If it isn't already reliable, you should keep looking. Your difference in purchase price in $27k. I'm pretty sure you'll never spend that much on a 20 year old LC.
Should I buy an 80, costs of ownership?
- Thread starter cruiserdan
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If it isn't already reliable, you should keep looking. Your difference in purchase price in $27k. I'm pretty sure you'll never spend that much on a 20 year old LC.
Just stopped looking after a year or two and bought my 1997 for 8500.00 glad I waited to find the right rig. 20 yrs ago I had. 330,000 miles on my FJ55 and had it to the tip of Mexico twice and when daughter was born I sold it for 12,500 and book value was 1500.00 but it was set up for pre-running the Baja 1000. Wish I still had the ole Iron+pig,she was a grand ole rig. I am sure I will drop another 6 to 7k into my 97 for a trip in 2017 to central america and Mexico. If you do it right and do most of your own work. The value goes upon price if you keep it up and it shines real nice.
...via IH8MUD app
...via IH8MUD app
There is a 97 Land Cruiser on eBay right now I think they want 32kand it's all set up. I would pay 15 to16k for it as it sits ... But it is not hard to spend the money if? you know what you want.....and get what you want..... and put some hard work into it...... I would like to put a corvette motor in mind but I don't have to 20 k to drop. I wonder if anybody is dropped any old school v8 muscle car motors into a 1997 fzj80???? I would be very interested in that and use my rig for the experiment. Then I would convert that into running propane and get my propane for 90 cents a gallon in Mexico or 2.45 a gallon at my farm here in Montana.....
...via IH8MUD app
...via IH8MUD app
Hello Kip! From another NW Montana guy.
There are a couple threads going with guys swapping injected v8's in these things. Also check Slee Offroads site for Toyota V8 swaps that look factory.
There are a couple threads going with guys swapping injected v8's in these things. Also check Slee Offroads site for Toyota V8 swaps that look factory.
After much research and listening to the advice of absolute strangers from all over the net, I purchased a 1996 Land Cruiser today. As soon as I figure out how to post a photo, the image of a green LC will be posted. It 's not perfect (little oil leak, driver seat motor doesn't work, questionable A/C), but I drove it home, put my family in it and drove around a bit. Thanks to all of you for your advice, answering my questions, and helping me make this decision.
congratulations
FJ809496TLC
80 series addict
Sounds just like the one I looked at in Houston recently.
FJ809496TLC
80 series addict
Congrats! 
sometimes I laugh at a fool and his moneyAlmost 10 yrs and still original owner here....purchased top of the line, full packaged, locked $53K taxes, fee etc...but ssttt...wife didn't know spend another $50K the mod's mostly TTE stuff - Toyota Team Europe and JDM custom.
Sometimes I laughed myself reading from the forum people buying 80s for $6K ************
My 80s rims cost $6K..custom light weight 3 pcs.
I'll have to come back to this later. Only owned the 80 a week, and spent about $200 for parts for PM. I'll compare what others are getting once I've got this where I know when it was serviced last.
Funny this thread floated to the top again. I am getting ready to sell my 80 (to buy a 100). I keep a spreadsheet of my FZJ80 expenditures, well most, and I have spent over $8K in the roughly 6 years I've owned it and very lightly modded it. But here's the thing for someone who may be stretching their budget to buy one: They can take A LOT of abuse and neglect. I don't recommend you buy an abused one, but they can take it better than most vehicles. When I bought mine at 120K, the knuckles hadn't been rebuilt. I didn't rebuild them until I think 160k because they still didn't leak and the grease was fine (and I would add some with oil changes.) When I finally rebuilt them, there was no sign of undue wear. I would bet money if you simply changed the fluids regularly on an FZJ80, 90% would still go to 250K.
My point is, even if I had only spent $1500 (not including tires!) on it over that same time frame I still would have a vehicle I would be comfortable driving across the country at 180K. I think you can get a decent 80 for $4-5K nowadays. Given the other used car alternatives, I think it is still a good option even if somebody only has a budget for few hundred bucks a year for maintenance.
My point is, even if I had only spent $1500 (not including tires!) on it over that same time frame I still would have a vehicle I would be comfortable driving across the country at 180K. I think you can get a decent 80 for $4-5K nowadays. Given the other used car alternatives, I think it is still a good option even if somebody only has a budget for few hundred bucks a year for maintenance.
ewillis
SILVER Star
Let's say I had 6K and the sweat to make my ride the most capable ever...how would I allocate those funds and bodily juices to make such a vehicle?
- Thread starter
- #276
Lift, armor,bumpers, tires, winch, diff locks if not already present and so-on.
This should be made a sticky. Bumping this too the top as it appears we have a new crop of owners with issues that have been addressed by the forum ad nauseam.
Also bumping for myself as I debate buying a new vehicle. As my 80 maintenance intervals approach I have less & less drive to keep up with them. I wonder what's wrong with the truck - even if no symptoms exist (knock on wood). I count myself lucky that the only real problem with the truck is a torn driver seat...oh & the leaky upper arch seal, & the leaky power steering pump, & so on.
Also bumping for myself as I debate buying a new vehicle. As my 80 maintenance intervals approach I have less & less drive to keep up with them. I wonder what's wrong with the truck - even if no symptoms exist (knock on wood). I count myself lucky that the only real problem with the truck is a torn driver seat...oh & the leaky upper arch seal, & the leaky power steering pump, & so on.
Building 4x4's ain't cheap.
I've owned mine for 5 months now. Spent $3900 on it (white 96' locked), spent roughly $3500 repairing (egr, head gasket, cooling system, wheel bearings, misc odds and ends) and doing basic maintenance (not including birfs/trunion bearings yet). Still need to re-cover front seats and replace the cushion foam.
I have about $2000 in mods done= Lift, shocks, arms, bushings. Dual batteries with isolator/monitor. Steering damper. Tires. Roof rack & RTT. I have about $5k in pending engine mods = s/c, built head, possibly + built block.
Keep in mind I do all my own labor and I only use 99% Toyota parts for repairs. An 80 is not a cheap vehicle to own nor is it a lazy man's truck but what you get out of them for what you put in makes it worth it.
I have about $2000 in mods done= Lift, shocks, arms, bushings. Dual batteries with isolator/monitor. Steering damper. Tires. Roof rack & RTT. I have about $5k in pending engine mods = s/c, built head, possibly + built block.
Keep in mind I do all my own labor and I only use 99% Toyota parts for repairs. An 80 is not a cheap vehicle to own nor is it a lazy man's truck but what you get out of them for what you put in makes it worth it.
Dirty Koala
SILVER Star
Since I bought my 97 in February I have about $5500 in maintenance parts. (Complete cooling system, axle rebuild, birf, spindle hub, complete brakes all around including calipers and soft lines, vacuum lines, new y pipe and cats)
I have about another 7k in mods, between front and rear bumpers, new leather and dual battery setup.
I do all my own work, so these are purely parts costs.
If you are considering getting into an 80, expect to either pay a premium for one that has impeccable maintenance records (preferably a mud member truck), of prepare yourself to invest $$ and wrench time...there is no such thing as a cheap luxury vehicle.
I have about another 7k in mods, between front and rear bumpers, new leather and dual battery setup.
I do all my own work, so these are purely parts costs.
If you are considering getting into an 80, expect to either pay a premium for one that has impeccable maintenance records (preferably a mud member truck), of prepare yourself to invest $$ and wrench time...there is no such thing as a cheap luxury vehicle.
