Is a Land Cruiser right for me?

[nkorep2]

Sorry this is kinda long, Im giving you my background and thought process:

So since I was able to drive 8 years ago, I have wanted a Jeep wrangler. I got one a year and a half ago and in general, its exactly what I was expecting. Its an 01, with D44 rear end, and currently stock with KC Daylighters and a front hitch. I have ambitions to get into expedition type of travel, and have realized a major issue with the Jeep. There is no space. If I wanted to take more than one person with me for example, Id need a trailer of some sort. I still have a plan to drive to Northern Alaska one day, and I dont see myself enjoying that ride in a jeep very much. This got me thinking, what else would I be happy with as a DD and an expo rig? Im wondering about models that can be had for the similar, maybe slightly more, than my Jeep, at about 7-9K.

Montero, Trooper,4 Runner, Tacoma, Land Rover, Land Cruiser. All those come to mind. The Tacoma just seems somewhat overpriced similar to my jeep and I dont see myself getting as much for my money. It also wouldnt necessarily improve on cargo room. The Montero and Trooper are in a similar category, and if they were not gas, but diesel, I think id consider them more. A 4runner is sweet, but like the Tacoma Im not sure that its the best option for the price. I love them though. Land Rover Defender would be amazing, but thats no where near the budget. Ive noticed mid to late 90s Land Cruisers may be the correct option.

From what I understand, they really are similar MPG to my jeep at about 15-16 HW. Cargo room and passenger capacity cant be compared to a TJ. Towing Capacity would also be improved, as that is also a concern. Im building a Mastercraft Prostar 190 and need a better tow vehicle than my jeep. Also, an attractive part would be potentially factory locker.

Things I dont really like are all the bells and whistles. I dont have a desire for TVs in the headrests or a navigation system in the dash. Getting away from mechanically activated 4WD and a 5 Speed manual is kinda scary too. Ive never owned an auto and I really do love manually shifting gears. How do maintenance costs of say an 80 Series compare to a TJ? It seems like mine keeps nickel and diming me all the time. I can imagine parts are as cheap as a jeep, but I also have a hard time imaging as many issues as my heep.

Overall Im looking for similar or better MPG to my Jeep. Similar off road capabilities (not rock crawling). More cargo room. More highway comfort. Better durability and reliability and something that I can sell my Jeep to buy without reaching into my wallet very far.

What are some of your thoughts regarding an 80 series for my vehicle? Any other suggested vehicle options?

Thanks in advance,
Nikolai

 

[onebowtiedguy]

My uncle had a trooper nothing but problems maybe just his but thats my 2cents! Wife's dads a toyota lover has several. 4 runner(cramped inside passenger space) sequoia (nice for seating room if your taking the whole team.)
Have you looked at Hummer H3 It is what I moved into from a 91 K5 blazer that was great all around but we simply outgrew it. I did not want to downslide offroad capabilities that the k5's are known for but needed extra doors, for the boys. Very happy and certain I made the right choice ,they are not for everyone though. Lots of cool mods can be done similar to jeeps, they do well stock. Handle good, better on gas than a jeep, and one thing that was very important to me is they are 'fairly friendly' to do your own service and maintenance on,especialy with help from some forums. Can be picked up for reasonable prices these days stripped down minus all the b & w's. If you even think about it do some "homework" there is a few simple things to stay away from (a certain year and a few bad options ect.) that has given them a bad name other then greenpeace enviro groupies. Of the ones you mentioned Landcruiser/Land rover would be ok pics on that list.

 

[Smiler82]

Why not an XJ? With my roof rack I can move 4 guys plus gear for a week with no trailer. Ill be driving mine to Denali one day as well...

 

[beverly]

I also have been looking into similar vehicles. Here is what I've found.

Montero seems like a solid underdog choice. Can be had with rear locker, good reliability, small aftermarket. The most attractive thing is the price. I can buy a montero for half the price of a similar shape land cruiser or 4runner, and almost a third the price of a Tacoma. They also look better than 80 series, which I think is a pretty ugly truck. If you're keeping near stock, I don't think the Mitsu can be beat on value.

I haven't researched troopers.

How would a Tacoma bed not give you much improvement on cargo? Unless you're talking internal. I can barely squeeze into the back seat of my friends 2006. Even the front seats seem cramped. Pair it with a crappy ride and I crossed this truck off my list long ago. Expensive trucks, but can be had with rear locker, maybe manual transmission?

Aren't H3s around 15-20k? That blows his budget of 7-9k.

I'd look into what owners of 80 series land cruisers are getting for real world mpg. I've read towing mpg to be under 10. Regular driving is closer to 12. Maybe someone with an 80 can chime in. As you see on this forum, they're very popular. I think it's the right combination of off road capability out of the box, comfort, and after market. For a little more the 100 series is a little more refined at the cost of pure off road ability. I'm leaning this way personally.

I'd also look harder at 4runners, if the cargo room is enough and IFS isn't a deal breaker. As far as I know you can find 5 speed manuals, and some with factory rear locker. Smaller than a land cruiser, obviously. But I'd imagine the reliability among most late 90s Toyotas is going to be good. I don't know what would tow the best, trailers don't interest me.

 

[caljon88]

I would agree on the Hummer H3 I really like mine. It's also the most comfortable vehicle for long trips I've ever owned. Fuel milage is good and it comes fully capable to tackle pretty much anything if you get an adventure package (my 2009 is locked front and rear). You would save money on mods that you would have to do to get other rigs trail worthy to the H3 point. Look around and see if you could find one with the right price tag maybe. I average 16 mpg with a stealth Gobi rack on top.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mtnbike28]

Real world LC MPG seem to be lower than your Jeep. My '93 gets 14mpg all the time in mixed driving, that is completely stock and running well. My 02 Taco, lifted, bumpers, etc gets 16mpg mixed. The LC is MUCH more comfortable, so much so that my wife has said it's the travel vehicle now.

I did tow 2,000 pound trailer and MPG only dropped to 12-13, the same as the Taco when towing. I agree the 80 as stock is not the "coolest" looking truck (Defender still wins that one) but read all the comments from first time LC owners, they love them (I do too)
Look at members here: RMPO (or close to that) said after riding in a friends, he wished he went the 80LC a long time ago, Dave (Adventure Duo?) sold his 80, bought a really sweet van and in just weeks bought back his 80.... there is something about them. (all those comments are paraphrased)

I guess what I am saying consider the cry once theory, cry once and pay for quality or what you want rather than cry twice, buying the wrong thing, selling it and then buying what you wanted to start with....

hth

 

[SouthPawXJ]

Why not an XJ? With my roof rack I can move 4 guys plus gear for a week with no trailer. Ill be driving mine to Denali one day as well...

I would second the XJ (Cherokee). Heres why:
- Cost: You can get a very nice, low mileage XJ for $7,000. I bought my 2001 last year with 72,000 on the clock (just broken in) for $8000.
- Capability: In stock form, one of the most capable off road platforms ever built. It has decent ground clearance with solid axles front and rear. Mine is stock, and I've gone through and over things I had no business getting through with the XJ.
- Availability: There are tons of them that were produced. If you need parts on the cheap, you can always go to the junkyard and find them.
- Servicability: There still are more Jeep dealers in the US if you need to take it to the dealer. Mechanics are also more familiar with the platform.
- Engine: The 4.0L I-6 is the best motor that Jeep has used to date. It has gobs of low-end torque, decent fuel economy, and long engine life. Michigan State Police used them for a 300k mi service life.
- Aftermarket: There are tons of aftermarket products for the XJ, and they are about as cheap as the aftermarket parts for the Wrangler.
- Fuel Economy: Its not a Prius, but I routinely get 21 MPG highway and 18 around town with my fat butt in the driver seat.
- Size: Its the perfect size for two-four people (and/or dogs) to travel. Its not too big to get beat up on the trail, but big enough to fit what you need.
- Towing Capacity: 5,000 lb. I am not sure what the Tow Rating on the LC is, but my guess is its the same.
- Lightweight: ~3,400 lb curb weight. I've been on a couple bridges where this really matters.
- Payload: ~ 1,200 lb pay load capacity. The Land Cruiser beats it here, but it is still quite a bit.

There are a few negative things:
- Rust: These things can have a problem with rust, especially if it comes from a northern area with salt. Something to keep an eye on, but this is preventable.
- Engine Issue: MY00-01 4.0L I-6 engines have the 0331 cylinder head. It has the possibility of cracking. This is an issue on some peoples XJs, but its not overly common. There are replacement heads that are available that are not too expensive.
- Rear Axle: On models with ABS, the Dana 35 is prone to breaking. This can be upgraded, and I haven't had an issue, but some people have trouble with this.
- Rattles: Interior parts rattle. You own a Jeep, so I'm sure you've experienced this too, but it can be annoying.
- Rear Spring Sag: On stock XJs from 1997 onward, the rear leafs sag. A suspension upgrade will take care of this issue though, and its minor.
- Unibody Flex: Again, some people report an issue with unibody flex. There are aftermarket solutions (stiffners) to this that are cheap.

Every vehicle has its pluses and minuses, but considering the cost/benefit of a newer, lower mileage XJ with a similar or slightly shorter service life of a TLC, the XJ is a better deal.

 

[p nut]

I think what you're looking for is a 96-00 4Runner, 5-speed, V6. Plenty capable right out of the box, proven reliability, good MPG (I was getting 21mpg stock on the highway), and price is much better than Tacoma's. Some say 99 is best since it came stock with slightly taller springs, but they're old enough now that they need to be replaced anyway. So find a clean rig and buy it, regardless of model year.

 

[Containerized]

I agree with the 4R. I've had a Defender 90, then a VW Touareg V10, then a FJC, then a Taco. If you care about putting stuff "inside" I'd say the 4R is a nice trade-off. It's smaller than an LC, has tons of interior space (particularly if you take out the rear seat), has far superior build quality to the Jeeps, and has a good aftermarket. Parts are also plentiful, and there really aren't any "bad" engines.

 

[Danimal]

I've owned a 3rd generation 4Runner (1998), a 2nd generation Tacoma (2011), and an 80 series (1996 LX450). So far the 80 series is my favorite, but the 3rd generation 4Runner was a fantastic vehicle. I was luke-warm on the 2nd gen Tacoma, and thus didn't even own it 1 year...

The 3rd generation 4Runners are very reliable, very reasonably priced (substantially cheaper than an equivalent 1st generation Tacoma), and had a good mix of available options over the years, so that you can find what you want. Leather/cloth, auto/manual transmission, full-time/part-time 4WD, locking rear differential available, 4-cylinder/6-cylinder, etc. Don't dismiss this vehicle.

Dan

 

[nkorep2]

Why was the LC your favorite?

 

[Danimal]

Why was the LC your favorite?

Haven't owned it very long, but here are my findings;

* Large
* Quiet
* Comfortable
* Despite the creature comforts, most systems/components are relatively simple
* Impressive robustness of design, including things like redundancy
* Good off road capability in stock form
* A lot of capability potential when modified
* Huge fender wells play nice with 35" tires (4Runner typically requires front wheel wells to be modified for 35s)
* My LX450 with 157k has no rattles, no squeaks, and is tight

However, based on your budget and goals - I still think you should look at the 3rd generation 4Runner as well as an 80 series.

Dan

 

[p nut]

One more thing to add--LC (80/100) maintenance cost is much higher than the 4Runner, so keep that in mind. Just baselining can be $2k+.

If I were single, I would have kept my 4Runner (or Tacoma) for solo+1 outings. With a family/kids, LC is much better suited.

 

[86tuning]

Maintenance and fuel costs are higher on an 80 but they're very reliable once baseline maintenance is complete.

 

[mtnbike28]

One other thought on the 80 vs 4Runner. I had a 98 4Runner (great service and traveling truck) but when if you plan to sleep in it, I could not sit up inside. I love drawer set-ups, etc. But I want to be able to sit up in bed and read, look at maps, etc at night or on rainy days. I have never owned a truck (wagon or truck with a cap) that I could get my bike in with the seat post on.... I can with the LC.

My daughter and I spent New Years Eve camping in our 80 -


Just something else to think about.