I'm a freshman in college, looking to purchase a new vehicle. For a while I've known that if I'm going to spend the money on a vehicle, it's going to have to be a cruiser, otherwise I'll kick at myself forever. I am specifically interested in getting an FJ62 or HJ61. Now I know that owning one of these would require me to be intentional about upkeep and repairs, which is perfectly alright with me (I think I would enjoy it). The only issue is, I have little to no mechanical knowledge with regard to land cruisers or even vehicles general. This is obviously less than ideal. So, before I begin the process of looking to purchase, does anyone have any tips on where/how to get the knowledge, or what topics I should research and teach myself on, so that I can effectively treat my potential cruiser the way it deserves? And also what to pay attention to when purchasing? It's all slightly overwhelming from the outside looking in with generally no knowledge. Even the slightest help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Noob Needing Guidance to Purchase First Cruiser
- Thread starter sunnyjayS
- Start date
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I believe one of the most important things is finding one with no rust or minimal rust. Engines can be had, transmissions, etc. You’re going to pay less for one that needs more work, and you guessed it, will probably have more rust.
Looks like you’re in Mississippi, finding an HJ61, which was not imported to the US when new, will cost more money.
Common spots for rust are the rear wheel arches, rocker panels, bottom of the doors and tailgate. Also make sure to check the frame specifically around the spare tire. There is a C-Channel inside the rear frame which will typically swell and flake. The upper rear shock mount (a round tube across the frame) is also common to rust out and come off. I mention these things to make sure you aren’t fooled by nice paint. Get dirty when you inspect.
Set a budget and stick to it. If you pay too much you won’t have any money to fix anything.
Bottom line. Find one with minimal rust. That’s my advice. And even though I’m a diehard cruiserhead, don’t discount other Toyota 4x4’s. 3rd Gen 4Runner, Tacoma’s. Good vehicles with as much support as our 60-Series and you should be able to find solid rigs for less money. Just my 2 cents.
HTH
Looks like you’re in Mississippi, finding an HJ61, which was not imported to the US when new, will cost more money.
Common spots for rust are the rear wheel arches, rocker panels, bottom of the doors and tailgate. Also make sure to check the frame specifically around the spare tire. There is a C-Channel inside the rear frame which will typically swell and flake. The upper rear shock mount (a round tube across the frame) is also common to rust out and come off. I mention these things to make sure you aren’t fooled by nice paint. Get dirty when you inspect.
Set a budget and stick to it. If you pay too much you won’t have any money to fix anything.
Bottom line. Find one with minimal rust. That’s my advice. And even though I’m a diehard cruiserhead, don’t discount other Toyota 4x4’s. 3rd Gen 4Runner, Tacoma’s. Good vehicles with as much support as our 60-Series and you should be able to find solid rigs for less money. Just my 2 cents.
HTH
You definitely can have one while in school...if you have the engine/drive train refreshed prior to taking it there. I had a FJ40 at Auburn. It was mechanically sorted before I took it there and it did everything I asked while there. The key is I didn't ask it to do much. Just got me around campus and a 2 hour ride home twice a year, maybe.
If you buy one that is unknown to you and then try to fix on the fly while at college in your apartment parking lot with minimal tools, knowledge and money, you will be in a bad situation very quickly.
If you buy one that is unknown to you and then try to fix on the fly while at college in your apartment parking lot with minimal tools, knowledge and money, you will be in a bad situation very quickly.
Give us an idea what your budget is and we can tell you what you should expect for prospects. Also if budget allows do not be afraid to fly somewhere to look at a clean truck. It sounds like an expensive thing to do but it might save you a lot of money in the end.
- Thread starter
- #6
How long do you intend to keep it? Perhaps hard to say at your age. Maybe you should aim for one in great running condition and accept some rust.
I second the second comment, maybe consider a 3rd gen 4runner. Less expensive for a decent one and it will likely need less work, and lots of parts available. Common vehicle with lots of support.
@sunnyjayS - I agree with everyone has said above. I just wanted to chime in your comment about having little wrench knowledge. I too came into my FJ60 with very little wrench turning time. I still consider myself a novice and it's been a little over a year of ownership. I drive my 60 daily but I do have another vehicle. Once there's issues that pop up, I can rely on my other vehicle to get me around while I search MUD for a fix. I've been able to do a lot more than I thought I was capable of bc of MUD and the helpful members but it takes time - at least it does for me. As for being in college and owning a 60 series, it's doable but you might come across some times where you may be without a vehicle if you need to work on it. Good luck and study hard (both MUD and college).
- Thread starter
- #11
I plan to use it for at least the rest of college. I won’t have to push it too hard because my home is only a couple miles down the road from my university. And odds are I won’t drive it if I need to leave town, I have a backup vehicle.
- Thread starter
- #12
I have not. I have friends that have, though, and it comes highly recommended by them. They all have 4runners.
Zjohnsonua
SILVER Star
You can buy a nice, reliable example of any of the vehicles being discussed here for 10k. Operating / maintenance costs and parts hassles thereafter will be markedly different, keep that in mind. The straight axle cruisers we got are appreciating or, at worst, they've plateaued. I don't know that the same can be said for Taco's and 4Runners. I'll second the be-willing-to-travel point, as it drastically improves your odds of finding a good truck for less.
6X cruisers do not drive like any of the small Toyotas. That's a safe blanket statement. If you haven't driven one yet, do so.
There isn't one go-to page to find out what you're looking for here. There are dozens. But you'll have to do your own homework to determine which way to go. Check out the Cottonland Cruisers clubhouse. I'm sure they've got a few guys in your area that will be happy to meet up and chat cruisers.
6X cruisers do not drive like any of the small Toyotas. That's a safe blanket statement. If you haven't driven one yet, do so.
There isn't one go-to page to find out what you're looking for here. There are dozens. But you'll have to do your own homework to determine which way to go. Check out the Cottonland Cruisers clubhouse. I'm sure they've got a few guys in your area that will be happy to meet up and chat cruisers.
- Thread starter
- #14
I have a backup vehicle as well, I’m only a couple miles from my home. If I need to do work on it, it won’t put me in a jam. I figured it would be an easy time to be able to figure it all out since I live so close to home and don’t have to drive very far wherever I go.
- Thread starter
- #15
Thanks everyone for the info! I’ll definitely open up to traveling around to purchase and get a reliable driver. I know some people that have some older cruisers so I’ll go drive some before purchasing. I’ll start doing some research on everything as well. This was very helpful from everyone!
Gretsch
SILVER Star
First off, good on you for trying to get the knowledge needed to repair one of these. That is probably one of the best things you can do for one is learn to take care of it. You will go broke trying to have others do that for you, especially if just starting college.
Secondly, you have already found the best resource for knowledge there is, aside from the Toyota FSM. You are already in good hands. Study the FSM's which can be found here:
forum.ih8mud.com
Where the FSM falls in real world experience, this forum is sure to help.
Third, the key to know with these trucks is that they are mostly a dead simple design so even without a lot of previous mechanical know how you can most likely get through it. Good option for learning how to work on cars. You can figure out a lot of it by simply doing it. Read the FSM however and follow it best you can. Won't let you down.
Fourth, I would check out the OTRAMM videos found here:
These have helped me out a lot for visualizing things the FSM talks about.
Fifth here, you are going to need parts if doing this yourself (and lots of money which for me did not go together with being a college student). Some resources for getting those parts are listed below. Not exhaustive but should get you started:
parts.camelbacktoyota.com
www.toyotapartsdeal.com
Sixth, I would definitely drive one of these beasts before you ever start looking for one. They are not for everyone.
Spend a few days on this forum and you should be able to get the gist of whats needed to own one of these.
I will go ahead and throw some reality at you. I am a grown man with a professional career, and I myself find it a challenge to keep up with the needs of my cruiser financially. They can be expensive beasts to maintain and take care of if done properly. When I was in college, there was no way I could have been able to afford one of these trucks.
Good luck in school and in your search.
Secondly, you have already found the best resource for knowledge there is, aside from the Toyota FSM. You are already in good hands. Study the FSM's which can be found here:
For Sale - 40, 50, 60, and 80 series FSM for a hell of a price.
[new edit] go here instead - Resources - https://forum.ih8mud.com/resources/ It's an end of an era my friends. As of tomorrow I'm being forced by my isp provider to shut this down. I just cannot take the chance on losing my hosting for my e-mail and other things. I'm working on finding a...
forum.ih8mud.com
Where the FSM falls in real world experience, this forum is sure to help.
Third, the key to know with these trucks is that they are mostly a dead simple design so even without a lot of previous mechanical know how you can most likely get through it. Good option for learning how to work on cars. You can figure out a lot of it by simply doing it. Read the FSM however and follow it best you can. Won't let you down.
Fourth, I would check out the OTRAMM videos found here:
These have helped me out a lot for visualizing things the FSM talks about.
Fifth here, you are going to need parts if doing this yourself (and lots of money which for me did not go together with being a college student). Some resources for getting those parts are listed below. Not exhaustive but should get you started:
Shop For Parts By Year | Camelback Toyota Parts
Shop for parts by year. We have a wide selection of parts for all years. Shop now!
parts.camelbacktoyota.com
Land Cruiser Parts - CruiserParts LLC
CruiserParts Toyota Land Cruiser Parts. The best place to order Parts.
www.cruiserparts.net
City Racer LLC
www.cityracerllc.com
Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories Online - Toyota Parts Deal
ToyotaPartsDeal.com is a trusted online store for Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and accessories. We offer fast shipping and wholesale prices. Superb customer service and online inventory make us the #1.
www.toyotapartsdeal.com
Sixth, I would definitely drive one of these beasts before you ever start looking for one. They are not for everyone.
Spend a few days on this forum and you should be able to get the gist of whats needed to own one of these.
I will go ahead and throw some reality at you. I am a grown man with a professional career, and I myself find it a challenge to keep up with the needs of my cruiser financially. They can be expensive beasts to maintain and take care of if done properly. When I was in college, there was no way I could have been able to afford one of these trucks.
Good luck in school and in your search.
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mattressking
10 digits to freedom
Don't waste your time right now. Enjoy college, get something you can throw chicks in and a keg and don't want to be frustrated with when you are spinning a wrench and could be out chasing tail. The coolest car is the one you can enjoy at a moments notice. Newer 4runner, taco or similar is a better option. If you told us you have a strong mechanical background, tools and a place to work out of, I'd say get after it.
Having a cool 30+ year old car can't have a budget tied to it and requires time, a growing tool collection and space to work when something happens. If you rather spend your time wrenching, chasing nla parts, finding ways to make extra money, buying tools and doing unplanned repairs at 1am, asking for a ride to a store or waiting on parts when something breaks in the rain, then by all means....give it a go.
Out of curiosity, how'd you land on wanting a cruiser? Instagram?
Having a cool 30+ year old car can't have a budget tied to it and requires time, a growing tool collection and space to work when something happens. If you rather spend your time wrenching, chasing nla parts, finding ways to make extra money, buying tools and doing unplanned repairs at 1am, asking for a ride to a store or waiting on parts when something breaks in the rain, then by all means....give it a go.
Out of curiosity, how'd you land on wanting a cruiser? Instagram?
DingDingDing!!!! I think we have a winner!
I had a LC after college, but that was before they were hipster cool and people were asking/spending stupid money on them.
- Thread starter
- #19
Though young, I actually did not find out about land cruisers on Instagram or am drawn to their Instagram notoriety. I discovered them a couple years ago after checking out a lot of Toyota vehicles, appreciating their quality and versatility. I liked the look of old cruisers, obviously they’re beautiful, but mostly how stripped to the essentials they are. Not a lot of fluff. Kids around me had parents that would buy them new cars with all the new features, but since that wasn’t an option to me, I developed a sense of how unnecessary a lot of the new features are. So I am more drawn to the bareness, and I think cruisers have that with a lot if functionality as well, and look really good while doing it. How I’d rather spend my money saved for a car.
Sunny J....I can appreciate your viewpoint that landed you on an older LC. That's pretty much the exact same feeling/reasoning that resulted in me having one in my driveway. I wish I had come to the realization as early as you have though. Good on you. I'm only about 6 weeks into the world of Land Cruiser ownership myself, but I've learned a ton during the pre-ownership research and since I first brought my FJ60 home. Contrary to a couple of the previous commenters, I think you're set up pretty well with proximity to home and a back-up vehicle to take this on. The only variable is your time and money available. Make sure you honestly asses that aspect. My $0.02.....
- Listen to the guys like @Robert Franzke on Mud. They are an amazing resource.
- Be patient in your search. The right one is out there for you, just might not be today. Don't settle for one just because it's available to find out it is more pain/$$ than it's worth
- Look well beyond page 1 on google when searching. I found mine at a little independent mom and pop place on "page 3"
- Don't get overwhelmed if you find one that may need a little work to fit into your budget. These things essentially boil down to "spark, fuel, air". Determine what kind of big $$$ fixes are a deal breaker for you.
- At least skim through the FSMs and start getting familiar with the major components. Begin breaking the truck down in your mind like the sections in the FSM. The whole thing is just a "system of systems" that can be partitioned off and isolated when troubleshooting/wrenching.
- Look into continuing education or "night classes" at the local Community College that could help increase your skills. I just finished a week long class on welding and the instructor specifically helped me learn how to weld in body patch panels. Probably the best $70 I'll ever spend on a Land Cruiser.
I was EXACTLY where you are about 3 months ago. If interested, take a look and maybe you can get a better feel for what you're getting into Builds - My first FJ60
Good luck and keep us posted!!!!
