I've driven my friend's FJ and yes,the back pillar can be an issue but if I owned it I'd learn to look around it and live with it but at initial glance that pillar is pretty big.

 

I have driven most things with motors, thanks.

Keep up the good work.

 

Guys... just shut up and listen to him. He knows exactly how we should feel on this subject because he has experienced so much more then the rest of us fools. He drove the biggest FJ ever made. On that alone we should worship him and take all his opinions as gospel.

 

Please don't flame me. That is against the rules.

 

Other then the worshiping bit, I only repeated what you said. Want me to take that part out? I mean, you do know about this topic more so then any of the folks in here that actually own them and trail with other jeeps, right? Not trying to flame you, I just am jeleous that even though I have more experience with this topic then you do, you still claim to have more knowledge AND experience about it which leaves all of the rest of us just fools. Or am I reading your posts wrong?

If you can't acknowledge what you are saying in here, then this conversation is over as I don't get into flame wars.

 

I have had my FJ since April 2007; Get it off road as much as I can. And I would half to agree with Corey, that there is no real blind spots well none worse than any other vehicle. And for the most part I think it’s just what you personally like, I love my FJ, but if you like Jeeps go with it as long as you’re out on the trails having fun that’s what counts. So Buckle up drive trail safe and come back with Mud on your rig.

 

Why do people convert to solid axles if IFS is so much better?

 

Less breakage of parts, and they have decided to tackle much more extreme terrain.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f135...ruiser-118510/

 

Having 'wheeled with SEVERAL of both. BONE stock, straight off the showroom floor, it's too close to call. A bone stock Rubi does not flex any better than bone stock Toyota IFS. PERIOD. ATRAC vs dual true lockers, 2.5:1 vs 4:1, yada yada yada - all academic at this level of trail.

I totally agree with AxleIke though, that you throw a relatively little amout of money into each one and the gap opens considerably in the Rubi's favor. Of course, as the money increases, the gap decreases and they can both be built as incredible rigs.

As for the SAS comment. Last I heard, there was ONE functional SAS'd FJC in the world. And Adrian (Flygtenstein) helped build it - so he JUST MIGHT know what he's talking about here...

 

I don't own either one, but I have driven both. On-road (which is really where most of your driving is anyway) the FJ is actually comfortable and well-mannered. The Jeeps feel way too top-heavy. Offroad, its a matter of preference. Do you wanna get all the way to the top of the mountain, break something, and be screwed? Or do 75% of it, have a blast, and get back home without incident? I think you know which one will do which.

 

When it comes down to it, I would rather drive a Rubicon. In my opinion, The new F.J. is a disgrace to the F.J. nameplate. I'm not gonna say that it's junk, because I do not own one, but I do think that it strayed too far from its roots. The same can be said about the Chevy Malibu. Once it was a 400+ horsepower firebreather, now it is little more than a front wheel drive midsize- mom, take me to soccer because the minivan is in the shop- car I buy the rig with the best deal, and overall, an AMERICAN rig. Now, I don't care who quotes this to tell me how wrong I am and how Toyota has manufacturing plants here in America. I prefer American based companies, thats just how I am, though. No changing it. Here's something to think about: If Toyota is American just because it has manufacturing plants here in the U.S., then Buick must be Chinese because it has plants in China now, too. if you guys want to bash American made cars, then you better include ALL cars built in America, too (honda, hyundai, subaru, nissan, toyota). And please, please find me a japanese muscle car from the 70's(with 6 or more cylenders, please). Also, if you must bash American cars, bash FORD, I will gladly join you. But with that being said, I do love my Toyota, no doubt about that. And they do make great rigs(some are definitly NOT for everyone) But hey, lets go wheelin anyway, because deep down, I know that the new F.J. would whoop my 94 4runner's ass(until I fix the open diff situation). remember, this is just my opinion.

 

Toyota is about innovation... doing new things that may seem a little off at first, but over time prove to be great ideas. I don't compare FJ40's to FJCruisers because they are completely different concepts. Toyota merely slapped the FJ name onto it so the ethuisiasts would be interested. But to say that because Toyota didn't mimic the old FJ's in their entirety means that the new ones are incompetant in any way is asinine. Its new technology, and to be honest, if a company can make an open-diff IFS setup that is, within its first year of production, already comparable what could arguably be the ideal 4wd setup (solid axles and front/rear locker), that to me is a success. Jeep should be scared.

 

Your opinion makes you a hypocrit, doesn't it? Who the heck bashes vehicles they are unfamiliar with while touting that Jeeps are better while owning a Toyota? What kind of messed up life you living over there? (just to be funny and refering to the lesbians prefereed vehicles --->) Do you claim to be gay but instead live a straight life?

 

Thats what I am thinking..

FWIW, a rubicon is not the end all. Its nothing more than a jeep with lockers. Jeeps are nice but you would be hard pressed to find one last as long as a yota. I see tons of old toyotas around, very odd very few jeeps.

As for the whole american thing, jeeps arent nearly as american as a toyota with parts made here and assembled her into trucks, where does jeep get its parts, mexico, china, anywhere but here.. All I know is you will be hard pressed to find a better made product than a toyota.

 

Have any of you commenting here actually driven an '07 Rubicon offroad..................crickets................. I had the chance to rent one this summer while in Colorado (because the Sequoia is too big) and I was amazed.

If you have not driven both you are just speculating. I own a Jeep CJ, a 4runner, a Sequoia and have driven many TJ's. It all depends on what you want. My Dad has an '07 Wrangler X....it does not feel top heavy at all (and it has a hard top). I love driving it and it drives like a car.....but when it comes down to the all around choice....I love my 4Runner for the best of both worlds (Comfort and capability). My CJ is my convertible toy and off road vehicle....it will be towed by my Sequoia (the family car) next summer....the 4Runner is too small for the family. The 4Runner is my daily driver, and I bought it for the reliability, looks, and its offroad capabilities....I have not been disappointed.

As for the FJ...it is a nice vehicle, very capable and reliable, but I was disappointed. I was hoping for a Jeep sized Landcuiser like the old ones. I will just drive my 2000 4Runner until it dies....then we will see what is out there.

I love Toyotas, and rave about them all the time...I will probably never buy anything else, but I give Jeep a hand! They did what Toyota has not...you know it was like pulling teeth to get a 4Runner with a locker in it when I bought mine. Toyota needs a TRD package or an offroad package in their vehicles...thanks Jeep, now just work on that reliability.

By the way....I saw a commercial yesterday from Jeep that they now have a "Lifetime Power Train Warranty"...I don't know the specifics, but it sounds too good to be true.

 

I been in an 06 Rubicon and drove it too, other than having lockers I found it to be to small for my liking and it drove worse than my T100. I followed it on moderate trails and I did fine, no lockers, no lift, nothing but 31's AT's. Meanwhile his of course was fully decked out.

 

The '07's are much different.....more room, much better handling, quieter, and if you park one by a TJ they make the TJ look tiny...try this if you have a chance, I couldn't believe the difference. It was funny when my Dad was shopping for his...we drove one then went over to look at the TJ's on the used lot...I thought the thing had been lowered or something. The '07 4 door is a little too Hummerish for me. The '07 was funny looking to me at first, but they are growing on me...I think the Rubicon looks much better than the X....Sorry Dad, I told you to get the Rubicon. $30K is high though....I only payed $31K for my 4wd SR5 4Runner with a locker...new in 2000.

 

I'll add my 2 cents to the works having owned 2 85 Xtracabs, 95 4Runner and now my 07 FJ. I also own (actually my wife's from before we met) 98 Wrangler with 4.0L. We've wheeled it a few times and while it did 'ok', reliability wise its a big POS! Its had 3 exhaust manifolds, AC compressor grenaded, ECU failed, and transmission went out all before 150Kmi. This thing has stranded her several times. Luckily it was in town and not on some trail. When I think of an off-road rig i want something that i could drive 50 miles into the mountains and bush without a concern in the world that it would leave me stranded. Lots of the jeep guys (at least around here) have these built up rigs only to trailer them to the trails! lol.. I asked some of them once why do you trailer it. Their response what so that when it breaks I just tow it home... I laughed my ass off! I would never ever think of towing a Toyota just so that i am assured that I have a way home. The reliability and durability factor in my book is what its all about.

Paul
07 FJ

 

And that right there is what it is all about.

I have driven many Jeeps before, and there are a lot I like.
But your words above are what makes me a devoted Toyota owner since '86.

 

You are talking about apples to oranges though. A Jeep is smaller, lighter vehicle that is nothing to tow and the "built" Jeeps that probably also have a soft top or no top are not exactly what you want to drive long distances to a trail in the middle of August. Though the '07's and some of the TJ's are comfortable, I hated driving my CJ 2000 miles to Colorado. It is geared 10 times lower then my 4Runner, thus it does not drive as well or as fast on the highway. I think the guys you are talking about have built trail only rigs that could be thought of as big ATV's where most people who have a 4Runner or FJ drive it everyday. A towed vehicle can be wheeled harder because it doesn't have to get you home! Not to mention I have Jeep catalogues you can build a Jeep out of and I mean every part there is.....you can literally build one from the ground up....Jeep replacement parts are cheaper and more available for anything older that 5 years. You are absolutely right and I totally agree with you on the reliability. If you expect that kind of reliability out of an American based car you are just dreaming...but that's another thread.

I will let you know though that my CJ has been wheeled all its life and has driven from Texas to Colorado of 15 times. It has over 140K miles and the only things that I have ever had to have repairs on are the A/C and things that wear out....like brakes, clutch and the occational water pump. Funny thing, my water pump went out on my 4runner at 50K miles (I couldn't believe it). That said, I do think alot of people abuse Jeeps, I have taken good care of mine and mine is not made by Chrysler...