Might be getting an FJ

[Nullifier]

Well guys my trusty old Ranger is getting tired. When I bought it I said it would be around for 10 years. THe truck is 10 now and it loks like the tranny is starting to go. I'm going to try and linp it till April and then get a new FJ

My plan is to get a 4wd with manual tranny. Hav ethe guys at toyota of dallas install front and rear arb lockers, arb bumper and full rack, sliders and engel. Then I'll Fly out and pick it up. Once I get home add a rear bumper Viar compressor, 2nd battery and it will be done. My goal is a daily driver but I will use it with the Campa trailer I'm getting as well for Mild trips and later turn it into my full time trailrig once the Taco ir ready to be put to pasture.

My big challenge is deciding color. Silver Yellow or Black Cherry.
Silver is the coolest color temp wise which is important in Fl. However Yellow and Black Cherry look really good imo. So decisions decisions.

[FJ Cruiser]

You'll love the FJ. Great daily driver, good gas mileage and the ride on road is awesome. Plus it's very capable off-road - even with stock tires. I'm going to run 2.5" Sway-A-Way kit and looking at an ARB front bumper and Demello rock sliders. I think I may go with a Waeco fridge.

Silver is by far the best color choice (IMO) I wanted an all white or tan color, but I guess I can repaint it later.

Good luck!

[shane4x4]

You will LOVE the FJ. Mine is silver as well - problem is, Silver is by far the most popular color - so put a flag or somehting on it so you dont lose it in the crowd <grin>

[asteffes]

Well guys my trusty old Ranger is getting tired. When I bought it I said it would be around for 10 years. THe truck is 10 now and it loks like the tranny is starting to go. I'm going to try and linp it till April and then get a new FJ

My plan is to get a 4wd with manual tranny. Hav ethe guys at toyota of dallas install front and rear arb lockers, arb bumper and full rack, sliders and engel. Then I'll Fly out and pick it up. Once I get home add a rear bumper Viar compressor, 2nd battery and it will be done. My goal is a daily driver but I will use it with the Campa trailer I'm getting as well for Mild trips and later turn it into my full time trailrig once the Taco ir ready to be put to pasture.

My big challenge is deciding color. Silver Yellow or Black Cherry.
Silver is the coolest color temp wise which is important in Fl. However Yellow and Black Cherry look really good imo. So decisions decisions.

I find the yellow to be a bit obnoxious. I guess when I'm out and about in the woods or something I don't need a bright yellow vehicle frying my retnas and polluting the landscape. Get the silver.

[Nullifier]

I find the yellow to be a bit obnoxious. I guess when I'm out and about in the woods or something I don't need a bright yellow vehicle frying my retnas and polluting the landscape. Get the silver.

Thanks for the brutal honesty :hehe:

[KMR]

Yup, same opinion of the yellow, it just seems to scream LOOK AT ME. I figure if you are going to go that route, just go ahead and get an H2. ;)

I am a big fan of the new all black TRD version, but that does not help your thermal gain issue. Go with the silver, save our retinas. :)

[asteffes]

Black will get trashed off-road. I've owned two black vehicles and will never go back to black on an everyday car. It's just too much work.

[DaveInDenver]

I thought Toyota should have offered the FJC in the original (or at least some of them) colors. I think the desert beige, pumpkin orange, forest green, fire red and mustard would all be better than the nuclear yellow, electric blue and purple. OK, yeah not all the colors were low key. The John Deere Green of the later FJ40s was pretty flashy. Anyway, I'd personally go with silver, since there is no white.

[Nullifier]

Yup, same opinion of the yellow, it just seems to scream LOOK AT ME. I figure if you are going to go that route, just go ahead and get an H2. :)

Oh man can ya feel the love LOL!

[Lost Canadian]

I'm not usually a fan of silver on anything other then say a Porsche, but in person I think the FJ's silver looks great. Pictures don't do it justice at all. Oh and yellow is over the top, it's really bright in person.

[Nullifier]

Yea the color issue is a big one. Silver is the smart and practical choice. It will show the least amount of wear and tear and match the campa trailer. However it is the most bland color as far as I'm concerned. Black cherry will be the "hot" color but with black wheels, rack, bull bar, sliders etc it will look sick. Yellow is just plain fun and yes it is screeming look at me and will burn Asteffes eyes out, but hey I'm not really buying the FJ to be practical. If I was doing that I would buy a Tacoma. Tuff stuff this color selection.

On a side note I really have to coment on the difference of the stick and auto. I can't believe the on road difference between the 2. The stick is a much better handilng truck due to the full time 4wd IMO.

What's also wierd is how the Toyota dealers around the nation have completely different options available by region. Example here in the southeast the distributor offers a back up camera with 5" screen and a bluetooth connection as options. However the Guys at Toyota of Dallas do not have that available as an option and had no idea what I was talking about. Their distibutor does not offer those items. So if I buy local I can get the bluetooth and camera if I buy From TOD them I will have to install a Motorola 1000 Bluetooth and a custom camera system.

There is a silver one coming in in 3 weeks that has a stick and the convenience pakage for $25,750. At least I know that they can be had without all the crap on them and under 30K. Most of the lot vehicles are 30K + in my area.

[cruiser guy]

What do folks think about the blind spots in the FJ Cruiser? I sat in one when I was at the dealer and the blind spot was HUGE in my opinion.

[rusty_tlc]

What do folks think about the blind spots in the FJ Cruiser? I sat in one when I was at the dealer and the blind spot was HUGE in my opinion.
This is probably the biggest reason we went with the used 100 instead of a new FJC. The overall visability, not just driving, is very bad. I really like to enjoy the landscape, the chop top design of the FJC obstructs way to much of the view.

Which really sucks because I have seen what they can do off road with stock tires and they are incredible.

If we had went with the FJC I would have insisted on voodoo blue. My first Cruiser wound up Smurf blue after I rolled it and had the camo job painted over. ;)

[asteffes]

My thoughts about not buying yellow are rooted in the whole tread lightly ethos. Bright yellow paint detracts from the view for other people who look out at a pretty green hillside and see a bright yellow vehicle in the middle of it all. Somehow seeing a white or silver or green vehicle just seems less invasive than bright colors. If you believe that we should minimize our impact on nature and leave the areas we visit better than we found them, you might keep that in mind when choosing a color for your off road vehicle.

I'm generally against louder-than-stock exhausts for the same reason. A couple extra horsepower just isn't worth the increase in noise pollution.

[KMR]

Hey! You know what would probably look REALLY nice, and be unique, buy a silver one and have it painted white.
The FJC would look real slick all white. Be like sleeper bling:D

[kcowyo]

My thoughts about not buying yellow are rooted in the whole tread lightly ethos......

.....If you believe that we should minimize our impact on nature and leave the areas we visit better than we found them, you might keep that in mind when choosing a color for your off road vehicle.


Seriously?

This seems a little extreme or do you just really not like yellow?

[asteffes]

Seriously?

This seems a little extreme or do you just really not like yellow?

Completely serious.

[Nullifier]

I'm generally against louder-than-stock exhausts for the same reason. A couple extra horsepower just isn't worth the increase in noise pollution.

Hmmm I guess you won't like my taco in person then! man yellow FJ, laod taco looks like we are opposites! :hehe:

No I understand your point on exhaust. Silence is becoming a precious comodity these days. When I go on paddling trips in remote areas I wish there was some way to make them no fly zones also. It seems small aircraft are everywhere these days and nothing ruins an early quiet morning paddle more then a low flying single engine aircraft.

[esh]

I thought I heard Toyota is bringing out more 40 series colors- desert beige/tan/whatever it is, being one of them.

[justfred]

What do folks think about the blind spots in the FJ Cruiser? I sat in one when I was at the dealer and the blind spot was HUGE in my opinion.

I came very, very close to buying one of these. But once I got to sit in it, it wasn't just "blind spots" but overall lack of visibility - low visor, high dash, high window sills L and R, spare tire blocking whatever viz there would have been out the back. Adn when you sit in the driver seat, with it pushed back to comfortable position, there's a pillar blocking your viz at 90 degrees.

The OP is talking about towing a trailer. I can't imagine trying to look over my shoulder and even SEE the trailer, let alone try to back up. I moved this weekend, so I got to do this half a dozen times, and in the Rover it's cake.

I still think they look great. Too bad they couldn't figure out how to peel a little more metal off so you could actually see out of the thing.

[FJ Cruiser]

My first choice was white, but since that wasn't an option I thought that the silver would be best. I Think a beige / tan color would be very nice if that ever becomes an option.

The blind spots do take some getting use to, a smaller C pillar and larger rear side windows would be a good fix. Other than that, it's not bad at all. I was torn between the FJ & a double cab Tacoma at the time, but since the FJ is a daily driver I wanted something that drove better on the highway as well as off-road. Don't get me wrong, the Tacoma rocks, but it has too much bounce driving the LA freeways.

[Ryanmb21]

I came very, very close to buying one of these. But once I got to sit in it, it wasn't just "blind spots" but overall lack of visibility - low visor, high dash, high window sills L and R, spare tire blocking whatever viz there would have been out the back. Adn when you sit in the driver seat, with it pushed back to comfortable position, there's a pillar blocking your viz at 90 degrees.

The OP is talking about towing a trailer. I can't imagine trying to look over my shoulder and even SEE the trailer, let alone try to back up. I moved this weekend, so I got to do this half a dozen times, and in the Rover it's cake.

I still think they look great. Too bad they couldn't figure out how to peel a little more metal off so you could actually see out of the thing.

I wanted an FJ until I got to drive one, the poor visibility was a deal breaker for me. An analogy I agree with:looking out of an FJ is much like looking out of a football helmet.

I was able to get a 4runner ($35K MSRP) for $29,500 about the same as every available FJ. I do realize that prices of the FJ have fallen since last March, but my advice is at least drive 4runner (of course I am bias b/c I am a very happy 4runner owner).

Aside from the visibility, I love the FJ's!

[asteffes]

My first choice was white, but since that wasn't an option I thought that the silver would be best. I Think a beige / tan color would be very nice if that ever becomes an option.

The blind spots do take some getting use to, a smaller C pillar and larger rear side windows would be a good fix. Other than that, it's not bad at all. I was torn between the FJ & a double cab Tacoma at the time, but since the FJ is a daily driver I wanted something that drove better on the highway as well as off-road. Don't get me wrong, the Tacoma rocks, but it has too much bounce driving the LA freeways.

I'm of the opinion that one should plan to toss the TRD suspension shortly after buying and replace it with Donahoe front coilovers and rear dampers. They work light years better both on and off-road.

[Nullifier]

FInally something we agree on!

[TRXRacing]

Get whatever color you want imo. The trees and animals won't care..most of them are color blind.:ylsmoke:

[asteffes]

Get whatever color you want imo. The trees and animals won't care..most of them are color blind.:ylsmoke:

My comments had more to do with the people with whom he shares the trees and animals.

[erin]

Personally, I think the silver or yellow because I feel they go with the white roof the best. I like the blue alot, but can't stand it with the white top. In the end, get what you want, that's why my Taco isn't white.

[Nullifier]

Yea the more and more I look at them I think Black Cherry is gonna win out. However that depends if I can get it with a stick. Toyota of Dallas is where I was planning on getting mine and they can not get it in a stick since the distributor does not order any in the combination. I am going to talk to my local guys and see wht's up.

[FJ Cruiser]

You should probably wait for the 2008 models if you can. Maybe they'll add more color options?

[imagodave]

Yea the more and more I look at them I think Black Cherry is gonna win out. However that depends if I can get it with a stick. Toyota of Dallas is where I was planning on getting mine and they can not get it in a stick since the distributor does not order any in the combination. I am going to talk to my local guys and see wht's up.


Black Cherry was my favorite also, I am a solar contractor so went with Yellow to match my other trucks, 6-sp MT, OME, 255/85/16, Pro Comp Steel Wheels, ARB Roof Rack, ARB Bull Bar & Warn 8000 with dual Battery set up sitting in garage waiting for time to install, Expedition One Rock Sliders on the way, I keep browsing this site and come up with something else each week.....:sunny:

[Nullifier]

Oh man it sounds like your building what I have in mind. THe only variable is the sliders. I am going to run the ARB with Skids. Do you have any pics of your truck with the tires, bumper and rack installed or have you not got started at all on assembly?

[FJ Cruiser]

Black Cherry was my favorite also, I am a solar contractor so went with Yellow to match my other trucks, 6-sp MT, OME, 255/85/16, Pro Comp Steel Wheels, ARB Roof Rack, ARB Bull Bar & Warn 8000 with dual Battery set up sitting in garage waiting for time to install, Expedition One Rock Sliders on the way, I keep browsing this site and come up with something else each week.....:sunny:


Would you consider running one of these units, or is dual batteries the way to go?

http://www.solarcharger.com/s.nl/it.A/id.65/.f

[imagodave]

Oh man it sounds like your building what I have in mind. THe only variable is the sliders. I am going to run the ARB with Skids. Do you have any pics of your truck with the tires, bumper and rack installed or have you not got started at all on assembly?

The sliders are coming as part of a group buy from expedition one, with 2 small steps, I'm expecting them next week or two. Need the small steps because I use the rack daily to hold a ladder. The ARB and winch are in the garage waiting for a weekend break to install. Wheels and tires installed with heaviest spring rating with OME lift. Cut body mounts @ front wheel well for additional clearance when full articulation is needed. If you want the steel wheels most will not clear the calipers. Wheelers in Oregon has special order for FJC's

I am looking @ Bud Built skids which also protects crossmember and fuel tank.

Will post pictures after I figure out how to

[imagodave]

Would you consider running one of these units, or is dual batteries the way to go?

http://www.solarcharger.com/s.nl/it.A/id.65/.f

These are rated @ 6W STC, Standard Test Conditions 40 degrees F, and 1000 watts per sq. meter of direct sunlight. Will keep your deep cycle fully charged when sitting for a period, but will not keep up with the drains of a Fridge and camping stuff, let alone winching.

I've seen Scott post on solar modules, I beleve they are the rubber matt type like US Solar which come in much larger sizes, I have a 150watt sample @ the office. With the rubber type you can throw them over the tent while camping to help with keeping the battery topped off. I would use two this size for 300 watts total.
The dual battery setup is less $$ to begin with.

[Nullifier]

The sliders are coming as part of a group buy from expedition one, with 2 small steps, I'm expecting them next week or two. Need the small steps because I use the rack daily to hold a ladder. The ARB and winch are in the garage waiting for a weekend break to install. Wheels and tires installed with heaviest spring rating with OME lift. Cut body mounts @ front wheel well for additional clearance when full articulation is needed. If you want the steel wheels most will not clear the calipers. Wheelers in Oregon has special order for FJC's

I am looking @ Bud Built skids which also protects crossmember and fuel tank.

Will post pictures after I figure out how to

SO how much stiffer is the heavy ome lift w then stock?

[imagodave]

SO how much stiffer is the heavy ome lift w then stock?

Much stiffer right now,I have not installed ARB Bumper & winch yet, synthetic line came in today so I have all the parts ready, but I have trade shows booked for the next 3 weekends. After that weight added to front end should soften up a bit. Right now very stiff, kinda fun cornering though.

[laurie-the-lorry]

I would go with the Yellow, I liked the new yellow so much I re-sprayed my old FJ40 to bring it up to date.

A few good reasons:

1) You can find it at the mall parking lot real easy
2) Never lose it in any snow storms.
3) The Bumble Bee's and assorted insects seem to love it.
4) It brings a smile to many peoples faces.
5) I really like the color, As far as treading lightly goes Baloney, the color dosen't damage or pollute the environment. And if your partially sighted you should still be able to see a Silver/white or yellow Land cruiser in a field. maybe boats should be painted blue, Cars a Gray tarmac color, and whilst were at it those airplanes would make Sooo much less environmental foot print if we made them all a pretty Sky blue.

So again my preference would be yellow, But the world is full of individuals so pick the color you like. Or if your like me Ask the wife the color she wants and I get to pick the car :luxhello:

[Highwaystar]

in a few years I am gonna get an fj, hopefully they will put in a smaller engine by then. Youll probably love it!!!

mine WILL be voodoo blue tho!!

Funny thing about loud exhaust and bright colours, out here almost everyone gets them, keeps the grizzlies and cougars away.

[kcowyo]

As far as treading lightly goes Baloney, the color dosen't damage or pollute the environment.

:iagree:

Nice looking 40!

[meier450]

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/picture-media-post/23381-pics-last-weekend.html


not mine but like the color..

[zimm]

the 32g youre gonna blow would buy one hell of a used mallcruiser 100. youd get a much better built rig with a v8.

i dont think youll fine one in babypoop yellow though.

[Nullifier]

the 32g youre gonna blow would buy one hell of a used mallcruiser 100. youd get a much better built rig with a v8.

i dont think youll fine one in babypoop yellow though.

If was going to buy something used it would be an '04 taco crew cab. Besides I want a stick which the 100 doesn't offer and I get awd with the FJ. Besides the big plan is to add a campa trailer so the rig doesn't have to be huge to haul gear. just enough for people and paddling equipment on the roof.

[zimm]

If was going to buy something used it would be an '04 taco crew cab. Besides I want a stick which the 100 doesn't offer and I get awd with the FJ. Besides the big plan is to add a campa trailer so the rig doesn't have to be huge to haul gear. just enough for people and paddling equipment on the roof.

the stick thing is a bummer. thats the primary reason a friend of mine is shopping FJ's over used LC's too. although, if i was going to do the offroad m416 camper buildup thing, id want a an auto. towing with a clutch over difficult terrain can get squirrelly.

too bad you never find a 100 w/ a wasted tranny, so it would be economical to have the manual parts shipped in from the magical land of OZ.

[Redline]

I'm a die-hard manual trans guy. Have not considered anything but for my last several rigs. BUT, when I took my first test drives the day after Thanksgiving in a DC Tacoma, FJ Cruz, & 4Runner (in that order) I was surprised in a couple areas.

Firstly, I didn't care for how the 6-sp in the Tacoma engaged and launched. I owned a 2005 Jeep LJ Rubicon at the time with a 6-sp that I loved since day one. The Toyota tranny just seemed both car-like and jerky/vague to engage (not the shifting of the stick so much, but the engine/gas to clutch engagement).

I then drove an FJ w/ V6 and 5-sp auto and this felt like a totally different engine, because of the trans. Better performance, not less. I think the very low first gear has lots to do with it. This Toyota 5-speed Auto awakening allowed my to consider a 4Runner, which only has an A/T, which is what I ultimately purchased.



If was going to buy something used it would be an '04 taco crew cab. Besides I want a stick which the 100 doesn't offer and I get awd with the FJ. Besides the big plan is to add a campa trailer so the rig doesn't have to be huge to haul gear. just enough for people and paddling equipment on the roof.