Land Cruiser FJ 40 gut check and a few questions

[CHeath]

Since high school, I have wanted a Land Cruiser FJ40 and I have a few questions.

- I would like to do weekend to week long trips with my son. Wife really isn't the camping type.
- Is it better to buy something that one has always wanted or to settle for something newer and practical? Did you regret not buying your dream vehicle?
- Are there alternative vehicles that I should look at?
- Is it better to use your expo vehicle as a DD or do you own another vehicle?
- For someone with minimum mechanical experience is it better to get a newer vehicle?
- Prices keep on climbing is one still able to get one with minimum rust for less that $10,000?

Five years ago I bought an FJ62 I liked the vehicle and had plans for it but the transmission went out I didn't have money to fix it and had to sell and buy a daily driver. If I was to do it over again I would by a cheap daily driver ( I probably answered my question). Now I have always loved FJ 40's but I kind of settled on the FJ 62. It was a cool vehicle but at the time I was single so it was rather huge. Now I am married with a 9-week-year-old son and I would like to explore the back roads with him, once he is older. Currently, I am in school so I wouldn't buy for a few years but the longer I wait the more expensive an FJ40 is going to get. Also, I should probably buy a reliable family vehicle before spending money one myself (happy wife happy life). Right now I drive a Toyota Corolla that I plan to drive as long as I can.

To sum things up:
- I want a vehicle that won't cost an arm and a leg.
- Has to be reliable want to spend more time on the trail than in the garage.
- Will I regret not buying the vehicle that I have always wanted.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[FJOE]

You are on the right track in thinking that buying a reliable family vehicle is a priority (especially with a child). You can still get the vehicle you always wanted, and use that time between his youth and his adolescence to restore/maintain/tinker with it, provided you have the space. I have two vehicles. They are both reliable, but I don't wrench on my Jeep. My T100 is my weekend/hardware store/recreational vehicle. Now that I am abroad for a bit, it's my daily driver, but will resume its role back in the US.

In my opinion, you should have kept the 62, but that is in the past. Find a good deal on something that isn't too beat up, and then get to work. You've got time.

 

[alaskanwheeler]

At the moment, the market for FJ-40's is a sellers market. 4-5 years ago, would have been the opposite... An FJ-40 would be a great platform for 2 people maybe even three. You've certainly got some time, before your going to get out there anyway, either wait or buy something you can't pass up on...

 

[Arktikos]

- I want a vehicle that won't cost an arm and a leg.
- Has to be reliable want to spend more time on the trail than in the garage.
- Will I regret not buying the vehicle that I have always wanted.

Thank you for your advice.

#1-Pretty much rules out any Land Cruiser. It seems that most people selling them these days are really going for the throat, especially with the 40.
#2-Pretty much rules out any FJ40 under $15K.
#3-Probably. However, IMO 40 series is a poor platform for a family expedition vehicle because the bad gas mileage and small fuel tank give you a short range of travel. Plus it's small and noisy.
Something like a 4Runner or Xterra would be a better choice, or if you want a Cruiser then a 60 or 80 series wagon perhaps.

 

[CHeath]

Thanks for replying:

- Before I start I keep on getting logged off of the message board, I had a reply already written but I lost it so I am starting over.

- I think my desire for a 40 is more of what I want than what would be best for my family. Yeah, it would be cool for awhile but figuring out how to pack for camping would be a headache.

- My desire is to give my son (and future kids, we want two) a taste of adventure and travel that I experienced growing up. This includes a road trip to San Felipe Mexico the first year was in a VW Vanagon and the second year in a Ford crew cab pulling a home built trailer, road trip from California to Illinois in the same truck, weeklong camping trips at the lake, and in high school exploring the fire trails with my friends.

- If I want the old-school look then maybe I should look at the 62 again it was a fun vehicle and yes I should have kept it but I needed a vehicle to get to work.

- I haven't thought of other automotive companies.

 

[alaskanwheeler]

If a 60 series is an option, the FJ60 would be my first choice. Not as refined as the '62 but kinda old school cool...

 

[Upland80]

80 series. Factory lockers, solid axles, and still has a somewhat vintage look. Capacity for gear is a huge plus for me. They can still be found with lowish miles, but you'll search for quite some time as they get snatched up quick.

 

[CHeath]

Besides one being manual and the other automatic is there any difference between the 60 and 62? For some reason I thought the 62 was a little more rugged?

 

[CHeath]

Yes I should have kept the 62 but honestly the one vehicle I regret getting ride of is the Subaru Loyale I owned before the 62. I should have kept that and used some of the 62 money to fix it up and then continued to save for a Land Cruiser. The Loyale was reliable, got good gas mileage, had push-button 4wd, and could haul stuff (it was a wagon).

 

[collk22]

The 40/60/62 series vehicles are by and large becoming pits: time, money, or both. Unless they're fully restored, of course.

Parts can be hard to find and expensive, and if you can't do the work yourself then finding good mechanics that know these vehicles can be hard. And when you do find them, they are typically busy and expensive. I have a 62 and it's a great truck - runs well and has never left me stranded - but the truck is almost 30 years old and it seems like there's always something that needs to be done.

The 62 is one of my favorite vehicles I've ever owned, but I caution anyone buying one to really consider what they are getting into when they buy an old cruiser. You're buying into a hobby / lifestyle of caring for and maintaining a vehicle that's fun as hell to ride in and will take you a lot of cool places. Those old cruisers can take a lot of abuse, but every machine has it's breaking point.

As to your question about 60/62 differences, head over to ih8mud and search around the 60 series forum; there's more than just transmission differences.

 

[AndrewP]

You have a young family, a limited budget, and you're in school. Hmmm... No offence, but this is not a recipe for Land Cruiser ownership. If I were you, I'd learn to have your adventures in your Corolla, study hard, and be happy with what you have. Once you're working and have established yourself, then and only then will it be time for a hobby vehicle.

And anyway, the best bang for buck in a Land Cruiser right now is a 90-91 80 series. But right now, any manner of old truck is not for you.

 

[plh]

- I haven't thought of other automotive companies.

Monteros are good value for the $. Essentially the 1992 to 2000 are at the market bottom. Rugged and reasonably reliable. Nice ones to be found the $2k to $3k range. But we are all talking about nearly 20 year old vehicles or more. Nothing lasts forever.

 

[CHeath]

You have a young family, a limited budget, and you're in school. Hmmm... No offence, but this is not a recipe for Land Cruiser ownership. If I were you, I'd learn to have your adventures in your Corolla, study hard, and be happy with what you have. Once you're working and have established yourself, then and only then will it be time for a hobby vehicle.

And anyway, the best bang for buck in a Land Cruiser right now is a 90-91 80 series. But right now, any manner of old truck is not for you.

Yes family does come first:

- The Corolla is a great daily driver we will keep it running for long as we can. It has already done 4 trips from Montana to Southern California.
- I will be out of school in a year I am becoming a respiratory therapist
- Our first vehicle purchase will be a reliable family car does anyone have any minivan recommendations?
- So purchasing an overlander is probably 2 to 3 years away.
- Since I am waiting and saving would it be better to buy a new or certified preowned vehicle such as a Tacoma? I have never liked the idea of car payments but then again I have never had the finances to afford them.
- Maybe if I am lucky my dad will sell his Dodge Ram quad cab diesel truck. But something tells me no because it is his baby and my parents use it for cross country road trips.

 

[bdp1978]

Yes family does come first:

- The Corolla is a great daily driver we will keep it running for long as we can. It has already done 4 trips from Montana to Southern California.
- I will be out of school in a year I am becoming a respiratory therapist
- Our first vehicle purchase will be a reliable family car does anyone have any minivan recommendations?
- So purchasing an overlander is probably 2 to 3 years away.
- Since I am waiting and saving would it be better to buy a new or certified preowned vehicle such as a Tacoma? I have never liked the idea of car payments but then again I have never had the finances to afford them.
- Maybe if I am lucky my dad will sell his Dodge Ram quad cab diesel truck. But something tells me no because it is his baby and my parents use it for cross country road trips.

I'm gonna sum this up for you. 4runner..........4runner is the answer you seek.

 

[collk22]

I'm gonna sum this up for you. 4runner..........4runner is the answer you seek.

This is a great suggestion.