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60, 70, 80, 90?

Anjam

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
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34
Guys, I am in a bit of a dilemma here. I am a Landcruiser fan through and through and have owned a few over the years. I currently own a stock bi-fuel (Petrol/lpg) 100 series V8 and am getting the urge to get a diesel and add some light modifications and introduce the family to the joys of overlanding. The aim is to start with short trips around the UK and Europe and then venture into North Africa. I am not looking to do anything extreme, just [strike:39s612i7]gentle[/strike:39s612i7] moderate off roading, camping, fishing etc. The car will also be used to do a 20 mile daily commute during the winter months. I could just pick any cruiser and it will probably suit my needs but there lies my dilemma, which one do I commit to? I am looking for a 3-5 year relationship

Here is my brainstorming so far:

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If money was no object I would get a 60 series and have it restored. I learned to drive properly in an HJ60 and have very fond memories through school and college. Unfortunately a good 60 is hard to come by in the UK and parts are becoming harder and harder to source. A few of them pop up on eBay but although I could get away with light mechanics I don't have the skills to carry out any bodywork. I bought one last year but then realised the restoration was beyond me and sold it to an exporter. I guess I should just hold on to the memories and move on.

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After the 60 series I love the looks and butchness of a LWB 70 series cruiser. It has to be LWB because I need the 5 doors and space and I guess it also has to be the more robust 3.0L engine. This also means that it has to be an import and being a rare one will I have problems getting parts for it? There is one for sale near me, its got the right engine, it's manual, already has a 2inch Ironman lift and a full length roof rack. The guy wants £4k which I think is way too much. What is it worth ? I have always had automatic cruisers and a manual might annoy me on long trips :think:

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The 80 series may be the sensible choice but finding a good one and adding the mods within budget maybe difficult. Running costs are also a concern.

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I have never paid much attention to the 90 series but after doing some research over the past few months it appears to be a very capable vehicle. It ticks a lot of my boxes. On the plus side it is smaller than the 80 and parts are more readily available than the 70. I'm not too sure about the stock looks but once it has some subtle mods it looks butch enough.


Well now maybe you understand my dilemma, I know it is mostly down to personal preference but why did you choose the vehicle you drive over the others? If you could go back to the day you bought your current vehicle and started spending money on upgrades would you chose a different model?
 
what is your budget?

4k does seem a bit much for a KZJ70 (3 litre 70). :)

for big expeditions i think 80's are the perfect vehicle! :thumbup:

but personally I think if you will be doing most of your miles on tarmac then i think the 90 series would be more suitable, as being IFS, and lighter weight, im sure it would be nicer to drive on the road than a big heavy live axle vehicle. :think:

if you were planning on doing a lot of miles off road, then i think live axles are much better suited to that than IFS, so id say 70 or 80 series. :think:
 
Again budget is an issue.

If keeping it that long i would look at the 90 but a D4D as very impressed with them, performance and fuel economy are relatively good.
 
Budget wise I am hoping to get something and then put a lift, snorkel and decent tyres on for the price of my year 2000 100 Series V8/LPG. Other bits can go on gradually and there is no fixed budget. If the wife and kids enjoy it then no doubt I will get some extra pocket money to spend on the car.

My head is saying get a 90 but my heart is longing for a 70. How uncomfortable would a KZJ78 be extended tarmac driving with kids?

What should this be worth and how many bits does it share with the 90? (Turn down the volume, lots of wind noise :shh: ) I think I might need someone to talk me out of going for this one.

[youtube:eygizpr5]mrqlQScAmPg[/youtube:eygizpr5]
 
78 looks tidy! :drool:

its quite an unusual one though. most are auto's, and most are top spec with everything electric.

thats manual and has manual windows. :think:

no rear diff lock either. :thumbdown:

id say its worth 2.5k at the most, judging by what they usually sell for. :)

i do much prefer 70's to 90's, i just love the retro 80's styling and the big square box bodies, and its nice strong live axles. :clap:

but theres no doubting that 90's are probably nicer to drive on the road.

i guess it comes down to whats most important to you.

-looks and strength.

-or on road handling and comfort. :)
 
I've had a KZJ78 (manual) here in Uganda for nearly 7 years and it is comfortable on tarmac at high speeds. Feels even more stable now I have 25mm wheel spacers on. The only thing I didn't like at first was that there is nowhere to rest your left foot when on highways because of the position of the transmission tunnel but now I don't even think about it.

There are almost no common parts with the 90 series chassis wise but the engine is the same except some market 90 series have a front mounted intercooler.

I couldn't see well from the vid but it looks like the owner has done some mod to the front wheel hubs, maybe fitted manual activation? If not maintained properly, and used in mud, then the electric hubs can fail. I have just engaged mine permanently so I can now engage 4WD on the move anytime.

Hope that helps - feel free to ask anything else (I haven't managed to see the whole video yet because of slow internet but will download with keepvid and post any more comments)

Regards
Mark
 
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As you've mentioned wife and kids, you may struggle for space to store all their essentials in anything smaller than an 80. For the use you have described, I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to modify any of them very much and instead put the money into either a better base vehicle or PM to keep it reliable as they're all very capable in completely standard spec. We all tend to get a bit carried away with the modifications and end up compromising how the vehicle performs for most of the time it's in use for very little return really ...
 
If you're not planning on any sort of heavy off-roading, than the 90 series seems to suit you best.
Strong 3 litre engine, independent front suspension which is very nice on the tarmac but can deal with off road as well. Rear Locker on all UK models (just make sure they work)

If you have a bit more of a budget, then the new colorado models 2001-2002 have the newer D4D Engine which has a lot more power, better fuel economy and just a lot better engine.

What is your Budget?
 
Jon Wildsmith said:
As you've mentioned wife and kids, you may struggle for space to store all their essentials in anything smaller than an 80. For the use you have described, I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to modify any of them very much and instead put the money into either a better base vehicle or PM to keep it reliable as they're all very capable in completely standard spec. We all tend to get a bit carried away with the modifications and end up compromising how the vehicle performs for most of the time it's in use for very little return really ...

Jon - What made you go from your 100 to your current 80?
 
Beau said:
If you're not planning on any sort of heavy off-roading, than the 90 series seems to suit you best.
Strong 3 litre engine, independent front suspension which is very nice on the tarmac but can deal with off road as well. Rear Locker on all UK models (just make sure they work)

If you have a bit more of a budget, then the new colorado models 2001-2002 have the newer D4D Engine which has a lot more power, better fuel economy and just a lot better engine.

What is your Budget?

I am looking at about £5-£6K

What kind of mpg do the older non-D4D auto engines do?
 
Anjam said:
I am looking at about £5-£6K

What kind of mpg do the older non-D4D auto engines do?

That can depend on many things, not least of all how heavy you are loaded, terrain, tyre pressures, how heavy your feet are (braking and acceleration), if you add any wind resistance like a roof tent or bull bar etc.
My standard 80 with no additional equipment used to do 16 to 18 mpg, now with modifications to the engine, (free flow exhaust and a inter cooler conversion) I can average 20 to 22 mpg with a roof rack and tent, winch bumper and front end protection (formerly known as a bull bar).
My average mpg is town driving, I have got 30 mpg on a long motorway run, but that was so boring I nearly fell asleep.

My vote for a reliable overland vehicle would always be for a simple over engineered vehicle without sensors or ecu's and live axles rather than independent suspension, simplicity and the least possible number of things to go wrong.

The thing to bear in mind is that we all have our own opinions of what is best and that opinion is most likely to be based on personal experience of things we have seen or heard of.
I like the 80 because it combines car comfort interior with truck like mechanicals and they are nice and big, on a long journey having room for your passengers to be comfortable in and stretch out or move around in is important, I like large cars and I don't have any problems getting it into parking spaces or down narrow lanes, :)
 
Anjam said:
Jon - What made you go from your 100 to your current 80?
I didn't go directly to the 80, I was without a cruiser for a while, maybe it was a mid life crisis :doh: I was happy with the 100 till I didn't think I had a use for it any more so I got a saloon car. When I came to my senses I think it's mostly nostalgia that made us choose the 80 over another 100, less comfortable, noisier, older, but we just like them more - the 80 is a truck, a 100 is just a big car :)

Cruising with a manual 80 is no different to the auto really, stick it in 5th and just sit there like you would in an auto. I had a run out yesterday and didn't touch the stick for about 50 miles till I came off the motorway. Around town there's more work to do and nipping in and out of traffic keeps you a bit busier than an auto would but I think it also makes you concentrate a bit more which might be a good thing.

P.S. other drivers seem to have a lot more respect for an 80 bearing down on them than a 100
 
Jon Wildsmith said:
P.S. other drivers seem to have a lot more respect for an 80 bearing down on them than a 100
:lol: so true, notice this quite a bit as soon as I get into the 80 after driving the Volvo.
 
Adding my 2c - the 60 is out, it doesn't offer anything that the later models don't do better, plus the bodywork is a real issue unless you're panelbeater and love 60s. 70 is out for similar reasons - not very common in the UK and the vast majority are "light duty" versions, which means relatively underpowered engines and limited load-hauling if you're going to be 4/5 up. The heavy duty versions released elsewhere have the normally-aspirated 4.2 diesel, so underpowered too, although extremely reliable.

The 80 vs 90 debate is largely going to be a matter of personal preference. My guess is you might find the 90 a bit tight if you're used to a 100, although the 90 is surprisingly spacious. The 80 is going to be the most robust option but do you really need the limits of toughness? The 80 will be thirstier than the 90, especially if you start adding roofracks and bullbars. I find the 80 very relaxing and easy to drive on long distances, whereas the 90 isn't quite as solid or insulated from road noise IMO. I think either will suit you fine - maybe look at both and choose the best example in your budget, whether its an 80 or a 90 :idea:

Maybe a silly question but why wouldn't your 100 fit your needs? Ok, it's petrol and might be a bit thirsty overland but it's a vehicle you know (and own) so none of the doubts about hidden/unknown problems. Changing vehicles and spending money on a bunch of extras will eat up a lot of your fuel saving anyway. Maybe have a trial trip in the 100 first and see if the consumption is something you can/not live with? Unless you're doing serious off-roading, the 100 probably combines most of the best features of the 80 and 90 (albeit without the soul of an 80 :p )

Cheers,
 
Andrew Prince said:
...
Maybe a silly question but why wouldn't your 100 fit your needs? Ok, it's petrol and might be a bit thirsty overland but it's a vehicle you know (and own) so none of the doubts about hidden/unknown problems. Changing vehicles and spending money on a bunch of extras will eat up a lot of your fuel saving anyway. Maybe have a trial trip in the 100 first and see if the consumption is something you can/not live with? Unless you're doing serious off-roading, the 100 probably combines most of the best features of the 80 and 90 (albeit without the soul of an 80 :p )
Cheers,
x2
The 100 is the perfect choice, except for the petrol maybe.
 
Anjam said:
Beau said:
If you're not planning on any sort of heavy off-roading, than the 90 series seems to suit you best.
Strong 3 litre engine, independent front suspension which is very nice on the tarmac but can deal with off road as well. Rear Locker on all UK models (just make sure they work)

If you have a bit more of a budget, then the new colorado models 2001-2002 have the newer D4D Engine which has a lot more power, better fuel economy and just a lot better engine.

What is your Budget?

I am looking at about £5-£6K

What kind of mpg do the older non-D4D auto engines do?

Depends upon modifications you add onto it. But standard they can easily get you 30-35+ mpg on long runs. With bigger tyres, roof racks, winch bumper ect I'm sure you'll still be seeing the top 20's.

Your Budget should get you a very good clean D4D colorado. Have a search around. :thumbup:
 
Thanks for everyone's input. Browsing on the phone at the moment, will reply in detail once I am at a PC.

Still confused.com :?
 
just noticed in the vid....is the oil pressure a bit low? mine seems to run somewhere in the middle on idle....oil change maybe?
 
I come from a family of Landcruiser nuts. My dad currently owns two of them; a KZJ78 like you've been looking at and a KDJ95 (D4D Colorado). I own an LJ78. Having driven all these vehicles and a HDJ 80 series I can say my personal favourites for extended driving are the KZJ78 and the HDJ80. The colorado is far too car-like for me, it feels (and looks) mundane - whereas in the 70 and 80 you feel a sense of presence. I don't find the live front axles to be a hinderance on road, the toyotas are so refined anyway that it barely comes into the equation. Off road, I love my own LJ78. While I sometimes wish the little 2.4 packed a slightly bigger punch on road, it has more than enough torque to keep it going through the rough. I love that the 70 series has such a commanding view of the road ahead with big windows and a high up driving position. And you can see all the corners - a great help when manouvering in confined spaces. Why do I prefer my LJ78 to my dads KZJ78 off road? My LJ78 has a rear difflock :thumbup:

If you ask me it's down to size and budget. A '78 is smaller than an 80 by a fair whack, but I'm still taking mine on an extended trip into Morocco this October with 4 seats filled. It's all about how you pack your gear and thinking seriously about what you need. If you like to take the kitchen sink though, you will need the sapce of an 80. For your budget you could get a KZJ78 and get the more important mods fitted, whereas a good 80 would swallow most of that money before you could even think about getting a magic tree air freshener for it...

But if I was in your shoes I'd already have bought a KZJ78 with a rear difflock, and I'd be really happy with it.

Jim.
 
I do love my 100 series, it is extremely comfortable and spacious however being petrol running costs are fairly high. It pains me to leave it on the drive because it is cheaper to take our other car. Secondly I don't think it is a car I could tinker with myself. I had a D4D Colorado a few years back but it didn't put as big a grin on my face as my older cruisers. No doubt it is a very capable and comfortable vehicle but for me didn't have that je ne sais quoi. If it were purely down to suitability and practicality then for my needs I probably wouldn't need a cruiser at all, an estate would suffice :oops:

As Jimbo4x4 says a decent 80 would chew up my budget and not leave much change for goodies. It looks like I am going to keep the 100 for now until I come across the right KZJ78 which I can run on part SVO to reduce running costs :dance:

Thanks for all your input!
 
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