The topic of our review is the Toyota Land Cruiser 80. This series was created for those who want a real “serious” jeep, but there is no money for the 100 and 200th. Although these cars were developed in the nineties, they even now bypass more modern jeep models in some respects. Immediately after the appearance on the world market, these SUVs have become revolutionary. They combined excellent performance, reliability and comfort that many predecessors and competitors lacked.
Why is the 80s still so popular? In order to understand this, you need to dig a little deeper, familiarizing yourself with the history of the creation of this car.
Toyota, developing a promising new jeep in the 80s, tried to create an “armored train on wheels” that would feel equally comfortable in the snow, in the desert, with any quality of road surface, regardless of climate and other nuances.
After the "Toyota War" of 1986 - the conflict between Libya and Chad, Japanese manufacturers realized that they had underestimated the potential of their own products. Based on the best practices, they created a platform that is not inferior to the “immortal” Hilux, which they could not “finish off” in the Top Gear program, either by drowning, or by fire, or by falling from a blown up house.
Interestingly, they almost succeeded. Of course, the 80 is not such a weapon of the apocalypse as the pickup truck mentioned above, but the tasks before it were somewhat different. Still, buyers are unlikely to put anti-aircraft missile systems and recoilless rifles on it.
It is very easy to distinguish a car created before and after restyling. On the old version, Toyota is written on the grille, and since 1995, instead of the inscription, they began to use the brand logo.
These machines broke down so rarely that for many they actually became the standard of “indestructible” machines for the most difficult conditions. So, suppose you decide to buy such a car from your hands. What should be feared, what is better to pay attention to?
Rusting of body parts and frame
In terms of rust, the owners of the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 are very lucky, because. The manufacturer has chosen very high quality materials. The car is not afraid of the reagents used to deal with ice. However, there are places where there is rust, but once it appears, it does not grow like mold. For example, you can often find it on the air intake in the frame area and on the metal frames of the rear windows.
Small problems. Causes and elimination
If you have an old Kruzak 80 GX, or STD, there are problems with the rear door hinges and windshield. Very often it turns out that the tightness of the rubber bands is broken. This is not a factory defect, but an acquired one. When the glass was changed, the craftsmen forgot about the sealant. As a result, during rain, the glass begins to let moisture through, which is very bad for the state of the electrics in the car. So you have to take the car to the service and eliminate this shortcoming.
Another common problem is the souring of the external retractable antenna when dirt gets in. Here, no prevention helps.
Sometimes the radiator in the interior heating system can become clogged. If you do not understand, then you might think that the stove is broken and you need to change the motor.
Salt is detrimental to the pipes that go to the air conditioner / oven. Do not forget that the drain channels do not need to be cleaned at the sliding sunroof.
Which finish is best?
Most of the cars in the "base" were produced with vinyl. It's not that bad, but it's not ideal either. But on STD, most often, it is he who is found.
There are many fans of the "eighties" who, foaming at the mouth, prove that nothing in nature can be better than a leather interior. Leather, it's beautiful, prestigious, but not practical. Especially when the car went into its third decade. Care is required, and without it, the material dries out and becomes covered with small cracks. In addition, this material is not the most pleasant to the touch. And in winter, sitting on such a seat is corny cold. Leather trim is typical for the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 VX. You won't find it on other versions.
The best option for quality and comfort would be velor. It is warm, soft, and, with careful handling, durable.
Transmission types and their features
This jeep was produced with permanent and plug-in all-wheel drive. The Achilles' heel of the 80s is the front axle. It is prophylactically recommended to change drives and other parts every 120 - 150 thousand km. Of course, if money is very tight, there is an option to temporarily save money, buy only “grenades”, oil seals and thrust bearings. But, if you do not want to face a lot of problems in the foreseeable future, change / repair everything, including the axle gearbox.
Our people traditionally like to dissect at high speeds. For the Land Cruiser 80, there is no problem in accelerating, for example, up to 150 km / h on straight sections of the track. Only now, this machine was going to be for completely different roads in terms of quality. Therefore, take care of the bridge. It can last a very long time if you drive a little slower. Especially on rough sections of the track. Fans of fast driving will face probable breakdowns already in the first hundred kilometers. For example, beam necks can bend.
If you are lucky and the springs on the car have not sagged yet, you can put 32-inch wheels without making a lift. Gearbox mechanics, transfer case and rear axle are reliable and will serve you for a long time. Automation can sometimes be frightening with a blow when the gear shifts from 3 to 4. But this should not be considered a malfunction. During the inspection, it is better to change the lubricant of the cardan shafts and crosspieces. Then the replacement will not be needed for a very long time.
About engines
Speaking about the technical characteristics of the Toyota Land Cruiser 80, it would be strange not to mention what power units are installed on this jeep. These are 6-cylinder petrol, diesel and turbodiesel engines.
If you prefer carburetor type engines, there is a 4-liter with 155 hp to choose from. from. and 4.5 liters / 190 liters. from. They have enough power, and fuel consumption is not as frightening as it might seem. For lovers of injectors, there is a choice of 4.5 liters. engines with power from 205 to 215 hp. from.
You can also find a Land Cruiser 80 with a 4.2 liter diesel. The power of such a unit, depending on the chosen modification, varies from 120 liters. s., up to 135 liters. from. Two turbocharged variations of 165 hp were also produced. from. and 170 l. from. (24 valves).
According to most experts, gasoline engines turned out to be the most tenacious. At the same time, they are unlikely to cost more to maintain than diesels. Unless, of course, you use the machine 24 hours a day, 30 days a month.
Oil service is cheaper than gasoline. It takes 8 liters for it, and 11 for a diesel. Another huge plus is that gas-distributing mechanism chain drives are installed on gasoline units, which are clearly more reliable than belt drives on diesel engines.
High pressure fuel pump on diesel engines is subject to repair. Only specialists who can work normally on setting up fuel equipment may not be found in your city. Sometimes it's really easier to buy a new carburetor for 300 bucks.
Characteristics
Take, for example, the technical specifications of the Land Cruiser 80 with a 4.2 l / 135 hp turbocharged diesel engine. and permanent all-wheel drive. This is a full size 5 door Jeep. Body length - 4.97 meters, width - 1.83 m, height - 1.96 m. Cross-country ability provides not only the presence of all-wheel drive, but also a clearance of 22 cm.
The car has a comfortable large trunk with a volume of 832 liters. If you fold the rear row of seats, we get a more impressive 1368 hp. This is quite enough to take a couple of tents, a folding barbecue and other things out of town. The curb weight of the car is 2.22 tons, and the total weight is 3.06 tons.
This modification was produced with a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual. Both boxes, as mentioned above, have a good margin of safety, and last a very long time if used correctly.
A disc type brake system was used. The brakes on the front wheels are ventilated. Complaints about brake failures are found only among those owners who forget to check the status of the system on time.
The car is considered expeditionary, and is not suitable for the trophy. It is also quite realistic to use it as a family station wagon, where you can drive around the city, to the country house, and for any work matters.
The obvious plus of a diesel engine is that it runs quite successfully on domestic fuel. If the car is serviced regularly, the engine will work properly.
How to choose a Land Cruiser 80
When a car is over 10 years old, you buy it at your own risk anyway. Very often, cars come across that, before being sold, were put in order outwardly, tinted, etc. But their suspension can crumble right along the road. Remember that there is no guarantee and no service.
So, choosing "Kruzak", you have two options:
- hire a person from the workshop who will climb into every crack and find all the problems;
- look for a car with low mileage. There are some. If equipment was bought in the 90s solely for prestige, and was not used on any off-road, then the condition of the chassis and engine will be excellent.
Sometimes there are cars from the owners who really blew off the dust particles. Of course, this is a rarity, but if you become the proud owner of such a Toyota Cruiser 80, with careful operation, you can drive it for another 10 years for sure.
You will be very lucky to find a jeep of the last year of manufacture. In 1998, not many copies managed to get off the assembly line. After all, in March, the assembly was stopped.
If you look at prices, they can vary between 1-3 thousand dollars. For example, there are cars on the market in 1996 with a range of 200 thousand km. This is a diesel modification with a manual transmission. A good 24-valve engine will last for many more years. A car costs an average of 15 - 16 thousand dollars.
For 13 thousand. That is, you can take a car in 1997, but with high mileage. You may be lucky here, or you may not.
There are even cheaper offers. For example, 7.99 thousand dollars for a 1992 Kruzak. Run 254 thousand km, which is very modest for this age. Petrol engine 4 liters, automatic transmission. For this money you get a car from one owner. There is a sunroof, air conditioning, cruise control, audio system, alarm.
Sometimes for 17 - 25 thousand dollars come across real masterpieces, which the owner not only perfectly maintained, but also tuned.
What will have to be changed?
After about 150 thousand km. mileage requires replacement of suspension silent blocks. This should be done even if outwardly the parts do not look too worn out. Otherwise, after a while you will notice that the car starts to wear from side to side. If you are lucky enough to buy a Land Cruiser 80, on which the previous owner recently changed not only silent blocks, but also traction with shock absorbers, you can relax. These parts are durable and require replacement every few years.
If oil is leaking from the steering gear, there is nothing to repair here. To sort out is more expensive for yourself, it is better to buy a new one than after another 10 thousand km. again scold the Japanese manufacturer and all his relatives.
The power steering pump can fly. The reasons come across different. For example, the owner forgot to change the fluid, or overexposed the steering wheel at extreme points.
Age and mileage
These machines began to be produced at the end of 1989, and were produced until the spring of 1998. It is difficult to find equipment from the 80s, and its condition leaves much to be desired. But cars from the nineties are much more interesting. It is better to take a car that had one owner, so there is definitely less risk of getting into a brand new jeep, but broken inside.
If the owner has undergone maintenance regularly, every 10 - 15 thousand km, the car is likely to be in a very decent condition. During operation, shock absorbers and silent blocks are usually changed, the front axle is sorted out. Sometimes the steering is repaired. If scheduled inspections were ignored, there is a great risk that the Toyota 80 will have to be invested as much money as it costs. So you have to
If the car has traveled more than 350 thousand km, there is a high risk that there are “nuances” in it that you will not see even when you look under the hood. What to do?
- First, a specialist will help you assess the condition of the equipment. His services are quite affordable, and will allow you to avoid large expenses for the repair of an already purchased car. You understand that this is not a car from the salon with a guarantee and branded service.
- Secondly, you need a test drive. You should feel the controllability of the car, listen to extraneous sounds, etc.
In general, there are few problems with this jeep, and the cross-country ability and excellent technical characteristics of the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 make it a very reasonable choice for those who want a reliable “workhorse” for adequate money. The jeep was made in those days when metal was not spared on the body, and the paint on it withstood any test.
We wish you success in your search. If you manage to find an inexpensive option in good condition and with low mileage, take it without hesitation. The most popular among Kruzak lovers are diesel modifications. They turned out to be the most durable and reliable. However, there are also adequate options for gas / gasoline.