Please convince me to keep my 80.... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Oct 14, 2004
Threads
231
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3,949
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
Howdy folks,

I am looking for a compelling reason to keep the 80 in the family. I bought the wife an 01 Sequoia Limited about two months ago (traded in the LS400) and the Sequoia is working out much nicer for her to carpool with. She also likes a bunch of the features that the Seq has.

Here is my problem. The ONLY thing that the Sequoia does not do better than the 80 is off road. I don't have a lot of time to wheel now, and will have even less in the next 1.5 years. As a side note, I think that it is pretty sad when a 94 Cruiser can drive down the road just as nice as an 01 sequoia....

Anyhow, my rig has 164k on it, all maintenance is current--it shouldn't need anything for another 60k, and it is set up just like I want it--extra power ports, aux lights, aux fan, RT temp gage mod, OME mediums, bilsteins, OME stabilizer, reclining hinges for the second row, fresh brakes and rotors, fresh birf job, Corrected caster, CB, upgraded radio, extra cup holders, roof rack etc....

I have done all of this on my own, and am not wanting to part with all of the work, but I am having a hard time justifying daily driving two 8 passenger SUVs, especially when the 80 is getting about 11 mpg around town. My T100 is a more economical daily driver, but it is vacationing down in CA until next spring

I do have an intermittent code 71 and the Original Head Gasket--these are the rig's only problems....

I have considered trading the 80 for a 4cyl Camry(35 mpg) or a 4cyl 2nd or 3rd gen 4runner(20 mpg)

So, I need to find a reason to keep the 80 that has a little more logic behind than "because I want to"

Another factor to consider is that I will be moving to VA in June, and being that it is unlikely for me to put an 80 on a Uhaul trailer, I'll have to pay the gas for the 80 and the sequoia and the moving van, where with a Camry, I would put it on the trailer and have my wife ride with me....

Anyhow, any and all opinions are sincerely welcomed....

Thanks!
Dan
 
I've faced the same dilema like yours a few weeks ago. The 80 is and was awsome. But these damn gas price certainly not going down soon. My wife used the 80 on 75 miles work each day. She was racking up 150K in a few years. The gas we've spend about 500 bucks per month!
We bought an 05 Sequoia two weeks ago...Wow day and night. The RedWood drive smoother and great on gas. We average 15-18 since then. The 80 was 10+!
I wanted to keep the LX, but having one child and drive often, I just couldn' justified keeping her.
Practically and financial, I decided to let her go..still sad.
But look at it this way, as long as there is this forum, you will not have a hard time finding a decent " make up" 80 down the road.
 
You won't be disappointed with a 22RE 2nd gen 4Runner. Gas mileage is vastly improved, at the expense of being limited to 3 or 4 passengers instead of 7. nice size for wheeling, too. I ran a 4-banger 4Runner with an auto tranny on 33"s and with all kinds of heavy armour, and still got 18-20mpg. YMMV but with a 5-speed it will certainly be better. Can't go wrong there.

Plus they look bad-assed when modded:

DSC00031.jpg
 
Dan

Keep it...cut back on other things. Without an 80 in your stable, you'll go insane!
 
You won't be disappointed with a 22RE 2nd gen 4Runner. Gas mileage is vastly improved, at the expense of being limited to 3 or 4 passengers instead of 7. nice size for wheeling, too. I ran a 4-banger 4Runner with an auto tranny on 33"s and with all kinds of heavy armour, and still got 18-20mpg. YMMV but with a 5-speed it will certainly be better. Can't go wrong there.

Plus they look bad-assed when modded:

DSC00031.jpg

I had a white 94 4cyl a few years back that I traded in on the T100 and enjoyed it throughly.....

Dan

Keep it...cut back on other things. Without an 80 in your stable, you'll go insane!

I know....

Here in Moscow I can ride my bike back and forth to work, but when I get to VA, I won't have a choice but to drive everyday--very short commute, but those get the worst mileage anyway
 
What would your wife say if you brought her new ride home with battlescars from wheeling? If she is not cool with that and you are going to wheel, you should probably keep the 80.
 
This is what I tell my wife:

From an economic standpoint, we are pretty much in a recession. If the value of the dollar continues to decline and faith is lost in our economy, a depression will soon follow. Then, in a depression I believe that only three things will have "real" value; Gold, Silver, and Land Cruisers!
 
This is what I tell my wife:

From an economic standpoint, we are pretty much in a recession. If the value of the dollar continues to decline and faith is lost in our economy, a depression will soon follow. Then, in a depression I believe that only three things will have "real" value; Gold, Silver, and Land Cruisers!

So would that read, "gold, silver and a whole lot a steel?" haha

you're on point though, we as Americans are in a predicament
 
I had a white 94 4cyl a few years back that I traded in on the T100 and enjoyed it throughly.....



I know....

Here in Moscow I can ride my bike back and forth to work, but when I get to VA, I won't have a choice but to drive everyday--very short commute, but those get the worst mileage anyway


If you're gonna be in Northern VA, might as well get a fuel sipper. Not too much area to go off-roading.

But then again, if the road rage bug gets ya, keep the 80.

I too am contemplating a change. It sucks!:mad:
 
I've kicked this thought around for a while. One thing remains...the cruiser is PAID FOR. Any money spent driving her is the monthly payment of a newer more economical car that would/could replace her. I enjoy working on the cruiser, I enjoy driving the cruiser, my chest swells with pride at the number of people that say "I love those, what year...."

There is just something about that "I drive a LandCruiser" phrase that makes me happy. I love just knowing she is in my driveway right now ready and willing to do ANYTHING I want...drag a stump out of the ground...pull cars out of ditchs...drive through heavy rain like a train on rails, plow through mud and water puddles, intimidate little civics that think they should be in the lane the CRUISAH is in.

I love the room inside it, and the fact that it is much more rugged. I'd hate to go back to a "Oh no, not the carpet" type car. Underpowered, slow, fuel guzzling, but the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I wash it, touch it, talk to it, look at it, and think about it more than my Lexus. There is nothing in my life (except my wife) that I think about more. I work it into conversations, I read the forums twice a day, I daydream about preventitive maintenance, and I realish it.

I love grabbing the mountain bikes and throwing them inside just to head out for a drive to our favorite trails. I love my ARB because it says "GO AHEAD...PULL OUT...SUCKAH..." I love popping my front end up on curbs when pulling into parking spots...just because I can. I love running over shoulders to get into turn lanes because the traffic was backed up.

I love people that drive newer cars than mine breaking their necks just to get a good look at my big white 80. I love that when I put my blinker on people let me over more in the 80 than in the Lexus. I think that has to do with respect.

I love just sitting under the 80 on a crawler just staring at the beefy suspension parts.

When I die....bury me in my 80.:steer:

When it all comes down to keep or sell...it is harder to get one, than to keep one.
 
The way I look it is you'll never get anywhere near the amount of money you put into, back out of it.

Imagine the cost of finding a new one and building it.

If you really don't want it and you need the money, let it go to someone who can use it. But if you do like it and you do plan to use it again someday, then I would definately keep it, just because it's essentially irreplacable.

I have a little old Honda CRX that I've driven around for years and that helps with the gas mileage. Then I just drive the 80 on weekends and on trips. It makes gas prices a lot less painful.
 
My only suggestion would be to put pencil to paper and figure out the actual fuel cost savings of commuting w/ the LC v. your commuter car alternatives. I was seriously considering buying a beater commuter, but for my annual commuting mileage, I would only save $600 per year in gas versus driving the Cruiser each day. It would take a number of years for me to pay off the cost of a new-to-me vehicle and its taxes and upkeep. I decided to smile every day when I walk out to drive my cruiser to the job.

:cheers:
 
We all know these cruisers don't get the best mpg, that's why I have a 1996 Corolla as my daily driver. It's cheap on the wallet and good on the gas. I put on an average of less then 200 miles a month on the cruiser now, and don't ever think twice about getting rid of it. If you ask me, don't get rid of your cruiser, but as always.....go with your gut feeling. Do what's best for your familly. Personally for me, I hate car payments! I'd never again, buy a car to plan on paying it for another 5-6 years. THat's a long time. Good Luck.....
 
I assume your truck is paid off, if it is then you are not experiencing the financial burden of a car payment + the cost of gasoline.

Buy a beater car when you get to VA, make that your DD. I have a Lexus RX300 & VW TDI in my driveway, the 80 is the 3rd vehicle and it gets driven on the weekends or when I need the extra capacity. My VW had some issues this week and I had to drive the 80 back and fourth from Philadelphia to DC. I did averge 15.1 mpg but compared to the 50 mpg of the TDI there is no comparison, I am getting crushed driving the 80 in commuter mode - I do have that code 71 issue too.

My advice is simple and it worked for me...I wanted the extra capacity of a large SUV but did not want to pay a jumbo huge car payment, full boat automobile issurance coverage and be committed to drive that rig on a regular basis. I bought a basket case 80 and have been slowly restoring for the last year and half. No payment, basic coverage on my auto insurance and I drive it when I get the urge, I try to limit myself to one - one and half tanks a gas of month, even with gas prices where they are, that is still tolerable.

I hope this helps...

John
 
Thanks for the replies.

My rig is paid for, and If I traded it, it would be for a car of equal or lesser value--I don't like the payments either. I think that the biggest part of my problem is how much I have to move. I'll be moving to VA in the summer, and then late next winter to my next duty station. Trying to move the household and three vehicles is a logistical nightmare when moving across country. That is why the T100 is vacationing...

Hmm.... I suppose I could send the 80 on vacation and DD the T100 again. It gets better mileage and still has room for all the kids.

Also, I didn't really want to buy a car out in VA because I will be working A LOT and won't have time to go through the car and get to know it before I have to rely on it......

Thanks!
Dan
 
I am in the exact same boat. I bought an Acura to daily, and posted the cruiser here & on Craig's List but I hope no one buys it. Don't tell my Wife ;)
 
Keep the 'Cruiser you will regret selling it !!
I had a '83 Toyota truck that I sold to get into the full size Blazer crowd ,big mistake !
Get a cheap car to drive to work , I bought a Hyundi and its get 35 mpg and carpool so gas cost me nothing.

You can get your landcruiser on a Uhaul trailer or you could contact a car hauling company and have it shipped for a decent price.
 
I had the same problem with moving last year. My new wife and I had 3 cars between the 2 of us. Didn't have that much stuff to move though. I had my 99 Z28 that I had loved and wrenched on for 4 years improving the power and handling.... then I had my new (to me) land cruiser that I had bought in october of 06 two months before we decided to move. In the end I had to part way with one of them and the z28 got the axe. You can though get the 80 or the sequoia on a rental trailer if money to rent a moving vehicle isn't a problem.
 

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