An unexpected chance at a LandCruiser

[98roamer]

Decisions:
My friend is finally selling his wife’s 94 FZJ80. It’s been a grocery getter for her two kids for years, never offroad. He offered it to me for $2500. It’s has 175k with the last 75k kid miles so the front seats are cracked and the paint has the normal mall dings and scratches. She’s finally moving to a minivan.
It has the happy RR - FR&RR switch on the dash and it’s seems cheap. I know the front axles needs a complete rebuild for she hasn’t done it, tires and it needs a muffler. I really don’t care about the cracks in the leather for I would do seat covers and the underside surface rust is pretty typical of Cincinnati. They don’t have all the service records from the original owner but we use the same Toyota tech that I trust. It does use a quart every oil change but the power train is strong and it’s never left them stranded.
I just wasn’t looking for a LandCruiser right now and our 4Runner suits us fine, but I have always wanted one. I can’t see me moving from 18mpg to 14mpg and don't have the $$ to bring it up to traveling condition, BUT…

 

[adventureduo]

For $2500 i would take it. Who cares what problems is it has unless ALL major. Ask if they've done the head gasket on it. That could cost you a pretty penney ($2,000 give or take). Doing the front axle rebuild by a shop is around $1,000-1,300. Doing it yourself is about $110-$260 and about 3 days of work your first time.

 

[Bruce Behnfeldt]

if i were you i'd be very offended by that offer. might i
suggest severing all contact with this so called friend....














...and could you send me his number.

 

[98roamer]

Right now is horrible timing. I was just planning to wait a few years until we get out of some major medically induced debt and then the wife will be better also.

It's just very tempting and but the 4Runner suits our needs for now. So I'm going to pass. But I like his dark Green but my Desert Dune hides the dirt and pin stripes a lot better.

After I talk to him tonight I will be helping him sell it if anyone is interested. He's getting some pictures and all available records.

 

[Pskhaat]

Bingo!

 

[gearguywb]

I'm sure that it would not mind parking between the FJC and the 100 in the driveway

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Hard to say because a car is different than parts. But the axles alone with the lockers are borderline worth $2500... The mileage and that oil consumption is a significant factor though... I have a friend communiting in his FZJ80 that is lifted and it is eating him out of house and home with fuel costs, over $100 a week easily... That said his truck has 220K miles on it and you'd never suspect it had more than maybe 120K miles...

Also you can find engines in good shape fairly cheaply with similar mileage and no oil consumption. I had one with 170K in good shape that I would have sold for $600. But it is already long gone... They are incredibly easy engines to swap because all the electronics have clip removable harnesses and easy to remove / no adjustable cable systems for the cruise and throttle linkage.

Cheers,
Andre

 

[Brian894x4]

A quart of oil between oil changes with that mileage is nothing. I bet anything they don't change the oil every 3 months or 3000 miles anyway, so that makes it even less of a worry. Or it may be leaking out the rear main seal, which is extremely common and often ignored as its no big deal... or some combination. Also, with the 1FZ, oil consumption could be the type of oil used.

Anyway, that does sound like an excellent price, especially for a weekend wheeler and factory lockers, no less. And since these rigs go well past 300,000 miles, 175K is also nothing. Someone will get a good deal, but I don't blame you for not buying it, especially with debt to pay off.

Land Cruisers 80s are money pits. Not because they are junk, but because they require a lot of oil and fluid (8 quarts for the engine alone), parts are generally more expensive, there are some major maintaince items, like front axle, PHH, and potential headgasket issues, and most folks can't leave them stock, which means thousands of dollars of mods. Then there's insurance, which usually costs more, and of course horrendous gas mileage.

If you have the money, I can't think of a better vehicle. If not, at least you have a Toyota and 4runners are good rigs too.

The good news is, we're watching 80 prices drop like a rock....well, it's good news if you're not trying to sell one. As gas prices go up over the next few years, I'll bet there will be some good deals to be had, especially since these guzzlers don't get driven as often as smaller cars and low mileage units are still around.

The bad news is as gas prices go up, they'll be more painful to drive.

 

[Bella PSD]

A Land Cruiser 80 just a few miles from me for $2500....Hmmmmmm!!:safari-rig:
Louie

 

[MaddBaggins]

That is a smokin deal!!!

175k miles is nothing and a quart of oil between changes is fairly normal if you read the tech board on MUD. I lose that much myself between 3-4k changes and it never leaves a drop on the pavement. They hold 8 qts, so 1 is not much.
If you can swing it, it's a good deal. If not, tell them to advertise it on IH8MUD.COM It'll sell real quick over there.

 

[Willman]

I'd play!

$2500 for an 80.........Where's the pictures man???????


:chowtime: