FZJ80 Cost of baselining and ownership (1 Viewer)

[cruiserdan]

Mud OCD is a thing for sure.

You're right though, they will run and run and run with severe neglect. Eventually someone's gotta pay for that neglect either through a failure, or the death of a thousand cuts later

One of the Land Cruiser's best qualities is also an Achilles heel. They are so over-built that they will go an extremely long way without proper maintenance and they don't complain until they are hurt really bad and need MAJOR care to get back in shape.

 

[SHREG]

Im impressed that you keep track. Whatever it is i have spent on mine... worth every damn penny.

 

[Feldrian]

Sometimes I need to remind myself of that after I change out the 800th perfectly working part

Isn't that the definition of "preventative maintenance"?

 

[Bludozer]

Isn't that the definition of "preventative maintenance"?

There's preventative maintenance and then there's "durr this non-failure prone, unimportant, original part is 25 years old so here's a new one for no reason."

 

[Feldrian]

There's preventative maintenance and then there's "durr this non-failure prone, unimportant, original part is 25 years old so here's a new one for no reason."

I literally replaced all of the nuts and bolts under the truck that were still available because they were shiny and new.

Guilty.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Isn't that the definition of "preventative maintenance"?

I literally replaced all of the nuts and bolts under the truck that were still available because they were shiny and new.

Guilty.

There's preventative maintenance that keeps your car running.
Then, there's preventative maintenance that prevents you from maintaining any cash in your wallet!


Although, I'll admit, I'm guilty of having a collection of new parts and bits and pieces that get tacked onto parts orders, and are waiting for projects or are ready to be replaced when I get to that bit.

 

[TheRealDeal124]

I'll chime in with my thoughts and my total since becoming the caretaker of my 1995. When she hit the shore I was a newborn. Wild to think about.

Anyways, before I even went to look at an 80 I knew I'd have to spend some amount of money on the baseline as well as cosmetic things that would make the Land Cruiser perfect or as close as my budget would allow. I scoured Mud and decided it was logical that such a state of the art 4x4 from the 90s demands you buy OEM parts.

I purchased it the day after my 25th birthday on January 25th, 2020. Right before Land Cruisers in general became very sought after. $13,000 landed me a K294 (I didn't know that until I looked at it) and immediately began searching for a mechanic to do things I either don't have the time (UPS Delivery Driver), knowledge, or space (80 doesn't fit in my garage.) I've been lucky to find two at very fair prices and who have experience working on these machines. I read a post on here within the past year that yes, maintaining these vehicles are more akin to industrial grade machines rather than a Camry or 4Runner of the same era. Now in the third year of ownership I have a total of $35,000 spent and it has been worth every cent. This includes baseline, interior seats, body work, and paying labor for everything that I couldn't do. Im an OEM or nothing owner and and I went into this with no illusions of it being cheap. I did know that this was the right vehicle for me. I have the unique perspective of being a younger owner than some on here, and I know that eventually, I'll have to buy a plot of land if I want to enjoy my Land Cruiser 30 years from now when I'm 57. I try not to think about that.

Cheers

 

[Drawpro]

What a lot people are saying ITT is true and it is genuinely expensive to bring one of these back up to speed if you do it right - to me that is important.

With that said, for every one of us here spending $10-$50k on a "baseline," there are hundreds of 80s still running around with 0 baselining, minimum maintenance and still going, going and going.

Sometimes I need to remind myself of that after I change out the 800th perfectly working part

I'm (was) one of the slackers. I bought my 95 LC in 2005 and since then the only things done were: brakes, tires, mufflers, exhaust pipes, MAF filter and an A/C compressor. Total spent $3200 USD in 17 years. And the brakes and tires are really just routine maintenance. In the same time period I've owned new Mercedes, Caddys, Vettes and Audis. They are all gone but the LC is still here. I just never wanted to part with it. (TBH I still have the MB S-class because it is the best "car" I have ever driven. The power/comfort is unmatched). So now it is time to give back and restore/repair the LC! I hope to keep it as long as gasoline is available. I will have it looking as good as it runs!

 

[TheRealDeal124]

I hope to keep it as long as gasoline is available. I will have it looking as good as it runs!

Your 80 will still run and drive long after they're illegal to drive on the road.

 

[ajordan1975]

I’ve spent more money on fixing and upgrading my LX450 than I paid for it.
When I bought it, it was already built w/ a 3link, hellfires, 5.29’s 37’s bump it bumper and sliders, 4x4 labs rear and iron pig crossmember. Also under 200k miles.
Since owning it’s got new tires, beadlocks, RCV’s, crawler gear, part time kit, LS swapped etc. Rock crawling an 80 isn’t cheap, but it sure is fun.
Bought truck for 9k 5 or 6 years ago.
Probably have 15k in it not including purchase of the truck. I try not to think about how much time and money I have invested in it. 85 to 90% of work done on it by me and help from friends.

 

[SpenserAK]

I’m adding nothing useful, just participating. Bought mine for 6k @ 209k mi, no rust issues, baseline started by PO mechanic (full brakes, ignition parts, seals, some other stuff), complete lift already installed (sans DC front shaft), and was able to learn most of its history to know it’s simply been a DD with an unstressed life. Grateful for that starting point. In 2.5 years I’ve spent about $2700 baselining, some of which is mud-induced OCD, but includes all new cooling system, full knuckle rebuild, DC shaft, etc. I don’t count normal oil/lube changes and whatnot. If you add the new 315’s I bought a couple months in + a couple small electives, this is dead-on a 10K truck, all systems go once I replace a couple caliper hoses upon arrival. Pretty happy with that. Granted, has not needed any major repair or rebuilds, just the thorough baseline approach. At this point, I’m just waiting for a HG job or something

I would not have gone through with the purchase if I wasn’t doing all my own work.

This will be the only 80 I own. I take it for the experience, which has been a pleasure. At the end of my days, I will be stoked I was able to own one.