- Thread starter
- #101
Yeah no kidding. Most of their vehicles come from auctions. I wouldn't buy there, ever. I just made the offer to see where he was on price.
New guy
- Thread starter jemezdude
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Yeah no kidding. Most of their vehicles come from auctions. I wouldn't buy there, ever. I just made the offer to see where he was on price.
- Thread starter
- #102
Yeah, no. Gonna buy an 80. Gonna buy a good one. Gonna maintain it. NOT gonna spend another $10,000. Don't need a ton of aftermarket stuff to enjoy it, if it doesn't come with it already. I don't know what you guys do for a living to be able to sink all that dough into your trucks.
I think you mean LCs are expensive if you plan to make it a big boy hobby and you HAVE to buy all the latest and greatest to slap on there.
So I'll get there slower, and I don't have a winch. Are you gonna make fun of me?
- Thread starter
- #103
I appreciate the details and facts to back up your point, sounds like good advice as always, thank you sir!
Go with gut, doesn't sound right. Diff lock light does come on in four low.
Won't make fun of you but Ash will.
And wait till he starts spending your money for you! Game ovah!
That said, any 80 you buy now will need tons of maintenance. Trust me.
- Thread starter
- #106
Well, I don't want to spend money on tons of maintenance. I don't have it. I guess cruisers are just too expensive for me. Yup, you've talked me out of it. I'll get me a nice 4runner:
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/3398981181.html
Well, I don't want to spend money on tons of maintenance. I don't have it. I guess cruisers are just too expensive for me. Yup, you've talked me out of it. I'll get me a nice 4runner:
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/3398981181.html
My intention was to not talk you out of it but to prepare you for the real relationship you develop when owning LC's.
That 4runner looks nice though!
All US spec 80-Series have a locking center diff. That is the light you will see when you shift to 4-Low on a STOCK truck. Many of us have retrofitted the factory diff-lock switch that was available on non-US vehicles. With this switch and Dan's simple "Pin-7" mod, you will have complete control of the electronic locking/unlocking of your center differential.
Vehicles with the F&R electric locking axles option will have 2 additional dash indicator lights that operate when the rotary switch is used. Those lights will give you the status of the Front and the Rear locking mechanisms when engaging or disengaging the diff locks.
Clicking birfields are a symptom of a truck needing a front axle service. If the clicking is bad (subjective) then things start getting expensive because new birfs from Toyota are ~$500 each and you'll need two plus all the other bits that go with a front axle service. Leaking birfields are common (mine are leaking now) and not that big of an issue as long as you keep grease in the joints. If they are leaking you will want to plan for the service which isn't technically difficult but is messy and time consuming.
As for your question on what kind of jobs we have... some are unemployed, some are underemployed, some are retired, some are city/state/federal government workers (and I use that term liberally), some are techies, and some are not. It takes a whole village to raise a Cruiser puppy to a full-grown pup that can play with the big dogs.
As for your question on how do we afford the things we buy? Easy... we enjoy our hobby and we make other sacrifices that lets us fund the hobby. Some of us don't have a vehicle made in this century. Some of us eat Ramen noodles. Some of us don't have classic Goldwings in our garage. Most of us have been building our off-road vehicle for many years (almost 12 for mine.) Many of us get spare parts anywhere we can; Pick-n-Pull or fellow Cruiser heads. Same with accessories. Watch for deals on 'Mud or the HDC forum or word-of-mouth from the HDC guys and gals. A lot of guys will fabricate their own junk. Most of Pappy's 40 armor was built by him in his own garage with a welder he sacrificed to a despicable thief. For those of us that don't weld and don't plan to learn the skill, we barter for local help.
To me, this unconditional generosity is the beauty of our local club and why we are a tight-nit group. There have been 20 different guys that have helped me with my truck and every time I put out the call for help, a bunch of guys will show up. When Onur lived in Albuquerque he was always helping someone in our club and he was the first one to show up whenever I needed help. Read up on Cruiser Karma.
If you can find a way to pick up a Toy that already has options and accessories that you plan to get, then you can get those for 25 cents on the dollar. If you add the accessory later you'll have to search for used or pay full fare.
See if Gage or his brother will offer to take a look at the one in Waco. An unbiased assessment might loosen up some of those dollars earmarked for "Goldwing upkeep".
-Mike-
Well, I don't want to spend money on tons of maintenance. I don't have it. I guess cruisers are just too expensive for me. Yup, you've talked me out of it. I'll get me a nice 4runner:
http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/3398981181.html
Having the factory rear diff lock like that one does makes it worth the price, if it's in good shape which it looks like it might be. You would get 50% better gas mileage, and although it won't go everywhere an 80 would go there are places it will go that an 80 wouldn't as well. On those narrow ledges etc. you would have extra clearance, and there is a lot of local expertise on 3rd gens as well. It also has the 3.4 V6, which is an excellent engine without head gasket etc. concerns.
Wave 5 Grover Clevelands under his nose and there's a really good chance he'll take them for it.
The money you save on gas can go for upgrades, and 225k is not a lot of miles for those, especially since it apparently has a new timing belt and clutch. Also the '99 has a slightly higher stock suspension (about an inch) than the other 3rd gens. Like I said before, if you are going to haul a multi-ton trailer on dirt roads across Africa, the 80 would be the way to go. I've been there (not to Africa, but having a built 80). I like my 4Runner.
The only thing I'll offer to Mike's comments ...
It won't matter if you have a 40, a 60\62, an 80, or even an early mini/4Runner. Plan on rebuilding the front axle. The only difference is the 80s are full-time and will need new Birfields.
It won't matter if you have a 40, a 60\62, an 80, or even an early mini/4Runner. Plan on rebuilding the front axle. The only difference is the 80s are full-time and will need new Birfields.
Again, drive the 4runner and the 80 in order to develop your own taste. They're two different animals and both have pros & cons.
Give me a call or show up at our house and take mine for a ride. A well maintained 80 is a very nice machine to operate and that is something you haven't experienced yet.
Regardless of what you go with, your budget (like the rest of us) is shoe horning you into a mid 90's vintage rig that WILL require maintenance caught up UNLESS you buy one from a Mud or a TTORA member. TTORA are for the 4Runners and Tacos like the Mud is for the Cruisers. Trouble is, a well maintained rig will/should command a tad higher price than the average. I guess, pick your poison- pay now or pay later.
As a family man and a dog lover, I find having a lower tailgate a HUGE bonus for all sorts of stuff. Something simple as making up a sandwich and setting the kids down on the tailgate to eat is much easier with a split rear tailgate system. On the trail, something like this is a nice luxury to have I think.
Again, evaluate both rigs closely and for that, you need to hook up with one of us from the club with either rigs and really check them out. Bring the whole family out and stuff them inside to see what you like/hate about each ride. It behooves you to be an informed consumer and really, you have no excuses given the resources available locally.
Ali
Give me a call or show up at our house and take mine for a ride. A well maintained 80 is a very nice machine to operate and that is something you haven't experienced yet.
Regardless of what you go with, your budget (like the rest of us) is shoe horning you into a mid 90's vintage rig that WILL require maintenance caught up UNLESS you buy one from a Mud or a TTORA member. TTORA are for the 4Runners and Tacos like the Mud is for the Cruisers. Trouble is, a well maintained rig will/should command a tad higher price than the average. I guess, pick your poison- pay now or pay later.
As a family man and a dog lover, I find having a lower tailgate a HUGE bonus for all sorts of stuff. Something simple as making up a sandwich and setting the kids down on the tailgate to eat is much easier with a split rear tailgate system. On the trail, something like this is a nice luxury to have I think.
Again, evaluate both rigs closely and for that, you need to hook up with one of us from the club with either rigs and really check them out. Bring the whole family out and stuff them inside to see what you like/hate about each ride. It behooves you to be an informed consumer and really, you have no excuses given the resources available locally.
Ali
- Thread starter
- #112
Finally had someone accept an offer:
http://rockies.craigslist.org/cto/3390964440.html
...ROAD TRIP!
http://rockies.craigslist.org/cto/3390964440.html
...ROAD TRIP!
Nice truck. Horrid color.
You'll want to get some sliders and bob that tailpipe or it will get squished flat. I've got pics of mine flat as a pancake somewhere.
It sounds like some important maintenance was done recently and it has decent MT tires. The front bumper looks home made; the rear looks like one of Luke's kits. Sara has a bumper by Luke and Sl33py recently completed the kit on his truck.
I've got some extra cans of flat black spray paint if you're interested in improving the appearance. Anything will be an improvement.
-Mike-
You'll want to get some sliders and bob that tailpipe or it will get squished flat. I've got pics of mine flat as a pancake somewhere.
It sounds like some important maintenance was done recently and it has decent MT tires. The front bumper looks home made; the rear looks like one of Luke's kits. Sara has a bumper by Luke and Sl33py recently completed the kit on his truck.
I've got some extra cans of flat black spray paint if you're interested in improving the appearance. Anything will be an improvement.
-Mike-
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Ignore Mike. 6M1 (or whatever the color is) is beautiful. The color will just drive him nuts.
- Thread starter
- #117
Ali, you are a credit to this group, thank you for your gracious offer. I may be taking you up on it soon. Please forgive me for sounding crusty about this sometimes, I just don't want to get caught up in the whole "you have to have this or that on your truck" scene... I'm a pretty smart guy and a grown up, been fixing and maintaining old junky vehicles for years, and it's time to fix and maintain one I really like. When I get it, I'll have a blast whether it has the latest Slee doodad or not.
Caveat Emptor all the way, baby!
Adam Baum (get it?)
- Thread starter
- #118
Ali and Pappy, thank you very much!
Mike, you say you have some free sliders and some kind kind of tailpipe doohickey to donate? Sounds GREAT, thanks! PM me and I'll send you my mailing address.
And about the color... the 40th I test drove yesterday just happened to be that magnificent dark green, and I LOVED it! It's definitely my favorite, and I couldn't pick a finer color for the best ride in the world. I found that staring into those metallic depths was like relaxing deep in a primeval forest where all my cares just melted away. I look forward to staring at that exquisite paint every day for the rest of my life!
Mike, you say you have some free sliders and some kind kind of tailpipe doohickey to donate? Sounds GREAT, thanks! PM me and I'll send you my mailing address.
And about the color... the 40th I test drove yesterday just happened to be that magnificent dark green, and I LOVED it! It's definitely my favorite, and I couldn't pick a finer color for the best ride in the world. I found that staring into those metallic depths was like relaxing deep in a primeval forest where all my cares just melted away. I look forward to staring at that exquisite paint every day for the rest of my life!
It is 6M1 and it drives me nutz. We've got like 10 of them in the club. Don't any of you guys have any sense of style? Dan is on his third 6M1 paint job on the SAME ugly truck and it just gets worse every time he paints it. Maybe Lurch will photoshop it another color (sage?) for me.
Onur has the right idea... if it is already ugly, then black bed liner will do just fine.
I was sooooo pulling for the blue one. We've got no blue ones in the club. Hell, I might buy the blue one just for something a bit different and to keep Shawn from getting it for Jill.
-Mike-
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Don't worry about Mike. He's a little more superficial in person.