Introduction! (1 Viewer)

[MStars]

HI everyone, it looks like I've FINALLY found it =). I am not an owner of an FJ40 yet, but it has been my dream vehicle for a long time. I have been searching for a site like this to ask questions and learn, as I search for the perfect cruiser for me. My name is Matt and if all goes well I will be on your forum regularly. (Providing I can ever find a good FJ to buy ) Anyway it said when I signed up to introduce myself, so it is nice to meet you all and hope to hear from many of you. I have never owned a Cruiser or a junky 4x4 thats name starts with a J... so pardon my n00bie status. To give you a little more on my story... I have saved approximately 3k and now have 3k from a close family member passing away. I wanted to use the money to go toward something I really wanted so this is it. My current 90 cutlass ciera no longer runs so it's time!! Is it possible to get a nice cruiser to drive daily as well as fix up as I earn and save more money for 6k or 7k to start off? Well before this turns into an introductory novel I'll quit babbling, just SOO EXCITED to get going. Hope to hear any buying, searching, fixing, w/e tips from anyone soon. Thanks a ton

Nice to meet you all
Matt from Michigan

 

[tlcruiser66]

Welcome to Mud Matt, if you have 6 or 7k, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to find a clean reliable rig for yourself. I'm glad to see you've decided on a cruiser as your first 4 wheeler. Any idea which model 40/45/60/etc your looking for yet? Are you mechanically capable of doing work on your new truck yourself, or are you going to want something already completed? Anyway, good luck with your search and you shouldn't have any problems getting all sorts of advice here, and welcome again.

Kevin

 

[MStars]

Thanks for the reply and the nice welcome. Well as of now I haven't worked on vehicles no... however that is part of the appeal to a cruiser. I don't plan to sell it maybe ever. Since half the money I have is from my grandmother passing away I would like to put it towards something that I've always wanted. As I said this is my dream vehicle so I am very excited. However I want to make sure I find the perfect one for me to start with. I need a nice clean cruiser that drives relatively well at first since it will be my driver for a while. As I save money I will slowly upgrade and work on it, learning all the while. I understand I won't get a 25k showroom Cruiser that some of these guys are trying to sell at first... but I want one that isn't rusty, the motor is good, etc. Surface rust or paint, dirt, things like that I have no limit on time to clean up. I will enjoy working to make it perfect. If you have the time, how hard is it to gut the inside, clean it up so it looks shiny and perfect on the interior? If I start with a 6-7k cruiser, how much will it take to make it clean enough to take a woman out in, dependable enough to drive a few miles around town, and also good enough to handle itself on some mild offroading nothin serious at first til i can afford to break it lol?

Also, any ideas on where to start searching for a nice 6-7k cruiser. I have to spend every penny to my name so I am very scared and cautious. I really want a vehicle that can be my baby. If you have any suggestions I would appreciate them greatly. I have so much to ask, wonder, learn and I don't even have a cruiser yet. My brain is on overload

Thanks alot

Matt

 

[sandrat62]

Matt- Once good source is Craigslist. I'm not sure where your located but they do have a good selection on FJ40. Also another good Idea is to bring a friend. When my friend CLNWRX went to look at his current fj40 , I went with him to hold his hand (LOL). It always good to get feed back will looking at a vehicle, so you can keep each other in check. My friend had major drool factor while checking out his future FJ40. Actually I did too (its a clean machine). But because I wasn't the buyer I was still in that mind set of stepping back and taking in the whole picture so to speak. Also I believe" Money talks all else walks". What that means if you travel a great distance to look at one for sale, Be ready to negoiate. Now I might get alot of people disagree with me on this but here me out...If you don't like what you see, walk away. No harm no foul. BUT just in case you do like what you see now you are in the position to bargain. Believe me unless an FJ is a real dawg, I won't last long. Trying to "wait" out the buyer doesn't always work. Besides most sellers usually are willing to bargain with you if they know you are serious (unless they extremely stuborn..(right CRLNRX?). Oh just so you know I'm not selling ANYTHING! . Just my 2 cents. Besides half the fun is in the hunt. Good luck--Matt (my name also)

 

[MStars]

Again, thanks for the response I can already tell this will be the most helpful place. I have looked on Ebay, cars.com, cruizers.com, all seem to not have much to choose from. I am getting so anxious to get my own cruizer I can hardly take it. It's all I think about heh. The advice about bringing a friend to look at them with me is a good idea, cuz I surely have the I WANT IT goggles on. Still looking for more advice on where to look and possibly buy a nice clean cruizer. I have about 6-7k to spend, but its so difficult, my mind is going 300 mph trying to find that perfect one for me. Keep in mind I can't do like a frame off rebuild to start off. I can clean it up, tune it up do all kinds of stuff but can't do a full on restore job until I save up money and drive it for a while. Hope to hear more from you all soon

Thanks again and sorry the story gets so long, I'm just too excited

Matt

 

[badass]

Welcome, you have come to the right place, if you are you really sure you want to devote all of your spare time on cruisers, then you have come to the right site. You may want to check here every once and a while, https://forum.ih8mud.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14. This is where you can find all different models of cruisers for sale, good luck!

 

[DSRTRDR]

trucktrader.com

collectorcartrader.com

traderpubs.com

some areas of the country are covered better than others - 40s in the midwest in decent shape are hard to come by

it may be worth looking at AZ or CA trucks

 

[tlcruiser66]

I'm gonna have to go with Sandrat on this one, the best deal you find will be on craigslist. My buddy bought his 72' off that site for 3500 and his 40 runs sweet, didn't need anything to make it his DD.

Kevin

 

[MStars]

Thanks all for all the great suggestions I will surely look through all of them. I will check Craigslist for sure.... but when I looked for it earlier it came up with San Francisco listings... is Craigslist more just a CA thing? In Michigan I have only briefly heard the name thats about it. I am lookin for an FJ40, and if it was the perfect one I would have np flying/driving out of state wherever to get it. Again thanks all for the suggestions so far.

Matt

 

[FJTex]

the default page for craigslist is for the SF area, but if you look at teh page it gives you a list of states to choose from. and welcome to the mud.

 

[flippin sweet cruiser]

Another place that I have seen cruisers for sale is the classified section at http://www.rockymountaincruisers.com/classified.html (this is a link) Hope this helps and welcome!

 

[Fast Eddy]

craigslist searches

Don't forget that "landcruiser" and "land cruiser" are two different searches on CL and will turn up different results. There are a few in your price range in Phoenix.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/search/car?query=landcruiser
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/search/car?query=land cruiser

74 and later has the better 2f engine
76 and later have standard front disc brakes (at least in the US)
79 and later have higher gears, better on the street, not better off-road

In Michigan you probably want a hard top.

 

[MStars]

Nice, lots more cruisers to sort through. Thanks so far for all the good resources and suggestions. Still haven't found one that really jumps out at me for 6-7ish K but the search continues. I'm going stir crazy heh. For my needs (and wants from what I have seen)... I won't be doing any hardcore rock crawling etc at least not at first seeing as it will be my daily driver also. I might take it up north and down a few 2 tracks etc just to get to camping locations but nothing brutal. I'll save that stuff for later when I have another vehicle to daily drive heh. I think I have decided that I like the look of the ambulance doors, are there pros and cons to having these? Are they preferred by most people for look or most prefer the tailgate with the window that flaps down? I am not perfectly familiar with EXACT differences in each years model but seems to me the one that I see and most commonly go "WOW I want mine to look like that" is the 78'. As far as gears go, I am more concerned with reliability and just drivability rather than pure power, torque etc. As always appreciate the current help and anxiously await more advice, replies, opinions.

Thanks,

Matt