, during a pandemic that's driving used prices way up?
Yeah, *my* 80 is great and I got a great deal on it. But I took a gamble and I've put a *ton* of time into learning about this rig and working on it. They are really well engineered and constructed, but people love to neglect them. Unless you want this to be a major hobby, look for something a little more "ready to run out of the box".
Buy an old Camry or something and revisit when the pandemic is over and you have more disposable money.
Yeah, *my* 80 is great and I got a great deal on it. But I took a gamble and I've put a *ton* of time into learning about this rig and working on it. They are really well engineered and constructed, but people love to neglect them. Unless you want this to be a major hobby, look for something a little more "ready to run out of the box".
Buy an old Camry or something and revisit when the pandemic is over and you have more disposable money.
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- #10
I used to have a 96 Camry wagon with the 2.2, that thing was a tank.
The LC market is a different beast than the rest of the used car market as I see it: see the link I posted above. I don't see their prices going down after they get more new trucks on the lot since there's nothing quite like it on the market today. Maybe you have a different opinion on where the market will go however; I don't pretend to be an expert.
Also, this example appears to be pretty well looked after, so I wouldn't think it would take much more maintenance than any other used truck or car I could afford to buy outright, and it's either that or a car payment at the stealership. And yeah, the fuel economy isn't great, but at least it doesn't take premium. I imagine I'll stick with 33s to keep it somewhat manageable.
The way I see it, the FJ80 is one of the few 25 year old vehicles that are actually worth all the heartache. My head is telling me go with the Xterra or something similar, but my heart is telling me get the 80.
But if I get it and a month from now the HG pops and the front end needs rebuilding, I'd probably wish I listened to you. Stuff like that can happen with any car though; in fact, my 99 Forester is mechanically totaled, mostly from rust.
You're attempting to rationalize a poor financial decision.
Also, "this example appears to be pretty well looked after" should be considered famous last words.
Also, "this example appears to be pretty well looked after" should be considered famous last words.
Sounds like you're already going to buy it and want us to help justify the purchase
As much as I love my 80, if I didn't get it when they were "cheap" I wouldn't buy it now at current prices
As much as I love my 80, if I didn't get it when they were "cheap" I wouldn't buy it now at current prices
I see people trade in their dirty used car because something like a radiator started leaking and they are worried that other things will start failing. the trade in will be valued at 4k - 6k and they will put in another 4k and start 5 years of payments and higher insurance. It is a VERY common logic that is mathematically fallacious. That logic though has allowed me to buy all of my vehicles because i have Never and have no plans to ever buy new.
to love an 80 means you will need to enjoy the fix up process, which can only happen stress free when you have another vehicle to run and get parts for it. \
Working on your only transportation, Whatever it is, is stressful and you never get to do the job on it you really wanted to. I recently bought a tundra, sounded like a choir of crickets and had a bad vibration. The previous owner got a new chevy and introduced higher payments but, as he said it, he has a warrantee. as i understand the current production at chevy... he'll be using it. I got the tundra, put new headlights in, ripped out all the trainhorn crap and other stuff as well as spent a weekend doing new timing belt, seals, all those bearings up front, including alternator, and fixed the driveshaft. Not expensive but i have an 80 i can drive to go get parts etc. Now it runs great, very quiet and smooth. I've removed likely all the reasons the guy didn't want it anymore.
I got it so i can go back to relaxing and working on my 80 and my 79 pickup on my time without rushing.
My logic is this. don't go in to debt unless it is necessary, and get a vehicle that fits your lifestyle and aspirations. My life requires a pickup and an 80 right now. Figure out what your life requires for transportation, and buy something without going in to debt. If you have the money, two used vehicles is better than one new one.
to the OP.. xterras are cheap for a reason. they are often listed around here in need of transmission or engine just won't start and stay running. There are plenty that seem to have steering rack issues too. Of that is what you want, go for it but know what might be coming and do the work to make it reliable.
what people are telling you, is that any older vehicle, even a 4runner etc, is going to need some freshening up, and if it doesn't then it has already been done and will be priced accordingly (hopefully they are honest).
last comment... buy an 80, you only live once, and when/if it doesn't work out, make someone on here a great deal on it for whom it might workout.
to love an 80 means you will need to enjoy the fix up process, which can only happen stress free when you have another vehicle to run and get parts for it. \
Working on your only transportation, Whatever it is, is stressful and you never get to do the job on it you really wanted to. I recently bought a tundra, sounded like a choir of crickets and had a bad vibration. The previous owner got a new chevy and introduced higher payments but, as he said it, he has a warrantee. as i understand the current production at chevy... he'll be using it. I got the tundra, put new headlights in, ripped out all the trainhorn crap and other stuff as well as spent a weekend doing new timing belt, seals, all those bearings up front, including alternator, and fixed the driveshaft. Not expensive but i have an 80 i can drive to go get parts etc. Now it runs great, very quiet and smooth. I've removed likely all the reasons the guy didn't want it anymore.
I got it so i can go back to relaxing and working on my 80 and my 79 pickup on my time without rushing.
My logic is this. don't go in to debt unless it is necessary, and get a vehicle that fits your lifestyle and aspirations. My life requires a pickup and an 80 right now. Figure out what your life requires for transportation, and buy something without going in to debt. If you have the money, two used vehicles is better than one new one.
to the OP.. xterras are cheap for a reason. they are often listed around here in need of transmission or engine just won't start and stay running. There are plenty that seem to have steering rack issues too. Of that is what you want, go for it but know what might be coming and do the work to make it reliable.
what people are telling you, is that any older vehicle, even a 4runner etc, is going to need some freshening up, and if it doesn't then it has already been done and will be priced accordingly (hopefully they are honest).
last comment... buy an 80, you only live once, and when/if it doesn't work out, make someone on here a great deal on it for whom it might workout.
Buy it
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- #15
That was my thinking; if I'm gonna be spending all this money on keeping something on the road it might as well be something worth it. It's just the high (for me) initial purchase price scaring me away at this point. I'm having it inspected at this one place that's very meticulous and if they find faults I can try to talk them down from 8k (which they said was their absolute bottom dollar). If not, I might have to walk on it and get the X.
The only issues with the Nissan are a rear main seal leak and worn wheel bearings: had that inspected too. I talked him down to 2700. And idk, they have a reputation for decent reliability, at least the engine and transmission. Build quality obviously is not up to the LCs standard.
I may just have to face the fact that I'm just late to the FJ party. 5 years ago it could've been had for 5k, and 5 years from now it'll be 20k.
But then again, I think why not make like the US government and spend trillions of dollars I don't have??
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- #16
Nah I'm still very much on the fence about it.
I just got excited since I never thought I'd get to one an 80 and to have one pop up down the street, and just within striking distance in terms of the price.. you can understand how that might get the juices flowing so to speak. I'd also just read that article I linked above ("nows the time to buy", etc.), which made me think of it as kind of a mini-mortgage for a house lol.. but yea it's probably not worth going into debt over.. but then I see the guys with a brand new chevy they financed parked outside the double-wide.. eh idk I get carried away I guess.
If I end up with the Xterra I'll probably get flamed for buying a Nissan lol, but that might be the best choice for me now. At least they also have a beefy frame.
Honestly, I couldn't even afford tires for the 80 after buying it, which it desperately needs. If I do get in I honesty might end up having to move out and live out it. Only half-joking there . The things we do for love.
If anyone has a Camry wagon 4 cyl lying around, I'd take that. Otherwise I'll just ride my bike around.
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- #17
I mean even in a worst case scenario where I get totally overwhelmed by running costs/fixes etc. I figure it wouldn't be too hard to cut my losses with the thing.
But y'all are probably right to caution me against it in my current situation tbh..
But y'all are probably right to caution me against it in my current situation tbh..
Unless this is an exceptional situation for you financially then yeah, you need to skip the 80. Love gone wrong leads to the biggest heartbreaks of all I'd say. Sounds like this 80 could easily be sitting broken in your driveway soon while you scramble to to find the time and $$ to repair it. Sounds unpleasant and stressful to me.
If you have the funds to buy it, attend to it's immediate needs and then to keep ready cash in reserve for whatever comes up then it's an option financially. I agree with posters above that you also probably should see maintaining it as a hobby so that the extra time is fun vs. a chore as it doesn't sound like you'll be paying others for repairs/maintenance.
I've always driven older cars and enjoy the repairs and maintenance and enjoy sidestepping the high purchase price of new cars and paying others for repairs/maintenance. If you want to take a similar approach you may simply want to broaden your search to cover other older autos that you can get excited about while also fitting your current budget. For cars that are more than 5-10 years old the verdict is pretty much in on their quality. You can read online to find out if a particular drivetrain/etc. have common issues or if they are reliable. If the 80 really floats your boat but is too expensive maybe you can find an older 4runner which will offer a comparable experience at a consistently lower cost of entry and operation.
You only get bogged down in the cost of maintenance if you get crazy about it. Fix what breaks and you'll be fine. I've done the front and the rear end on mine, and there's plenty of tutorials on doing the headgasket.
Bought mine on the last upswing, had been looking at them for a year at $3000 to $4000, waited too long and ended up buying a clean one for $7200 almost 2 years ago. Price keeps going up. Buy it and fix it up, looks like it needs some work.
Bought mine on the last upswing, had been looking at them for a year at $3000 to $4000, waited too long and ended up buying a clean one for $7200 almost 2 years ago. Price keeps going up. Buy it and fix it up, looks like it needs some work.
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- #20
Yeah right now I'm really short of cash but I'll be getting a second job soon. Mechanically it seems pretty sound, but cosmetically, yeah it could use some love.
I'll have to wait and see what this shop says on Monday. If it checks out mechanically with them and/or if they'll come down any more, I'll have to seriously consider it, even if it might mean scraping by for a few months until I get my ducks more in a row.
I'll have to wait and see what this shop says on Monday. If it checks out mechanically with them and/or if they'll come down any more, I'll have to seriously consider it, even if it might mean scraping by for a few months until I get my ducks more in a row.
