Got to drive an FJ tonight... One of the guys in the church just got one and tossed me the keys knowing I would love to take it out. I didn't get crazy with it, but I did play around on some of the hills; absolutely awesome! What blew my mind was how big it feels inside. It feels way bigger when you get in it then it looks on the outside. I would love to get it out and really experience how it performs on the trails, but being that my buddy's only had it for three days, I doubt it will happen soon, but he did mention that he'd like to take it into the hills eventually... hopefully I can at least ride along. All I have to say is those of you rocking the FJ... I'm a little envious. Very, very cool.

 

Great to hear from another convert! I still feel that way after nearly four months. Wide, aren't they? So, which trans, color and options?

 

Ahh your first hit of the FJ crack

 

If you sell your Taco I will never forgive you....

 

Yeah, my FJ continues to impress me, nearly 9k miles later.

 

Naw, I'm keeping the Taco... but I figure I can live without a kidney and maybe a lung...

I'm not sure of all of the different trim packages Toyota offered, and being that my friend is a little new to the "offroading" scene. (It almost killed me that he wasn't even sure what the "rear locker" did...) he wasn't exactly sure either. But it seems pretty loaded. It's not a base model, that's for sure. About the only thing it didn't have was the Toyota rock sliders. It had the A-Trac and the VSC (Is that right?), I believe. It was silver, which made me drool just a little more since I love Toyota's silver (Lunar Mist on my Taco). I like the 4.0, that's for sure. Def. a little more kick than the 3.4L. All in all, I was definitely bitten hard by the bug. I started talking about lifts, and BFG's and 285/75 R16's and my friend looked at me with a bit of a blank look on his face... oh well. I did suggest that we do a "church" run with some of the other guys who have rigs, and he seemed interested. Hopefully, he'll get the Yota 'froading bug like the rest of us, and I will be able to live vicariously through him...

 

I'm sorry but am I the only one that doesn't like them? I'm not bashing them but I just don't feel warm and fuzzy about them. Maybe I would if I drove one.

 

It's a good possibility... I really thought that visibility would be an issue, both out of the back and out of the front, but it isn't at all... I never felt uncomfortable. The interior is well designed, and the one I was in gave a utilitarian feel, but without being spartan about it. You should head to a dealership and take one out, then tell us what you think about it... You might change your mind, you might not.

 

Im with you, I mean its a cool ride, and I am uber proud of the guys rockin em, but its just not for me. No 'warm and fuzzies' as you say.

 

If any of you could have drove in Will's FJ this past Saturday, it would make a believer out of you.
See the Reiter Trails report I put up in the Trail/Trip Report section.

His rig was doing stuff meant for SAS'd rigs, I was impressed.

I still have not driven one, I guess I get my chance tomorrow hopefully after work.

 

My neighbor wanted something different and got a Fjcruiser last week (she drove a VW beetle before!). They (her and her husband) didn't wait to get what they originally wanted so they got a pretty loaded version (Atrac, VSC, rear locker, subwoofer, extra instr.cluster, XM radio, and ....running boards and so on). I wasn't sold on the yellow color, but I really like the functional design of the interior. I do however find the view out the back window lacking a bit, but the big mirrors make up for it. Anyhow like the OP my neighbor let me take for a little spin with her.

Man it is wide, got loads of space inside (finally high enough compared to my 3rd gen) and handles great on road. Since it was only three days old and less than 200 miles I naturally went easy on it. Great powertrain, responsive A/T, I like the ability of being able to downshift manually and hold the gear. I tried to get the right rear wheel to lift using a small dirt hill for the right front tire. My neighbor started looking nervous, but the FJ kept going without losing traction as the angle got steeper.

Overall awesome machine I can't wait to take it out, ahem I mean I hope they will let me drive in somewhere more fun soon (they said they want to go offroad so there is hope).

Corey, it seems you will soon have your FJ, it is well worth the wait.