Need FJ Owner Perspective

[Bloomer]

I have a 95 FZJ80 and am thinking about selling to purchase a FJ. My 80 is pretty much stock and in very good condition, just getting up there in miles (186K). I keep up with maintenance and pay Toyota a hefty price to fix everything that breaks (I think I'm upto about $9K over the past 4 years.) We drive to CO during the winter and my wife is getting concerned about the mileage. I'm getting some smoke at start-up (valve stem guides leaking by I believe) and a small rear end leak (which seems pretty minor to fix compared to what I have already spent on the 80). It made the trip this last winter perfectly. I'm curious what the FJ crowd thinks about their FJs and there durability as an offroad vehicle. I do not do much 'wheelin' but like the idea of having a stout vehicle. Also, the FJs do not have a solid front axle, correct? Any idea why Toyota decided against this? What options would yall recommend, and what do yall find really isn't worth having on the FJs? Thanks for the input.

 

[Gumby]

There are a number of threads on the subjects of IFS and owner satisfaction already.

I had a 95 80 and I currently own a FJC. The wife likes the FJC better for commuting. I miss my 80 terribly. The FJC has proven to be stone reliable in 50,000 miles. I don't have any idea how reliable it will be at 150,000. I do not think it will be as reliable as the 80 was at 150,000, especially considering how hard I wheeled the 80, but I really have no way of knowing.

If I had another $25,000 to spend I bet I could find a damn nice 100 series. That's what I would do.

 

[1911]

I'm curious what the FJ crowd thinks about their FJs and there durability as an offroad vehicle. I do not do much 'wheelin' but like the idea of having a stout vehicle.

My FJC replaced an FJ80 with 200,000 miles. The FJC has almost twice the horsepower of my FJ80 and weighs less, so it is a much better highway truck than the 80. It has more plastic and thinner sheet metal than the 80. If you have children, an 80-series or later Land Cruiser would be a much better family car than an FJC, IMO.

I have 90,000 on the FJC now and have used it fairly hard, as a work vehicle and some fairly serious wheeling. I blew up a ring gear in the rear diff on a difficult obstacle, and it now has a small oil leak from one valve/cam cover. Other than that, it has given me no problems at all and I consider to be a very relaible vehicle.

Also, the FJs do not have a solid front axle, correct? Any idea why Toyota decided against this?

Superior on-road ride quality, and the IFS was already tested and in production on the 4Runner/Taco platform so it was cheaper not to have to design and make new parts.

What options would yall recommend, and what do yall find really isn't worth having on the FJs? Thanks for the input.

If it's going to be primarily a road/family car, then get whatever options and packages appeal to you, but for off-road I would skip almost all of the options, get a bare base-model, and build it with aftermarket stuff. The factory options for skids, rock rails, and roof racks are really lame and a waste of money IMO.

 

[Lovey]

I regret getting rid of both my 80's. The first one was sort of a indirect trade for the FJC.
I wish I could go back and do it all over again.

Keep the 80.

 

[AGreekBoy]

you will not half the room than you do in the eighty, the kids in the back have almost no view. they are to new to tell if they we be as reliable as the landcruisr but i know that the trucks go for ever and they are pretty much the same platform. i just bought one and i have an 80 and a 60 that i am selling. just my 2 cents

 

[lgrt]

what they said about the 80 on room and cool factor... but the FJC is a good reliable rig for daily transportation and off road capable in stock format. I go out on lots of runs and the stock rigs can keep up with most of the easy to moderate stuff.

When it comes to mods, the FJC has a lot of possibilities with good support from a large vendor community. I've gone quit a ways with the mods and it still drives great on the road (daily driver) thanks to IFS as well as taking on the type of wheeling I've built it for.

And for me... it was really nice to step up to a rig that had AC and a working radio... So i don't demand a lot of creature comforts.

Good luck to you on getting a rig that is right for you.

 

[spaldam]

If you have children, an 80-series or later Land Cruiser would be a much better family car than an FJC, IMO.

That's exactly why I'm trying to sell my FJC right now and get into a mid to late 90's 80-series. I love the FJC, it's awesome both on and off-road, but it keeps getting less and less piratical for my family's needs.

 

[CREACHR]

I just did the trip to CO and Yellowstone in my FJC with my wife and 3 kids. The thing is a mountain goat, but I also have an 80 that the wife loves for the room. I have a Outlander trailer to help with the gear and the FJC tows it wonderfully. Stock FJC will give you better gas mileage, but with modifications and/or towing a trailer that goes away pretty quick. Reliability has been SUPER thus far at 50k. FJC I think is easier to work on myself than the 80, but I love both trucks for different reasons.