Four years ago, a middle-aged Bostonian of average build drove off in my 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sport. I didn’t report him to the police, though I desperately wanted to sound the alarm. Had I called the Boston PD, the conversation would have gone something like this:
“Bahston police depahtment, what is your emergency?”
“My car’s been stolen… well, not really stolen – someone bought it. I think I made a terrible mistake, though, and I want it back.”
“So this person paid you?”
“Yes”
“And you both signed all the necessary papahwork to transfah the title?”
“Yes”
“And you willfully handed ovah the keys?”
“Yes”
“…Take a hike, bud.”
Instead of wasting a good officer’s time, I just watched my big red rig disappear. Two weeks later, I moved back to California, home of some of the best off-road terrain on the planet. I’d spent two years and $18,000 customizing my Wrangler. No doubt, the modified truck would have tamed SoCal’s deserts and mountains just as easily as it had the Northeast’s muddy, overgrown trails — but I never gave it the chance. It was the right call.
My Wrangler was a beast off-road, but a complete pain at all other times. Skid plates, rock sliders, and steel bumpers made it supremely heavy and difficult to maneuver in a city. A three-inch suspension lift and 35-inch tires cut fuel economy to just nine combined mpg. The two-door body style was great for scampering over rocks, but afforded little cargo and passenger space. It was time for something more practical, and, as my aging bones demanded, more comfortable.
This past winter, when the itch for an overlanding vehicle became unbearable, I took up the search for a versatile, reliable and timelessly cool companion. Though I’d considered a Jeep Cherokee, Toyota Tacoma, and Toyota 4Runner, the FZJ80 Series Toyota Land Cruiser (produced from 1993-1997) seemed the most well-rounded 4×4 for my budget of $10K. With plenty of room for four adults (up to seven can fit with the middle and rear jumper seats filled), a large cargo area, a bulletproof inline six-cylinder engine, permanent four-wheel drive and about a million aftermarket accessories, I was ready to live the Cruiser life.
In March of this year, my Craigslist trolling churned up a 1994 example with 129,000 miles (a baby by Land Cruiser standards) and two simple modifications – a Pioneer audio head unit and LED fog lights. Careful inspection of the bodywork, service history, interior condition, wiring, tread wear and engine revealed only minor issues. This was the one.
