# Toyota FJ or Jeep Wrangler Unlimited?



## Enigmatic (Feb 6, 2009)

FJ Cruiser vs. Wrangler Unlimited...which would you pick ???

Might be selling our '05 Nissan Armada so looking for something else. Shooting for a brand new car but might be okay with slightly used. 

I read some of the stuff on these forums about Jeep and it seems like the new ones suck (in most of your opinions)

If I go with a used one it would be something like these:
Jeep: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jeep...ewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item3caa1f0c49
Toyota: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyo...308QQitemZ120529548040QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks
(as you can see if I go used I want it to have extra features/upgrades)


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

People love their Jeeps. Honestly, every used Jeep owner I know is always working on it. I guess they are super easy to work on though. Still...

My vote goes for FJ cruiser. They use those things all over the world for off-roading.

Toyota FJ Cruiser: Off-Road Test | The Truth About Cars

I've met numerous people who drive this car. All love it. Most even do take it off-roading.


----------



## Graphic Nature (Jan 2, 2010)

Jeeps are for Barbie


----------



## Graphic Nature (Jan 2, 2010)

Leo said:


> People love their Jeeps. Honestly, every used Jeep owner I know is always working on it. I guess they are super easy to work on though.
> 
> 
> > My brother and another friend bot got rid of their jeeps for that exact reason.


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Graphic Nature said:


> Jeeps are for Barbie


Not the Wrangler or Cherokee 

Maybe the Grand Cherokee and Liberty


----------



## jimster716 (Feb 11, 2009)

Love my 2008 FJ 4x4. It's been great on snow and no major issues in almost 40K miles. Check out Toyota FJ Cruiser Community. The gas mileage does suck though, I have to warn you but for my semi-frequent trips to mountains during the season, there's nothing I'd rather be in.


----------



## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

FJ hands down.... But I'm a Toyota guy. 

Toyotas are pretty bomb proof except for this recent recall, but that's been worked out.


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Milo303 said:


> FJ hands down.... But I'm a Toyota guy.
> 
> Toyotas are pretty bomb proof except for this recent recall, but that's been worked out.


Also a testament to Toyota's quality centric business. Nobody told them to recall. They caught the mistake themselves and voluntarily recalled and completely shut down further production. They get an applause from me. A teenager dies from the ever so notorious Ford Explorer rollover and Ford points fingers.


----------



## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

Leo said:


> Also a testament to Toyota's quality centric business. Nobody told them to recall. They caught the mistake themselves and voluntarily recalled and completely shut down further production. They get an applause from me. A teenager dies from the ever so notorious Ford Explorer rollover and Ford points fingers.


That's how Toyota has ALWAYS been. People believe in buying American and I do as well, but I'm not going to support American death traps that are designed to break down.

Love me some Toyota. I think i'm on my 4th or 5th one


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Milo303 said:


> That's how Toyota has ALWAYS been. People believe in buying American and I do as well, but I'm not going to support American death traps that are designed to break down.
> 
> Love me some Toyota. I think i'm on my 4th or 5th one


I'm so over that whole "buy American" shit. I also find it quite offensive when I see people with those ignorant "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign" stickers. The Big Three Failure has everything to do with American failure than any other variable. Any economist will tell you importing/exporting is really good for the economy.

At any rate, Toyota and Honda have factories here in America. So do their American luxury brands obviously: Lexus and Acura.

Do people honestly believe that these plants and offices are filled with nothing but Japanese workers? Get real.

Want to know a worse criminal than foreign cars? Outsourcing. Now that's something to make a bumper sticker about.


----------



## AndySRT (Feb 6, 2010)

Leo said:


> Not the Wrangler or Cherokee
> 
> Maybe the Grand Cherokee and Liberty


hey now I drive a liberty. its diesel has 125k miles with no problems and gets 20+ MPG.


----------



## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

AndySRT said:


> its diesel



This is what Toyota needs.

See how many American trucks are sold then ( =


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

AndySRT said:


> hey now I drive a liberty. its diesel has 125k miles with no problems and gets 20+ MPG.


I said "maybe" :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Nice ride though. You manned it up. I'd ride shotgun in that beast 







... maybe :cheeky4:


----------



## AndySRT (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks. I will take that maybe as a sign of a little respect. :laugh:


----------



## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

I've owned 2 Jeeps, but I'd still say FJ. Way more refined than the Wrangler. Also, for some reason the Unlimited seems even noisier and poorly built than older Wranglers. Just know that the FJ has gigantic blind spots, and it's highly likely that any carsick-prone passengers willget sick in the back when going offroad or on windy roads.


----------



## yesmar (Feb 17, 2010)

they both suck, get a land rover,
yes i'm biased


----------



## Regulatori (Jan 14, 2010)

I love Landcruisers (loved the old 40s and 60s) but not a huge fan of the new FJ. My biggest complaint is that you can't see out of them...there is literally no visibility. 

For 25K I would buy an older Defender 90. But that's me.


----------



## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

I had an Unlimited Rubicon, sold it after the 15th time in the shop... what a piece of shit it was.


----------



## NoTickets (Jan 16, 2010)

Leo said:


> Also a testament to Toyota's quality centric business. Nobody told them to recall. They caught the mistake themselves and voluntarily recalled and completely shut down further production. They get an applause from me. A teenager dies from the ever so notorious Ford Explorer rollover and Ford points fingers.


have you guys read the recent Time article on the Toyotoa meltdown? it looks like Toyota's not as kosher as we all thought they were.. some shifty stuff happening with toyota. at least they're owning up to it now.

*edit. my votes for the FJ as well. i've always wanted it. it looks like a toy car in red / white


----------



## yesmar (Feb 17, 2010)

whatever you do don't get either of those trucks on the ebay ad's. they have "cheap bolt-on" accessories. i don't know what you plan to do with the truck but those trucks are pure aesthetic mods
pro-crap shocks, cheap weak wheels, and auto-zone bolt-ons
you'd be better off looking for a stock example of either of them... if you cant find a land rover you like


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

Jeep Wrangler hands down. But not one of the new ones with the 3.8 V6, go slightly older and get the 4.0 I6. The engine is bulletproof. It seriously lasts on average past 250,000 miles and if you know what you're doing with cars you can easily get it past 300,000. The 4WD on the slightly older ones is also invincible in snow (this is an exaggeration, it's the best I've ever driven, but don't think you can drive however you want on snow). FJ is too big, too heavy, and too on-road oriented.

This coming from a guy who just put a winch bumper on his Jeep Cherokee today who uses his heavily for offroading so bias disclaimer here.


----------



## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

Willy36 said:


> go slightly older and get the 4.0 I6. The engine is bulletproof. It seriously lasts on average past 250,000 miles


It is a good motor considering it's a Mopar product... But to say it runs an average of 250k isn't accurate... Highly dependent on the owners, location, etc.
It's a good motor but your stretching it a bit.

I was hoping with your name here being Willy that you would have an old Willys Jeep.

Now that's a friggin ride, the old school Willys


----------



## thugit (Sep 29, 2009)

don't get a landrover unless you plan on driving your kids to soccer practice in it.
i'd go with the fj, my family has a cherokee and it's just been shit.


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

Milo303 said:


> It is a good motor considering it's a Mopar product... But to say it runs an average of 250k isn't accurate... Highly dependent on the owners, location, etc.
> It's a good motor but your stretching it a bit.
> 
> I was hoping with your name here being Willy that you would have an old Willys Jeep.
> ...


Dude I wish I did.  And THANK YOU for not putting a goddamned apostrophe in Willys. Everyone thinks it's a Willy's Jeep, but it's pronounced like Willis and spelled Willys! lol

But seriously, 250k is not an exaggeration. I honestly have never heard of one dying before 200k and that was someone who almost never did maintenance on it. Electrical shit and plastic pieces will fall off like it was assembled by a 5-year-old but everything important lasts a very long time.


----------



## SchultzLS2 (Jan 10, 2010)

Jeep all the way.


----------



## yesmar (Feb 17, 2010)

i don't think hes looking for JUST resilient engines .shit if he was for, 25k he should get an old 80's 280ge. that m110 engine can literally run 400,000miles with nothing but urine in the oil pan and coolant reservoir, haha


----------



## ComeBack_Kid (May 27, 2009)

Willy36 said:


> Jeep Wrangler hands down. But not one of the new ones with the 3.8 V6, go slightly older and get the 4.0 I6. The engine is bulletproof. It seriously lasts on average past 250,000 miles and if you know what you're doing with cars you can easily get it past 300,000. The 4WD on the slightly older ones is also invincible in snow (this is an exaggeration, it's the best I've ever driven, but don't think you can drive however you want on snow). FJ is too big, too heavy, and too on-road oriented.
> 
> This coming from a guy who just put a winch bumper on his Jeep Cherokee today who uses his heavily for offroading so bias disclaimer here.


Wow dude not you again What are you, a Jeep spokesperson?!
You are on every thread saying "Jeep is the greatest" despite when other posters post heaps of data and testimonials to say otherwise. A "bulletproof" engine huh? What about the electrical components, transmission, suspension, and everything else that matters? Unfortunately those are some of the major problems Jeep owners frequently have to deal with. I know Jeep people are fanatical, as as many Toyota fans, but c'mon, be honest with the OP.

TO THE OP: Go Toyota! I'd consider a 4Runner before an FJ but they are both very capable and really great vehicles. Don't make the mistake of owning a Jeep; they are simply inferior products in 99% of the vehicle. Toyota spanks them as far as reliability, don't let these Jeep-nazis tell you otherwise. If you want to be at a repair center every other week, get a jeep. If you want to have a worry-free, beautiful, dependable vehicle to take you up into the snow and safely back out of it, get that FJ :thumbsup:


----------



## BigDouggieDoug (Nov 23, 2009)

jimster716 said:


> Love my 2008 FJ 4x4. It's been great on snow and no major issues in almost 40K miles. Check out Toyota FJ Cruiser Community. The gas mileage does suck though, I have to warn you but for my semi-frequent trips to mountains during the season, there's nothing I'd rather be in.


Hey Jimster!!! Good to see you on this board too.

Enigmatic, I've thoroughly enjoyed my FJ Cruiser since I bought it 4 year ago. Do check out the above FJ forum.


----------



## BigDouggieDoug (Nov 23, 2009)

My FJ Cruiser:

Great on- and off-road.


----------



## 209Cali (Jan 11, 2010)

Doug your exhaust is sick!


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

ComeBack_Kid said:


> Wow dude not you again What are you, a Jeep spokesperson?!
> You are on every thread saying "Jeep is the greatest" despite when other posters post heaps of data and testimonials to say otherwise. A "bulletproof" engine huh? What about the electrical components, transmission, suspension, and everything else that matters? Unfortunately those are some of the major problems Jeep owners frequently have to deal with. I know Jeep people are fanatical, as as many Toyota fans, but c'mon, be honest with the OP.
> 
> TO THE OP: Go Toyota! I'd consider a 4Runner before an FJ but they are both very capable and really great vehicles. Don't make the mistake of owning a Jeep; they are simply inferior products in 99% of the vehicle. Toyota spanks them as far as reliability, don't let these Jeep-nazis tell you otherwise. If you want to be at a repair center every other week, get a jeep. If you want to have a worry-free, beautiful, dependable vehicle to take you up into the snow and safely back out of it, get that FJ :thumbsup:


The only electrical components that frequently fail are little things that are mostly creature comforts, not engine components. The manual transmissions used with the 4.0 since 1988 are just as good as the engine, the suspension, while stiff, almost never breaks unless you modify it and don't know what you're doing, and "everything else that matters" is kinda vague. To me, frankly there isn't anything else that really matters. Here's the honest truth: Don't modify your Jeep if you don't know what you're doing, maintain it regularly, and it will last you longer than most Toyotas. I have heard very different about the new FJ's. If the question was 4Runner or Wrangler or pretty much any old Toyota truck, I would have said they're both very fine vehicles and either way OP would be happy.


----------



## ComicStix (Oct 9, 2009)

Cadillac Escalade. I win!


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

ComicStix said:


> Cadillac Escalade. I win *a cookie*!


fixed... :thumbsup:


----------



## crazykid (Jan 28, 2008)

Im a jeep fan, and its hard to understand jeep. It truly is a jeep thing once you own one. I own a old 87 YJ, its the greatest thing to drive, goes through anything, rides like a tank, and chicks dig it.
My brother has had 2 Wrangler Unlimiteds now, a 2008 Sahara, and now he has a 2010 Rubicon, the rubicon is the way to go, over all its nice to drive, goes anywhere as well, roomy, and looks sweet. 
Can you take the roof off the FJ? And if your gonna do any serious offroading, make sure you take a jeep wiht ya to pull out the FJ, ive recovered a few of them, and H2s...


----------



## 209Cali (Jan 11, 2010)

I want a 99-01' jeep cherokee 4.0L 6 banger so bad! But no one is selling one :[


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

209Cali said:


> I want a 99-01' jeep cherokee 4.0L 6 banger so bad! But no one is selling one :[


Can I ask why 99-01? Just curious.


----------



## tooscoops (Aug 17, 2007)

well... niether are particularly refined.. but if thats what you are looking at, i'm sure you aren't looking for a lexus style ride.

both have issues. fj's space.. i don't like.. and i really dislike the configuration. if you plan on using the back seat, jeep is better (though it has more room, its still not comfortable). roof options on the jeep are great, though it adds to wind noise and leaks. both are capable 4x4's. jeeps start a bit cheaper. fj's are pretty stylish... though jeeps are classic...

tough call, but both are comparable. if you need that back seat, i'd be going jeep. if not, i'd take a closer look at the yote.

oh, and i drive a jeep. unlimited sahara, so i do know a bit about em. plus, i had been selling jeeps for over a decade. i try to stay unbiased though.


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Scoops! Good to see you mang!


----------



## 209Cali (Jan 11, 2010)

Willy36 said:


> Can I ask why 99-01? Just curious.


alright maybe i'd go as old as an 97'. 

They look bad ass (square loook which I personally like) and I heard they are just bad ass vehicles. During that time frame


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

209Cali said:


> alright maybe i'd go as old as an 97'.
> 
> They look bad ass (square loook which I personally like) and I heard they are just bad ass vehicles. During that time frame


Oh dude they looked almost the exact same during their entire run from 84-01 hahaha.


----------



## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

i have a 04 rav4, i can put 4 boards in the trunk and fit 4 adults pretty comfortably. my friend just got the fj but he lacks trunk space and the rear passenger doors are somewhat of a bitch to get in and out of, and the back seat is tightt. fj is nice for the driver and the person sitting shotgun only pretty much. but it can handle pretty much all conditions.


----------



## maf05r6 (Mar 3, 2008)

I had a '97 wrangler and went to a pathfinder. Completely different. I wanted something with more room and a better ride. I didn't even look at the FJ. It was pretty much between a 4 runner or the pathy. The Toyota dealer were a bunch of dicks. When I drove the pathy it just fit me much better as well.


----------



## Shadowrat (Feb 8, 2010)

i absolutely love my '06 Xterra. It's been great in the snow. i've done some light off roading in CO (storm mountain trail near rmnp). It's got plenty of room for all my and my wife's gear, and we can still put my mother-in-law and dog in the back seat for trips. 

The FJ is a nice car. I looked at it as well. The thing that tipped me to the xterra was the back seat with real doors and windows. That and it was more expensive. 

If you are a numbers guy, well, the fj lists bigger and more of them, but in the past four years, i have proclaimed many times that my xterra is my favorite car i've ever owned. It's taken me everyplace, done everything i've wanted it to, and it was so damn affordable. It's paid off and i have no desire or motivation to even think about a new car. Rather, i'm thinking a lift kit and some high angle bumpers.


----------



## NYSnow (Nov 28, 2009)

A Wrangler TJ Unlimited is a much better option. With routine maintenance the 4.0 I6 lasts forever and should last beyond 300,000 miles easily. It is your best choice if you plan on doing any offroading.

This is the only FJ I would ever consider buying - an FJ40


----------



## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

NYSnow said:


> A Wrangler TJ Unlimited is a much better option. With routine maintenance the 4.0 I6 lasts forever and should last beyond 300,000 miles easily. It is your best choice if you plan on doing any offroading.
> 
> This is the only FJ I would ever consider buying - an FJ40


That FJ is a serious beast. The only problem with those cars are that they are prone to rusting. The body of those cars just do not hold up well against time.


----------



## NYSnow (Nov 28, 2009)

Leo said:


> That FJ is a serious beast. The only problem with those cars are that they are prone to rusting. The body of those cars just do not hold up well against time.


That is true. I wish they modeled the FJ Cruiser after the FJ40 and used solid axles/no ifs.


----------



## 209Cali (Jan 11, 2010)

Willy36 said:


> Oh dude they looked almost the exact same during their entire run from 84-01 hahaha.


ahh well my bad then. shows how much i know about cars :cheeky4:

Im just looking for a jeep cherokee that has that 4.0 I6 engine. Heard that things a beast! Newer would be better though? Lower miles is what I want


----------



## Enigmatic (Feb 6, 2009)

Alright looks like I can add Land Rover LR3/Discovery (older ones) and Nissan Xterra to my list of cars to keep an eye out for. 


I'm not worried about the sucky backseats of the FJ because this will mostly be me and someone riding shot gun up to the mountains. 

Sounds like I should pretty much not consider any new jeeps then but will look out for deals on older ones with the 4.0 I6.

I'm looking for something that can take me up to Bear but will also be good for going to school and driving around town most of time/throwing the surf board in the back and goin to the beach. (most of the time I won't be offroading but in the winter I need it to be reliable in the snow) 

One reason I liked the FJ/Xterra was I was hoping repairs and such would be cheaper than I've usually had to pay. We used to have a discovery, it was sick, but expensive to fix and after that we had a benz that was very nice but ridiculous to fix anything.


But yeah I was kinda hoping to go brand new, and for that it seems like FJ and Xterra are the way to go in terms of budget.


----------



## tooscoops (Aug 17, 2007)

meh, not saying avoid the new jeeps... the 3.8 isn't bad, just not as easy to work on or find parts. if you are having other people do the work and you don't care about offroading, the 3.8 would be fine. in fact, i wouldn't even bother with the unlimited then. get the regular wrangler. they are cheaper and still have a lot more room than the old jeeps. with my old tj, it was a bitch putting boards in it, but it fit.. the newer ones(07 and up) have quite a bit more space and tonnes more features available.

nissan would be cheaper to fix than what you are used to... but not by some crazy amount. labour is the big kicker and that won't change all that much, just parts. jeep would be cheaper per fix, but you might have moretimes in the shop. if off roading and the convertible style aren't important, don't go jeep. thats all... those are its selling points.. people buy them and then say they suck because they don't care about those two things... might be able to save you future grief.

overall... all the ones you are looking at are somewhat comparable... all will be crap on gas, all will be an uncomfortable ride, all will have their share of issues... but you won't be getting stuck on your way to the hills.


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

NYSnow said:


> A Wrangler TJ Unlimited is a much better option. With routine maintenance the 4.0 I6 lasts forever and should last beyond 300,000 miles easily. It is your best choice if you plan on doing any offroading.
> 
> This is the only FJ I would ever consider buying - an FJ40


properly built FJ40's are teh sex. :thumbsup:



209Cali said:


> ahh well my bad then. shows how much i know about cars :cheeky4:
> 
> Im just looking for a jeep cherokee that has that 4.0 I6 engine. Heard that things a beast! Newer would be better though? Lower miles is what I want


I don't like newer because the newer they got the more Chrysler parts they used which are less reliable than the AMC parts used way back when. But I also got lucky with mine and found a 90 with only 60k on it. It's now at about 85k and never any major issue, and the previous owners didn't know what the fuck they were doing with maintenance haha. But the new Cherokee's engines are still just as beast and have 13 more HP (if that 13 is reeeaaally important to you  ), so if you want low miles, looking for new would be just fine.


----------



## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

209Cali said:


> ahh well my bad then. shows how much i know about cars :cheeky4:
> 
> Im just looking for a jeep cherokee that has that 4.0 I6 engine. Heard that things a beast! Newer would be better though? Lower miles is what I want


In all fairness to you so you don't regret buying it I will tell you a few things before you buy... Things like electronic windows and locks have a tendency to stop working right on all years, but are relatively easy to fix most of the time. They are noisy as shit on the highway. The back doors have a tendency to squeak and the rear lift gate rattles sometimes. Stock speakers are usually shit but are easy to upgrade. If you get 20 MPG highway like me, you are extremely lucky and not typical. Some plastic pieces have a tendency to break easy. Things on the engine like to stop working right, but almost never make the engine stop working altogether haha. So if you can deal with all that, the drivetrain is very solid and the 4-wheel-drive is among the best you can buy. And it's good for offroading if you plan on ever doing that.



Sorry for hijacking :cheeky4:


----------



## Guest (Jul 17, 2010)

Hello

I thought that every people has to like this types of jeep. It contains different accessories and parts which is strong one.


----------



## ComeBack_Kid (May 27, 2009)

johnmiltonal said:


> Hello
> 
> I thought that every people has to like this types of jeep. It contains different accessories and parts which is strong one.


I'm sensing English is not your first language...


----------

