I sold the mustang last night and want to come back to a toyota of some sort. I really want a new 4 door taco but can't justify the nearly $30,000 price tag, i really hate car payments and haven't had one in awhile and would prefer not to get one, this also rules out most 01-04 double cabs as they seem to be holding their value really well. thay being said it looks like i am going to keep wheeling and dealing for the time being and making a buck here and there until i can get what i really want.

two current prospects are:
1997 Lexus LX450
loaded except lockers
good shape carfax shows 2 owners was in a light wreck in 2000 but a nice job was done repairing it.
122,000 miles and it can be mine for around $10,500

or

1998 4runner sr5 4x4
black w/tan leather
122,000 miles good shape
absolutely loaded out for an sr5 (has everything my limited had but the flares)
it can be mine for $8000

that being said they both need a good clean up job and the LX450 needs the air charged up, it blows cool but not cold, both run really well. any opionions on which their may be some money left in?

the 4runners seem to have really dropped in value lately. i had a hard time selling mine that was significantly modded (not always a good thing) but in excellent shape for $9100 a few months back, granted it did have 150,000 miles on it but it ran perfect. the lx's/land cruisers seems to be holding their value well but have also seemed to really take a hit recently value wise.

 

44Runner

 

my only 2 qualms with the 44runner is that i just got rid of someone else's project and don't want to get into another one. (i am not trying to imply anything about dave or his work as i am yet to see it and the fact that he is still driving it 2-3 years after the swap makes me believe it is quality) but the car that i just sold was a project that was supposed to be "finished" when i got it and $3,000 later it still wasn't to my satisfaction.

the other is that i have owned a "trail rig" before and it is much more fun thrashing on that instead of your daily driver. i had no problems with my last 4runner other than clearance on anything i ran at tellico but the thought of putting a nice dent or something on a nice daily driver really take a lot of the fun out of wheeling.

that being said, i have loved the 44runner for a long time and almost bought it over a year ago when he first started talking about selling it. we'll see what happens.

 

Yeah I can see your qualms about it. I would love to have it, but since I have put so much into mine, it just doesn't warrant me selling mine. Plus for now my wife drives it also-although I'm gonna have to buy her a car in a few months when the baby comes. My 4runner is not a daily driver for either of us, b/c we both have company vehicles-she will lose hers when the baby arrives. But I like to keep mine not all torn up b/c I have been that route when I used to race cars. Not knowing if your vehicle will make it to and back from where you're going is not something I want to deal with anymore and the fact that I love to modify but I hate to fix stuff.

 

Hey, Bratik was advertising a nice looking FJ80 on here:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60763

 

Don't forget that 80s and 450s are gas hogs, suspension parts are almost twice as expensive, and the poor gas mileage (then add larger tires)

I know you know all of this. I want an LC BADLY, but it is REAL hard to justify considering all the travleing I do.

I can live with 17-19 MPG on the interstate w/ an s/c

BUT 13-15 highway for an 80/450.....It is a personal prefernce. I am not saying don't get the 450 b/c of gas, just that is a factor.

I know the 80s last forever, I just have a hard time paying over 10k for a rig with 100k+ and no lockers.

Don't forget about the knuckle rebuild

 

if i got the lx it wouldn't be for a wheeling rig. i much prefer a trailrig over wheeling my daily driver. that is why i want the new tacoma 6,000 lbs towing capacity with a factory installed class 4 hitch.

 

Having both an Extra Cab Taco(soon to be a D-cab Taco), and a 4Runner, The D-cabs seem to have more room between the back seats and the front seats. I'd have to actually get a tape measure out to really find the difference. With the size of car seats today i can't fit my girls carseat (infant carrier) behind my seat when driving the 4Runner. It's just too damn big. I'll have to try it in the Taco when i get the body on the chassis. Also i like having a seperate cargo area (bed) to haul junk, and not have to worry about messing up the interior.

I looked at some FJ-80's and decided against them mostly due to the high repair costs and the low fuel mileage... You are right the price of 4Runners and LCs have come down in the last year, i think mostly due to gas prices. most people are downgrading to more fuel efficient cars. And depending on how much you drive it may be a factor in your decision. Both the Taco and the 4Runner don't get driven much because my wife's honda accord still "Fits" the whole family and still gets 25MPG.

If you want a D-cab Taco, and can wait a few more months, I think prices are going to come down when the 06's are released. Especially the D-cabs. since the new ones come with an optional 6 speed, and are bigger and more powerful...

Steve

 

I really want an 05, i found pretty much the exact truck i want, 05 dub cab short bed trd sport package 4x4 (i am at a toss between the two trd package i don't need the locker as i don't plan on doing any serious wheeling and i think the limited slip will be fine and work better on road) it is red and only has 7,000 miles and could probably be bought used for around $25,000. i am just not sure if i can justify the car payment to get myself in it.

then i will just build another samurai or something small that can easily be towed by the taco.

only problem is...the world isn't perfect.

 

Id go with the 4Runner. The Lexus is way too nice to take off-road. The 450 is a nice rig, but its more of a "cruisin' for chicks" kinda machine.
Cap'n

 

i am starting to think that no one really reads the post the LX wouldn't be an off-road rig and most likely neither would the 4runner. i was just trying to see if anyone thought there would be any money left in the 4runner or the LX. if i want a 4runner to take offroad i would definitely buy the 44runner. one of the many cases of cheaper to buy built than build.

 

If you build a Sammy for offroad, then either vehicle would tow it just fine. I would probably get the 4Runner b/c it's cheaper and if it does break then parts are abundant and cheaper. Evene if you're not building an offroad vehicle and what you buy won't be going offroading, then I would get the 4Runner for the same reasons and b/c it will get better gas mileage.

 

how much does your camper weight out of curiosity? i won't be doing a ton of towing but want to be able to stop safely with whatever i get. i know that towing cars with a tow dolly in my last 4runner would really give the brakes a hard time.

 

The camper weighs about 3500 to 3700 pounds. Add to that all the offroading equipment I have, the built in storage box in the back, bigger tires and fullsize spare and I'm sure that I'm pushing the GCWR for my 4Runner which I think is 9200 lbs. I also have the smaller front brakes b/c mine came with the 15" wheels. The key to stopping is definitely having an electric brake controller, I went with the Prodigy:

http://www.rvpartscenter.com/Product...DID=100&CID=50

If you're towing a lot, then definitely get this thing and a trailer that has electric brakes. I also have a friction sway controller on camper and I get no sway at all even on the interstate at 65mph:

http://www.rvpartscenter.com/Product...P=FindaProduct

I guess the only other things you would want are of course the tranny cooler if it's an auto and a better set of rear springs and shocks or airbags.

Marz Z (zman2day) towed his '85 4Runner on 35's to Tellico on a dual axle U-Haul trailer with his 3rd gen on 33x12.50 Swampers and 4.88 gears (auto). he said it did fine, but b/c the trailer had surge brakes and not electric brakes and no sway control that speed was limited to around 55 mph. He's also supercharged though, but that trailer combined with the '85 was probably well over the 5000 lb tow rating.

I was skeptical about how mine would tow the new camper, but after doing it I'm not worried anymore. Mine is a 5spd with 4.88 gears and 285's. I get a little sag in the back with the OME 891's and OME HD shocks but it's not too bad. My hitch weight with the camper is around 350 to 400 pounds. I'm sure my clutch will wear out much faster (Installed a new Marlin clutch with the gears) but I guess that's part of it.

 

Here's a 4Runner to check out. It already has the tranny cooler and an upgraded valve body. It should be ready to tow. Plus it appears exceptionally clean and well taken care of with some good looking wheels. Add an electric brake controller and you'd be ready to go.:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...t=4runner+sale

Edit: I just noticed that it already has the aibags in the rear, limited slip rear, and addco swaybars. It appears to be a great setup to tow.

 

Or spend 10k-11k on a 4r with less miles and just drive the crap out of it. Not knocking the one for $8000, just giving another example using the same $$$ you would spend on an LX.

 

There's some misinformation in this thread regarding the 80 series Land Cruiser/LX450, the suspension is much cheaper and easier to lift than a IFS 4runner, parts are not really more expensive, and the vehicle, engine, and suspension will almost definitely outlast a 4runner. If you can afford the extra gas $$$, I see no reason to get the 4runner instead of the LX. If you check out ih8mud.com you will see that the LX can do very well offroad,stock vs. stock probably better than the 4r, with two solid axles the LX does have some advantage, 33"-34" tires fit w/stock suspension, etc. I believe the LX will do better in resale if that is your concern.

 

great make it easier for me to get an 80, thanks....j/k
good point.

 

Yeah after owning an 80, I can't wait to go back to one. The 2nd gen 4r is just too small, and not quite as solid as the LC, not to say the 4r isn't a good vehicle, just not the one for me. I might feel different comparing an 80 series to a 3rd or 4th gen 4r, (but I don't think so ).

 

in these two vehicles i was more concerned with resale value. if i wanted an 80 to wheel i would have bought the one available last week with 33's for $5,000. looking at these two vehicles i was simply going to purchase one and drive it until i sold it. i will probably end up passing on both of them for now or i may end up with the LX.