Do anyone 3rd Gen owners also have an 80 Series (or have had one)

[PitbullRescuer]

I've seen a few decent 80 Series LC's available recently. I've always liked them and kind of want one. Timing wise it's good for me too, at a crossroads with my 4Runner. I can't decide if I should leave the 4R as is and just continue driving it as my DD, Pit Bull Transporter, Client Meeting vehicle, etc or if I should make it taller, bigger tires, etc, etc, etc... Then use the 80 Series as my OffRoad, weekend toy.

I love driving the 4R everyday. I also like it to meet clients with because I think it says "Hey, even though this guy is a mortgage banker, he's not a d**che. He's not going to rip us off so he can pay for that S-Class Benz." The flip side is that for a fraction of what it would cost me to buy the 80 Series, I could build a pretty nice and capable 4Runner. If I but an 80 Series, I'd be starting from scratch and then doing the build from there.

Curious what you guy have to say. Any and all input is welcome.

 

[Ian97]

fwiw, I think they're sweet....I'd love to have one, I keep looking at them as well, my neighbor has two of them, one black, the other dark gray....very nice, heavy, capable off road trucks...and for the age of them, very good looking and stylish even still today.....

Just my $.02

-Ian

 

[ironhippy]

I had 2 4runners (98 & 2000) and decided to buy an 80's series land cruiser. I have since sold the 4runners.

There are lots of reasons to buy an 80, however you want to ensure your eyes are open wide.

Here is a GREAT (long) thread that discusses most of the cons of owning an 80, the #1 con is gas mileage. You will not get better than 16 mpg (stock) and can expect in the 10 - 12 MPG range if you add tires/armor.

Should I buy an 80, costs of ownership?

Here is a great FAQ on all the maintenance/mods that should/could be done on an 80 series

FAQ for 80/LX450 -Mar 2011 - Added concretejungle's 1FZE overhaul


I was planning on building one of my 4runners into a wheeling/expo rig. Last summer I came to the realization that if I did everything I wanted to my 4runner, I would come out with almost a stock 80 series land cruiser. I came across a local Lexus LX450 and bought it almost on a whim. I am very happy with my decision, however I am single and have a decent job so I don't mind dumping too much money into a vehicle.

These trucks will run forever, if they are maintained and maintenance isn't always cheap (especially if you aren't doing the work yourself). I spent 2 grand in parts alone rebuilding my front axle, but almost everything is brand new and I wont' have to worry about it again for another 100 - 200,000 miles/10 years.

Anyway the resource you are looking for is 80-Series Tech and I would search their classifieds for used 80's, if you can get one from a member on the site you can usually be assured it's maintained and you might be able to get a built one for much less than it would cost do it yourself Vehicles/Trailers For Sale & Wanted

anyway, you can't go wrong with a 4runner or an 80's series, you'll just have to decide what is best for you.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Thanks guys. I'm keeping the 4Runner either way. If I buy an 80 Series it will strictly be for use as a toy so I'm not over concerned about the mileage. I just need to pull the trigger one way or the other. Thanks for the input and the links, please keep the info coming.

 

[McFly2003]

I've tossed around the thought of trading my t4r for something a little different, an 80 series being on the list. maybe a tacoma or an FJC

 

[AZ4FNER]

Well, it took me 6 months to find my T4R and was very frustrating. You and I had dialogue about buying your Jade Micah you sold a while back.

However, it opened my mind to look at 80 series and even at FJ's.

I still would like to have an 80 series, but the cost to maintain is significant. If you have the budget to make it work, DO IT!!!

I think that sounds awesome to have the T4R as DD, and a dedicated 80 series mule for the weekends!

 

[02SE]

I had a '95 FZJ 80 from new. It was a great truck. Front and rear locking diffs from the factory. I had an ARB Bullbar with an XD9000 Warn winch in it, with OME springs in the front to compensate for the weight. I ran 295/75R16 BFG A/T's with no clearance issues. The one downside (for me) was that it was an auto trans.

When the 3rd gen 4Runners came out, I looked at them closely. I liked the availability of a manual trans, and the rear diff locker. I finally bought one in '97.

I kept them both side by side until 2000, when I sold the Landcruiser. The Landcruiser had been my company vehicle (small business owner), while the 4Runner was always a personal vehicle.

The reason I kept the 4Runner vs the Landcruiser, was that for me the 4Runner was more comfortable, got better gas mileage, and the Landcruiser was worth more in resale, was good for a company tax write-off, and meant I could buy another vehicle with pre-tax Dollars.

Bottom line is that the Landcruiser should be as reliable as a 4Runner of the same vintage. There were fewer made, so it might be tough to find a good one.

Good luck.

 

[Mellow77]

If you can afford to get what you want out of owning both then I say go for it and purchase an 80 series.

One thing I would consider in owning an 80 series (knowing what kind of mpg's you'll get) would be how far will you travel to wheel? For me, I live in TX but love playing in CO :hunter: so it's quite a drive and would be an even bigger hit to the wallet at 10mpgs. Extreme scenario for most but just a thought to consider.

 

[the great him]

i do not have an 80 series but have a couple close frienda who do, ive done a lot of work on one of them, mostly build up. one thing i can tell you is they are costly to maintain when things go wrong. and they are not as dependable/trouble free as the 4runners, but they are a very solid reliable vehicle. just stay on top of the preventative maintenance. they are heavy and they suck gas as stated. but they can take abuse like no other. they dont get called "iron pig" for nothing. they are slow lumber-sum vehicles that will get you where you want to go in comfort(for their era) but dont expect it to be a fast or cheep trip. one of them has the locking F/R diffs and a 2.5" lift with 285s, the other one has a 3" lift with 315s and an ARB in the rear and hidden warn winch. both will go places and do things with ease that still amaze me every time we go out. if i had the $$$ for one i would be picking one up for an overland/expedition rig -too many other toys and dreams.

i say if its in the cards get one if you like them and can. bomb proof trucks

 

[PitbullRescuer]

It's still very much just an idea at this point. I've always wanted one but there are a lot of other vehicles I've always wanted too. I have seen a few decent deals on them though recently so it got me thinking. (too much probably) I'll have to do more homework on them before pulling the trigger. Just curious, what is so costly on them maintenance wise?

 

[4mymalamute]

I had a fully built (I did the work, etc on it) 80. Sold it two years back BUT still have another 80 at my house that is half way done. They are by far my favorite rig BUT I decided to try out the 4runner since it was a good deal etc at the time and its my daily driver. If you do get one, look for a few items...make sure there has been maint. done and get a fully locked one...you will want it and they climbed like a champ! I have a big build thread on the mud sight....its under 4dmalamute. If you have any questions hit me up...I will do my best to answer your questions, etc.
Cheers!

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Thanks man. I'll check out your build over there too.

What do you think of the 3rd Gen compared to the 80?

 

[the great him]

parts for them are not as cheap as 4runner parts, and not as readily available either. not hard to find, but generally not on the shelf at a local parts store or in their back room(most of the time they have to be ordered from some warehouse somewhere). generally you will have the part next day. but as stated before make sure they are up to date on maintenance, as playing catch up can be costly. they are not as "low" maintenance as our 4runners.

 

[Rockdawg84]

I have several very good friends with 80 and I think it depends on what you want to build it to do. Expo, or general camping there is nothing better. If your into more hard core rock crawling then your looking at a lot more money to get it to really do what is relatively less expensive in a runner. If you have good fab skills then it becomes much closer but a SAS'd Runner will walk all over a 80 in the rocks because of the weight difference. If you can afford to build both then by all means find an 80 and get after it. :tongue:

 

[4mymalamute]

Thanks man. I'll check out your build over there too.

What do you think of the 3rd Gen compared to the 80?

I like the 3rd Gen 4runner BUT its for a completely different use. Its my daily driver, smaller, more nimble, etc....and its gets better mpg (believe it or not) than a built cruiser for sure. That being said, the cruiser was built rock solid and was easy to work on (engine bay is huge, etc). All around it was a beast but in a good way. You cant go wrong getting one. There are items like the pesky heater hose, head gasket, etc that you will want to check to see if replaced though....if not, you can totally do them yourself just a bit of work.
Cheers

 

[cj80cruiser]

If I were to look at buying an 80 series again for offroad use, I'd go with a 91-92. While the 3fe (91-92) is a little smaller than the, 1fzfe (93-97) it doesn't have the headgasket issues of the latter. I've driven both and they are both dogs to get to speed but once there they hold it well. The biggest downfall is MPGs but you're not talking about daily driving that thing so why not get it? I don't think you will regret it.

 

[lcchik]

I have a 1992 FJ80 and a 2001 4 runner. I bought the LC in 1999 as a daily driver - YES, it sucks gas, but I felt very safe in my daily commute. Yes the parts are expensive, especially body parts if you can find them (many are no longer available - have to check salvage yards). And insurance is high - my agent said because of its weight and size it would cause a lot of damage to another vehicle.. It's 99% stock with 154K miles. No major work done on it except the usual maintenance (changing fluids, brakes, etc.).
I just bought the 4runner a few months ago to help save on gas during my daily drive with the initial intention of selling the LC. But I just can't...it is such a durable beast. So my "excuse" in keeping it is that is great to haul stuff in. :wink2: I have always pampered the LC - no serious offroading - but I know that I wouldn't hesitate taking it on an overland adventure. Since I bought it, I have had more than a half a dozen notes left on my windshield wanting to buy it. It is such a classic. I would love to find a 1997 - last year of that body style - if I had room. If you can find one unmolested and well maintained, go for it!