Bludozer
SILVER Star
Should I buy an 80, costs of ownership?
- Thread starter cruiserdan
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The GX470 is not soul less. Just a lot less soul. 80 is down for major renovations, 100 series is a monster with the V8 compared to the 80 (mine), and the GX470 gets wife duty. She loves it, me-meh.
TheRealDeal124
GOLD Star
The looks are what kills me ever wanting to proudly own a GX. Now that engine and transmission for my 80? That sounds nice. If I couldn't find an 80 or wanted to try something else I'd get a 78 series 5 door wagon. LHD.
IMO the ultimate Cruiser is a LHD SWB 70 series with a 1fz. Unfortunately I'm told it's near-impossible to find a good one as most come from developing countries with spotty maintenance.
Sometimes I wish I had bought a GX470 though; it seems like they don't leak and burn oil so rapaciously.
Sometimes I wish I had bought a GX470 though; it seems like they don't leak and burn oil so rapaciously.
thatcabledude
GOLD Star
When they are pushing 30 years old on stock seals they probably will
Fair enough lol.
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lp2k
Had a couple of drinks.. saw a couple of things
Dan nailed it. 2 types of owners at this point: 1) the guys who invest in themself buying tools and making time to learn/repair figure it out. 2) the guys with DEEP bank accounts that drop the rig off to respected shops and just cut a check. Either way, still a solid LC.
bpenn1980
SILVER Star
My $.02
Old and electronics dont go together. As a result, I believe the next 10+ yrs of ownership costs will look different than the last 10+ years.
Engine harness on '94 is NLA and it bothers me. I've cracked a couple connectors recently trying to pull them apart. Plastic is just old. I worry lately about moving electrical wiring in the engine bay out of its "normal" resting place. The electronics getting old is what I think about and it bums me out because I dont have a good plan to solve when needed.
Replacing PS pump, starter, alternator, oil pump oring, valve cover gasket, hell even HG, all seems so easy in comparison. At least to me.
Old and electronics dont go together. As a result, I believe the next 10+ yrs of ownership costs will look different than the last 10+ years.
Engine harness on '94 is NLA and it bothers me. I've cracked a couple connectors recently trying to pull them apart. Plastic is just old. I worry lately about moving electrical wiring in the engine bay out of its "normal" resting place. The electronics getting old is what I think about and it bums me out because I dont have a good plan to solve when needed.
Replacing PS pump, starter, alternator, oil pump oring, valve cover gasket, hell even HG, all seems so easy in comparison. At least to me.
WarDamnEagle
SILVER Star
Not for a while. At least not legally in the US. But that's a great choice.
Have you checked out the 70 series forum?
Guys are definitely down on the S. America examples of this model. Middle East, perhaps worth looking at. It has appeal for me too, while the GX-not so much.
While I got my 80 for a good price in May, the intention is not to drop a lot of cash into it unless really necessary.
Right now it needs rear wheel bearings and seat extensions installed. Why do all Cruisers have crap leg room?
Actually I think my old BJ70 had better legroom than any other model I’ve owned. At least it seemed that way. FJ40 was ridiculously bad.
LINUS
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
At that point it’ll either be the collectors who still own but keep undriven in climate controlled rooms, or — for lack of support parts either alot will get 2UZ or a LSx -
(maybe that new ‘22 Tundra V6 turbo???
)I seem to think it’ll fit, just a matter of harness integration….
Or even electric swaps if storage / battery becomes viable over the range say a current Prius does.
-Big pic, unless you basically/literally store all rubber goods -gaskets/belts/hoses- in ozone free storage & keep a engine harness & pallet a later 1FZ to keep a stock I6, time will eventually consume all the stock wearable parts.
I suppose it depends on your rig and your level of comfort/experience working with electrics. On my HZJ80, the electrics are really just driving the accessories, there isn't much mission critical there. And what electronics there is is basically just a bunch of switches and relays. Very little to go wrong, and easy (for me at least) to diagnose and fix if it does. I'm not worried about the wires "aging". They're good quality copper wiring all through with a good sheath. And it's still user serviceable. I rebuilt my right floor wiring harness to graft in the factory locker wiring that was missing from mine. It's just crimped wires, wrapped in plastic tubing and electrical tape. Once I re-wrapped mine it looked brand new. The connectors can still be sourced new, and I'd bet all of them are used on a million other Toyota vehicles out there, so easy to source from wrecks in yards if you want to go hunting. And you could re-crimp and replace any of them with different connectors if you were so inclined. If you've got a vehicle with an ECU, I'd expect the capacitors to need a replacement anytime from 30 years onwards, but then it's good for another 30. All in all, I think these vehicles are as simple electrically as they are mechanically, which is a big part of what I like about them.
No. If my 80 was a complete and total loss, I simply couldn't afford to replace it with the prices as they are. I'd want to, but I couldn't. Most likely I'd buy whatever $1000 $hitbox I could find and keep it running, and look again in 5-10 years for whatever made sense at the time.
I feel like this question could be a whole new topic.
Even with the current prices, I make a whole lot more money now than I did when I first got into the 80, so a $15k+ cruiser now would probably feel about the same as the $5k I spent on my 80 7 years ago.
My 80 hardly gets used because it causes respiratory distress to my wife who has a really F'ed up immune system. Mold in the carpet, something in the HVAC, who knows. I'm going through it trying to figure it out. But 90% of the cars that pre-date cabin air filters give her the same reaction. That's why I bought the minivan (200 series), just to have something my wife can get in and go without causing us both to have a bad time. Also way better tow vehicle than the 80, though the 80 definitely can get the job done. I'd buy another 80, sure, but I'd feel like we'd have to sit in and "breath test" a dozen of them before we found one that didn't cause her trouble. I would also consider going back to the 60/62 platform, even though the prices for those are even more bonkers. FJ60 is my spirit animal.
I understand this will get some hate because 4runners are for soccer moms fetching starbucks.. but no I wouldn't. I would either import a different model or buy a 4runner TRD off-road package. I rode in one on a trail, I don't like all the fancy electronics but I was really impressed how it handled. Off road package comes with factory rear diff which is all I would personally need, don't need a triple locked car. Crawl mode worked quite well. MSRP is 45K? Hell of a lot car for that much IMO.
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bpenn1980
SILVER Star
This is exactly why I've been thinking about a mechanical diesel swap + manual trans. Not because its fast or I like the power curve better, but because there are less electronics. And the extra range is nice too, but that is secondary IMO. Body wiring doesnt spook me the way engine wiring does, so no issue there.
If I could buy a factory new 80 tomorrow that would be great. Poverty pack best. After that, I still hope in my heart that we will get a 70 series in the US.
You may want to take a look in the ac evaporator box behind the glove compartment. I just cracked mine open on my 91 and it is the stuff of nightmares in there. The carpet was easier to pull and pressure wash than I expected.
LINUS
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
I get you’re well intentioned, but @Heckraiser basically hate-bangs his 80.
He’s got all the skills, just a matter of his priorities / desire to do it
^^^ more or less. More accurately, a matter of limited hours spent not working these days. 
Fact. What do you want in your truck? If an 80 suits you then you will find a way to buy one. The market is crazy for 80's in a way but if you think about it where will you get a more robust, comfortable, capable and downright rad rig anywhere else without undertaking a hefty build? The 80 is unparalleled in many respects. They are the pinnacle of solid axle cruisers and slowly becoming the pinnacle of 4WD perfection across the board when it comes to a classic, tough out of the box, comfortable enough for daily use, solid axle truck. Hands down, nothing gets close. Just my .02.
