Keep the 80 series or get a fj

[diego355]

Hello everyone,
Here is the thing I have a 91 80 series that I imported from Japan 3 years ago. I have build her up and now I have everything that I wanted but off course it is a 91. paint looks good except for the hood and roof half of the clear coat peeled off. It has some issues normal 20 yr old car issues but I'm getting a bit tired of the never stopping maintenance. Wire here, relay there, idle issue, cracked hoses, leak here and leak there... So Im thinking of selling the 80 and getting an FJ (locked with A-TRAC) manual tranny or keep the 80 because is a absolute beast on the trails and buy a whatever brand new daily driver. My main concern is flex, I don't care about the fj "4 doors" because I don't have kids and my dog is a poodle but comparing my 80 series capability with an fj that is what is holding me back. A friend sold his aussie 70 series cruiser (coil spring all around) and got a Tacoma and he is so pissed all the time with the stiffness and poor flex of the ifs.
HONESTLY what you guys recommend?
Thanks

 

[Motleyone]

I have both and would not get rid of either. With all the money you have in your 80 it would be a shame to sell it. I would keep the 80 and save up for the FJC. I use the FJC when I want to pull my pop up or drive farther distances because it has way more power. The cool factor still goes to the 80. Having kids I really love the room in the 80. The kids hate the back seat of the FJC. As far as ride quality I have the three inch toy tec lift and 33 inch BFG KM2's on the FJC. It rides really nice and has no stiffness. Unless you want to do some extreme rock crawling the IFS and the rear locker on the FJC does really well off road.

 

[Tapage]

you don't have kids yet .. !

 

[Mtbcoach]

I've had both at the same time, only have the 80 now.

If you off-road any vehicle, you'll be doing more maintanence, the FJC is no less than the 80. I think they wheel in a very similar fashion, lots of "3-wheeling" but you can run the front locker on the 80 with less concern than in the FJC (assuming your comment meant having an aftermarket locker on the front) and I found very similar MPG when both were running 35's (very low teens).

Birfs & knuckles or CV's, functioning rear window or not. I found lots of love for my FJC for the 6+ years I had it, finding the same in my 80 but like it better with more room for the adult daughters and dogs...

 

[dcoy]

I have both and would not get rid of either.

My situation is similar (FJ 60 plus FJC) and I agree with the above. If I was forced to have one or the other I would keep the FJC for reliability, highway worthiness, comfort, and the higher power/weight ratio (a littler unfair comparison with the Supercharger). IMO the 60 is at least equally capable offroad as an 80 and the FJC as well so the switch doesn't give up any of that capability.

 

[1911]

I replaced my '91 FJ80 with an FJC, though the 80 was still reliable and running strong. I gave it to one of my sons and he drove it for a another long time/many miles. I've posted my comparison of the two here before and don't want to write it all over again. The short story is, they are both good trucks and just depends on what you really want/need from a 4WD truck. I do think the 80 was better/heavier built than my FJC, though my FJC has held up well and is still runs like new and doesn't use as drop of oil at 140,000 miles so far. The flex on the FJC won't be anything like the 80 without spending some serious money on suspension components.

 

[AutoCraft Aus]

The FJ is a nicer thing to drive, more power, better fuel economy, smaller turning circle, lighter, and with bigger tyres and long travel suspension work very nicely with the rear diff lock.


I have had many 80's, every engine and gearbox combination [still got 2 atm] and I have my FJ.

As a 2 up 4wd, they are a great thing.

They flex with a long travel kit more than your 2"" lifted 80, and they will drive over it twice as fast

 

[diego355]

I sort of made my mind. I will sell the 80 but not without enjoying the 80 for one last summer. I love my 80 but I want something a bit more reliable that I don't have to worry too much about little things, 20 yr old hoses, pulleys, wires, etc.. Its getting annoying to fix little things plus its a right hand drive and parts its a big pain to source. For example I just did the brakes and spent about $1000 because nothing in North America fits my 80. I really like the styling of the FJ and it engine. I guess I have to sacrifice some off road performance that the 80 offers to a bit less capable for extremes FJ but in the other hand I would have more power, better economy and more on road comfort where we drive 95% of the time.
Ill be looking for a 2007-2009 FJ NOT YELLOW with A-TRAC and rear locker 6 MT

 

[serenity]

Gotta agree with Autocraft, my 80 was fun but constantly keeping up with maintenance on a 4wd with over 300k km on the clock got old.

I bought my FJ while I still had my 80, drove them on the same trails, the 80 with long travel shocks and 35" tyres vs a stock FJ. The FJ went everywhere my 80 did with less effort.

Only downside to it is the room, I've subsequently bought a 100 series as well for family trips.

 

[fjc8871]

I sold my FJ and bought an 80 and would not go back to an FJC. I would probably get into a 100 series before I would go back to an FJC but that is me.

I hope the FJC can be as reliable as the 80s have been for 20+ years. They don't make them like the did though.

 

[ElvinWes]

That 80 looks fun

 

[diego355]

That 80 looks fun

It is, lots and lost of fun. The endless discussion with my brother about witch is better his Discover 1 or my 80 is pretty fun too

 

[diego355]

I looked some FJ's last week and decided that it is better if im going going to finance a vehicle its better to go for a new one. It might be a little bit more expensive every month but its just better to have something you are the only driver. At the end of the day its better to finance a brand new car for 6 years than a 5 year old vehicle for 5 more years.
I liked the Cavalry Blue base pckg and add sliders and the roof rack

 

[Mtbcoach]

Get the rear locking diff at a minimum...

 

[lipek]

And save some coin for a real roof rack, unless you're not planing to actually use it

 

[lancenoell]

I looked some FJ's last week and decided that it is better if im going going to finance a vehicle its better to go for a new one. It might be a little bit more expensive every month but its just better to have something you are the only driver. At the end of the day its better to finance a brand new car for 6 years than a 5 year old vehicle for 5 more years.
I liked the Cavalry Blue base pckg and add sliders and the roof rack

That's how we ended up with the Trail Teams last summer.
I was ready to sell my Taco and get a 08 FJ with ~35k on the clock. I took my wife to see it and that same morning they had received a 2012 Red TT and my wife saw it. I immediatly started drooling and looked at her and said "too expensive". But then we looked at it, drove around, thought, and bought.
There was only around $12k difference in price between the 08 and the 2012.

 

[diego355]

And just today a week away of putting the 80 up for sale my starter decided that he is not going to work anymore just cause... This is why im getting tired, a week ago a intake hose.. it never ends. Im not expecting the FJ to be bulletproof but newer parts + warranty.
Cant beat that

 

[guerasfj60]

I've kept my 60 because I need the passenger space. Other than that, the debate is endless for me as long as I keep monthly repair and maintenance under a FJC monthly payment.

 

[LB LandCruiser]

Sold my 1990 FJ62 about a year after buying and FJC. Haven't missed her,,,,much. But I certainly don't regret it. The $$$ required to keep and old girl running adds up. and LC parts are not cheap. That was the main reason. I spent $$ keeping the LC running great. Haven't spent a dime on the FJC. The FJC will go anywhere the LC will..... my $.02....

 

[haddix]

Kind of the opposite here. I own an 07 FJ right now. I have thought about selling it and buying an 80 series and bank the rest of the $.