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Location
Tuscaloosa, AL
Hi, I've been lurking here for a while and finally decided to post. I have been interested in an 80 for a while and just happened to find one for sale near my home.

It is a '96 locked all original with an ARB bumper. It's in great shape, but it has 209k on it. The owner has maintained it very well. The front bearings have been replaced and the engine bay looks immaculate. I'm just curious about the reliability of an 80 with this kind of mileage as it will be my daily driver. What major points should I look for when I go drive it?

This forum has been very helpful and I have been learning more and more everyday. I'm just wondering if I should look for a lower mileage vehicle, or follow up with this one? I am wanting something that I can drive everyday and take on trails on the weekend, without worrying about scratching it up.
 
I bought a pretty high-mileage cruiser last spring, and haven't regretted it so far. The real trick is to figure out if it looks immaculate because the owner just had it detailed and cleaned off 10 years of neglect with a pressure washer, or if it was actually taken care of. Hard to know sometimes and always a roll of the dice even if you do know. 209K is high, but not necessarily at the end of its life.

If the price is low enough to allow for the something major happening in the near future, it might be a good buy. If you pay what people are finding 150K Cruisers for and it goes TU in a week, well, that's not such a good deal. I would recommend having a good Cruiser mechanic (somebody else chime in with a recommendation in AL) take a look and check for things like head gasket issues, oil leaks, coolant condition, compression test, etc. I had a local LC specialty shop go through mine before I bought it and it gave me a little piece of mind that they were so impressed by it. I also had a few little things I could bargain with afterwards.

If you have time, you might even send a sample of the oil in to have it tested. Sometimes that can tell you a little about the state of things inside the motor. Better if you have a history of what's normal for that engine, but you might still learn something before you have to pull the trigger.

Don't let a $600 bumper push you over the edge. Buy the right cruiser and talk the owner down another $600 bucks. ;)
 
IMO, 209k miles is a bit high. In my opinion, the engine's good for 250k to 300k miles.

So, if the price is low enough and everything else is in good shape AND you don't mind the potential of some major engine work or an engine swap and the costs associated with that during the next year or two or three -- go for it.

If you'd rather not deal with any of this, look for something with about 50k to 100k fewer miles that's been well maintained.
 
Thanks for the help. I could pick it up for a really good price IMO, and I would consider selling the bumper anyway. When I said it was in great shape, I meant it was straight and everything is there and working. The thing is dirty as hell and needs a good detailing.

I consider myself a competent mechanic and am willing to work on a higher mileage 80 (that's the fun part anyway). I'm looking for a project anyway. Gonna carfax it, have a toyota mechanic check it out, and ask for all maintenence records. I'll post with the progress!
 
BTW...how does a vehicle of this caliber not have a freakin cupholder!!!
 
geez...where's my head...

Welcome aboard :flipoff2:

:D

yeah, the cupholder situation on the 80 sucks.
you can pick up a OEM cup holder from www.sleeoffroad.com
it fits in the goofy little slot above the radio.

Don't count on it holding anything large though.
 
209K is high but if it's been well maintained it could keep going for as long as some new cars used to go off the lot. For some reason the 80s get up into much higher mileage down here in OZ than in the states.

I put the cupholder in both of mine and, no kidding, I forget it's there after so many years of doing without it.

Welcome :flipoff2:

David
 
What is the price? I got my 1993 locked and all stock for 4250.00...........but it did have a crap load of miles on it. 237k! It runs good, but the engine isnt brand new thats for sure. I figure if the engine does start to go out, well, I can limp around in it for a while till I get the money for a new engine. Just see how it was taken care of, but then again, mine had zero records and it shows! good luck. :beer:
 
I picked up mine over a year ago, and I LOVE IT. It's a 97 with lockers. It had 79k single-owner miles on it, so I was ecstatic to say the least! I figure I'll try to keep it til it hits 200k miles, then build a blown motor for it. My only other 4x4 was a Nissan truck in the mid-nineties, and this thing blows it away (lockers play a big part in that).

When considering your situation, I'd hold out for a lower mileage example. Of course, this really does depend on how much the vehicle really is! Truthfully, if the guy wants 3 thousand for it, you jump on it and deal with any expenditures that come later. Don't let a nice bumper suck you in; it looks cool and has that "one less thing I'd have to do" feel to it, but mechanical condition is the most important.

My humble opinion? Look under the vehicle when you get a chance; does it have tons of scratches and stuff? i.e. Has it been off-road alot? I always like the idea of buying an LC that has not been wheeled too much. There's plenty of 'em out there driven by soccer moms that have never so much as seen a dirt road!
 
The asking price is $7500 obo with the bumper, and I believe $6800 obo without. I went and looked over it thoroughly today. No scratches underneath, I was wondering if the bumper was put on after it was hit, but I could find no signs of damage anywhere. It does have a small crack in the windshield. The front birfs and diff have been rebuilt, the engine has been resealed and the PHH and other hoses replaced. It was used as a weekend vehicle and for road trips. The owner has owned many cruisers and maintains them himself.

I'm going to drive it soon, but the general consensus here is that holding out for a lower mileage 80 is the thing to do.

Does the price sound right. KBB told me $8000

I took some pics...
96cruiser 1.jpg
96cruiser 2.jpg
 
Personally, I would prefer to find a nice "virgin" LC - from someone who doesn't even know what an ARB bumper is - with all those miles. You can do much better elsewhere - soccer moms, antique dealers, etc, or this guy can drop down to $3500 - $4000 tops. Since you said you're mechanically capable - have a Toyota Dealer check it (they charge a flat fee to inspect - worth it in my book).
 
I'd pass. For years I've been watching 80 prices and I often cruise Ebay for fun late at night. Normally there are 5-10 80s on their. The other night there were over 30 of them. Gas prices are causing people to get out of their SUVs and 80 prices should be reflecting that. Also discounting the car without the ARB by the same price you can buy one new is kinda stupid IMHO.

DougM
 
Welcome aboard! Good stuff here!
 
When I lived in Tuscaloosa, I often used the guys at Tuscaloosa Toyota. Paul Hardin and his crew always seemed competent and honest to me. I'm sure they'd do a good job inspecting it. My opinion is to go lower mileage, though. There's also a mechanic on McFarland near the old Woods and Water who some friends of mine have used and been very happy with his work; maybe you could get him to check it out too.

Cheers,
Jay
 
Welcome! :flipoff2:

High miles personally don't bother me if it has been taken care of. You said that the birfs were serviced, etc, if you have all of the service records and you are comfortable with the price, why not? Only you know what they are going for in the area. Personally, I just don't post up what I paid for mine because I know that people would say that I could have gotten one cheaper. Maybe, but I know what the market was in my area at the time and it was good enough for me to get the truck I wanted. I would def get it checked out by a mechanic before you buy it no matter what, however.

C6H12O6 said:
I bought a pretty high-mileage cruiser last spring, and haven't regretted it so far.

No, he just regrets going to Sunriver with it! :censor: (Just kidding, buddy)
 

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