Should I buy this 1990 Land cruiser from original owner?

[RockyMtRebel]

I have an opportunity to buy a well maintained but totally original 1990 Toyota Land Cruiser from the original owner. It’s in great shape for the age, a few minor rust areas but looks good and has been garage kept for years. The owner has all maintenance records and the engine was rebuilt (Jasper) about 50k miles ago.

it has 317k miles and is still driven weekly. She says she’s been advised by her mechanics to ask $15k and she’s offering it to me for $13,500.

Now, I don’t need it so I’m inclined to pass on this but maybe some of you Toyota fans can tell me if this is too good of a deal to pass up. I would buy it if it’s a smoking deal.

Here is the description in detail:

One-Owner 1990 FJ62

4-liter, 6-cylinder with EFI; 4-speed automatic overdrive
317,xxx miles (Jasper remanufactured engine installed less than 50,000 miles ago)
No trades
Cash or cashier’s check only
$15,000 or best reasonable offer

I bought this FJ62 new in February 1990 and have been its only owner. It has been meticulously maintained by Boulder Toyota and then Independent Motors in Boulder, Colorado. Consistent and regular oil changes every 3,000 to 3,500 and major services as recommended by Toyota. Vehicle passed its last Colorado emissions inspection, which was in April 2018.

Mechanically the vehicle is in tip-top shape. While the engine does not leak oil, topping off between oil changes is recommended. The body and interior are in excellent condition, particularly considering the vehicle’s age. The interior is all original.

The OEM side mirrors and front and rear bumpers are new. Rear light cages were added about five years ago.

Known Issues:
There are 4 small areas of rust as seen in the photos: 1) around the rear windshield wiper, 2) at the base of the driver-side door, 3) at the center top of the windshield, and 4) at the base of the passenger side rear panel near the bumper. Very few nicks in the body and paint except for the front where rocks have chipped away at the hood area. There is a very small dent/scratch on the roof (see photo with a nickel for scale). The carpet in the trunk area has a bare spot due to dry rotting (this is in the crease when the back seat is up). The driver seat has a few small cracks in the side. The original radio works, but the cassette player does not. The right rear passenger lock sticks in cold temperatures.

Paint:
The truck has never been in an accident. In 1990, a metal sawhorse was blown by wind into the right fender, which was repaired and repainted. In 2003, the left front fender was dented when I hit a bollard in a parking lot. The fender was replaced and repainted. No other bodywork or painting has been done.



Service Records:
As a one-owner vehicle, extensive records, original papers and vehicle manual are available. These include the original window sticker and Japanese inspection sheet.
http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/blob:http://www.frontrange4x4.com/d4e17d29-f8a1-42b2-bfb9-315acf959a1d

Any thoughts????? Thanks in advance!

[Bob]

I sort of inherited one of these and kept it for a couple of years. They are tough and capable.

The main issue I found was that the engine was underpowered for the weight and really struggled with freeway driving and passing, especially with the family loaded.

This one looks very nice. However I’d expect that the auto transmission needs a rebuild with that many miles.

[FINOCJ]

Jeff - patrolman - would probably be the best around here in terms of knowing value for old Toyotas. I do keep up with old 4x4 iron in general, and I would say that is a very premium price, even at 13500. If you were really looking for one to fix up then maybe a different story, but no way as just an impulse buy. No matter how nice it is, at 30 years old its gonna need money to keep it running no matter what you paid for it. And I think you'd have trouble selling it without taking a hit. Without pics some value is hard to judge, but guessing in the 8-10k range. As Bob said, good riding rig with functional, reliable but uninspiring engine. I have newer version of the 4.0 in my tacoma and while better performance, its still not inspiring (and less reliable).

[Tom]

Just think about what you could do with it.:thumb:

[Java]

I had an 86 FJ60 for a couple of years. They're cool, but hard to live with: the gas mileage is terrible, no power especialy in the mountains, they breakdown a lot and parts are EXPENSIVE and rarely in stock. The front axle is often leaky, I rebuilt mine and helped EldoradoFJ60 rebuild his, it's the messiest job imaginable. I loved mine, but it was a time and money pit.

[Heather]

But OMG, it's gorgeous!