Help me, 82 vs 83 FJ...

[daytrayd]

I need to pick up an FJ this month for tax credit reasons, so I'm in a time crunch for a god deal. I like the late models cause the FJ60 drivetrain, but not a neccessity. I really like the 83 for its rarity, but I dont like that it has the bucket seat cause its an import. Are those as valuable as the non-import 83's?

My two favorites are:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982...ars_Trucks&hash=item1e7854e6ec#ht_1168wt_1048


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Imma...ars_Trucks&hash=item33808a0882#ht_1055wt_1048


I dont want to overpay, but I think the 82 in the 17-18K range or the 83 at $40K isnt too bad either considering its condition.

What do yall think? Any other suggestions out there?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Chamba]

He's on crack with the 83. He goes on and on about only 300 coming into the US but that one is from Columbia. There is no rarity of the 83 fj40 globally, only in the US where it was the final year of import. Elsewhere, including Columbia, 83 was the penultimate year.

I had an 83 US spec fj40 for 16 years and I loved it. This is not an 83 US spec fj40. I would guess it is worth about half that asking price, assuming you live somewhere that allows registration of an 83 petrol Cruiser with no emissions equipment.

The 82 looks very nice and underpriced right now. The only real difference between an 82 US spec cruiser and an 83 US spec (other than the aforementioned rarity) is the bolt-in dash. The 'fj60 drive train' is the same.

 

[inkpot]

So how do you get tax credits for buying 30 year old cars?

 

[daytrayd]

So how do you get tax credits for buying 30 year old cars?

Quite simple, really...

Traded in an expensive car to a dealership and have till the end of the month to purchase something else. For example, you trade in a $10K car and then buy a $30K new car, you only pay tax on the difference, in this case $20K. In Texas sales tax is 6.25%, so on a $30K car it saves me $1800 to buy something this month versus waiting till later on cause my trade was more than the purchase price so I'm getting the vehicle "tax free".

 

[daytrayd]

He's on crack with the 83. He goes on and on about only 300 coming into the US but that one is from Columbia. There is no rarity of the 83 fj40 globally, only in the US where it was the final year of import. Elsewhere, including Columbia, 83 was the penultimate year.

I had an 83 US spec fj40 for 16 years and I loved it. This is not an 83 US spec fj40. I would guess it is worth about half that asking price, assuming you live somewhere that allows registration of an 83 petrol Cruiser with no emissions equipment.

The 82 looks very nice and underpriced right now. The only real difference between an 82 US spec cruiser and an 83 US spec (other than the aforementioned rarity) is the bolt-in dash. The 'fj60 drive train' is the same.

Yeah thats what I was trying to figure out. The 83 looks nice but wasnt sure if it was 300 globally or US import cause all the 40-60K 83's I've seen have been US spec. Thank you for the clarification. I like the 82 just hoping it goes for FMV.

 

[inkpot]

Quite simple, really...

Traded in an expensive car to a dealership and have till the end of the month to purchase something else. For example, you trade in a $10K car and then buy a $30K new car, you only pay tax on the difference, in this case $20K. In Texas sales tax is 6.25%, so on a $30K car it saves me $1800 to buy something this month versus waiting till later on cause my trade was more than the purchase price so I'm getting the vehicle "tax free".

OK, makes sense, but be careful that you don't go out and by a rig that will loose you $1800 when you sell it or work on it. John

 

[daytrayd]

OK, makes sense, but be careful that you don't go out and by a rig that will loose you $1800 when you sell it or work on it. John

Agreed, glad I asked about that 83, lol. That would have been a big hit.

 

[1911]

So how do you get tax credits for buying 30 year old cars?

Not a credit per se, but I get write-offs for my Cruisers for using them in my business, and some of the "safety equipment" on them too:

 

[Chamba]

Not a credit per se, but I get write-offs for my Cruisers for using them in my business, and some of the "safety equipment" on them too:

I just have to say again-that is a damn nice Cruiser, Colt. Damn nice. So nice I barely notice the Texas plate.

 

[1911]

I just have to say again-that is a damn nice Cruiser, Colt. Damn nice. So nice I barely notice the Texas plate.

Thanks; it'll be moving to New Mexico one of these days.

 

[bikersmurf]

83 - no cage, was rusty, fresh repaint, 40k seems crazy for a gasser, we got em till 84.

82 - looks to be aka clean solid truck. Saw a similar condition original truck here on mud for 10k ish a while back. $18k doesn't seem bad for eBay.

 

[Chamba]

Thanks; it'll be moving to New Mexico one of these days.

Where? I'm in Santa Fe. We have a few Texans here, but not many with Cruisers. Keep in touch.

 

[cjgoode]

I say both of those are crazy, the 82 clearly is starting to have a lot of surface rust and some deep enough to cause real pitting. 16K seems like a lot of money for something that will have to be stripped and repainted real soon, or you can watch all those little rust spots turn into rust holes. But then I am a real cheap person, so maybe it is reasonable to others.

 

[Chamba]

I say both of those are crazy, the 82 clearly is starting to have a lot of surface rust and some deep enough to cause real pitting. 16K seems like a lot of money for something that will have to be stripped and repainted real soon, or you can watch all those little rust spots turn into rust holes. But then I am a real cheap person, so maybe it is reasonable to others.

Agreed, although in my experience there is no such thing as surface rust on a Cruiser; if you can see it, it's through somewhere.

The reason I say that seems reasonable (bearing in mind I've owned Cruisers since 1984 when I got my licence and paid $1800 for a pretty clean 76 and then $3,000 for my 6 year old 83 fj40 from the original owner back when they were not considered cool) because collectors have driven the price of any 81 and up cruiser to Barrett Jackson levels. Sure it needs work, but with that work done it's likely a $25,000+ rig, don't you agree? I'm not saying it's logical, but then neither is paying $125,000 for a VW bus, but that's what the market is doing...for now.

 

[1911]

Where? I'm in Santa Fe. We have a few Texans here, but not many with Cruisers. Keep in touch.

I own land in the San Pedro Mountains in southern Santa Fe County, north of 344, east of 14 and Golden. Going to build a house on it and move there permanently when I can pay cash for it. We used to visit and stay in Santa Fe a couple of times a year, but that pretty much stopped when my dad with Alzheimer's moved in with us.

 

[Tin basher]

The green one is nice and you would probably be into one for more than that restoring it
Don't know what US body shop rates are like
here you would be looking at roughly 20 to 30 k before parts
And mechanical on top of that