Which Would You Choose?

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Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Threads
15
Messages
186
If you had a choice between a:

1997 FZJ80 40th or 1999 TJ Sahra
137k miles 39k miles
4.5 L 4.0 L
212 hp/275 lbs of Torque 190 hp/235 lbs of Torque
3" lift 7" lift
33" All Terrain Tires 35" All Terrain Tires
Stock Wheels Mickey Thompson Chrome Wheels
Automatic Tranny Manual Tranny
MAF Exhaust Stock Exhaust
Center Differential No Lockers

Which one would you choose? Both of the vehicles are in excellent condition and I believe both are solidly built. Please don't say the Cruiser is better than the Jeep becuase it is a Cruiser. Explain yourself, for example: pro's and con's. If you guys have any questions about either vehicle go ahead and ask. I'm not selling either vehicle, I'm just going to be spending more time driving one than the other. Thanks for the oppinion(s).

- Sammy J
 
arrogant? who's arrogant? Nobody arrogant on this forum...
sheesh...
E
 
My last vehicle was a Jeep CJ8, I would take the LC hands down if it is a daily driver at all. It's a SWB vehicle, they (even the TJ's) aren't as comfortable a ride. I might be a little worried on the street with SWB and 7 inch lift. Rear seat room is virtually nil, hardly any cargo space. It is NOT as solid as a TLC, not saying it is not a fairly reliable vehicle, as the 4.0 has been around forever (formerly a 4.2) and is a pretty reliable engine. Jeep would be cheaper to mod, and fun to go topless, but would not want it as my only/main transportation. I would think the 99 TJ ought to be cheaper than a 97 TLC
 
If you had to choose between one car over another for drivng most of the time, wouldn't you want to know other people's point of views of the dilemma?
 
I cant believe Im replying to this thread. 7" of lift.... Why?

I own an 80 and a TJ.

My thoughts... TJ's or any SWB vehicle are great as a second vehicle.
 
I'm guessing this is a noob question: What is an SWB?
 
[quote author=Sammy Jenkins link=board=2;threadid=15395;start=msg145715#msg145715 date=1083027181]
If you had to choose between one car over another for drivng most of the time, wouldn't you want to know other people's point of views of the dilemma?
[/quote]

No.

I drive my LC for work which puts alot of miles on it. I'm re-imbursed at a rate of 36.5 cents per mile. So everyone seems to think I need to be helped in my decission as they have figured out the true best vehicle to maximize profits.

I just let them ramble on till they get tired of talking and then move on to another subject. I have my reasons, they'll never understand them and I don't bother engaging in that conversation anymore.

Everyone's situation and goals are different. Nobody will be able to tell you yours, that is something for you to figure out. And once you do the decission will be clear for you to see.
 
Sammy,
Bottom line is the biggest con on the Sahara is the fact that you'll own a frickin pos.

If you need to ask, then you just don't get it do you.
 
It's a Jeep thing Junk ;)

Daily = cruiser

7" on a SWB with 35s in a Jeep sounds like BOOM for those "monster" Jeep driveline components.

The only good SWB Jeep is a Rubicon.

Cruisers are just about military grade and are Toyotas. nuff said.
 
[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=15395;start=msg145812#msg145812 date=1083033785]
If you need to ask, then you just don't get it do you.
[/quote]


I would say if he needs to ask here he just doesnt get it. He can go ask the same question on jeepsunlimited.com and hear about what pieces of sh|t landcruisers are.
 
My wife owned a 99 Sport. Fun vehicle, very good idea's (4 link front and back, neat soft top design), so-so execution in some area's. Decent mileage, good power, excellent offroad. Still a 1/4 ton truck until you get 44 under the rear (had it :D) or Rubicon, but it is fairly light.... The Cruiser is close to 3/4 ton in many places... hard call. You know what you want!
 
[quote author=Lars link=board=2;threadid=15395;start=msg145828#msg145828 date=1083034841]
He can go ask the same question on jeepsunlimited.com and hear about what pieces of sh|t landcruisers are.[/quote]

Not so sure about that Sparky; plus it's Land Cruisers, not landcrusiers :slap: :flipoff2:
 
A close friend had a '99 TJ (Sahara model), only had a 4" lift and 33's, but overall a pretty descent vehicle...(if you like jxxps stop reading here)...he did amazingly well offroad, had a ARB in the front diff, Dana 44 in the rear.

It wasn't bad to ride in, on the highway way nicer than say my FJ40, pretty good power (he had the 5sp), he drove it like a maniac, slid around corners, dropped the clutch from 4000 rpms probably 3500 times while he owned it, so it took a ton of abuse.

About 40K miles his t/c started making this horrendous noise, come to find out the chain in it (the NP231 is a chain-driven t/c, also the Toy Tacoma is too, so that alone is not a huge problem) had stretched, either from his awesome driving, or maybe he wacked it and the fluid leaked out, I never got a straight answer about that. (I know he wacked it hundreds of times, but whether it leaked or not would be the question).

He split the t/c, replaced the chain and all was good again. Then his rearend started making wierd noises, it was a trakloc or some crap, he pulled the rear cover and found pieces of his spider gears, he had broken about 2 teeth of two seperate ones. This was the Dana 44 remember, he removed the broken pieces and kept driving it.

He finally realized it had to go, at about 50K miles it started to feel like a really old vehicle (mostly from the way he drove it though), suspension was shot, loose, piece of junk. He neogiated with a dealership that he would pull out the ARB in the front and then trade it in (he was leasing it, so had it coming in his backside no matter what he did).

I helped him pull out the front ARB carrier and put back in the factory open diff. I could not believe how much wear was on the open diff, it had only seen about 10K miles before he had the ARB installed, it had visible wear. It had MORE wear than the spiders gears on my FJ40 had with 135K miles on them!!! The design on the front is annoying, it's not like a Cruiser at all, there is a large nut at the end of the axle, which always gets rusted, so we ended up removing the spindle from the control arms which lets you pull it out, only held on by three bolts, which is fine, but kinda a odd/cheap setup in my opinion.

Overall the Jxxp was a descent vehicle, my friend totally trashed his, and never put in a tail-shaft kit (jeeps do not have a flange on the driveshaft, the u-joint is shared inbetween the driveshaft and the t/c or rearend, definetly a cheaper approach, and impossible to put on a CV jointed shaft unless you put in a tail-shaft conversion, the new Rubicon comes with a tail-shaft conversion already done). I'll admit TJ's are cute, having a convertible that is 4wheel drive is cool, really nice college chick vehicle, but as far as reliable, a 'nice' vehicle that is very solid, not really comparable to the Cruiser.

They are way different in size, even my FJ40 was way bigger than the TJ, if alone not a big deal, but factor in a wife and kid, and a few camping items and you got no space at all...the TJ is definetly more nimble than a 80-series offroad, no doubt about that, lighter, takes less power to get up stuff...I have seen several with 35" tires that wheel HARD and never break anything, mostly because they don't weigh alot...but their axles are amazingly strong, ofcourse you could break if you tried, but the drivetrain (as far as 4wheeling, not high mileage) seems fairly descent, atleast from my limited experience.

Good Luck...
Mark Brodis
 
[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=15395;start=msg145850#msg145850 date=1083035946]
plus it's Land Cruisers, not landcrusiers :slap: :flipoff2:
[/quote]


Sorry mom.
 
Sammy:

This is an interesting question, but very hard to answer as they trucks seem to be for very different uses. The TJ is set-up for offroading but must be a real POS on the highway (I spent a lot of time in a late 80's Jeep - no fun even with no lift). The 80 is WAY better on-road and quite amazing off road.

The thing that I find puzzling is that YOU own both of them. Don't you notice a difference? Difference in fit and finish? One better (or not) than the other for different purposes? Repair and maitenance costs? Etc?

If you REALLY want a SWB off road machine, dump the TJ and buy a Rubicon...and sell the 80 on this forum 8)
 
[quote author=CDN_Cruiser link=board=2;threadid=15395;start=msg145898#msg145898 date=1083038957]
If you REALLY want a SWB off road machine, dump the TJ and buy a Rubicon[/quote]

make that if you want a SWB, buy a 40.

even an older Gwag 2 door would be cool.

but buying a heep is like taking your sis to the prom :flipoff2: :slap:
 
I got a Jxxp sitting in front of the house 104K on it 3rd tranny, Nuff said this thing was babied

andre
 

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