How many of you have basically never had any serious issue with your 80's? (1 Viewer)

How much maintenance have you done on your 80?

  • Practically none, <$1000. No serious issues at all.

    Votes: 89 50.0%
  • Between $1001-$2000.

    Votes: 36 20.2%
  • Between $2001-$3000.

    Votes: 18 10.1%
  • Between $3001-$4000.

    Votes: 8 4.5%
  • More than $4001 dollars.

    Votes: 27 15.2%

  • Total voters
    178

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

277K miles with no serious issues. I got stranded once due to faulty distributor cap. Other than that it's been normal maintenance. The most expensive thing being a knuckle rebuild kit at $200
 
Perhaps rename this thread "How many of you would like to jinx yourselves into a major repair?"
I just bragged about how bulletproof my rig was at 220K.
Now she's in the shop sucking up $2,500.
Sigh.
 
1995 FZJ80 purchased from the second owner in the Washington DC area in 2001 with 97,000 miles. Had not been driven off road.

Shipped the vehicle to South America where it was driven between 2001 and 2006, then to Africa where it was driven between 2006 and 2009. Shipped it back to the States in 2010.

Currently has 167,000 miles.

Shady African fuel completely trashed my fuel system. Replaced the pump, sending unit, associated fuel lines and the fuel tank with OEM in 2011. Total cost at a US dealer with OEM parts was about $1,100 US. Just not a job I felt capable ad tackling at the time. Even though it was a dealer repair, I feel it was a reasonable charge given the cost of the OEM fuel tank and sending unit alone.

Bottom line - even with awful, contaminated fuel from Mozambique and elsewhere, she kept going and never left us stranded. Had I sold it in Africa, I'm quite certain the buyer wouldn't have replaced the fuel system as I later did and it would probably still be running just fine.

A good truck, but OEM dealer repairs in the States at least are expensive; which is why I'm so glad to have found this forum and to have jumped into increasingly more difficult repairs on my own.

I know the likes of ISIL and the Taliban aren't too worried about obsessively maintaining these trucks - likely because they know a missile is heading there way regardless so why bother with the fuel system, let alone cupholders. LCs are seen in all the world's modern conflict zones - both with the good guys and the bad guys. Says a lot. Too bad we can't get a heavy duty 70 in the States.
 
Bought for parts 2 years ago- orig HG-220k hard mi-only baselining was fluid top off-grease-belt adj-brake pads etc. 15k mi later-PS return hose blew-welded exhaust leak and cracked tailgate. still no LF power window- & won't hold refrigerant. quart of oil about 2k mi. looked at pic-tailgate struts still bad.

IMG_20150302_170525.jpg
 
Only part I've had actually fail is the brake booster.
 
Easily over CAN$4K since purchase and 180K kms. Biggest cost (CAN$1.8 K at dealer) was head gasket, and then OEM parts for complete front axle job shortly after purchase which I did myself. I think parts cost was about CAN$1K back then for all the bits. Then you have all the misc stuff like oil, air filters, wipers, batteries, belts, starter brushes, rebuilt starter, new evap core, new rear locker actuator, dryer, brakes, rotors, new fuel lines, new brake lines, washer pump, dizzy, plugs, plug wires, new filler neck, etc. Also I have put off a lot of maintenance over the last few years, and need to redo front axle again, replace a/c compressor, new brakes/rotors, fan clutch, belts, etc.
 
1990 1HD-T with 220,000km driven over crappy African roads using dodgy fuel. Injector pump and diesel filter replaced after clogged system. Wiper motor burned out. Power window switch burned out. Leaky sunroof repaired. One pinhole leak in radiator.
 
........ looked at pic-tailgate struts still bad.
lol...Yup, both hood & tailgate on my '94 - same song. Got a Mini hood prop from a 'pick & pull' which, after some tweaking, works like a charm when I need it (don't always - in warm weather the struts work fine, usually). Found an aluminum mop handle that just right length for the tailgate and use it when needed. Someday will replace both sets if the right deal and motivation collide...lol
 
lol...Yup, both hood & tailgate on my '94 - same song. Got a Mini hood prop from a 'pick & pull' which, after some tweaking, works like a charm when I need it (don't always - in warm weather the struts work fine, usually). Found an aluminum mop handle that just right length for the tailgate and use it when needed. Someday will replace both sets if the right deal and motivation collide...lol

I have these on my 80s. They work well. Jason aka @arcteryx aka CruiserYard is a great dude and I highly recommend purchasing from him. He has all kinds of used parts too. I've purchased used stuff from him and have always been happy.

80 Series, Set of Brand New Hood Supports/Shocks

80 Series, Set of Brand New Rear Hatch Supports/Shocks
 
1996 FZJ-80 in the US with 349,000 miles on the clock. Only major problem during my ownership was a melted/shorted engine harness soon after buying the vehicle (repaired). Prior owner however replaced the blown headgasket before I bought it. In over 200,000 miles of ownership I've spent between $5000-6000 for repairs, parts, tools, supplies, and preventive maintenance including oil changes. Add $2000 for three sets of tires after the original set wore out.

Largest expenditures were for brake parts (master cylinder, front calipers, flexible front lines, pads and rotors), AC parts (compressor, evap core, condenser, dryer, expansion valve, heater relay, and a few lines). Some of those parts were not needed, I just didn't want to tear back into it ever again. Then there was the front axle service (bearings, seals, tools, supplies).

Then the usual wear/pm/OCD parts: water pump, Tstat, radiator hoses, PHH, axle breather hose, low beam headlight bulbs, oil pump cover O-ring and front crank seal, dizzy O-ring, Speedo gear O-ring, valve cover gasket, front pinion seal, EGR parts (valve, modulator, VSV), alternator brushes, AC tensioner pulley, alternator belt idler pulley, motor and transmission mounts, window lift motor, window glass runs, door weather seals, spark plug wires, dizzy cap and rotor, fuel pump and sock, fuel filter, air filters, oil filters, wiper blades, batteries (3), new door/ignition key, door/light switch, front U-joints, windshield washer diverter valve, hood struts, Gamviti seat gears, shifter assembly bushings, (self) reman of starter, replacement of steering wheel, shifter knob, and emergency brake boot leather, and some salvage yard parts (fan clutch, distributor, windshield wiper motor, steering wheel and clock spring, 2.2kW starter).

That adds up to around $8000 over ~15 years or about $550 per year not including fuel.
 
Last edited:
Hers my take on this, my opinion is that most landcruiser owners are not the original owners and have purchased them second hand usually after that doctor or lawyer bought it back in 1995 thru 97 or even later then they drove it into the ground doing little to no maintenance because the land cruiser is the is a workhorse and when they traded it in or sold it guys like you and I wanted it because it now cost us less than new price to obtain and after 20 years of only oil changes it starts to show wear and tear so now we have to revive it back to original state and its not cheap! but its worth it these are the sleddogs of trucks they go anywhere and last. The parts if OEM last long and are durable they built these wagons well but you and I are stuck with the bill at the end! Man I love mine and I always try to install OEM parts if I can afford, they just dont seem to like anything except OEM parts.
 
I've done the usual Mud OCD PM stuff: PHH, new rad (pending), water pump, all heater and radiator hoses, new heater control valve, new fuel pump and sock filter, etc. It's never broken down or stranded me, runs about 185* F on the water temp, has 232K miles with a HG of unknown provenance (I bought it with 216K miles from a Ford dealership, so I don't know about prior maintenance). It runs strong and sounds great, and has never left me stranded.
 
Adding myself to this: Just had my alt go bad. Could probably rebuild it for 20 bucks, spent more on @Photoman bracket and the Sequoia 150A alternator - and treated Bernadette to a new Optima D31M battery. Why not?
 
23 years. Approximately $21,000 on maintenance (tires, brakes, hoses, belts, other wear and tear items, fluids). Zero catastrophic repairs. Never left stranded. Total cost of ownership, $60,000 including purchase price new in 1992. Monthly ownership cost of approximately $217/month (not including gas or insurance). A Corolla has an ownership cost of $325/month. So the life cycle cost of my 80 has been excellent. I'd hop in it tomorrow and drive it across country. 238k on the clock.

This is comparable to a 2015 Prius - my calculation from cost of ownership, including depreciation for the first five years, not including insurance (but including fuel, it's a Prius, I gotta make my calculation look good somehow, otherwise the Prius is like 97 bucks a month) - is 141/month, over an identical 24 year lifespan (the time you've had your truck). Not bad considering that your 80 is 23 years older, about a third heavier, and not "modern". These trucks aren't cheap, but they're economical. You don't need to be a millionaire to keep your 80 a reliable DD and weekend fun truck. There's a whole lot to be said for that.
 
Bought it in 2013 and PO was driving it about 3 quarts low on transmission fluid, for months.

What I HAD to do:
Replace transmission solenoids (two bad solenoids)
Replace cooling system (had a badly degraded/leaking original radiator)
Replace seat brackets (someone 'extended' them, then the welds broke, giving me a see-saw seat)
Replace u-joints
Replace exhaust Y-pipe that was rusted through
What I did but wasn't absolutely necessary:
Replace brake pads, calipers and rotors
Lift
Needs to be done:
Rest of exhaust from cats back
Knuckle job

The truck ran when I got it, but it was a disaster. The guy just it as a DD, so it's a testament what our trucks will take. Since getting it back in about 95% order, it is super dependable. I just drove it on a 4600 mile trip and the only issue was breaking loose my rusted exhaust mounts and I vibrated my hood latch loose, nearly causing me to have the hood come up at speed.
 
1997, 153k. 3rd Owner since 108k in 2007. Have all reciepts from PO work done at dealerships.
No major issues to report but I've done all the maintenance.
PHH, front axle at 150k for the first time, D light etc etc. For the most part I drive it and keep ahead of maintenance.
Head Gasket scheduled for next summer so hoping that doesn't happen early!
 
Perhaps rename this thread "How many of you would like to jinx yourselves into a major repair?"
I just bragged about how bulletproof my rig was at 220K.
Now she's in the shop sucking up $2,500.
Sigh.
Hahahahhahaaha, ahem.
 
I have spent about 6k on repairs, but I bought it for $400, the previous owner drove it into the ground and left for dead at a junkyard. Replaced blown motor, then bad head gasket on the replacement motor, rebuild front end, ect, ect, ect. But know it's all good, l have a nice locked 96 fzj 80.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom