Why did you buy your land cruiser?

[Nay]

The best way to answer that question is to go and wheel an Expedition or Tahoe. When you are done talking to the claim adjuster, come back and post your results

I have 4 kids...there is no alternative to the 80 if you like to wheel hard and take your family...what better platform than a rig that is already broken in and doesn't have to be pampered for door dings (although probably 95% of this forum does pamper for door dings ) but should still last for another decade ?

Well, you could do a 60 series, but who has that kind of time when you actually need the space for 4 kids?

Nay

 

[TLC42TD]

In no particular order...

True 4x4 performance
Turbo diesel economy and performance
Size
Unpretentious good looks
Druability
Well-known around the world
Able to be serviced internationally
Toyota quality and finish that's more than skin deep

 

[tacomafj-80]

None better. got it with 100,000 miles and it has never let us down. 140k and counting.

 

[PDoyle]

value!

 

[MiniPigg]

I graduate from school this summer... and if I get hired on with the place I am working.,... our next family/offroad rig is going to be an 80 series. This is going to be our 5th DD TLC Wagon owned. I will never sale my 55 again. I put so m uch work into the last one and then had to sale because of building a new house. Over the years I have owned Dodge, Chevy, GMC, one ford and Jeeps... none compare to a Toyota. My brother has an 1994 Exploder... I have my 1977 FJ55... his ford has five times the cancer and its always breaking down on him. Ive tried to talk him into buying a cruiser or a 4runner. Friday night his ford left him stranded.... the transmission is now officially toast and he is having issues with the engine... now maybe I can talk him into buying a cruiser.... Meantime my cruiser is still going. My other brother is a hardcore jeephead... both his jeeps are sitting in the driveway waiting for parts... one needs a new transmission.

 

[tech_dog]

Actually, more important than why I bought it is why I kept it. I just bought a new LX and had planned on selling my well maintained LC for top dollar. After thinking about it for a while, I decided that the 80 was "worth far more than it was worth." There's no way I'm giving away my 80 for the price I could get.

 

[wileetoyote]

After owning 5 toyota's (6 not counting the LC) 3 of which were 4WD, in the back of my mind, I guess I've always wanted an FJ80 but until the "need" came up, they had always been priced out of my reach.

Over the last 10yrs, I'd take my family camping in pretty remote areas and over time, the wife got tired of tenting it on hard floors with that ever present rock under your back not to mention freezing or frying depending on what time of year here in Arizona . I tried to make it better by buying air mattresses for us and the kids. That lasted about a year or two. I finally gave in to a 3500lb, 19' pop-up Coleman with a toilet, AC, and a heater After a year or two of towing it around with my 3.0V6 '89 rockcrawler 4Runner w/245K miles on it, going 30mph up a steep grade was getting pretty pathetic so the search was on.

I test drove a new Sequoa but the $45K price tag was out of the question. The next road test was a Rubicon and although much to my liking, that was too small, not a tow vehicle, and too similar to my 4Rnr. Oh yeah, its still a Jeep A Ford F250 was a passing thought but way too big for my liking. I then decided on an FJ80. An FJ100 would have been nice but still too pricey and after torching off my 4Rnr IFS and doing a SAS, a solid front axle on an FJ80 that's factory locked and fully loaded sounded perfect. Much bigger than my 4Rnr yet nowhere near the bulk of a full size SUV. I looked at one or two without lockers, both were high mileage (~90-110k) so I passed and continued to monitor. I put in the word to a local Toyota dealer that I wanted a '96-'97 locked FJ80 and got a call about 2 months later. I believe it was in 2002 that a 6 year old FJ80 got traded in (ironicaly for a Sequoa) with only 45k miles. At the time, it was right in line with KBB asking $25k for it but it looked brand new so I didn't even hesitate nor try to haggle the price. I knew it would be gone that same day if I didn't take it.

Here's the twist...1 week prior to getting that call from the Toyota dealer, I had test drove an '01 LR Disco (w/3500 miles) and had put a $3k deposit on it since after searching (locally in Phx) over the last 2 months turned up ZERO FJ80's for sale during that period. Needless to say that LR sales guy was pretty peeved when I told him I wanted my deposit back

Yes folks, I'd be on a different BB if not for that fateful call. Funny how a $14K camper ended up costing me $25K additional just to tow it. Every now and then, I go outside and thank the camper!

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it!



WET

 

[Silicon 70]

When I used to live in the Philippines. I saw them everywhere and knew I had to have one. In the PI you were the shizz if you owned a landcruiser or a benz. You were even cooler if you had a 40 series. So now I have both...

 

[DuManchu]

Basically two main reasons

Capability - Nuff Said
Reliability - Needed for long road trips to the Rockies from KC

 

[Stoneman]

Lucky I guess. In 1997 we were shopping for a 4runner. Top of the line would of ran us around 37k, and seated 5. Looked at ford expolders and said no way!

Driving through Hemet I saw 8 white LC's at the dealership. I pulled in and asked to talk to the sales manager.

I asked if he was willing to deal on one of the LC's. He said they arn't selling and flooring on them is going to kill him. He said if I bought one today he'd take 8k off the 53k price, and give me an extra 1k on my trade.

 

[elum]

Because...

..I know that this vehicle will take me where I need to go (over the obstacles).. when I need to get there (everytime).. how I need to get there (yes, in style)...

 

[sjcruiser]

Though I own an LX...not in any particular order:

. Best looking full size SUV, IMHO.
. Great fit and finish.
. Can seat up to 8 passengers.
. Solid feel all-around.
. Fairly easy to maintain for an average DIY'er.
. Something I'd keep for a lifetime.
. I'm a Toyota dog.

and so on...

 

[abclin]

I needed somthing to last me 20 years and oh ya......the 3FE POWA!

 

[roncruiser]

Yada, yada, yada... all of the above.

I've always wanted one. It makes me look cool.

 

[alvarorb]

Said to my wife: "Honey, we are sick and tired of this VW. Back in Venezuela, I always drove Land Cruisers. I think it's time we had one here".
La Cabra is my 4th Land Cruisers. Had two 40s and a 60 before.

Alvaro

 

[Altaf]

1. IHMUD.com
2. Durability
3. IHMUD.com
4. Front/rear lockers
5. IHMUD.com
6. Looks
7. IHMUD.com
8. 3rd row seating
9. IH8MUD.com
10. Drove the competition

Did I mention IHMUD.com ? Seriously though, the knowledgebase here is unmatched to any other forum I've seen. Couple that with an already awesome machine and you can't go wrong. Of course if you're never going to go offroad and need a family hauler, I'd go with a minivan instead of a Tahoe (yeah, I said minivan ).

 

[Brentbba]

Bought her new in August, 1994. Two kids would no longer fit into one seat from day care to the house in the Miata. Traded in the Miata for the LC I still own to this day. Loved the room and the 4wd for skiing purposes back then. Had lockers that I really had no idea how or where I'd ever use, but they were there. Sister-in-law had one and we loved it. The rest, as they say, is history.
Almost 12 full years and 160K and I figure I've got a reliable truck for another 10 years minimum......unless I do something stupid (and I'm sure Alvaro will make sure that doesn't happen while he spots me).

 

[TiredIronGRB]

It fit on my Portals.

 

[Pibara Wanderer]

Yeah as John said out here in Aust most private owned and mining vechiles are Landcruisers they go for the reliability of the 4x4s and knowing that the cruiser will get you not only there but back and in comfort too....another reason is the spare parts if your out on a station somwhere camping and for some reason somthing breaks ya could be sure that the station is running cruisers somwhere on the station as they use them for mustering and yard work.The reason I brought mine was the 80 series that l have now is the 4th cruiser Ive owned and most of the time Im the one pulling out the Nissans outta the bogs(Its earned me a few cartons(beer) in its time....the rule up here is if ya need to get pulled out of a bog its a carton...)another reason is that if the Mining companys are using only Cruisers where I work well thats good enough for me...Ive seen what they go thru on a minsite.. )

 

[FJ809496TLC]

My neighbor has one.