Quick help on a 1996 Cruiser purchase.... (1 Viewer)

[sonoranfun]

I found a 1996 Cruiser I planned on buying, the dealer checked it out and gave me a list of little crap it needed, front brakes and some things I expect. The only thing I was worried about was he said it needs the trunion seals replaced.

1996 Landcruiser
105K
Two Owner
Locked

$11,000


Would you pull the trigger or walk away over this? Everything else checked out on it other then him saying there was a leak in the axel. Also said a very slight oil pan leak but I expect this as well.

Thanks guys...

 

[elmariachi]

I found a 1996 Cruiser I planned on buying, the dealer checked it out and gave me a list of little crap it needed, front brakes and some things I expect. The only thing I was worried about was he said it needs the trunion seals replaced.

1996 Landcruiser
105K
Two Owner
Locked

$11,000


Would you pull the trigger or walk away over this? Everything else checked out on it other then him saying there was a leak in the axel. Also said a very slight oil pan leak but I expect this as well.

Thanks guys...

You mention brakes as "little crap." Its only cheap if you do it yourself. There's no such thing as a " trunion seal" but if the steering knuckle seals are leaking (at 105k this is normal), that's $800+ at the dealer or less than $150 in parts if you do the full teardown/knuckle rebuild/bearing job yourself. I don't like leaks of any sort.

What is the condition of the leather? Color of paint? Clean carfax? Condition of tires?

 

[sonoranfun]

Oh, the dealer charges an arm and a leg! $350 to re-pack the rear wheel bearing! I assume some of this stuff is just very common on a LC with 105K correct? Here's what they said it needed..

Trunions $700 charge
Oil pan seal $500 charge
New rotors and pads on the front
New whipers
Rear bearing re-pack
4 shocks (ome lift will fix this
Two markers lights out.

That was the full list. Thanks again guys for all the help always...

 

[sonoranfun]

Tires are good, nothing else stands out or doesn't on the car as being excellent or bad, leather, paint and so on. The color is dark green, and as I said it doesn't look like it was perfect but the guy's not on eBay trying to get $18k for it at the same time.

I can do all the work myself...

 

[speyrod]

If you can do the work yourself and buy teh parts from Cdan it would be a good purchase in the PNW

 

[elmariachi]

Tires are good, nothing else stands out or doesn't on the car as being excellent or bad, leather, paint and so on. The color is dark green, and as I said it doesn't look like it was perfect but the guy's not on eBay trying to get $18k for it at the same time.

I can do all the work myself...

If you can do all that work yourself, then that's a HUGE savings, especially considering the reduced prices on parts from CDan. Besides, every 100K mile 80 needs axle service and brakes, so I wouldn't hold that against the value too much. I serviced both axles and installed all new Toyota pads and rotors (and remanufactured calipers) for far less than $700.

I think $9-9500 would be a great deal here in Texas and an okay deal would be $10-10,500 if its a Southern truck, clean Carfax, no body work, nice wheels, no leather issues outside of driver's seat, clean carpet, good glass. At $11k, you're at max dollars IMO. With gas prices like they are, its a buyer's market on these trucks and they are going to start coming out of the woodwork as people dump them.

 

[sonoranfun]

At $11k, you're at max dollars IMO. With gas prices like they are, its a buyer's market on these trucks and they are going to start coming out of the woodwork as people dump them.

I haven't found one person dumping them, these sellers don't need the money so they just aren't selling them. This is the fairest price I've seen on one when you factor in the issues with finding a cruiser with lockers.

Adam

 

[elmariachi]

I haven't found one person dumping them, these sellers don't need the money so they just aren't selling them. This is the fairest price I've seen on one when you factor in the issues with finding a cruiser with lockers.Adam

Remind your prospective seller that at 13mpg, buyers aren't going to knock down his door. If you like it and think its a deal, buy it. But I'd beat on him with those repairs it needs (while keeping secret that you will be doing the work). You aren't going to get hurt at 10 or 11....you're going to modify it, wheel it and love it and by the time you sell it you'll never know if you paid too much or not.

 

[Rookie2]

Most people on this board are going to recommend a front axle service for any 80 you buy, unless it's already been done, so I'd just count on that. Like Jim said, use it for bartering though.

If it's a leak at the upper oil pan arch/rear main seal area, I'd let them do it for $500.

Brakes are too easy to pay someone else to do them.


Rookie2

 

[ultimauk]

I haven't found one person dumping them, these sellers don't need the money so they just aren't selling them. This is the fairest price I've seen on one when you factor in the issues with finding a cruiser with lockers.

Adam

I just bought a locked 96 145k for $6995 and it needs alot less work than that one.

I never look at 80's with less than 130k on them, that's the $5000 difference in the sellers mind.

 

[sonoranfun]

I hear you all but I've been looking for 3 weeks and honestly haven't found anything within $2,000 of this. ultimauk why don't we do this.... I'll give you $9,000 for yours and that's make you $2,000 and save me the same. Hell, look at the sellers area, none of the cruiser guys will even off their rigs for under $13,000 so I don't know.... I'm going to pick it up and I'll sort it out when I get it, in Tucson $14,000 would be a good deal if you could even find one. Remember, when you're looking you can find good deals but you got to find 8 good deals before you find one with lockers and then you have to hope.

 

[elmariachi]

I just bought a locked 96 145k for $6995 and it needs alot less work than that one.I never look at 80's with less than 130k on them, that's the $5000 difference in the sellers mind.

And what tends to happen is a seller looks around his city and only see's one or two for sale, so he thinks he has an edge. I told every owner I met when shopping that I'd go anywhere in the US to find what I wanted....and I did. I passed on 11 trucks here to fly to Delaware to buy a two owner, dealer serviced 40th Anniversary. The third row seats were new in plastic bags. Sellers need to know that you are not limited. Maybe looking in a larger area might help you find the same caliber truck for less money.

 

[sonoranfun]

It's funny how I always think I should have given more info in my posts. I've looked EVERYPLACE in the Country for one. eBay, fine place but the reserve is never met so screww it. The few with lockers get insane prices. I've checked out car.com, backpage.com, autotrader.com and any other place cars are listed on the net. I've put up wanted ads like I'd lost a dog, called compleated items on eBay where the res. wasn't met to make offers and done just about everything else you could think of.

Fact of the matter is a cruiser with lockers goes quick for close to what people want. I don't know, I need a damn car and I'm not going to spend 6 months looking over $500 one way or the other but I agree with you, the market should be reflecting lower prices on these damn things.

I was willing to spend $12-$15 and the way I see it is at $11k I can stick some fun money into this and know where it sits all around. I guess I may have been able to find one for $10,000 if I was willing to spend another 2 months looking though.

 

[e9999]

this is one time when some of the insane dealer repair prices might come in useful. Just hammer at how much the repairs will cost...

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

FWIW, I think it sounds like a great deal...

THere seem to be a lot of people who buy these things really cheap.

I looked for 6 months EVERYDAY and was willing to travel some to go look. Everything I saw was 100K + for 12500-19000.....

So I've been told I paid too much (think I made up for it on the 60 though) 86K mi Locked 94 for $11.9, needed tires, excellent condition with all dealer records, 1 owner. All it needed was an antenna, and so far that has been my one and only Cdan purchase.

I think I did good after looking at all of the crap I saw for $15K+

Good Luck in your search.

 

[hoser]

Pull the trigger and get yourself the 80.

 

[Fly Rod]

I was in the same boat as you. Some folks on this site feel that $11,500 was too much to pay for my locked and loaded 95 with 90k. Oh well, I am happy with my purchase and will live with the results. If it feels good, do it.

Fly Rod

 

[semlin]

that sounds like a good price to me if the truck is clean. the repairs required are normal and you would do most of them to anything you bought. think of it as getting to know your truck (and c-dan )

105k is nice mileage. all things equal that is 2 or 3 years more life out of the truck than ultimauk will get. That is worth something. I bought mine at 122k thinking nothing of it, but now I am at 145k and I think about it a little.

 

[ultimauk]

that sounds like a good price to me if the truck is clean. the repairs required are normal and you would do most of them to anything you bought. think of it as getting to know your truck (and c-dan )

105k is nice mileage. all things equal that is 2 or 3 years more life out of the truck than ultimauk will get. That is worth something. I bought mine at 122k thinking nothing of it, but now I am at 145k and I think about it a little.

"105k is nice mileage. all things equal that is 2 or 3 years more life out of the truck than ultimauk will get. That is worth something."

HA!

Got ya covered, this is my #2 80 land cruiser and I'll be surprised if it turns a wheel in the next 2 years.

But this was really the point of searching for 6 months and buying it. I don't need it, it was just too good to pass up.

In my next bag of tricks I'll be searching for the elusive 80k $13.5 100.

 

[sonoranfun]

Thanks a lot guys! I'm pretty new with the Cruisers so your help and advice really does help me very much. I went ahead and did it, I hear about these killer deals but they're from people that weren't even looking for or needing the damn thing. You can find a deal on anything if you wait long enough or it finds you. I got a square price on my 40, fair on my 80 so I guess I'll just look to make it all up on the 60 I don't need and can afford to hold out on. Thanks a million again and I'll post pictures in a week when I get this bad boy!