go the 80 series,they are a better rig all round,there are thousands here in oz and still popular as hell,dont seem to be any problems and i dont see any rusty ones and 300,000ks plus is not uncommon,i would buy a 80 over a hundy any day
What is the best yr lc to buy for excursions?
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Best year? Its gotta be '94 
Why do you think you'll be doing more wrenching with an 80 series than anything else you might purchase? I think the message we are sending is that if you really plan to wheel you vehicle, you'll wind up doing less wrenching in an 80 because fewer things break. Just make sure you update everything before you hit the road.....which is true for any vehicle you purchase.
Another vote for 80 series. I have two 62s and advised my brother to get an 80. I like the 60 series for its simplicity- basically a long wheelbase 40 with a few minor upgrades thru the 1980s. But ride is basically the same. The long wheelbase helps a little for ride, but an 80 is like a Cadillac compared to the 60s. And just as capable.
I'm keeping my 62s for now because I like the looks and my family has acclimated to the trampoline ride over the years
. But I told my brother to let me know when he's ready to sell his 40th Anniversary FZJ80 
.
Good luck!
I'm keeping my 62s for now because I like the looks and my family has acclimated to the trampoline ride over the years
. But I told my brother to let me know when he's ready to sell his 40th Anniversary FZJ80 . Good luck!
Yea! I was wondering who was going to defend the 80..
With 20 grand I'd go with the 100, but wouldn't do a lift, tires, etc. Winch and bumper would be alright. FWIW, me and my family find the 62 to be plenty comfy for long road trips. Basically, any Cruiser wagon from 62 up, in good condition, would be worthy of your consideration. I've owned a 40, and there is no comparison between a 40 and a 62.
My vote is an 80 as well. I am a mechanic and things began to get more complex after 1994, US mandated OBDII and it made things much more complex. You cannot beat a solid axle for durability off road. With that kind of budget, you can pickup a very nice 80, with lockers front and rear, have a mechanic go through everything, upgrade some with some very nice parts. The sky is the limit and when it comes to 4 wheeling, you will never be satisfied. Take your time, research everything. On this site alone you have all the info to repair most anything that you have an issue with. Lockers are the difference between wheeling and mall crawling.
I bet you could take some time and buy a beautiful 80 on 35"s that someone has taken really good care of, and bought all the goodies that you would want to put on like tire carrier, bumpers, winch, fuel can swing outs, engine rebuild, and everything else you could imagine. The 80 is the last of the true off road vehicle for Toyota. I love mine, you will not be sorry.
I bet you could take some time and buy a beautiful 80 on 35"s that someone has taken really good care of, and bought all the goodies that you would want to put on like tire carrier, bumpers, winch, fuel can swing outs, engine rebuild, and everything else you could imagine. The 80 is the last of the true off road vehicle for Toyota. I love mine, you will not be sorry.
In terms of ride comfort (pavement/dirt road/washboard, etc...) and the 
factor 100 would fit the bill really well.
But what I would worry in the 100 is maybe sticking out like a sore thumb in most of South American countries since I don't believe they are as common as the 80. To me it might scream "Look yo! I'm a foreign traveler or I've got $$$$". And that would be the last thing I would want.
Maybe I'm just stereotyping/ignorant/paranoid
But I would feel more blended in with the locals in an 80.
Just my $0.02.
factor 100 would fit the bill really well.But what I would worry in the 100 is maybe sticking out like a sore thumb in most of South American countries since I don't believe they are as common as the 80. To me it might scream "Look yo! I'm a foreign traveler or I've got $$$$". And that would be the last thing I would want.
Maybe I'm just stereotyping/ignorant/paranoid
But I would feel more blended in with the locals in an 80.
Just my $0.02.
In the US I would go with an fj80 as number 1 and fj60 and fj55 are a tie for number two. the 4runner (any year) is also a great vehicle that you might want to look at even though it isn't a LC but it is damn good. I personally when come time to really get serious about exploring the world will buy a 40 series troopy but you would have the same problems as you have with the fj40. You might be able to import a 70 series troopy that's a bit more modern for 20K. I don't know though.
If you are not a mechanic an 80 series can be even more expensive to maintain than a newer 100 series. They resolved a lot of the 80's mechanical issues in the 100. The only positive for an 80 series, in this case, is that it's more easily field maintainable. If you're not the type to field maintain, then I'm not so sure it's all that much better a choice for you.
If you haven't already read it, here's a great article on used overland vehicles:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/resources/91-guide/351-top-10-used-overland-vehicles.html
If you are able to get a 100, I'd go with a 100. It's got some nice extra room over an 80 for a long trip for 3. There's also plenty of leg room for a kicking child in the back. In the 80 they will be kicking your chair. It is much more comfortable and less driver fatigue over long days on the road. Or perhaps a v8 4Runner. Both vehicles are found in most areas of Mexico, Central and South America. If you do go for a long drive south, Google the countries you will visit and see what cars they sell in that country. You will see most dealers carry 4Runner, Land Cruiser Prado, Land Cruiser and even Sequoia. Parts and repair will not be a problem.
Even if something does go wrong with these vehicles, you can usually limp along for days if needed until you hit the next major town.
For under 20k I'd try for the 03-04 models, if not get an 01-02 with ATRAC and VSC. These options serve you better on wet roads and snow, and do very well off road as well. Keep the mods simple.
If you do go off the beaten track down south, it's not a bad idea to get a PLB beacon for $250 just in case the lil guy gets hurt and needs some quick help. (make sure it works in the regions first). Do NOT get a Spot!
http://www.rei.com/product/815753/acr-electronics-resqlink-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon
If you haven't already read it, here's a great article on used overland vehicles:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/resources/91-guide/351-top-10-used-overland-vehicles.html
If you are able to get a 100, I'd go with a 100. It's got some nice extra room over an 80 for a long trip for 3. There's also plenty of leg room for a kicking child in the back. In the 80 they will be kicking your chair. It is much more comfortable and less driver fatigue over long days on the road. Or perhaps a v8 4Runner. Both vehicles are found in most areas of Mexico, Central and South America. If you do go for a long drive south, Google the countries you will visit and see what cars they sell in that country. You will see most dealers carry 4Runner, Land Cruiser Prado, Land Cruiser and even Sequoia. Parts and repair will not be a problem.
Even if something does go wrong with these vehicles, you can usually limp along for days if needed until you hit the next major town.
For under 20k I'd try for the 03-04 models, if not get an 01-02 with ATRAC and VSC. These options serve you better on wet roads and snow, and do very well off road as well. Keep the mods simple.
If you do go off the beaten track down south, it's not a bad idea to get a PLB beacon for $250 just in case the lil guy gets hurt and needs some quick help. (make sure it works in the regions first). Do NOT get a Spot!
http://www.rei.com/product/815753/acr-electronics-resqlink-406-gps-personal-locator-beacon
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Good call. Excellent advice.
The Spot is not a 406MHz COSPAS/SARSAT GPS system. This is the system that all real GPS systems for search and recovery worldwide use.
Spot has problems with failed messages, and it's positioning is less accurate, it's a satellite communicator not a true Search and Recovery device. It's a great device for sending periodic messages and way points to family, but you should not bet your life on the message actually getting through.
The other issue with Spot is that it has a yearly membership fee and it winds up being very expensive over a few years. If you want a device to help you in the event of real trouble, get a 406MHz COSPAS/SARSAT GPS.
X2.
Spot worked great letting my family and friends know where I was when in western Mex a few yrs ago. But at least on the older orange ones, there wasn't a reliable way to tell if a message even went thru. I imagine a distress call would go thru eventually, but I had checkins take upwards of 30mins to connect. COPAS/SARSAT brings the big boys in as soon as they can get there, all the time as long as batteries are in good shape and it is checked per regulations.
And to bring it back to LCs...
I hear they work best in an FJ62
Best all purpose LC I ever owned was my 1998 100 series with over 200k miles. Still regret selling it.
Hard to beat the ride/reliability of the 100. I think I'd go with a 1999 since it had rear A/C...only drawback I found on my 98. It's not uncommon to see older 100s with over 300k miles with no major repairs.
Hard to beat the ride/reliability of the 100. I think I'd go with a 1999 since it had rear A/C...only drawback I found on my 98. It's not uncommon to see older 100s with over 300k miles with no major repairs.
I'm going to leave these right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riMTgFHr7GY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NwXAQEQbkU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riMTgFHr7GY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NwXAQEQbkU
Sure wish those where in the States!! You'd have your answer on the best US Overlander.
