Seriously Asking - Was this FJ62 a BAD BUY?
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- We thought we bought my wife the perfect Landcruiser Fj62, freshly restored interior, amazing paint, almost zero rust. It was the first car she was actually interested in and proud of. But then we found out the hard way, don't let yourself get distracted when buying an older car. I missed something major which left us stranded Christmas day. Desiree's new beloved Landcruiser went from Brad Pitt to Money Pit real quick. #landcruiser
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Max, thanks for being out there making the high variance choices. Sometimes you win and get amazing vistas and family adventures. Other times you get Korean hot dogs for Christmas. If living life as an adventure was easy and always worked we'd all be doing it. Thanks for the ups and downs.
dont stress it. put a new trans in it, fresh brakes all around and let the wife drive it. aint no thing...
I like how an oil pump on the raptor is nbd but a transmission on an 33 year old car shits out and THAT'S THE LAST STRAW
For real!!!! The Raptor is the real turd in this situation!
Hahaha that's a good point
@@Maxx.Powell I've been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty from 1989. Valley Hybrids has a transmission for you if you haven't seen my other 3 comments on various places lol.
@@TheShooter466 oh snap I didn't see the other comments. Sorry man, I got a plan. Dude for Canada is going to sell me a complete drivetrain.. engine, trans, transfercase and driveshafts for roughly $800 USD
@@Maxx.Powell yes but what engine ? 3F again ? What state good shape? Valley Hybrids have some gooood parts...
A few things here:
1 - As for the tow bill, I can understand none of your friends/family being able to help you get it home but (and I'm not certain about this but guessing) perhaps a request for some help on one of your social media outlets might've scored you a cheaper tow than that. Heck, I'd have done it and honestly only charged you the gas for my truck cause I've been in those situations before myself and at times had to rely on help from strangers who, like me, believed that helping others when we're able to is only a small portion of what we should do, part of what should be considered "being a good person/human being".
2 - About 3 years ago I got my hands on what I thought would be a great daily driver that I could also use for some of our trips to see and experience as much of the PNW as possible. Less than a month after getting it I found myself paying to completely rebuild the front end (diff, CVs, wheel bearings, brakes, literally the works from the transfer case forward). However, after sinking unplanned $$ into a vehicle that had originally presented itself as a good buy and a great find . . . and a few other minor/regular maintenance things (filters, transmission flush, rear diff fluid swap, etc.), I now have myself a paid-off daily driver that has time and again proven to me it just needed a little love . . . and a little more $$ than I originally planned. Overall though its been cheaper to have bought and owned my "good buy" than getting anything new (ESPECIALLY with vehicle prices currently, ESPECIALLY in our portion of the country if you want anything with 4-wheel drive).
3 - It might be an old Toyota . . . it might be an FJ62 (not what I would consider to be a powerhouse of any kind) . . . but it IS a Toyota Landcruiser, of which I've seen plenty of, not only in our neck of the country but in some pretty far-out places (actually came across one almost identical to yours in Coldfoot, Alaska 4-5 years ago while on a trip from southeast Washington to Prudhoe Bay and back). I would think that once you give it the attention it apparently is demanding right now you'll have a fairly reliable vehicle that your wife should at the very least be able to do what she needs and you guys could occasionally take on shorter trips (I wouldn't venture too far from home with an older vehicle that sourcing parts for is difficult).
The frustration and questioning of your decision is understandable. I just wouldn't give up on the old girl just yet. My guess is she's still got some good miles and great memories left to give.
I'll give you my best advice. At this busy time in your life, you need one vehicle that has the following characteristics: Late model, with good parts availability, and a local mechanic or dealership that is familiar with servicing it. Your wife needs to be comfortable driving it. It needs to fit your whole family. I'd recommend something that is not extremely fast, or extremely capable off road, so that it does not get used hard like your other toy vehicles. It needs to be ready to go to your mom's or the store at any time. It's a family vehicle, not a toy. Juggle your fleet however you need to in order to obtain this family vehicle. After you have one vehicle in the fleet that is always ready for this family duty, you can decide what to do with the rest of them. As for the Land Cruiser specifically, it's not worth much broken, so I'd suggest fixing it. After that, you need to recognize that parts availability will be more of a hurdle than with some other options. You will need to be able to carry on without difficulty if the LC goes out of service for a few weeks here and there.
Personally, my wife's current car is a 10 year old Mini Countryman (BMW product). We bought it around 6 years ago because she liked it. I never thought we would keep it over 5 years, but we still have it, and though it has not been trouble free, it has been more reliable than expected. We have not always had good experiences with independent mechanics fixing the car though. Several times, we have had to go to the BMW dealership and pay their high rates, after independent mechanics were unable to repair. Now that we are 45 minutes from a dealer, that's a bigger inconvenience than before, when we lived in a city. At this exact moment in time, the car is out of commission due to a coolant leak. I called a local mechanic, and he replied with "what the **** is a Mini Countryman?" We still have one other reliable vehicle in the garage, so at this time it has not been of much consequence that the Mini has been out of commission. However, if our needs change, we may look to replace the Mini with something that is more easily serviced by our local options.
Comments going hard, guys just keep in mind Des could have just as easily of said I want a new 4 runner or Rav4 because Toyotas. From the sounds of it she wanted the FJ. It might have been restored but most restoration projects skip drive train and just fix up the body. People also assume it was an impulse buy even though you had been wanting/ looking for one for a while. Even New cars shit the bed but warranty’s are nice until said warranty claim get rejected because modded vehicle lol.
Maxx I really hope you see this and take the advice of cutting your losses and selling it. Even if you sell it for 20k, you can still get something modern and slightly used and with warranty. Don’t go down the rabbit hole with this one too. You guys need a reliable family vehicle. DES needs a RELIABLE family vehicle
You got two trucks already costing you money by constantly being in the shop. And now the Raptor.. PLUS the toter home build.
I think we as an audience are fine with seeing you build your toys and have fun. But it’s definitely not a good idea putting your family in a vehicle that old no matter how much you fix it up and try to justify if.
LS swop it with a 6L80. You will have all the fun and the parts at hand 👍
I have the same fj62 the af440 is a great transmission if serviced from new. as most older vehicles have changed hands few times and folks get use to driving and doing very little to these trucks. once you get transmission fixed and transfer case fixed all the other stuff is very straight forward. these trucks 5-6 years ago were 9-15 k depending on condition, now they are fetching 15k for bottom to 45k for super clean examples so i would take care of it and i promise you will get all you money out of it. Keep it and enjoy.
Once you get it fixed, it’ll be solid. It looks like it’s in really good shape besides the mechanics. It’s also an investment. I’d sell the Raptor to pay for all the work.
Agreed. Its all still easy stuff. Replacing a transmission and tcase is pretty easy. You're not rebuilding internals or anything crazy.
I 3rd this! Sell the raptor and turn the FJ62 into a beast.
Concur. Sell the Raptor and use the funds to have TorFab go through it and fix it up. Hang in there.
Drop the Raptor and full Restore that Classif AF FJ62, true 4x4 ICON right there, and it will out last the rest of your fleet, give her some credit, she’s pushing 40, what year is your Raptor? And it frappes an oil pump? That’s poor engineering…. Keep the cruiser!
Maxx, Sorry to hear about your problems with the LC.......I too purchased what I thought to be a great deal 1984 FJ60 LC which turned out to be nothing more than an underpowered money pit. Also, my wife never lets me forget about that situation, and I've learned my lesson about buying used 4wd vehicles. Hope it all works out for you and keep up the great videos ! Joe
As someone who’s been on your exact shoes buying a $20k lemon, it definitely isn’t a good feeling or a good buy, but learn from your mistakes and grow. Personally if I saw some of the cheap tasteless upgrades that thing had (cheap-o LED driving lights, blue corner marker LEDs, screen in the dash), combined with transmission issues, that would have been a major red flag as a true enthusiast of the older Land Cruisers would never have done that. I think you’re also learning the valuable lesson of domestic vs Japanese quality with the Ford having such major issues at what would be considered low mileage in a Toyota. One thing I think you seem to have yet to learn, heavily customized vehicles that you beat the crap out of are cool and a lot of fun, but keep something nice and damn near stock so you have dependable transportation in an emergency. A rock crawler is cool, a 600hp WRX is cool, a lifted oversized tire overlander truck is cool, but at the end of the day it’s the bone stock pickup truck that will always get you home when all the others fail.
A lot of owners are upgrading to LED lights. It's brighter and easier on the electrical system.
@@militarygradegear4004 yeah but those are some auto zone type garbage that were probably picked up for $34.99 which doesn’t illustrate much in the way of “pride in ownership”.
Hi Max, new to your channel. We recently went through a similar situation with our FJ43 Land Cruiser. We bought it a little more than 2 years ago and only had it 8 months before the rings went and lost compression in 4 cylinders. The beast was still running on 2 cylinders. Ultimately, the original 2F engine could not be rebuilt b/c the gaps in the bearings were too great and really the cylinders had been rebored a few times already. So we sourced another very clean 2F engine from a 1986 FJ60 out your way in Spokane, shipped it east, fully rebuilt it and she’s finally up and running. It’s a labor of love that can be tough on the wallet for sure, but I have no regrets and would do it again. As others have stated, if you love it, then it’s worth the headaches and expense. I’m a firm believer of gauging wealth, success and happiness from the width of a smile. Hope it all works out for you man. Keep cranking and having fun!
I daily drive my 1996 FZJ80 with 255K on its clock. It is the newest of the three cars that I own at this time (the other 2 are 1970 and 1989). I always have had old cars as my daily driver. To make them reliable transportation, never ignore a problem that may affect its drivability. I can do without an AC or power window for sometime; when it comes to powertrain, drivetrain and safety related items, always get to the root cause as soon as you observed the first indication that there maybe a problem. I wheel my 80 hard, including taking it to difficult trails like Rubicon. To make my FZJ80 reliable on the trails, I daily drive it so I am always aware of its condition; I do maintenance and/or repair as soon as the first indication of problem shows up. It is always better to do preventive maintenance at home than doing trail fixes. Hope you keep the FJ62 and make it reliable for your family to enjoy.
Great insights. Sounds like a solid strategy. I am looking forward to fixing the Land Cruiser up. I believe we can make it reliable with just a few new parts and some regular maintenance
I purchased a 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser, I have spent all types of money. She’s STILL NOT running well. Smh. But you know what, it’s apart of this journey.
Stay with it! Everyone gives up. Don’t be everyone.
I second hand vote the LS with the 6l80E swap, reliable and parts are everywhere
i feel you knew the truck needed work but had wishful thinking and put yourself in a bad position. I feel if you would have put the truck in a shop to get it looked over and fixed it you wouldn't have had these extra expenses like paying for a tow truck and pissing off your wife. in addition stop putting off maintenance on your vehicals you put yourself in the current situation no reason you should have all your cars broken.
Biggest thing to note on FJ62's that are higher milage. TRANS WILL ALWAYS GO BEFORE ENGINE. Though I absolutely love everything about my FJ62, being the second owner I was stuck with the inevitable trans failure, as the stock auto was trash. Replacing the trans was a hefty price at my local shop, and looking back at it I should've bitten the bullet and swapped the 4 speed from the 60.
Please for the love of god listen to this. BUY A RELIABLE STOCK TRUCK/SUV AND LEAVE IT THE HELL ALONE.
Why would anyone do that lol
@@floydjohnson7926 at least that way the family can get around safely, other than that mod the hell outta everything else lol
Such a badass FJ with a lot of potential.
If you can handle it financially & make it a series, keep us updated & we'll come through with the views/likes and letting the ads play through🤙🏼
24K is a good deal even with the work you are having to put into it. Fix it and Dez will love you for it.
Don’t spread yourself to thin bro, it may be awesome to own multiple vehicles and toys but maintaining them or upgrades can consume all your money. In my book a thin wallet is just as bad as having erectidial disfunction
Once repaired this thing will run for many years. I got mine in 2008 for $4800 and I still love it. A car like this needs TLC and it helps if you can diagnose problems and do most fixes yourself. Mine will never look as good as yours but I bought it for its 4WD capabilities as I live at the top of a gnarly 4WD road.
The table was set on this one bud! I love my toys, but I love having a reliable vehicle even more. That comes with regular maintenance and not beating on them. I was cringing while you were thrashing in the Subaru. Almost like I knew it was your last vehicle and you didn’t. Go on and keep a vehicle or two you can hammer on, but stop jacking with your daily drivers man!
I’ve had my truck for 12 years. The first three were rough - too many repairs to list here. Very few issues over the next nine years. Sometimes perseverance does pay in sticking with a vehicle despite its issues.
Its a super sweet vehicle, tons of personality. IF... she really does love it, then it's worth it. BUT I'm guessing you are going to uncover a lot more expensive issues with it. Worth if if ya'll love it, but if not cut your losses.
Don’t be to hard on yourself. I happens to everyone. On the bright side you have a beautiful wife and kids.
I’d keep it and fix it up. It’s worth it in my opinion and will be worth a lot in the future if you ever choose to sell. You’re doing a great job Maxx keep it up!
Maxx, I have a 1989 FJ62 that I bought 18 years ago. 265,000 miles and still factory compression specs. The motor has never been opened but it's on it's second transmission. I drive it every day and smile every time I look at it. Best car I've ever owned in 54 years of driving. I have a 20 year old Q45 for when I want to drive fast. Hang in there, the Cruiser will become your best ride.
Lol, the smile on your face after you pull up in the Subi with the blowoff valve doing its thing was priceless.
I grew up in this exact same spec'd car... I might argue this is one of the coolest cars in existence. Its got a flippin' throttle lever for crawling... So great...
I had a 1984 Fj60 that I sold years ago and still regret not keeping it. Keep it.
That is such a tough position to be in. I've definitely been there before. I bought a diesel truck that ended up being a money pit, but had I had enough money to finish it, it would have been a great vehicle. Fj's are awesome vehicles, and if you can afford to fix it and get it reliable, it could be an amazing vehicle for your wife and family. It's just that initial cost that you have to get past. Plus, I believe it will most certainly gain value over the years. Any type of cool vintage toyota 4x4 will only increase in value over time....in my opinion. Good luck Max!
As a rule of thumb when you buy a used vehicle (especially one that has a potential for being used hard) always be ready to pay at least $3,000 for any kind of repairs and factor it into the price mentally and I to your budget. If your budget is 10k look for cars in the 5-8k range. It’s a used car and regardless of what anyone says you don’t know what’s been done to it. The only time you can really have any peace of mind buying a vehicle is buying new, because you also get the warranty that comes with it, and all the latest safety perks. I get you want your wife to be the hot baddy that drives a sweet rig but you have to remember you want a vehicle that will keep her and your kids as safe as possible in the worst collision you can imagine. I wanted to get my girl a new 4Runner but we settled for the new AWD Highlander because A) the 4Runner 10k markup is stupid af and B) that highlander has safety features up the ass crack. And is the smoothest ride I’ve driven in a while. The 4Runner didn’t even have back up sensors.
Depends how you use the car. There's a reason to everything. If you are using the car for groceries and soccer activities or travel comfort the highlander is best. But if you like to go off-road, the 4runner will do a better job.
@@genxiong2695 don’t sleep on the Highlander, you’d be surprised. Toyota’s AWD system is one of the best on the market. And I’ve got it into some hairy things and it’s impressive. Sure it’s no 4Runner, but I really doubt Maxx was going to rock bounce his wife’s car. Reliability should top anything else, he said it himself for weeks it was a 20k paper weight and he had to pay 2k to get it back home. And he can’t even find parts to fix it. Nobody HAS to go off-roading it’s an option if you have the means to do it and he has like 7 means not including what would be his wife’s car. It comes down to if it’s worth the hassle of dealing with constant repairs and thousands of dollars to suit likes and desires.
@@gablamo013 I was referring to your choice of the 4runner vs. Highlander (both are built different). I think my comments is every bit true. There's nothing wrong with the highlander. It's spacious and runs like butter. The 4runner runs like a truck. But each is designed for different purposes.
Your FJ62 looks like someone put a lot of time and effort into everything but the mechanical. Freshen up the mechanical and you'll be in a solid position. If you tire of the abysmal fuel economy or lack of power there's a plethora of engine/trans swap options at your disposal.
I have a cherry FJ62 surf wagon with 333k miles. I’m ready for a new engine and trans. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
I say it's a good purchase especially if it's a vehicle that the wife likes! Any used vehicle will have its issues and bugs to work out as you know!
Oh hey I have a like new factory shop manual for that rig if you're interested.
I had an 89, same issue. A bad u-joint can't be ignored. It will definitely wreck a transfer case. After that the head gasket went, a real lemon that I traded in on a new jeep. Loved the jeep, but in hindsight, I regret trading in the LC. Every time I see a FJ62, I wish I could find another, spend the money on a V8 drive train, all disc brakes, and OME suspension. Once you have this, everything falls into place. They are classics and that being said, they require costly restoration to bring satisfaction, as with all other classics. The 6cyl should have a modern head gasket that can handle the aluminum on steel issue. I hope you kept it, and I hope you have the money to do what's required, it's worth it. Good luck! My best advice to anyone that can score a nice FJ62 is to understand it may look like a long range traveler, but it's not. That requires the v8 mod with a well matched drive train. Check out LCRestore out of Kansas. if they have a V8 conversion they've completed, they might take yours in on trade.
Get in touch with cruiser outfitters they'll get you set up with what ever you need
I’m sure he’s been in contact with them too, they are such a good resource. But I’d toss Wit’s End’s name out there too. Not that he can get things others can’t but another good resource, possibly not too far away from you.
You ever thought about buying a stock suv and then not doing anything with it? Like just drive it normally, get regular maintenance done, resist the impulse to mod it and thrash it like you do with everything else?
Not complaining, love the content. Your pain is my entertainment unfortunately. I feel like given the choice everyone would prefer to watch someone else break their things as opposed to doing the breaking on their own stuff.
In any case, I forsee that thing being a money pit unless you do a complete engine and transmission swap, and even then...
Unfortunately, this was a really good 14,000 project but with this market, it tacked on 10k. Don't get frustrated by the setbacks. It could be an awesome family ride.
Depends on what you are wanting with your FJ (toy or daily diver). I think they are an awesome vehicle however speaking from past experiences older cars will cost money to fix and will be less reliable. I would not keep it as a daily driver for your wife though. You want her and the kids in a safe reliable car that won’t break down at any time and potentially put them in harms way. Tough decision, good luck!
Sounds like a long list of bad choices. To much money and impulsive buying. You buy a truck with a list of known safety issues... choose not to fix them. But, thought let me put my family in it and hope for the best lol.
Same I like his content and all but I sometimes I think he has a lot of “maxcidents” for content. I mean come on he has a raptor, Tacoma, and a subaru. Yet he beats the crap out of them. Where’s the maturity/responsibility for the family safety and convenience to have a good vehicle
Agreed. I've watched his channel for a long time but this isn't a stand alone bad decision - it's an a culmination of many decisions. Dude needs to sell some of his automotive mistakes and buy his wife a dependable vehicle.
One thing I can tell you guys is that I've never faked a "Maxxident" however I have been responsible for some poor decisions in the past as we all have. I just put them online. I'm spread thin on a good day and don't usually have the luxury if time to worry about every possible outcome. In this situation, it was either skip seeing my depressed mom on Christmas or leave the dogs outside and hope fot the best. Something to note is that I do not have an ordinary life whatsoever so I'm not one to make ordinary decisions. Our life is fast paced and kinda wild and because we are doing something every day instesd of working regular jobs like most people, shit happens to us quite frequently. It sucks but it's also the reason we can afford to do everything we do. My wife sold her regular reliable stock car because she never drove it. She goes to Costco and the gym or she drives one of my trucks. She doesn't want a modern boring reliable car she wants something unique like she is. This was the first car SHE wanted and so I bought it for her. Videos of the Landcruiser will pay for the landcruiser and she understands that, that's why I didn't get her something normal.
@@Maxx.Powell don't even bother justifying your decisions to people on here. Take a gander through the comments for any useful info or tips but don't even fucking bother with anyone saying anything negative about your choices. Nobody lives your life but you. God bless brother. Much love from Canada 🇨🇦.
I know your pain. About a month ago I bought an 87 Toyota Pickup with 75,000 miles, super clean inside and out. When I checked it out, only thing that I questioned was a very subtle idle surge.
But I assumed it would be the spark plugs, and would be ready to go.
So I bought it, got new spark plugs the day after I bought it. Thought it did the trick until the next morning, white smoke blowing from the exhaust.
Drove it to work, for a couple weeks praying that it was the valve stem seals, but my praying didn’t work, because unbeknownst to me, the truck sat for a long time, hence the low mileage. So it happened to have a blown head gasket, leaking freeze plugs. The whole engine had to be pulled, and apparently it was all gunked up with old coolant and oil and coolant mix.
So now, I’m waiting for the bill, which will probably be $3500. Sick to my stomach, and bummed because I thought I bought an awesome truck, that’ll last for 25 more years.
But now I’m left with an awesome truck that’ll last forever but not without heartache and a fortune of a mechanic bill.
But like others have said, even with all the heartache, that old Landcruiser is a gem. And even if it may result in some more fine tune repairs down the line, it will run forever, and be a great family car, and an epic head turner.
I feel you. Bought an 88 Toyota pickup last year and have spent more fixing it than I paid for the damn thing. I love it but feel I could love something else more
My sister had an 83 or maybe 84. Standard transmission. Loved that truck. Most solid vehicle I've every driven. In my opinion, it's not my choice for long road trips. Road very rough and low geared, max about 70mph. Having said that I had a surveyor that worked for me that drove one for work, large roof rack on the roof for his equipment. Drove it back and forth from Montana to South Texas several times.
The truck is straight and well kept. Unfortunately those kind of things happen and unexpected. I have bought lemons in the past, but I end up fixing it myself. You will never know the history of any car unless you come across a book of recites from Toyota or Local mechanic shop. No matter what I buy, either from the dealer or private sellers, I go through the truck/car from front to back. That’s just the mechanic in me. Honestly I would bit the bullet and keep the truck after all this because, 1: it’s your wife’s truck 2: it will be reliable for your wife and family. It will be the most reliable truck that you guys have out of all your vehicles. It’s job is to go from point A to B. Providing you leave it stock! 🤙🏾
I’ve been in your position Max. Here’s the good news. You can fix this LC with the help of a good mechanic and keep all the records and sell it repaired and get most of your money back if not all of it. List it everywhere including here in Colorado. No rust and rare vehicle. I just sold out 2006 LC that had 230k on it for $22k. Your vehicle is more rare and if everything is fixed you’ll get upper 20’s. My wife now drives a 2011 LX570 and it’s bulletproof.
I also pulled the trigger on a really nice fj62. Half way home from Santa Cruz to Reno after picking it up the tranny puked at Colfax in the sierras. Luckily my wife was behind me, so we got home and went back the next day to trailer it home. After a rebuild, 4.88 gears, tires and a bunch of other stuff, I could not get it so stop leaking around the windshield a-pillar. Went back and forth between glass shops and body shops, but no one could stop the leak. Cut my loss and sold it before it just rusted away from the leak. Love the look, but would never buy another.
Man I can tell the wifey gets so pissed at max 😆 I don't see how you manage it brother my wife would kick me to the curb! Be careful making purchases in the future love the content! Best wishes!
Those things are definitely valuable. The problem with any vehicle of any age right now is obviously parts...if you can find the right mechanic someone that knows those vehicles really well and go thru it mechanically is your best bet
I bought a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 hemi back in September of 2020. All was well with the car, ticking hemi noise was minimal and I was excited to finally have a car that can tow. 700 miles later in October the engine blew up…. Lifters, cams and the whole bottom end blew up. My wife and I spent most of our savings on this car, because we got rid of a 2018 Tiguan monthly payment so we could apply for a house loan. It blew and we ended up spending 12,500 dollars on a brand new jeggs engine with 100,000 mile warranty. Now I’m in debt to my father and my wife’s parents who bailed us out thankfully but that one hurt. I kept it because it’s still one of my favourite vehicles and it’s more then proved it’s self towing a 87 bronco II from vegas to central Washington and also towing my recent purchase, a 1984 Porsche 944 resto project from Spokane. Hope it goes well for you Max.
Keep it. Fix it, love it. Once you get it lined out and enjoy it. You had the warning signs when you bought it and hoped for the best but it didn’t work out. Its as clean as pin.
I have the exact same 89 Landcruiser (also in mint condition). I just now came across your video because it won't shift past 2nd gear. At least the truck is at home and I can start troubleshooting it. I hadn't thought about the supply chain issues for getting parts. Thats gonna put a kink in my plans!
I will actually have a really nice spare automatic transmission after I get this all done. I bought one and then got a really good package deal on some stuff but it's all or nothing so I'll have a spare if you need it let me know! @maxxpowell.media@gmail.com
Keep your heads up you will get through it and believe it or not if you get the land cruiser up and it’s a plus for the wifey and family and great content for the channel. It will pay off 👍🏽
You don't see many people daily driving old Land Cruisers like this and while I applaud you for purchasing one, I would definitely recommend baselining it first. Bringing it to a shop and having it checked out most likely would have revealed these issues. Anyways, I wish you the best of luck and if this one doesn't work out I hope to see you in another Land Cruiser at some point.
I can understand the stress associated with buying an older vehicle. From my experience, buying a 30+ year old jeep, and having to pull the engine, pull the transmission multiple times, replace nearly every seal, and it not be perfect yet.
If you love the vehicle, it's worth it. I am working on building my own business, and so is my wife. We have NO extra money, but we both agree if we love it and it is genuinely something we enjoy, keep it. Muddle through the BS and you will have the dream in the end.
Out of all languages you decided to speak facts
I had a 91 LC. The car had 2 owners and every single service record.
Every oil change was documented, every single thing ever done was professionally done and documented.
Got it for a steal of a deal.
To date that car cost me more than any vehicle. I think those old LC are nice to have if you have a shop, free time and money. Daily driving isn’t supper practical. At the end of the day it’s an old car and even though they still run, they still need a lot of work.
Wanted to add it was hard finding parts for the 91 I had and that was a year before Covid.
Its been sooooooo hard finding parts. I didn't anticipate it being quite so bad.
It's going to be worth a lot in the future, the solid axle LCs only go up and up in value. If it was me, have a toyota or LC specialty shop fix it when you get the money for it. Shops that don't know them never do a great job with big repairs. Seriously that truck is an investment fix it right and you will only fix it once, it will pay you back and it will be just as reliable as brand new. Talk to Gary Kardum at Mudrak custom cruisers in Sonoma CA. All he does is cruisers and will at least give you solid advise. He put lockers in my 4Runner for me.
I really hope he reads your comment and seriously considers it!!
Twenty years ago, when I was stationed at Fort Benning, GA with the 3ID, I snuck home to Muncie, Indiana while on RF1. While home, I bought a 1976 J series two door Cherokee that kinda ran. I did a quick tune up and headed back south with an inoperable fuel gauge and a pinhole leak in the radiator. About an hour south of Muncie, the radiator started pissing coolant like an open faucet. Had to have it towed back to Muncie. Headed back to post where I ordered a new radiator.
Two weeks later, snuck home again. Swapped radiators and headed south, stopping every hour during the 960 mile drive to top off fuel. Got to quarters three hours before Monday PT. Slept. Started the Cherokee to head to formation and it wouldn’t move in any gear.
Changed trans oil and filter and it operated fine for about two months. Ended up just changing oil every two months for two years until I sold it when I ETS’d. Always had a great time in that truck and never got stuck with the Quadratrack and 33’s. Wish I could post a picture here.
Keep the Toyota. Sell the sitting projects.
Drove an FJ60 for 13 years as my only car. Perfect.
It’s always worse when you’re under a time crunch. Everything costs more. I would get one of the other vehicles road worthy and park the Land Cruiser and make a game plan on your terms. Find a local guy that will work with you. This will be a fantastic vehicle when you get these problems sorted out.
Super solid advice. The fact that we don't have a truck right now is the main reason we are stressed about this thing breaking down. Otherwise a transmission is not a huge deal
I own a 1992 fj80 converted with a 12HT diesel engine. I bought it 8 years ago thinking it would be super reliable. But every time we went on vacation with the familly, something happened. So I had a perforated fuel filter, blocked fuel filter in the tank, lost of a wheel at highway speed, broken spring on the clutch while 1000km from home, cracked rear sub-body (tailgate area) over the years. It took long hours and quite a lot of $$$ to repair the hole thing. Even after all the misadventures, I would not let the LC go away.
Sending good vibes. I think you should ultimately keep it.
It’s too late now max. We’re stubborn creatures make that damn thing work and keep the old lady happy lol it’s an awesome rig I don’t think you’ll get your money back let alone break even best off to keep it once she’s fixed y’all will love it especially the mrs.
Oh could sell it. I've had offers already. But she loves it and it's a fun project
@@Maxx.Powell I don’t blame her that thing is awesome plus once it’s all fixed you’ll be good for another 200k
Give or take a few maxxidents here and there 😂 I didn’t think I’d see someone have worse luck than me but I think you’re beating me
Congratulations on your beautiful Land Cruiser. Likely you're already enjoying it up and running. Transmission and transfer case rebuild on an older vehicle is no surprise. With your rebuilt transmission and transfer case, you have a reliable SUV that you will enjoy for years to come. I'm still enjoying my 1983 FJ60 with over 296,000 miles. It's my most reliable vehicle that hasn't let me down. Mine has a Cummins 4BT, NV4500 5-speed and spring-over-axle lift. It's simple, inspiring confidence with its lack of electronics, and 22 MPG too.
Real talk. You bought a 30 year old car. It’s gonna need an overhaul, some cars of that vintage will need more than others, but they will all need work. That being said, these fj62 are appreciating in value very fast. So if you rebuild it it’s not like you’ll lose money, eventually you will make a profit assuming you take care of it.
Exactly!
Don’t get rid of the vibes bro!! Landcruiser all day! Get it to where you can take it to a Landcruiser specialist shop. Landcruiser NW in Portland is spot on man, super cool guys
This a clean land cruiser yes some stuff needs work but its very clean looks the be a very good buy just fix it correctly dont cut corners I think you will be happy and she will also
Wow Max that’s interesting it looks clean if it’s just the transmission and transfer case go ahead and rebuild it, that is kind of expensive $24,000 but sometimes you just gotta look at it this way shit happens and when it’s gonna happen it’s all gonna happen at once. If Desiree likes the vehicle keep it happy wife happy life, i’m just a little note stick with one project at a time it might be easier on your stress level take one thing fix it up and it’s done then go to the next thing I know that’s hard to say I always get about 98% done with the project and then move on I am getting better at it though boys are sure getting big ok 👌🏼🔥🤠🔥Camping Russ out
You said 24k is kind of expensive. I am looking to buy a FJ62 diesel 4.0 manual with 500k kilometers in Turkey. It doesn't look as good as this truck in the video but it has decent interior, front seats are replaced with corolla seats has A/c and front disc brakes looks stock no off road lift kits etc. I am having hard time figuring out the value of the trucks. There is not much FJ62 in Turkey and most of them heavy off roaders with expensive stuff on them they look like coming out of a Paris Dakar. I am only interested in that particular one because it is mostly stock and diesel which goes million kilometers. How much would a truck like I describe worth in the US ?
Buying a old Land Cruiser is better than winning a lottery. A thing of beauty
Definitely not a bad buy. Fix things up as it breaks. Restore it. And love it for many more years to come.
This LC is no lemon it was talking to you on the test drive and you didn't listen. Take care of it and it will run forever.
I love lemonade…!
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I bought a 03’ 100 series last year with 330k miles… paid $26,000….
Already lifted and a most capable and comfortable family battle wagon / bug out rig.
I’m happy with my purchase and you will be too once it’s sorted.
It should be appreciating in value and I hope you get time to enjoy it.
No Regrets..!
Peace out
Might take time to get back up and running. It will be worth it. Cruisers are for keeps man. It looks great and once you button it up you’ll be glad you did. Do it for Des.
I think it would be worth the investment because of you replace the parts with good or original replacement parts the truck will then be back to almost like new shoot you repaired correctly and then you can really enjoy the vehicle for the next 20 years
Now you have to keep it because you will never replace it with another one because of how clean yours is
4 or 5 speed swap it... no more trans issues. I will say I have had a 3FE FJ80 and had a similar story, Car broke down twice on 2 different trips, everything that the previous owner redid had to be redone due to done poorly, Because of this my wife hated the 80 and we ended up selling it... Still I pushed it out of the stables before having gone through it, So what I learned is to drive it more closer to home and make a list of what to fix.. then fix anything that is not right!
Things happen all the time, fix it and carry on and enjoy it. I'd definitely just keep it at this point and in a few years if you decide to sell it There is always a market for these. Once it's up and running you'll get that feeling back on why you bought it
it's going to work out fine. Put some love & care in, some optimism and perseverance... it will pay off.
You'll fix it up and your going to love it, just spent little more then you wanted that's all. Once its running and usable its going to be worth more to you then a resale. Good luck I just bought a car i could have done better buying too but going to be an awesome one of a kind car at the end of the day and that's a great feeling.
You need to get in touch with the guys at Land Cruiser Haven in Hagerstown, MD. Basically the only thing they do is Land Cruisers. From restorations to simple maintenance, he's the guy. Also has locations in Florida, Columbia, and UAE. Send the cruiser to him, and it will be fixed right the first time.
Bro im a poor asf college student making 17hr as a phelbotomist and just purchased a 88 civic for 3k with a 5speed and was super excited! and it was running perfect when I bought it and you gotta remember im poor asf so im out 3k and now my civic thats supposed to be super realiable probably needs a new engine so im feeling ya man but keep up the vids and remember you got a raptor, tacoma, sti and a amazing house awesome family! I would die for your life man keep up the vids brother your friken awesome! 🔥
Man It took me 3 years to restore my fj…its worth restoring it. You’ll even sell it for a better price. I’ve been looking for that rare beast and they are going up in value…once you get that fixed, with well maintenance…that will surpass all vehicles now a days. DON’T SELL IT.👍
I still dont get why you dont have more subs, I literally look out for your videos every week and think they are done very well. Crazy the youtube algorithm doesnt spread it more.
i owned a fj 62 here in Australia for 17 years ...abit different to the American fj 62s mine was the 3f engine 5 speed Manal trans ...for one thing with yours i get rid of the over size Tyres they will just chew your auto trans out go back to 31 inch the sixty series like this size and don't struggle .....also the 3fe engine has fuel drinking problems and are prone for blowing cylinder heads ...i wish u luck i have since upgraded to a manual 80 series 1hz diesel seems to be a good vehicle so far.....here in Australia....
I had an 89 FJ62 in highschool. It was a great rig. I had mine built out with 4.88s and 37s. Transmission went out as well. Honestly the transmission is the weak point on the 62s.The engine is bullet proof though. I had to change out the water pump at 300k miles and just did regular maintenance on it until I decided to sell it. The EFI system is sick and if you pair that with an H55F transmission it really makes the rig soo much more reliable. The H55F swap would be my go to to get rid of the auto. There is just something with the early Toyota automatics that had some issues. The good news is you bought a vehicle that will continue to appreciate in value if you keep it stock. We have bought and sold many Land Cruisers and ones we were picking up for $3k 10 years ago would easily be $20k rigs now in good shape. Don't build it and you have a good investment. Keep the purist mind set and know there is a buyer out there that will pay top dollar and arrange shipping for the right rig. We used to import and sell old Cruisers and we were amazed at how much some of these guys were willing to pay.
The land cruiser is awesome. Invest in having a great vehicle you'll love. It'll be worth it.
Side note: maybe you should slim down to one reliable vehicle for yourself. IMO, I'd sell the Tacoma, raptor, and the STI, and get the new tundra. That combined with the land cruiser may provide your family some much needed stability. You'll still have the old yota and the side by side to play with.
Agreed, Land Cruisers are such an iconic truck and will hold its value, the new tundra is also such a sweet looking ride. Having an old and a new Toyota truck in your garage could also be content for a future video!
Might I suggest looking into a Lexus GX 470 or 460. It’s modern and reliable. And is not underpowered as it comes standard with a V8. Most used ones have never been driven off road as they’re soccer mom grocery getters. Theres also a whole community of people who build them up called GXOR. Plus it’s technically part of the land cruiser family as they’re called a land cruiser prado everywhere else but the United States. Also the GXOR community is fantastic. They were a big selling point for me to go get one. Random strangers have asked for help on Facebook and another GX enthusiast have come and help them. And it’s quite often to see it in that community. That type of community could have really eased your troubles and saved money regarding the tow situation. Anyway I can’t wait to see the end result of this LC build. An LS swapped 60 series is the dream for me. Maybe one day haha.
Call Cruiser Outfitters if you can’t get parts for the t-case. Moving forward if you need parts your first call should be to them.
The FJ62's weak link is the Trans cooler. The FJ80 kept the same tranny, AF440, just put in a better cooler...problem solved. I picked up my 62 with a bad Trans for $3K, rebuilt the Trans for $2K, put on some KO2's, and it's been my daily driver for 3 years. They're great.
I bought a 1991 extended cab 4x4 Toyota a few years back. It was pretty rough and it had a hard life. Terrible body lift, clutch was toast, tranny leaked, motor had a rod knock and check engine light… sure I’m forgetting some stuff.
Anyhow, that was THE truck I wanted so I bought it. I put a lot of money into it and fixed everything wrong and had a great truck.
I think you should keep it. I got rid of that truck and every time I see one on the road, I wish I still had it. Once you get it sorted, it should be good to go. Plus it’s old enough you can work on it yourself.
Just my opinion, rock on bud! 🤘🏻
Get the trans and transfer case fixed and put some miles on it. If it performs well for a few thousand miles hang on to it. I wouldn't have spent 24k on it but that doesn't mean it was a terrible buy and also hindsight is 20/20 easy to say now you over paid after we know the transmission and transfer case need to be rebuilt. Good luck, keep you head up. You'll get it all sorted out! I've been there before. Bought a 5 year old diesel truck (2005 duramax) years back with super low miles, very clean etc etc. Paid a whole bunch of money for it and within 5k miles the transmission took a dump. $5,000 bucks later I had it rebuilt with a much stronger setup. Kept the truck for 10 years and 175,000 more miles with very little issues.
These LANDCRUISERs are amazing , If you can get one , that's great 👍 . I've never seen or heard what you're experiencing !
If that's any consolidation .
Kind Regards
Put the H55F 5-speed in it and it will be more alive then it ever has and be a joy to drive. It's a great looking truck.
I wish my wife was more interested in driving a manual. I've been teaching her snd she can drive in her own but she doesn't like it at all 😄
Hang in there Max! I feel it was a good purchase and a great gesture. Everything will work out in the end,and you and Dez will look back one day and laugh about it. Plus it makes for a great story!
Oh, the warped rotor issue is due to low buck pads/rotors - common issue with the Toyota SUV's. I went with EBC on the front and a full stop tech HD kit for the rear, stops as smooth as any new vehicle now.
After owning a FJ60 myself, my suggestion is to LS swap. I spent $8000 in a rebuilt engine and 5 speed transmission. It was still slow, still leaked, still had no power. I would probably still be driving it if i had V8!swapped it. And it probably would have cost the same.
Sell it my man. You’ve got so many projects on your plate, projects we’d like to watch you see through! Set the wife up with some this SHE wants, like another Subaru or something. Stay positive, re focus and move forward.
Hoping the new transmission, transfer case, and rotors solve all the problems and the truck makes Des proud and happy about it again
Been there bro! Imo, just fix it! It's worth it.