When searching, no lockers no buy ? (1 Viewer)

[Razor]

When searching, no lockers no buy ...update Picture

I might just be back on the 80 board....looking today !!

I have had a few 80's some with lockers and some without.....tell the truth, I have never used the locker option in the ones Ive had !!

That was living in michigan though, and mostly wife units grocery getter kid transporter...

Here in colorado, I think I will use the locker option much more....having lockers in my 60 and knowing what the locker option is capable of getting into and outof...

My question is:
How many of you simply will not buy an 80 without lockers...first question when buying an 80.......DOES IT HAVE THE DIFFLOCK OPTION,

(ME: no not that, its the dial on the left side of the steering wheel...PO: hold on, I will run out to the garage and look PO: its got a dial thats says difflock on it, not sure what it does, i remember the dealer saying something about it when I bought the truck...LOL !!

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I wouldn't get one without lockers unless it had some other bells and whistles on it already (Slee stuff, lift, supercharger, etc.). That would outweigh the cost of ARBs for me.

If you're just buying a stock rig, get lockers.

 

[mot]

My question is:
How many of you simply will not buy an 80 without lockers...first question when buying an 80.......DOES IT HAVE THE DIFFLOCK OPTION,

If I knew I wanted one with lockers then why tempt myself by looking at any un-locked ones? If it was really well maintained and in a super condition I might run the risk of justifying myself to get it and may end up regretting later when I'm stuck somewhere.

So, to make long story short, I would not look at any w/o lockers IF I really wanted to get one with them.

My $0.02.

Mot

 

[RavenTai]

yes must have lockers, even for a grocery getter knowing you are less likely to get stuck doing some task on aunt Winneys muddy clay property, or pulling out of the slimey boat ramp with too large of a boat etc lockers are nice insurance.

at the time I bought mine they did not cost any more, just took longer to find the right truck with lockers, saw plenty of nice unlocked ones, held my groud and kept looking.

 

[Junk]

Razor,
The way you are enjoying getting out in your 60 and 40, definitely get one with lockers. Ask him for the code on the data plate.

Keep in mind that the general condition of the truck is more important than lockers, but if you find two that are equal then pick the one with the lockers

 

[cruise4070]

I held out for lockers. It didnt seem to affect price (no one knows what they are!) so I figured might as well get the best equipped, lowest mileage,cleanest one I could find.

 

[e9999]

don't buy one without lockers!
however, don't ask for them directly when you tak to the PO, you owe it to the rest of us not to divulge the secret...!

 

[Razor]

^Agreed, not buying without locker option...

Found a 97LX locked and immaculate 90K..All book interval service records from the local Big "L" Dealer....down to tire pressure.

Green/Grey Cladding/ miles of plush leather...oh the feeling

I am out the door to check it out now..........

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

I got lucky w/ the first cruiser my dad bought and it had the diff locks. I got luckier when my brother got in a wreck that 'totaled' it and I ended up with a banged up, but otherwise functional cruiser for free.

Since I took dad's cruiser after the wreck, he's been on the search for another(this is a second vehicle for him, so he can afford to wait). We've been looking for 6 months(were actually looking before the wreck, he was thinking of selling the current one). There have been a couple that have been possibles, but I'm holding out for lockers, 40th anniversary, and low miles......yes I know I'm asking a lot, but that's what he wants!

After having the lockers in this truck, I must say I'm spoiled. I will definately be putting selectables in my trail rig, probably toy e-lockers since they're pretty cheap used...

Good luck!

Ary

 

[miked]

i also got lucky on the first one i looked at. when i saw the switch, i thought to myself "I'LL TAKE IT" i hadn't even taken it for a spin yet. my '01 tacoma was 2wd but had a locker. i can't count the number of times it got me unstuck. i'm pretty sure there were times that it actually got me stuck as well. (first locker i ever had.. live and learn yeah?)

 

[gbell210]

Yep that's the first question I asked when I called people up. "Does this have front and rear differential lockers" As soon as I found out it didn't I told them thanks but not interested. So now I have my 1st 80 series LC (went from an 88 4Runner to 94 LC) and I'm loving it.

Sometimes the people had no idea what I was talking about so I asked if there was a turn knob to the left of the steering wheel. 1 other used car salesman said it had it, when I came to test drive it I asked where the diff. lockers were, he told me it has the center diff. locker (well no $hit) but I didn't ask that. So I drove it anyway lol (to waste his time and get a feel for other cruisers) I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't a used car salesman.

 

[reffug]

LOCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NorCalDoug]

I think the main benefit of finding one with lockers is that you're essentially getting something for nothing. Diff locks don't add anything to the blue book value, so finding one with them saves you a couple grand. If you can negotiate the price down a couple grand, you're about even.

I would take a well maintained, immaculate non-locked 80 over an abused, kid-stained, dog-hair littered, locked 80 any day of the week (and yes, I have kids and dogs ). I would try negotiate a slightly better price to offset the installation of ARBs.

The cruiser market, like anything else, runs hot and cold. Sometimes there are locked 80s everywhere...other times they're as rare as hens teeth. Many on this board have found this to be the case. If patient enough, most will find a clean locked 80, but not everyone has time to search.

I got lucky when I found mine...and the only reason I ended up with the Lexus was that it was the only one I could find at the time with OEM diff locks. While I was searching for this rig, however, I was also scoping out pricing for front and rear ARBs and installation quotes. I knew I was going to have lockers one way or the other.

 

[Gauge]

I ONLY would consider a locked 80. Didn't even go to look at them if they were not locked. Every owner or dealer I talked to had no idea what the switch was or what it did. When I aksed, those that didn't have the switch usually told me they DID have locking differentials - mostly because they didn't know what it was but insisted that THEIR Land Cruiser had "every option offered".

I even talked to a guy that advertized in the paper that he had lockers when he did not. When I asked him where the diff lock switch was, he responded that the "dealer told him that the front and rear axles lock automatically when you put it in 4 low". That turned out to be a big time waster.

Lockers won't cost you a dime more. My locked LC was less than comparable non locked LC's I looked at.

Of course, the ONE TIME I've used my lockers so far I got stuck anyway, but that is a whole nother story........

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

No secrets here. I have called on probably 100 trucks and just bought a 86K miles locked princess.

I was about to get frustrated, because either I am way too picky about condition, or 99% of the sellers use a different dictionary to define "excellent condition".

Since my ultimate goal was to have two (still is) I was about to forego lockers on the first purchase, since my wife will be driving this one for awhile, and could care less.......

I read somewhere here that only 10% of the 80s had lockers......That sure does narrow down the pool a bunch, especially if you want a good one, considering this was a low production vehicle to start with...

I was considering that supercharged LX MTS has in KY, something like that could justify doing aftermarkets instead...

but I am really glad I waited.....Just don't hurry, it will come.....

 

[Gumby]

THe only way I would consider on without lockers is if it was $3-4 grand cheaper than market so I could have them installed.

Probably not even then.

 

[MoJ]

Even if you never use the lockers I'd get it with them. If you ever decide to sell it having lockers would make it much easier.

 

[cruiserdan]

I find the locker fixation interesting especialy when one considers that over-all condition is the primary concern for ALL OTHER Cruisers with the exception of rear-locked 100's.

This is primarily because at this point lockers are almost "free". When locked vehicles start to command a premium (which I believe will happen) this will level the playing field.

D-

 

[e9999]

some of you guys are big blabbermouths!

Be a bit more discrete when you ask a salesman about the lockers dammit or the next time they'll jack the prices up and all the above arguments will no longer be relevant!
Think of your fellow cruiserheads or if that's not enough think that it could be you next time that'll have to pay $2K more cuz it has "lockers"...

sheeesh....

 

[NorCalDoug]

eric,
most sales guys have figured it out already. given the number of calls they get with people asking about the switch. many of them may be idiots, but they know what people want.

when I bought our 2nd 80, they told me that there were a number of people asking about the diff lock switch...asked me if I knew what it was...all I said was, "yep."...then I proceeded to the back room to complete the purchase.