Hello all,
First time poster here and current 80 owner. I know this is a long post, but it's got all the detail you might need to help give me advice. I feel like I might be making a mistake but don't know enough about LJ78's, so I'm at the mercy of friendly guru's.
Background:
I'm looking to potentially trade my 1996 Lexus LX450 w/ 195k and only center diff locker ( 1996 LEXUS LX450 (Toyota Land Cruiser) 1 OWNER - NEW TIRES ) for this 1991 LJ78 2LTE Prado ( 1991 Land Cruiser RHD Diesel )
But... Its past seems to be a bit confusing...
History
1st seller) For Sale Summer 2016 - 225,765km - This is the guy that imported it from Japan to Canada. This is a post from the original seller in Canada For Sale - 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado LJ78 4x4 RHD
2nd owner) Unknown purchase date - unknown milage - A person/company in Canada bought it from the first owner and I believe a full body/interior restoration was done along with some minor mechanical updates (such as replacing the original head gasket but not machining the heads). The original posts show rust on the rear fenders but it doesn't anymore.
3rd Owner) Purchase Date May/June 2017 - unknown milage - The third owner purchased the LJ78 from the second owner and imported it from CA to the USA. Apparently this third owner drove it from Canada to his home in Oklahoma in a 5-day trek. Then, about 10-miles out of his hometown, the LJ overheated and the head cracked. He towed the vehicle to Cruiser Corps in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA and the heads were replaced with 3L heads and converted to Evans waterless coolant (this is documented) in June 2017. I'm assuming the third owner got sick of the LJ having issues and decided to sell it to try and break even. I called Cruiser Corps to verify the work was done and they said it was but couldn't vouch for the mechanical shape of the vehicle due to not remembering.
4th Current Owner/seller) Purchase Date 11/2017 - 235,250km - He's in his early twenties and is a frequent buyer/seller of cars. He's only owned it for maybe 2.5 months. State's he hasn't had any issues since owning it. He's very nice and has put up with my hundreds of texts asking for more information and photos.
Problem
My dilemma is that the current seller has told me that he has done/paid for the work that was done to the LJ when it was actually done while under the previous owner. He also states that he takes drives it on a 390km round-trip twice a week. But where I'm confused is the milage on the LJ was 226,000km in Summer/2016 and is now 235,000 in Jan/2018. That's less than 10,000km in 1.5 years and 4 different owners - one of which put 3000km of the 10,000km driving it down from CA.
The current seller and I made a deal that I'd trade him my 80 (plus a couple grand cash) for his LJ80. The seller lives about 440m (710k) from me and said I'd need to drive down to him to do the sale. I asked him if he could help me out and meet me halfway and he said he'd be able to meet me in a town about 2-hours closer to me but not halfway and I said "okay". 5.5 hours of driving later, just as I'm pulling into the town we chose to meet in (an 80m drive for him), he calls me saying that a pulley went out on the way to meet me and he had to get it to a shop. He offered to pay for my gas, and then said he'd still do the trade without asking for the $$ on top. I turned down both politely and turned around and drove 5-hours back home.
It turns out the bolt on a pulley came loose and rounded out the center of the pulley. The pulley was on a belt route that powered the vacuum pump and alternator. He said that the woodruf key, alternator bearing, and a pulley were replaced.
I told him that in order for me to feel comfortable buying it, I'd need a few things done first:
1) Put 1000km on it after fixing the pulley
2) He'd have to meet me at least half way between our hometowns to do the deal.
3) He'd have to drive the LJ the entire way to our meeting point (not trailering it)
Now I don't know what to do. Do I buy it? Does it seem fishy? What would you do? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
(Sidenote -- I don't make a lot of money, nor do I have a second car)
Thanks everyone!
First time poster here and current 80 owner. I know this is a long post, but it's got all the detail you might need to help give me advice. I feel like I might be making a mistake but don't know enough about LJ78's, so I'm at the mercy of friendly guru's.
Background:
I'm looking to potentially trade my 1996 Lexus LX450 w/ 195k and only center diff locker ( 1996 LEXUS LX450 (Toyota Land Cruiser) 1 OWNER - NEW TIRES ) for this 1991 LJ78 2LTE Prado ( 1991 Land Cruiser RHD Diesel )
But... Its past seems to be a bit confusing...
History
1st seller) For Sale Summer 2016 - 225,765km - This is the guy that imported it from Japan to Canada. This is a post from the original seller in Canada For Sale - 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado LJ78 4x4 RHD
2nd owner) Unknown purchase date - unknown milage - A person/company in Canada bought it from the first owner and I believe a full body/interior restoration was done along with some minor mechanical updates (such as replacing the original head gasket but not machining the heads). The original posts show rust on the rear fenders but it doesn't anymore.
3rd Owner) Purchase Date May/June 2017 - unknown milage - The third owner purchased the LJ78 from the second owner and imported it from CA to the USA. Apparently this third owner drove it from Canada to his home in Oklahoma in a 5-day trek. Then, about 10-miles out of his hometown, the LJ overheated and the head cracked. He towed the vehicle to Cruiser Corps in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA and the heads were replaced with 3L heads and converted to Evans waterless coolant (this is documented) in June 2017. I'm assuming the third owner got sick of the LJ having issues and decided to sell it to try and break even. I called Cruiser Corps to verify the work was done and they said it was but couldn't vouch for the mechanical shape of the vehicle due to not remembering.
4th Current Owner/seller) Purchase Date 11/2017 - 235,250km - He's in his early twenties and is a frequent buyer/seller of cars. He's only owned it for maybe 2.5 months. State's he hasn't had any issues since owning it. He's very nice and has put up with my hundreds of texts asking for more information and photos.
Problem
My dilemma is that the current seller has told me that he has done/paid for the work that was done to the LJ when it was actually done while under the previous owner. He also states that he takes drives it on a 390km round-trip twice a week. But where I'm confused is the milage on the LJ was 226,000km in Summer/2016 and is now 235,000 in Jan/2018. That's less than 10,000km in 1.5 years and 4 different owners - one of which put 3000km of the 10,000km driving it down from CA.
The current seller and I made a deal that I'd trade him my 80 (plus a couple grand cash) for his LJ80. The seller lives about 440m (710k) from me and said I'd need to drive down to him to do the sale. I asked him if he could help me out and meet me halfway and he said he'd be able to meet me in a town about 2-hours closer to me but not halfway and I said "okay". 5.5 hours of driving later, just as I'm pulling into the town we chose to meet in (an 80m drive for him), he calls me saying that a pulley went out on the way to meet me and he had to get it to a shop. He offered to pay for my gas, and then said he'd still do the trade without asking for the $$ on top. I turned down both politely and turned around and drove 5-hours back home.
It turns out the bolt on a pulley came loose and rounded out the center of the pulley. The pulley was on a belt route that powered the vacuum pump and alternator. He said that the woodruf key, alternator bearing, and a pulley were replaced.
I told him that in order for me to feel comfortable buying it, I'd need a few things done first:
1) Put 1000km on it after fixing the pulley
2) He'd have to meet me at least half way between our hometowns to do the deal.
3) He'd have to drive the LJ the entire way to our meeting point (not trailering it)
Now I don't know what to do. Do I buy it? Does it seem fishy? What would you do? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
(Sidenote -- I don't make a lot of money, nor do I have a second car)
Thanks everyone!
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