Someone Talk Me Out of Getting An FJ60

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Gretsch said:
. Maybe Cruiserdrew wants to unload the Blue/grey one he posted :). Maybe, maybe?
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Nah, that one's a keeper. Runs perfectly, no rust, has under 150K and H55f 5 speed. Set up just how I want it. Sorry, but you'll find one. My neighbor had a perfect condition white one for sale a few years ago. My wife was giving me the stink eye or I would have bought it too as it was nice. And he only wanted $3500. I tried hard to get my brother to buy it, took friends over to see it, but no one wanted it. Weird. Now you could sell that one for $10k+ easy. The point is, they are out there.
 
FishTown said:
1989 Toyota FJ62 Cruiser

Do yourself a favor and download the CSmart Pro (green "C" icon, not the blue one) craigslist app on your phone. It allows you to search every state in the US at once. Enter your the year range you want and your budget. You can also save searches and it will alert you when new trucks come up on your search. Took me about 3 minutes to find that one in Montgomery.
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Interesting, this one is kind of local to me but I've never seen it, then again I try to avoid Montgomery.
 
CaptClose said:
Here's another point... I've owned a few jeeps in my life, I think a 30 year old land cruiser is just as (or more) reliable than an 11 year old jeep. If you're not having mechanical issues with your jeep now, you will soon. So you can put that maintenance money into your jeep, or into a land cruiser.

You said that you're meticulous about maintaining your vehicles, and they're kept in the garage. If you bring those same habits over to a land cruiser, you won't have any issues.
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So it has happened. Jeep in the shop (again). Replacing 6 fuel injectors.....with some other various odds and ends being done bill is approaching $2000. The fuel injection system seems to have had an issue......but as a result glowed the mini-cats in the exhaust header cherry red, thus most likely killing them. I have replaced this part already but thanks to the miracle of modern engineering I may have to do it again.

Has me re-thinking the Jeep again. Almost every repair has been non-mechanical in nature. Look at this thing in a way it does not like and a CEL comes on. I cannot help but thinking that the reliability and simplicity of a 60 series would serve me in a situation such as this. No computers to replace, no wires to get crossed. Yes repairs, I get it. Not afraid of repairs. But $1500 every 6 months for dealer service is getting hard to handle. Seems as though @CaptClose prediction is coming true. So is 30 years old better or worse in terms of reliability? I am not sure.

Have an eye on a 60 I went and drove this past weekend. Its much different than driving a normal passenger car but not to much unlike my Jeep in its current state and I am certain I could handle it.

I also now have a secondary car which will be my son's when he starts to drive in the next year and a half. So have some time to get any cruiser I may find reliable.
 
If you're not into fixing and maintaining a 35 y.o. Toyota vehicle (unless you're buying a resto) wait until the new Bronco comes out. Supposed to have solid front axles.

The J**ps are capable, but need to be fixed too much, ask @vipergrhd ! Blame Fiat!
 
Well for better or for worse, I am flying down to Austin today to pick up a 1984 Toyota LandCruiser FJ60. Seems the good folks on MUD have failed in the task set forth by the title of this thread and the calling of the 60 prevails. Nice effort, but just did not work out. Lower mileage truck reasonably priced. Rebuilt carb, new AC switched to R134, new rear main seal, new clutch, new tires, and new paint. No rust I could find anywhere. It remains to be seen if this will prove to work out or a huge mistake, but its relatively low risk and was too good a deal to not at least try it. Even got buy in from my loving wife (mostly). Half the battle right there. Want to again thank everyone for all the suggestions and comments. Extremely helpful in the decision making process. I still don't know if this is fully for me, but I think I will enjoy the road ahead in trying to figure it out. Thanks. I'll post pics once the truck is in the driveway.
 
Great job! Now get her home.
 
Awesome man, I wish I was in town. I would have gone up to Austin to meet you and check out your new Cruiser. Congratulations brother. Remember, the worst regrets are always over the things we could've/would've/should've, rather than the things we actually did. You'll be okay. Just don't forget, you're buying into a lifestyle and hobby too. Welcome to the oily hands club!
 
CaptClose said:
Awesome man, I wish I was in town. I would have gone up to Austin to meet you and check out your new Cruiser. Congratulations brother. Remember, the worst regrets are always over the things we could've/would've/should've, rather than the things we actually did. You'll be okay. Just don't forget, you're buying into a lifestyle and hobby too. Welcome to the oily hands club!
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Aye aye!
 
Congrats
now go and own the road !
Not sure why but people tend to swerve away when I'm driving down the roads around here

very odd
 
Some quick shots of her.....


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CaptClose said:
Awesome man, I wish I was in town. I would have gone up to Austin to meet you and check out your new Cruiser. Congratulations brother. Remember, the worst regrets are always over the things we could've/would've/should've, rather than the things we actually did. You'll be okay. Just don't forget, you're buying into a lifestyle and hobby too. Welcome to the oily hands club!
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This is the very thinking that finally made me pull the trigger. It may not work out, may be the greatest thing I have ever done. But without trying it I would have never known. Right now it feels like finally finding a pair of shoes that fit.

Now I am not going to lie here and say that the thought of selling that Jeep is not killing me. We have been a lot of places together and the thought of sending it off to another Jeep clown is hard to think about. Hoping it won't sell and my wife forgets about it. :rofl:
 
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You won't regret unloading the Jeep, I suspect. Your FJ60 has more character in one bolt head than the Jeep has in its entire being. OK, I drank the Kool-Aid.....
 
Congrats! Looks clean. IMO, Copper Brown Metallic is the best FJ60 color! Especially in a place like TX where the sun shines regularly and will really bring out the metallic / copper nature of it. Have fun with it!
 
And to follow up on the original question: sounds like there is a snowball's chance in hell that you won't love this rig (your wife will come to love it too, which is what happened to mine!). BUT, as a long highway commute daily driver, I would echo the advice of many others that you are probably going to want to have a different car for that. It's a combination of practicality / comfort, plus I wouldn't want to put that kind of mileage on a rig that sounds to be pretty low mileage right now.
 
erse said:
She is a beauty, with that lovely brown color we will be able to help you find just the right nickname for her;)
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Turdle is taken. Just sayin'!

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