True, plus some of these people who are buying these $80K rigs have the funds, and to them it is like a person who buys an FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, or new Tacoma and takes it out and wheels it.

 

20+ years ago there wasn't drive by wire, and not nearly as much electronic gadgetry as today's vehicles such as traction control, skid control, etc. I am not saying people won't wheel them 20 years from now, all I am saying is my bet they will be much more "electronically" failure prone and expensive to fix (and diagnose).

Just a few months ago we had to tow out a guy who's drive by wire failed (Nissan Xterra) in the middle of the 4x4 trek due to water hitting the ecu. The guy with the 23 year old Land Cruiser (stock drive train) dragged his sorry a$$ out. It was his second time out with a 2006 vehicle. How's that for reliability?

And until the FJ's and the new 4runner's have logged the years on to their rigs, we have no idea what their electronics can handle. Yes they are nice vehicles, but I'd put my faith in an older, less electronically relied upon vehicle if I had to drive to into far away places. That's all.

I hope I am proven wrong that they won't have as many issues down the road. But I doubt it...

Cheers

 

IMO a 22re, a 3.0 3vze, or a 3.4 would out preform and outlast any lexus at rock crawing because they are much more simple engines and can take the beating. especially the 22re.

 

features like this are rediculous and should be added in the 4runners, tacomas and FJ's, anyone who buys a car over 30 grand wont be able to afford to go krawlin, and those that can dont even know what it is. (thats the majority)

 

I can't wait until someone comes in the shop with a "problem" and the crawl was on or something like that. I already had a LX470 come in and the customer stated "when turning hard left the R/F would lower and the truck felt like it did not want to move". They had the center diff lock on. The bulb was burnt out so it did not indicate it on the dash. When I asked if they would like the bulb changed, they said no.

 

Find someone that has one and challenge them to a wheeling contest to see which truck is better. Watch them break something and then go:
Like that video of the H3 if anyone else saw that. (guy that broke his front diff.) I love watching rich people break stuff and get mad about it. No I don't feel guilty either, they can afford it and so what if they are late for their 5:00 manicure....

 

Unfortunately I saw a very similar video, albeit a more difficult obstacle (just crawling up a ledge), where the new FJ broke something up front. Essentially his wheels were facing pigeon toed.

For the record, I like the new FJ's. I just wish they were SFA and didn't have drive by wire, and were diesel, and had lockers F/R, and were a bit smaller, and were convertable with roll bars, and, and, and, ...

Cheers

 

it is a little annoying, but think about it. you have to have something bigger than a car for you and your family. what would you rather have? a SUV that looks awesome, or a minivan, where everyone calls you tinkerbell? my mom is a soccer mom, minus the soccer thing. drives an expedition, and if gas prices werent so bad, id be getting one. plus big SUVs are much safer than any little car on the road. and my neighbors are fighting again.... its usually pretty funny.. i know its rude to watch.... im getting popcorn

 

The video is of an H2 that everybody brings up but that was more due to driver error than mechanical failure since if any of us did the same with our trucks our front diffs would've blown too.

But there is also that vid of the H3 and that seemed to be cheap parts blowing up.

 

I understand peoples "cool factor" need. But personal preference aside, most everyone does not "need" a big SUV. They may think they do, but a wagon or mid-sized SUV is more than sufficient unless you have a huge family of 6 or more people. And I think there are some cool looking wagons out there, BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Subaru, etc. I can't argue the safety point you bring up, other than if fewer people were driving big huge vehicles that didn't "need" to drive them it would be safer "out there". But that's a relatively weak argument I bring up.

And this ain't a poke at your mom. One of my favorite cousins drives an expedition, I don't agree with it, but she does anyway.

BTW, how was the popcorn and fight between neighbors show? Did the cops show up?

Cheers,
Tinkerbell

 

I like how they put bigger tires on these newer offroad capable trucks, but then the ground clearance is lower than on previous models with smaller tires.. WTF?! Just look at the FJ cruiser and 4runner for an example! I think the Jeep did the same thing with the new Wrangler.

 

Look a the FZJ80 land cruisers, they were up in the 50K price range when loaded, and now they're wheeled like crazy.

 

They didn't have the traction control, skid control, dual climate control, IFS, or 1/2 the other electronics the new LC's have. Listen, people can wheel anything, I won't argue that. But the fact of the matter is that the more sophisticated and electronically complex a vehicle is, the more problems that will arise down the road. Simple designs usually mean fewer problems.

Interestingly enough, if I had to do a very long distance trip over all sorts of terrain the 80 series land cruiser (diesel) would be my first choice for comfort, reliability and capability. I owned one (gas) but sold it because it was a pig on gas. An amazing vehicle nevertheless.

Cheers

 

Yep, the new LX570 has 20" rims (now that says "off-road").

 

Toyota Trails Team @ Big Bear:

 

Thats not the truth at all, Most big vehicles actually lack the safety features of smaller vehicles.


I dont see the point in having a big fancy vehicle at all other to feel better about yourself and others. I doubt il ever buy a brand new vehicle ever or even spend over 10k on a used one.

 

Comparing apple size to apple size I'd agree with you that bigger vehicles lack the safety features of small vehicles. However, if two vehicles collide, say one a Toyota Yaris (or insert any small/medium car) and the other vehicle is a Toyota Tundra (or insert any full size truck), I know which one I'd want to be in. So I think generally a bigger vehicle is safer, unless you get tossed out on a roll over.


X2 on the fancy vehicle thing, I agree with you.

Cheers

 

what does a highlander on some dirt have to do with anything
??

 

That's a Landcruiser and is very capable off road but I wouldn't want to wheel something that nice.

 

I think you are thinking of the old style cruisers....we are talking about the new fancy schmancy ones...yes they do have all those options...and are more like 65-70k NEW....a little more if you want a LEXUS symbol on it. We wheel with a couple of them....nice rigs but W I D E...solid axles front and rear...factory locker...full floater rears...V8...mmmmmmmm