Nailed it -
It's not the perfect 4WD or expedition vehicle, but it's a damned good compromise of a really good comfortable highway vehicle with a capable off-roader.
I pretty much always end up being an echo for guys like Lee, Corey, Dave, and Gary. Maybe it's because they're responsible for my FJ purchase, warts and all. My still-stock FJC doesn't hold a candle to all of theirs, but I have enjoyed it immensely.
:coffeedrink:
Bought my '08 used in Aug. '10 with 12k miles on it for $25k. As noted before, A-TRAC and the Rear Locker are must-haves. Transmission is a more personal choice. I got the 5-speed Automatic and it's the best auto I've owned (after driving manuals all my life, lol). I specifically looked for a 'bald one' because I despise the half-useful Toyota roof rack. My hitch carrier has worked well enough as a substitute so far. Originally I really,
really wanted a full-size pickup, but I needed a do-all vehicle that would serve as both my primary commuter and weekend getaway transport. A full-size would simply have been overkill due to daily fuel costs, the fact that I am single and don't haul a family around, and I have access to three or four 1-ton pickups I can borrow at a moment's notice if I have to. Now at +50k miles I have thoroughly enjoyed the stock configuration's versatility. Sure there are full-size 1/2-ton pickups rated for +20mpg on the highway these days, but their average over a tankful still probably doesn't come close to that. My mileage on an entire tank is still 17-19.5mpg every time I fill up with most tanks resulting in mid-18mpg's after a week of driving to the office everyday, including the obligatory stop-and-go traffic every morning. I've had one tankful that netted a +20mpg average, and that was all highway with the cruise control set at 70mph. I know I could get better MPGs, but that's just how I drive. Couple the mileage with the fact that it has taken me everywhere I've asked it to
and back again on the crappy OE tires, and I could not ask for a more versatile stock vehicle for what I paid for it. Granted, I'm no rock crawler or mudder, and I'm old enough now that I don't feel the need to put myself out on a limb every weekend...
All that being said the FJ has well-documented warts...
1. The stock suspension is too soft for anyone needing to do more than just drive on pavement. If you put 3 big guys and a big dog inside, load up the rear, and then put a couple hundred pounds of coolers and camping gear on a hitch carrier you will feel like you're driving a Hollywood searchlight at a movie premiere. The headlights will be pointed so high as to be unusable on high beam and the low beams will blind oncoming traffic. The soft front end dives dramatically under hard braking, and if you manage to engage the anti-lock brakes you will feel like you should have stopped 20yds back.
2. The interior plastic quality is rather unforgiving of scratches, and the hard plastic floor in the rear cargo area (especially the backs of the rear seats) will quickly start looking like you have a Honey Badger for a pet if you throw stuff back there all the time.
3. The rear visibility is a mixed bag overall, but not something that can't be lived with. The view straight out the back window is actually okay, but the C-Pillar blind is pretty big.
4. The rear doors weren't really a factor to me, but I wouldn't have bought an FJ if I was married with kids.
5. After being thankful for the decent mileage, I must say my biggest gripe is the 19gal fuel tank and the way it fills up. Most owners of stock FJs get similar mileage as me, but often say they only get 300 miles on a tank. It's because the fuel nozzle shuts off early and no one wants to over fill. If the low fuel light comes on and I drive another 10-20 miles before I fill up, the gas pump will often get to 16-17gal and then shut off. By intermittent slow filling I can get another 2-3gal into it and that easily results in 350mi of highway travel. My best range yet has been almost 380 miles on one tank. Another 4-5gal capacity would have been perfect. If the
also Prado 120-derived 4th Gen 4Runner had a 23gal tank and carried its spare tire underneath the body I don't think its unreasonable to be disappointed in Toyota for giving the FJ Cruiser a smaller tank.
:safari-rig:
There are obvious ways to fix some of the flaws, some for a reasonable amount, and some for not-so-reasonable amounts. I plan to avoid going the 'standard' 3" lift route with a shorter alternative, but it will involve uprated springs and shocks for better load and handling, not just some silly spacers. I'm gonna get all the miles I can out of the OE tires since I drive so much on the highway, but I sure will be glad to see them go in favor of some decent all-terrains. I will keep to the stock tire size so that my mileage isn't so affected. Less than 400mi of highway range is something I'm just going to have to live with unless I want to pony up the $1700 for a Man-A-Fre auxiliary tank. The visibility doesn't bother me much since I drove a company van for 7yrs, and the rear doors actually seem convenient to a single guy who used to have a straight-up two door for a personal vehicle. Nothing is ever really perfect, and the FJ is a prime example. It needs some fine tuning, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.
:beer:
Yeah, it's been a slow Friday afternoon...
