FJ Cruiser vs tacoma

X2

 

http://fleet.toyota.com/availability.asp
The fleet site HAD a comment that 2014 was the end, but that note is gone now.

 

It was for me. Wouldn't buy one for that reason.

 

fj is neat, taco is useful. I fucking hate and let me stress the word HATE, the fj's taillights.

"oh, lets just design a new vehicle and give it a bastard-badge that is supposed to iterate out offroad heritage and then give it the dumbest fuckin taillights the world has ever seen and see what aftermarket comes up with as far as protecting them. lol mr. toyoda, its going to be a sweet machine but those taillights are going to really keep parts dept busy.

haha, maybe we can even put a manual t-case in it, so all the Tacoma guys get jealous, but these lights will throw them off so they don't know what to do!

they'll be like, "oh shit I want an fj cruiser, but oh god, look at those taillights! they look like they defeat the purpose of having an offroad vehicle"



I fucking really hate those taillights

 

Buy whichever suits your needs better!!

 

I had an budget of buying a 60k$ BMW or benz sedan or suv . do i need a truck ? Not really ! But I bought a 35k tacoma , that because i wanted a tacoma ! It's a love for tacoma that nothing else can replace ! So buy what you love !

 

This is my opinion for majority or owners:
FJ - If you're young and Single, just married, or have young kids. Live in City with weekend trips to go hiking and outdoors stuff. Your 2nd car is a BMW or Acura.
Taco - Age in 30's single/married, kids are in elementary school. weekends camping and lugging crap around. A magnet to friends without trucks. Off-road adventures. Your 2nd car is a Mini-Van or 4-door car.
4runner - Older married with kids in Jr or High school. Long weekends. Never take it offroad. Your 2nd car is Lexus, convertible, or Prius.

 

Boy, I'm glad you're not in charge..

 

I should be in an FJ by this logic... Lol.

In any case, im bias, get a tacoma and never look back.

 

FJ's are cool if.... Ummm...

Just get the Tacoma!

 

X2 im pretty sure the majority of peeps with Tacos on TW are 18-25... but yea even tho that Trail Teams gray FJ looks badass to me, nothing beats out the love for my taco!

 

The FJ has a Dual VVTI 1GR-FE which produces more power and better FE. It also has a fully boxed frame, and is still made in Japan.

Also, the Manual Trans FJ has Full Time 4wd, if that kind of thing is important to you.

It does have terrible visibility, and the angle of its windshield makes it very vulnerable to cracking, and it's abnormally sized windshield is very expensive to replace ($1000+) just for the glass.

 

This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard

 

I just sold my FJ and went back to a Tacoma. I missed the bed space and the FJ really wandered all over the highway. It is still rated as one of the worst driving vehicles. The visibility was never a real concern for me, it is very maneuverable in the city with the short wheelbase and gave me a ton of "extra" room in the garage. It is a very capable off road vehicle and still has the reliability of a Toyota. The back seat is better than an access cab but much worse than a double cab.

 

Wow. Good thing you listed age in the Taco section. I thought you were talking about me there for a second....

 

Fixed it....

 

You would have an FJ... Haha you must have a complex about longer wheelbase vehicles! Lol

The OP wants to know which would you rather have???

 

We bought one of the first FJ's in 2006 (2007 Model year).

I constantly beat the heck out of that FJ. If you have seen it, you will know what I mean. I wheeled it very hard an awful lot, for years! And it still is all STOCK except for slightly larger tires Cooper SSTs. (And two rewire mods, ATRAC with Rear Locker "they added that as stock after we bought ours" and a Rear Locker at any speed "just for great doughnuts")...

I have "Yanked" huge Dodge RAM 4x4s out of mud pits, so hard that the FJ kind of jumped off the ground. So I can attest to the heavy Duty Box Frame of the FJ.

But our FJ did 'happen" to be built during the few months they had a problem with the heat treating of the rear gears. So I blew THREE (3) Rear Ends! But they were all repaired under warranty and one time they had to charge me $50 to clean the bottom of the FJ from all the mud, grass, and dirt just to check it. lol

I have quite a few videos of FJ's (a few of mine even) on YouTube, search YouTube "WonderfulPhotography" and "PaulThePhotographer" if want to see some of them.)

So yeah I LOVED the FJ. My wife STILL loves it and it is now her daily driver. I have basically retired from 4x4ing. (My home GREAT wheeling area, finally closed down super tight.) I used to wheel there almost 2 or 3 times a week. It was a pretty radical and yet small place. But I loved that place.

I wanted to do more photography, and bought a New 2012 4x4 Tacoma Access Cab, with the Towing Package. Thinking I could put a slide-in camper on it. I did not really did not research the payload of the Tacoma that well. I believe the FJ payload is only 50 lbs different!

IMHO, the FJ wins!

Wheeling: If I do go wheeling again with friends, I would want to take the FJ. I know, I can go more places with it than the Tacoma.

Comfort: Actually, the FJ just fits me better also. I have to lower my head every time, just to get into the Tacoma, which I never had to do with the FJ. And it seems the seat to steering wheel and controls of the Tacoma are closer also. And the sound system on the FJ is much better.

I also do NOT like the electronic engagement control of the Tacoma! Instead of a REAL gear stick 4x4 engagement device. (Until I got used to it, I sometimes went to change the air conditioning of the Tacoma and switched the 4x4 switch instead! duh!)

I also have done some tinkering on the Tacoma and believe the entire FJ is just built MUCH tougher, in almost every way! I was surprised by how thin some metal was on the Tacoma. Heck, both of my FJ taillights are busted, but still work. Only the bottom pieces are missing.

I also felt I had to put a Topper on the Tacoma, and I removed the rear seats, to try and get some more interior space. Even with the rear seats and their supports gone from the Tacoma, the FJ STILL has much more room for all my Photo gear.

OK, guys now you can flame me. lol Sorry but it is MHO!

 

I've never driven one but I:

1. Don't like the looks
2. Need a truck
3. Like 4 doors
4. Don't care what the OP drives (no offense)
5. Think my Tacoma, although stock, is > all!
LOL
Where is the OP anyway?...