Tell me about Land Cruiser 80s (and Lexus LX450s)

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
10/28/2013 at 12:41 • Filed to: None

My winter beater search continues. As a refresher, here are my criteria:

Good ground clearance
Good towing capacity
Full-time 4wd/awd with a real center differential (plus the more LSDs or lockers the better)
ABS
Not gigantic
Halfway decent mileage

I found this here Lexus LX450 (a.k.a. mildly spiffed up Land Cruiser 80) with 193k miles on the clock. I've always kinda digged how these these and the equivalent-year Land Cruiser 80 look. The dealer's asking $5k but Edmunds claims dealer price should be $2650.

Any major issues I should be on the lookout for?

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

DISCUSSION (33)

SkarTisu > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:45

$5000? Book price of $2650?! What the eff. That's 1/3 the money I'm seeing them for on eBay, although my research on prices has just started.

Textured Soy Protein > SkarTisu
10/28/2013 at 12:46

Well don't buy this one, it's mine!

Maybe the price is because of 193k miles?

Baber K. Khan > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:46

I think the price depends on the condition. And this looks good. Good luck.

Nibby > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:47

They're reliable, bulletproof, and great in snow. Their engines are slightly underpowered by today's standards and good examples are expensive. Make sure you find one without much rust and DEFINITELY have the frame looked at.

SkarTisu > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:48

Haha...no worries. I'm fixated on 96-02 4Runners instead. The mileage certainly explains it to an extent. Values for these appear to be all over the place.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:49

I own one. It is the love of my life. Hate to see them treated as a beater. That said, this price is good as long as its in good shape (you didn't mention the mileage). These run to 300,000 miles without issue. Gas mileage is god awful. 9-10 city 15-16 highway.

Collin > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:50

A friend had the Toyota version. Unless something like rust, frame damage, or lack of an engine really throws up red flags, I say go for it.

Your boy, BJR > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:52

Biggie raps about one in "Hypnotize" so assuming you're not a west coast guy that could be a plus. "Frank White push the sticks/on the Lexus LX four-and-a-half/bulletproof glass tints if I want some ass"

Textured Soy Protein > SkarTisu
10/28/2013 at 12:53

I'm also open to a 4Runner. If I were to get one I want the multi-mode 4wd which is I think on the '99-'02 Limited. Just haven't found the right example for the right price near me.

getchapopcorn > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:53

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Lan…

there is a toyota with 60k less miles in absolute pristine nick for 5k too.

Textured Soy Protein > Your boy, BJR
10/28/2013 at 12:54

I'm in Madison, WI.

North coast what what.

Your boy, BJR > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 12:54

Holla holla get-a-dolla

Textured Soy Protein > getchapopcorn
10/28/2013 at 12:56

Definitely looks nice, only problem is it's 1500 miles away from me.

Textured Soy Protein > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/28/2013 at 12:58

Well, by "beater" I mean "the car I'll drive when it's snowing so I can leave my BMW 135is in the garage." It will be well cared for, at least within that scope.

193k miles on this one.

Ted Ladue > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:02

That price looks to be on point.

I have a 95 Toyota version and love it. It is a beast off-road. They overbuilt these things, so there are rather indestructible. Which makes them heavy and they really drink a lot of gas.

Ted Ladue > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/28/2013 at 13:02

You planning on doing the diesel swap?

Ted Ladue > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:04

Depends what you want the truck to do for you. The 4Runners need a little more help to make them match the 80 offroad. On road, though, likely a smoother ride.

EL_ULY > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:09

every time i see those it reminds me of the gallons of blood i'd loose slicing my fingers changing the antenna masts lol (ex Lexus master tech). At $5000 it must be in very good shape, not a beater vehicle at all. Look it over very well for rust. Make sure the range gear box if functioning perfect including the center diff lock. Check all hoses and seals. Those electronic tilt and telescoping steering columns were a little troublesome as well. Try to find out as much as possible about all fluids including all diffs. Make sure all seat functions electrical and mechanical are working. Make sure everything that has a service grease fitting has been greased. Besides that, i'd personally would love to own one some day. I've seen those monsters do things that would put the IFS vehicle that followed to shame. In Lexus form, they are basically a very comfortable...

Kinja'd!!!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:10

Spring chicken. Depending on how it was maintained it could have some minor issues- power steering pump, bad axle seals, O2 sensors. Nothing major should be due though from another 50,000 miles.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Ted Ladue
10/28/2013 at 13:11

Funny you should ask. I spent two hours last night reading a 33 page forum post of 6BT cummins swaps. I will probably start procuring parts shortly and aim to do the swap next winter.

J. Walter Weatherman > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:28

I have one and I adore it. Capable, comfortable, gorgeous, reliable. There are no major problem areas with these vehicles, they are pretty much the pinnacle of the engineering that Toyota earned its reliability reputation with. The only real drawback that I can think of is the crappy gas mileage (I probably average around 12mpg).

As long as there are no significant mechanical problems with this one, $5k is a very fair price, even with that many miles (and good luck finding one with significantly less miles for anything even approaching that price). That Edmunds price quote is just stupid - that would be about what you would pay for a non-running 80 Series.

Get a good pre-purchase inspection and if it comes back relatively clean, buy it and don't think twice.

JD's Wagoneer has EFI Envy > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:33

Suggestion: Mitsubishi Montero '95-98 in SR trim or 99-00 w/ winter package. It ticks pretty much all your boxes: center diff lock, rear air locker, good towing AND it gets better mileage than the LandCruiser, and its likely to be cheaper too.

Textured Soy Protein > JD's Wagoneer has EFI Envy
10/28/2013 at 13:44

I did actually look at Monteros but haven't found many. How does the center diff behave when driving in regular 4Hi mode? I want to be able to drive around on snowy roads with 4wd but unlocked center diff.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 13:46

Two other nit pick sort of things to look at. Make sure the windows work well. With age and cold weather they tend to not work very well - there are remedies available for this but its not exactly fun work. Also check and see if the sunroof leaks. Another annoying thing that happens with age. There are so shade tree mechanic fixes such as sealing it up with silicone that work pretty well. Otherwise you pretty much have to replace the whole thing.

Anon > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 14:08

My mom owns a 2010 lexus gx 460. In my opinion it's overpriced for what you get and she should of bought a range rover. I know absolutely nothing about the old ones.

Textured Soy Protein > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/28/2013 at 15:07

How would I go about checking for sunroof leaks? Any tell-tale signs of where the water would be leaking in?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Textured Soy Protein
10/28/2013 at 15:20

The easiest way to test it is to go through a car was or get a hose out. A combination of the drains in the sunroof gutter clogging and the seal around the glass drying out/shrinking cause the problem. Usually the water runs down the A pillar and dampens the foot-wells.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech…

Ted Ladue > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/28/2013 at 16:14

I've read a bit about it and it doesn't look like the easiest swap! I'm not stranger to swaps, having had 5VZ swapped into my 88 4Runner and most recently a 1.8L in 1.6L Miata.

How hard do you think it'll be? My FZJ80 has 250K on the clock...so might need something in the near future.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Ted Ladue
10/28/2013 at 16:51

Well for the 6BT there seem to be two different options. There is a 12v 6BT swap using the standard A44* Toyota transmission. Jonsey's off road pioneered this set up and you can see lots of videos on the internet regarding its development. For most 80's owners this would require a transmission rebuild since they have over 250k on the clock. This kit isn't quite on sale yet. It will be sold through http://dieseladapters.com/CUMMINS_AC_SOL… .

This should be pretty plug and play. The conversion kit they are going to sell will include everything- engine mounts, AC connectors, accessory relocation brackets, etc. Also the 12v 6BT is all mechanical so no annoying wiring.

Now the other option which I am more fond of but requires quite a bit more fabrication would use the same 6BT but use a 5 speed manual dodge transmission -NV4500. They already make an adapter to connect this transmission to the Toyota differential. It is unclear how useful the kit I mentioned above will be for this swap. My hope is that many of the same plug and play components will be sold separately and that this too will be a fairly simple swap.

If someone is providing all the little connection pieces that always take for ever when doing these swaps I think they will be much more appealing to shade tree mechanics like ourselves.

Ted Ladue > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/30/2013 at 11:31

Man you sent me down a rabbit hole! It would be sweet to have the manual, for sure. Are you thinking Cummins for ease of maintenance and repair? I was looking at the 1HBT (I think) option in my quest. Would like to stay Toyota, but those have got to be expensive and hard to find parts for.

I also like the idea of going the V8 route. A 1UZ is pretty cheap and a 3UZ would rock. Wouldn't get as much torque, and the gas mileage wouldn't be as great, but damn...

Here's my beast, btw.

Kinja'd!!!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Ted Ladue
10/31/2013 at 12:30

Haha it certainly is a big big hole to dive down. The two threads on Mud that I have learned everything I know about diesel are: this and this. I guess I am approaching this from a fundamentally different perspective than you. I really want to install a non Toyota drivetrain for several reasons, but mostly because I want to put Ram badges on my and create some sort of bastard vehicle.

The Toyota Diesels are really expensive to import. Most people online were saying 10k for a decent engine. The pros of this is that is completely plug and play. As for a Toyota V8- it's certainly doable (and has been done). Its still going to be more expensive than a GM V8 and will have less aftermarket support.

I like the cummins because it strikes a good balance between price and bullet proof reliability (very easy to rebuild as well). I also like the fact that it is 100% mechanical and doesn't require and ECU- this makes the swap enormously easier. It also makes the power numbers I want.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Ted Ladue
10/31/2013 at 12:31

Heres an action shot of my beast -

Kinja'd!!!

Ted Ladue > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/31/2013 at 14:06

Awesome shot!