Seek and ye shall.............

[Citizen Brown]

Well waste a lot of fecking time!

I have been looking for an 80 for some few months now gradually getting more serious. Sold my Vito in November to free up the £ and been running round in an 04 hilux work truck since. Not a massive chore but a bit of a donkey..

Looking in all the usual places, Fleabay, Gumtree (scam central) autotrader etc etc. Actually looked at about 3 all overpriced, over-optimistically-described but never over here (that is never comfortably close)

Then New Year - New Dawn the ideal spec crops up P reg 24v Manual in WHITE, 180k, 41 stamps in service book (?) and it is in auction in Rothwell 30 miles from PRSY - its a sign, divine intervention it just HAS TO BE.

Wednesday morning drove up bright and early, too early really had to stand and watch what seemed like a thousand motors go past. I am no expert but all the cars looked reasonably priced, all selling.

Inspected the 80 it looked in good condition, no real body damage or rust trim looked used but not horrible, no leaks underneath looked in order again no major rust.

Finally auctioneer got round to the 80. £2k start. Great I am going to nick this (I had come armed with £6k so thought I would be taking it home)

Bidding then went mental. Must have been 10 bidders taking it past £5k and then it settled down to the hardcore, me and 2 others I think.

Got to £6k - ring twitching I soldiered on but lost my bottle at £6,400 to be beaten by £100.00. Almost went back in at £6,600.00 but I was certain the other bidder would be back with more.

So a day wasted.

i spoke to the other bidder, shook his hand, thanked him for a good joust and wished him well. But here is the rub, not a forum member or other civilian that wanted a good 80 but a DEALER!!! WTF.

He had travelled from Slough (where's that Berkshire?) all the way to Leeds to pay what I assumed til now to be a "retail" price. His comment was that there is still profit in it.

So here is a little game; what do we think the "little profit will be" My money's on £8,995.00.

Registration number is P299 SWW if anyone spots it.

PS; still looking

 

[chadr]

This is the kind of place (and price) where your one might end up ........

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-TOYOTA-LAND-CRUISER-VX-Amazon-TD-5dr-/111253455564

Don't give, I'm sure perseverance will pay off....but you may have to be patient.

 

[Crispin]

Or for export to the middle-east?

Bummer you lost out on it though

 

[Citizen Brown]

Funny link there Chadr - the one in the picture was the one i missed out on in Manheims Birmingham auction because I only spotted it on the day of auction and didn't have time to get down to Birmingham. Probably just saved me the day trip to Birmingham!

thanks for all encouragement chaps

 

[Shayne]

Having read so many posts from disappointed members on here all looking for the perfect 80 i think i would take a different approach and instead look to save one from going to the scrapyard . These are tough vehicles and unless the chassis is rotten surely most can be given a new lease of life if you have 4 or 5 grand left over from the initial budget to chuck at it ?

 

[karl webster]

I may have a 24v coming in soon. Got to finalise the deal after seeing some photos.

 

[karl webster]

Hey presto Shane. Someone thinking how I do.

Theres plenty of 80s that maybe not quite up to scratch but spending a little on them gets them to a good condition. That's what the guys who are selling the top end ones do anyway.

 

[Shayne]

Yeah Karl only the top end guys spend their money making it pretty and hiding the faults .

 

[yogi]

Have to agree Shane, I bought an older cheaper one and I'm in the process of ripping it apart at the moment.

Seemed to make better sense to me, whatever you buy, its far from new so its going to want a bit of work even if its preventative maintainance.

 

[clivehorridge]

Hey presto Shane. Someone thinking how I do.
Theres plenty of 80s that maybe not quite up to scratch but spending a little on them gets them to a good condition. That's what the guys who are selling the top end ones do anyway.

I agree with this approach, but obviously with some limitations.

I drove past an 80 last week with a for sale sign in the window and phone no. My wife called the number (because I still don't speak the language very well) and we had a look at it.

What a friggin nail!

He wanted 4k Euro for it (obviously negotiable) but I wouldn't have given him 500 Euro! Mainly because it was a non turbo, the manual gearbox was iffier than mine, the axles did not have lockers and the whole thing was a shed. The interior was basic European spec (cloth and plastic like mine) no wood trim no leather like you guys get, and it was ripped to shreds. I think he'd kept a pack of wolves living in it for a couple of years. None of the 4 springs looked the same as each other (one was snapped near the bottom) the chassis was OK but none of the front-end body panels looked like they belonged to the truck! Body wise it was dented and very rusty in places, holes in the sills ad it had close on 500k kms on the clock! The steering box was p!ssing ATF and the exhaust was held on with rusty wire. The tyres were odd and perished and the wheels were the original steels and rotten, not just rusty!

Surprisingly, it was a 1997 model 2 years younger than mine!

I came away very pleased with my truck, as previously I have become a bit depressed about the lovely shiny high-spec trucks available in the UK, when mine is a boring European HZJ model. Now I'm very pleased that I've "restored" mine to a former glory, despite me refusing EVER to add up what I've spent on it !!!

 

[stumog]

Clive do you have a front bench seat in yours? or is yours not That basic.
stu

 

[clivehorridge]

Clive do you have a front bench seat in yours? or is yours not That basic.
stu

Nooooooo!! Thankfully!

It has separate seats like most 80's, but in cloth trim. The driver's seat (LHD) is as knackered as most high mileage other 80's unfortunately, but I'm looking for someone here to re-upholster it (I'm told that the best way to go due to the lack of 80's in breakers yards here).

Did some models get a bench seat then? What about the gear shifts? I suppose they are set far enough forward to have clearance to a bench seat

 

[karl webster]

I agree with this approach, but obviously with some limitations.

I drove past an 80 last week with a for sale sign in the window and phone no. My wife called the number (because I still don't speak the language very well) and we had a look at it.

What a friggin nail!

He wanted 4k Euro for it (obviously negotiable) but I wouldn't have given him 500 Euro! Mainly because it was a non turbo, the manual gearbox was iffier than mine, the axles did not have lockers and the whole thing was a shed. The interior was basic European spec (cloth and plastic like mine) no wood trim no leather like you guys get, and it was ripped to shreds. I think he'd kept a pack of wolves living in it for a couple of years. None of the 4 springs looked the same as each other (one was snapped near the bottom) the chassis was OK but none of the front-end body panels looked like they belonged to the truck! Body wise it was dented and very rusty in places, holes in the sills ad it had close on 500k kms on the clock! The steering box was p!ssing ATF and the exhaust was held on with rusty wire. The tyres were odd and perished and the wheels were the original steels and rotten, not just rusty!

Surprisingly, it was a 1997 model 2 years younger than mine!

I came away very pleased with my truck, as previously I have become a bit depressed about the lovely shiny high-spec trucks available in the UK, when mine is a boring European HZJ model. Now I'm very pleased that I've "restored" mine to a former glory, despite me refusing EVER to add up what I've spent on it !!!

understand what your saying Cliver. I differ though as bring me truck after truck at 500euro and ill take every one. Reason being is that the fuel pump alone is worth that. I'm a sucker for them that's my issue

 

[Chris]

Well keep your eyes on these boards. We stick up anything that looks likely. If you are ever over the border in the communist vale of Derbyshire, give me shout.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Well all I can say CB is the best of luck and we will help you all we can. If the white one had done less miles or had some provenance it may have been worth that or more but finding a good one now will be a challenge. for most seekers of "good" 80's I think you have missed the bus.
I don't know your budget but if it was me and needed 3.5t towing capacity I would seek out a 100 GX, the best I could find for my budget, or alternatively with less towing capacity but better fuel economy a D4D Collie or 120.
80's are becoming very "niche" these days and after 17 years of 80 ownership I am now a 100 owner and can see the benefit of something newer.
JMO as a cruiser enthusiast ( espcially 80's)

Your fellow Republican (SY area branch)

Andy

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

My Money is on £10 995. lets see

Andy

 

[joinerman]

A mate of mine has a P reg 80 petrol / lpg in very good con been well looked after, he's near hemel hempstead.

 

[clivehorridge]

understand what your saying Cliver. I differ though as bring me truck after truck at 500euro and ill take every one. Reason being is that the fuel pump alone is worth that. I'm a sucker for them that's my issue

That's why you're in the business Karl, and not me!

I'll probably be the next one PMing you for a replacement fuel pump!

 

[jbecks]

I keep looking at 100s and wanting one but my 95 can safely sleep at night knowing he won't be replaced where as my disco is on the verge of being kicked out the door!

 

[wobbly]

It's got to the stage where any *reasonable* 80 between 4k and 5k is selling almost immediately.

By reasonable I mean not an absolute nail. Fixable mechanical work can't be a bar to that sort of price now.

An example.....in Morrisons I was reading an ad on the wall for an 80, gone up that morning. Guy came in and removed the ad, just sold it via autotrader - ad was on there less than 10 minutes, bought unseen by a dealer.

They ain't gonna get cheaper, that's for sure.