Does anyone recognize this FJ cruiser(07)

YJ4rox

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Location
Leon, WV
Hey guys,
I have been FJ shopping and ran across this nicely built 07 Fj semi locally. The current seller purchased it already built and I am trying to find out a little more about its history. It has Uwharrie trail passes on it from 10', 11' and it has a some Budbuilt work done on it, skids, sliders, body mount mod, it was obviously in NC for part of its life. It has some one off stuff done to it, rear hatch panel, aluminum drawers, led dash lights, etc... The current owner is the 3rd owner which tends to throw up red flags for me. Not sure why such a nice, low mileage FJ is working on finding its 4th owner in 5 years.
It was obviously an expedition style build, it even had a RTT and a ARB fridge at one point.
If anyone has any info or leads, or links to a build thread I would very much appreciate it.

I am really interested in how hard it was wheeled and it looks like there has been some damage on the drivers fender area, maybe some bodywork and paint work but the carfax is clear. Again more red flags for me.

Thanks
Jeremy
View attachment afarm9.staticflickr.com_8052_8076962183_0922d680c9_b.jpg
FJ2 by Rider_wv, on Flickr
View attachment afarm9.staticflickr.com_8043_8076953924_2e59e22578_b.jpg
FJ1 by Rider_wv, on Flickr
 
I really like the dorkel.:)

other than that I have nothing to add...
 
I dunno but that is my BIL's dream FJC right there. Not such a fan of the snorkel but the roof rack is pretty slick.
From my experience these are really tough vehicles.
 
seriously it looks to cherry to have been wheeled to hard, I'd guess the previous owners bought and built it as a status thing rather than end use in mind. I'd also bet because of the times each were disappointed in the gas mileage. Thats my two cents. On another note I wish Ford would get off its ass and build a retro or redone little Bronco (kinda what Toyota attempted here but missed the mark by a bit). I REALLY DIG OLD FLATTY fjs
 
Thanks for the info guys, or lack there of :D

I am done with jeeps, so I am toyota shopping. Yes the snorkle is dorky and the FJ isnt the best looking rig out there, but they seem well built. The FJ drives really well and this will be a light wheeler but mainly a DD and something to haul my dirtbikes and camp out of. Damn thing has about $15k in extras on it. Doesnt even have a door ding, super clean inside and out. Its cleaner inside than the 11' I test drove last weekend. I crawled around under it and its straight, doesnt look like the 3rd has been pulled, cheesy plastic gas tank skid is spotless, no rock rash other than on the budbuilt skids.

I too wish Ford would get off their ass and release a retro LITTLE bronco. Everything just keeps getting bigger and bigger, uglier and uglier. A new sexy small bronco with a 5.0L, a nice tcase, some lockers, some decent looks and I would order one tomorrow.
 
All I know about modern yotas is from my 3rd gen runner I ran. On 265s she was tough and surprising capable with the elocker. Once I threw some 285s and fj 17s on there it was all over. Popped the rear ring and pinion...then the front...and couldn't keep rack bushings in it.

If you want to wheel and daily a save some cash and rock an 80 series. It is a far far superior vehicle in build quality and durability. Also more than two windows open. If you have a dog it will hate riding in a vehicle it can't stick it's head out of.
 
If you want something newer a 4th gen v8 runner owns an fj. 4 real doors. All the windows open including the awesome back glass, and the v8 5 speed auto combo gets better mileage and will smoke the fj
 
I have shopped for a FZJ80 for a long time and i know they are tanks, I have friends with a couple, but they still have their own issues. I have a 55mile(round trip) commute, I ride a motorcycle April/Nov, but I have to have 4wd in the winter. I also need to pull a trailer(bikes/firewood/lumber) so a v8 4runner or even a 100 series cruiser would be awesome. I just cant get over the prices on the land cruisers. A Nice 80 brings $$$$$ and all 100 series bring$$. There is a decent 04 100 series at a local dealer, it has 126k miles, an alignment issues, torn driver seat, 3 bald tires(keep rotating cause of front end issue) and they still want $23k for it.

Our decent trails are 70 miles one way and our good trails are 90 miles one way so I really dont want a rig that gets 10mpg. I am done with the rock crawler/tow rig/trailer set up, sold all that stuff a few years ago, so light wheeling is fine, im mostly on two wheels now but our good singeltrack is still 60 miles one way.

if I had the time/cash I would build a 4bt 80 series, but my XJ is getting tired so i need something sooner than later. Plus I would need to go way south to shop, most 80 series around here have a lot of cancer.

My bud has a 4th gen 4runner and I just dont like it. I hate carpet and the 4 runners have a ton, i like the all rubber FJ. I had every intention to buy a 4 door Tacoma but the last good taco IMO was 04 and I havent had any luck finding one that doesnt have 175k miles on it.

I dug up the service records on the Fj I posted above. Looks like it was in an accident or two at some point. Service records indicate all the rear trim, lenses and bumper were replaced. It also has a history of alignments and mention of a firewall crack and accident on service record. It does have the infamous fender bulging as well. Need to get a build date on the rear diff to see if its been replaced.
 
you say "done with Jeeps" why? Can't base the whole breed on a YJ. A guy at work had one of those FJ's, he only kept it for a year. Huge blind spot, gas mileage and the windshields kept cracking he said. Friend from out west told me one time "the real rock crawler guys have jeeps and toyota trucks, why would you buy anything else?" And he owned an older FJ!

Jeeps or the toyota trucks have HUGE aftermarket support, if you're done with jeeps get a Taco or the earlier smaller Tundra with the V8.
 
I am done with jeeps for many many reasons. The most prominent reasons are Chrylser electrical gremlins and their transmissions are shit. I have laid under, bled on , beat on and been stranded by chrysler products for too long. I have owned and built two different YJs, wife had a piece of shit liberty and I currently drive a XJ that I hate with a passion. Throw two dodge trucks in that list as well. Although my 03 cummins was an awesome truck, it only had 80k miles on it when I sold it and I still miss it, best vehicle I ever owned. Almost all of my jeep buds have moved on as well, TJ/YJ/CJ/MB/JK/ZJ/WJ/XJ/KJ, doesnt matter I have worked on, wheeled with and driven them. The ONLY jeep i would consider would be an 06 LJ with the 6spd. I cant stand the JK's in any flavor, too bulky for a jeep, over weight, under powered, poor quality control. Oh yeah my parents also have an 04 WJ that I have to work on all the time.

Gas mileage on the FJ will be similar to or better than my XJ, i only get 15-16mpg. The scan gauge on the 07 was averaging 19 in mixed driving.

I also agree about the older Tundras, my uncle drives an 06 double cab and its a very very nice truck, i would never wheel a truck that size though, WV trails are too tight. Like I said I would prefer an 04 double cab taco but decent ones around here are still over $20k and thats with over 100k miles. Since toyota did the frame recall the prices have sky rocketed. I do not like the current generation of tacos.

I am not turning this into a jeep vs yota debate. Hell the best wheeling rig I ever owned was a 94 Samurai(1.6L, 4.6 tcase, waggy D44's, 5.38's, etc) still kick myself in the ass for selling that one too. Honestly if I was building a dedicated wheeling rig it would be a 4 door track/kick with yota axles, 2.7Lyota/5spd/yota dual cases. Small, light and reliable.
 
Infamous1 said:
no door dings???????????? haha no this thing has not been wheeled hard!!!!! do not be afraid
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Thats whats throwing up red flags, the rear tires are chunked, skids are used, sliders are definitely used, mud cooked all over the heads and block, but not a single ding on it. Just a few rock chips up front and some very light trail pinstripes. Thats why I think its "too clean". Current owner was hovering pretty close so i didnt get a chance to pull back some trim to see if its been repainted, didnt get to see if the fenders are stamped yota or china. I just have a feeling its been hit and repaired, or beat on then repainted and heavily undercoated. It was serviced in NC as recently as march of this year so I know the current owner hasnt wheeled it, thats why i was poking around looking for one of the other PO's. Owner is asking a premium for it since it has a bunch of shit bolted on it. Im currently leaning towards finding a low mileage 10-11 and building it the way I want.

I am not new to wheeling, I know what to look for, it just seems like this FJ has something hiding in its history, just the fact the service records mention accident but the carfax is clean concerns me. If the PO just poked around uwharrie and forest roads, or played on the beach at OBX thats no big deal, or has it had 35s on it, wheeled to death, jumped, raped then refurbished to sell for top dollar.

not that it has anything to do with this topic but here is a pic of my first YJ and my zuki. I miss wheeling the YJ. Red Yj had waggy D44 up front, scout 44 rear, 5.38, 4banger mated to ax15/203 reduction box and a flipped D300, 37 iroks, mrt locks, 101" wheelbase, wheeled it all over. brings up a lot of good memories, hell i wheeled with big woody when he still wheeled the woody XJ on 36's.
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Also had a white 95YJ, I narrowed and built a 9" rear for it, spool and strange shafts 4.88's, swapped in waggy springs, 1" body lift a flat belly and a flipped D300. It had 34 ltb's and was still spring under.
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If the owner won't come down on the price walk away since you know it's been in (at least) 1 accident. It isn't worth what he's asking for it. If he will come down buy it for what you think is fair. If it's been fixed what's the big deal? I daily drive a 4runner that has been rolled over and NOT fixed. It gets decent gas mileage, goes down the road strait, doesn't wear tires out and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere. I've driven it to Florida, for a space shuttle launch, Hotlanta for school numerous times, Greer, SC for school even more times and everywhere in between. It's ugly. So what? It gets me there. And here's the kicker. It does it RELIABLY which is apparently more than you can say for your bevy of Jeeps. That FJ looks great. No one but you will know it's been in a fender bender or two. If it goes down the road and doesn't wear tires out every 5k, rock it out. It'll do everything a new one will do for less $$.
 
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