FZJ80 or similar buying advice please?

[hotwheels22]

hi all,

i am looking to buy a used land cruiser and would have purchased one previously but my toyota mechanic and - well really all mechanics i talk to end up convincing me not to buy one due to reliability issues. what i am hoping for is some direction on a specific make and model that will be extremely low maintenance. i don't expect to make many modifications to the vehicle but i do expect to get out to some off road (big bend) and out of the way locations (alaska).

would like's: air bags, V6, 4WD, towing (1 or 2 motorcycles) and really, really reliable no hassle vehicle. going back to a stick could be nice.

i realize this is a forum for mostly modding vehicles but i am hoping there is enough expertise to steer me in the right direction.

also, i don't mind stepping up price-wise but i'd rather do it for reliability than farkles.

THANKS for any help,

jonathan

background:

1. i bought a 93 r100 gs bmw recently and have been wrenching on it as a new wrench so i have some relatively new found confidence in working on a vehicle.
2. i have had a 98 toyota tacoma 4cyl 4WD since 2000 which has been nothing but exceptional. it's got 196K on it, has angle iron welded to the bed and a bomber ladder rack bolted to the angle iron. so as far as working on a construction job or hauling material it is a beast but it is getting old for road tripping in and the 2-seater is a little inconvenient at this point.
3. i recently bought a 2003 V6 2WD 4 runner with 150K on it because i couldn't pass up the deal but it does not have 4WD and i basically don't want all the electronics. i'd like to move back to something simpler. i find the 2003 to be a pain ergonomically with the controls and something as simple as a bulb going out in the dash requires full removal of the dash. also, i want to drive a car and not have it try to drive me.

 

[(none)]

LC80s are great. But the newest ones are now 20 years old. Like any other vehicle, they are only as reliable as the work you are willing to put into it and how you treat it. I had a 96 i purchased with 26xxxx miles on it. Its now onto its current owner at almost 300k miles. It never let me down, but i also put a lot of time an energy into it. Read up on the issues they have (coolant leaks, head gaskets, oil leaks, oil burning, etc) then just factor in parts that would wear out on any vehicle due to age (suspension, u-joints, brakes, etc).

I don't think you can complain about having to take apart part of the dash to replace a lightbulb. That's going to be the same on about anything. You want to look for something with reliable electronics. LC80s have ABS which is known to have issues, they are also OBDII compliant after on 1996+, so they have a check engine light which will most likely be on.

I'll tell you what i did when i was in a similar situation, i wanted a "new" LC80. I liked the truck ride, i like the dependability and the relatively ease to work on, the durability, the ability to tow and go off-road. BUT, i wanted to not work on it all of the time, i wanted actually acceptable fuel mileage (i averaged 11-13 in the LC80), i wanted something with good brakes and which actually had some power to keep up with traffic. A stock LC80 has none of these and only gets worse as you add larger tires. I also wanted trouble free heat and A/C, working windows, etc.

So, i picked up a new 4runner trail. Its nearly the same size as teh LC80 (amazing and sad how large theyve become), has loads more power, better fuel econ, way better brakes, the 4.0 and 5AT drivetrain has been been proven as dead reliable, locking rear diff (aftermarket options for locking front), etc. I'm super happy with it thus far.

I think the LC80 has gotten a great rap because it's a great vehicle (i'd own another), but with the way pricing is on them now, you can find something better for less.

 

[Izzy1]

This article may be hopeful, lots of emotional drama and facts in the thread. But gets to the point. Although 80's are very capable, and you can find them under 200K miles and under $10K in the Southeast, prices varies all over the country. A 100 LC could be the best bet for you. Neither is V6 though, if your mechanic told you to get V-6, thats Tacoma or 4Runners.
https://expeditionportal.com/top-10-used-overland-vehicles/