I'm getting ready to start the search for a new old yota. not a 3rd gen but I think a lot of us here have other car/truck flings as our side hustles.

I do intend to daily drive it. Not intending to modify it, just keep it running and maintain it.

budget 30K for the truck, 5K things it's going to needs.

I have been having a hard time deciding between 2 options

Option #1 HZJ77HV-PEU
jdm-expo.com

These are leaf sprung trucks, they are very simple and have rear floating axles. 1HZ engines, suspension seats.

the pro on this truck is it's very simple, but it's going to ride like hell. I'm not opposed to the hell ride but others in my family are going to complain. But this is my lumber wagon dam it!

Option #2 KD-KZJ78W
jdm-expo.com

these are radius arm front/rear coil sprung. KZ-TE engine is a good engine. These trucks are designed to be a nice floating ride with extra creature comforts. However they are more complicated electrically than the other option.

part of me thinks? why not both? well... yea reality dude.

so does anybody have any info about either of these trucks? owned one, rode in one? the HZJ77HV are pretty rare and are much harder to find, KZJ78W fall off trees and there are tons of them. cost is very similar so that is really not a huge difference.

They're both LCs, can't ride 'bad'. The Prado is a 4runner, I doubt it rides 'better' than the larger LC yet it will use less fuel, slightly. Luck deciding!

Any thoughts about something AWD and manual in car or wagon form? That's my suggestion for daily driver... (and my signature car history will back that up)

-Charlie

This is great. Unfortunately i ve only ridden in a fj40 stick shift on a hunting trip and that thing was amazing. The ride was pretty good on highway and not bad on rough back country roads at a decent clip. AFA, Both similar vehicles HZ is a Heavy dut'y engine with a 4.2l better fuel economy, not by much while the 3.0l KZ a little less hp but similar torque. HZJ77HV-PEU is the classic desert dweller truck and preferred. Excited to see what you pick. My vote the HZ. I would love to have that gas tank capacity.

I’m surprised you’d want one of those for a daily? Cool, if you can get over the right hand drive.

How many “daily” miles are you looking to put on is the real question here?

as long as it's an auto I'm fine with daily. I have worked from home for the past 5 years so I don't do a ton of work commute miles; no more. of course that could change at any moment now days.

and if the right hand drive is terrible, I don't think it is? sure I have to do the fast food drive-thru in reverse I don't live in a toll road area.

I used to drive 15K per year but now days it's really maybe 7K-10K mostly road trips. @ a good place in my life to give this a try.

dude!

I don't know a lot of the new hot hatch stuff is pretty tempting. it's just how much do you want to spend?

for about the last 20 years I have just been putting away a car payment 2x times per month. each 5 years I have about 30K-35K to play with for my next purchase.

so many cool AWD imports out there to pick from

jdmcarandmotorcycle.com

https://www.jdmcarandmotorcycle.com/...20det/75327398

1995 Subaru WRX Wagon – Japanese Classics
1996 Subaru Legacy GT-B Wagon – Japanese Classics

I will finding out how hard it is right now to get things into the country? I have a couple of calls scheduled with middle men who import.

heard good things about these guys so far
Jdm Importer | United States | The Import Guys

and also these guys seem ok?
https://landcruisersdirect.com/cars/

Are you keeping both your t4r's and the range rover? Plus the LC project.

everything I have is in my name with no security interests. I have worked hard and I'm in a good place so I'm going to enjoy that aspect.

The stellar blue pearl is my sons now. he finally passed his drivers test so that is his truck. my hope was that would last him 10 years during that time hopefully he gets on his feet and out on his own.

we only have 2 more years of him at home. now days they seem like they stay for a while. guess it just depends on the kido. he already wants to take a trip this next summer over to the sand dunes with his knucklehead buddies. I will tag along in the 2000 t4r or LC if I can get it on the ground here state side.

my wife has claimed the rover.

leaves me with the 2000 t4r only. I need to finish the tank swap and I'm planning on outboarding the shocks this next summer. I also need to finish the front/rear lockers. lots to do on it so it's not really a daily.

I don't know with the state of things right now... I might be lucky to even find and ship a LC in the next 12 months. everything is so backed up. shipping is a major expense now with a container running $3500 and up.

The blue T4r wold be a good reliable car for him. Shipping nowdays and in the near future is going to be expensive. It might take a while but having such a standout uncommon truck would be great. In the mean time you can get the 2000 done.

Both look like really cool trucks and would definitely be unique stateside. I don't think you can go wrong with either if that is the kind of vehicle you want. I'm sure you've thought about it, but parts availability over here could be somewhat of a challenge.

Have you considered insurance on them? Collectors insurance can be very picky about how you use the vehicle. I inquired with the company who insures my Supra about insuring my 3rd gen and they basically said they won't insure an off-road capable vehicle unless it's a total pavement queen, like a low miles survivor car that never sees dirt. They even told me I would be uninsured if something were to happen "off road". Most of those types of companies won't cover a vehicle that is a daily either. They only want you to use it on occasion for shows, dinner, etc.

I'm sure you could insure it through USAA or Allstate or whoever, but I don't know how they'd determine value on an old imported LC if something were to happen. You might pay $30k for it and then get screwed by insurance if it gets totalled.

as long as it gets a VIN and it should as part of the import/tax/title/lic process insurance is not an issue.

yes if you want to register it as a show car or modify it they will need to certify that for value. I just want it to be legal and if I total it then well... I'm screwed.

I'm actually spending time in Mozambique Africa now and we have several 70 series land cruisers and the ride is bad. My vote is for the Prado.

the Prado's are a lot easier to find as well.

the 70 is designed to be a work horse not a going to town rig for fancy dinner. terrain tamer out of Australia have a set of parabolic leaf's made specifically for the 70. People claim it helps the ride a lot over stock.

If I were to import something unique, and your choices are solid, I would choose this:



These were all over Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands, and probably were imported from New Zealand.

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