Your Opinion: Land Cruiser FZJ80 vs. 4th Gen 4Runner

[4runner4us]

I love my 4runner, but lately my eyes have been wandering and I am currently beginning to fall for another.

There are a few awesome 95-97 Land Cruiser FZJ80's that I keep seeing driving around town and after researching more about them, I am considering getting one. I love the look, capability and durability of these LC80's. How can you not love it, things have everything that I want to add to my 4runner (lockers, solid front axle, even a sweet little tailgate)

Here are my questions for any that have had experience with both or just have an opinion:

How do they compare? Let's hear some pros and cons.

I'm guessing the LC80 is:
More capable off-road
More durable off-road
More maintenance
Noisier
Worse mpg
More customizable
More expensive to maintain
A vehicle that you can really keep forever


How do you think the LC80 would do as a daily driver? (mpg,noise, comfort, maintenance)

My 4runner is my daily driver as well as my weekend warrior (trail rides). I would like to continue to make it more capable (bumpers, sliders, etc.). I would hope to use the LC80 the same way.


I would love to hear some opinions, I've never known anyone who had a LC80, or driven one.

 

[FourEyedWilly]

Hey man,

The 80 series is a fine rig. Make sure you get the factory lockers when out there looking. It's going to be bigger and a bit slower. It's gas mileage will be a little less, but they make very good DDs. So, HUGE resource for you to visit is ih8mud.com. It's LC territory there. Great guys and a TON of information. I just moved from a 4R to a GX470 but I do love the 4R so I still stick around. I think though if you drive one (LC) you will fall in love.

 

[THEROK]

that interior is hella dated if that matters to u

 

[4runner4us]

I know that the interior is dated, however it seems that the technology can all be added aftermarket.

Is the interior louder than the T4R? I suppose that could be helped with some dynamat or something similar.

 

[audiness]

i did a lot of research about them, and ultimately what turned me off is that they are prone to headgasket failures, and get 14-16 mpg. Other than those two things, I probably would have bought one.

I opted for the T4R V8 - seems like a much more reliable motor, and fairly capable off road

 

[scottm]

I've had two, one for me and one for my wife, drove both to 200k with very few problems. Mostly highway for me, grocery and kid getter for my wife. I totalled mine, traded the wife's for a 100-series. My brother still has two for himself and his wife.

I wouldn't say they're louder, unless my T4R is unusually loud. They are about the same outside dimensions as my T4R, but more room inside. The 3rd-row seats were tolerable for adults, my grown kids rode there on four-hour drives. The interior is simpler, easy to update with extra power ports and iPod players and such that I'd like to put in my T4R.

The 80 is more solid than a 4R, every link and connector is just more massive. The frame is significantly more thick, which saved my life when I totalled mine. My wife's truck was rear-ended several times, really trashed the cars and a full-size van, and I couldn't find a scratch on her truck. The frame extends past the rear of the truck to form the rear bumper.

They are third-world simple to maintain, luxurious, extremely capable, and tolerant of abuse and neglect. The online support is fantastic, anything you want to know and more is on IH8MUD, plenty of enthusiasts use them as daily drivers and occasional rock crawlers.

Some people have had head gasket failures, it gets a lot of talk, I wouldn't say it's common. I pulled the engine on my son's Subaru and replaced the head gasket, it's an almost guaranteed failure on that engine, and much harder to replace. If it does fail it's not catastrophic, and it's not that likely to fail. I've had a lot of cars over 200k, didn't do much to my 80s except change the oil and fluids, occasionally a set of brake pads.

Common maintanance items are new seals and grease in the axles/birfields/bearings. It's a messy but simple job, as opposed to a job I won't attempt on my T4R. No CV joints and boots, no pressed-together and unserviceable wheel bearings. Step-by-step directions and tools and such are in many writeups. If you cross a stream in an 80 you go home and check/change the axle grease, can't do that in my T4R.

SoCal is easy on these trucks, rust was just beginning on mine, that was the only thing that stopped me from keeping mine forever. Plenty of them with over 300k out there. If you get one and plan to offroad at all, get one with factory lockers, there's a rotary switch just in front of your left knee when driving that controls the lockers. There were some special editions in '97, I had a 40th Anniversary, there's also a Collectors Edition. Not that much special about those, just badging and special colors, two-tone leather.

 

[jlmilligan]

X2

Scottm gives a pretty good breakdown. The whole HG failure issue is there, but Ih8mud.com makes it seem worse than it is. There are many more out there that aren't on the mud site that are fine. I had a 4th gen now I have a LX450. The lexus version of the LC. Yes the interior is dated, personally, i don't care. I like the interior the way it is. It will take more maintenance. But so wouldn't a 1996 4runner with 165k miles. It is older and has more mileage. Rubber seals begin to dry out and seep some oil, rubber hoses do the same. I found one that had the major stuff done but needed some little things taken care of. It was priced accordingly and I couldn't be happier. In the long run, it is cheaper to fix my 80 than it is to buy a nice shiney 4th gen with low miles.

 

[highspeed]

I could go on and on but the short answer is: I sold my 80 for my 2003 T4R and I'm very happy.

The 80 was great in a few ways but since it was my DD I needed something more road friendly. The 80 has better ground clearance and stock off road capability but the 4runner has better road manners and much more modern feel.

If you want a big rig with the best off road performance then go for the 80.

Just my $.02

 

[4runner4us]

Wow, Great info. This site never ceases to amaze me. Information abounds. I think I'm gonna start a passive search for an 80.

Price them out, If I find the right one (factory lockers, etc.) I may just make the leap!

Scott M - are the third row seats the same set up as the T4R?, I have third row seating in mine (although they are always in the garage) and I wouldn't put anyone over 5 feet back there for any length of time.

 

[jlmilligan]

I have never ridden in the 3rd row of a 4th gen but I have ridden in the 3rd row of my 80. I am 5'11" and I don't mind. I wouldn't want to go all day back there but around town is fine. Here is a reference if it helps. I have a chariot cougar 2 stroller for my 2 daughters. In 4th gen, it was too long by about an inch or two. Just enough so i had to prop it up to get the hatch to close. In the 80, it lays flat with at least 6 inches to spare. So, my estimate is about 8 to 10 inches of extra space behind the 2nd row seats. The third row seats fold up nice and easy and they come out in a snap too.

The best way is to try one out. The 4th gens are VERY nice. But you will be surprised how roomy the 80's are in comparison.

That being said, I pulled my 2nd row seats out so my girls have some room.

 

[scottm]

I've had adults in the third row, not roomy enough for a long trip for them, but my teenage/twenty-something kids have ridden for hours without complaint. The seat recline mod helps significantly. I've also fit a John Deere riding mower in there with the seats folded up and hatches closed, it's a bit more room than my T4R.

 

[loner]

I own both and agree with everything stated above. I would add that compared to the 80, the T4R feels like a sports car. Handling, ride, and power are vastly superior in the 4Runner. The 80 is a classic and more suited to off-road, but the T4R is generally much more pleasant to drive IMO. Both are awesome in the snow but the 4Runner is better. That said, I still love the 80 and will keep it forever.

Drive both and decide which suits you better. They are very different animals.

 

[28.]

Consider your needs first. If you have kids the 80 is a no brainer. But I was gonna ask you, if at all possible try to find a higher mileage 100 if its in your budget. They can be had if you look and as far as comfort goes, the 100 is tops. Everything else other than power is comparable which the 100 has more. And I'd go as far as to say a bit more reliable also.