Current shape FJ cruiser - anyone owned one, how does it tow?

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Goldpick

Goldpick

Chris Johnson
Joined
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Mount Gambier
Just wondering if anyone does or has owned a current shape FJ cruiser, am looking at purchasing one for travelling with a medium sized caravan? Also looking at a low km Pajero Exceed TD, Discovery series 3 TD or V6, current Toyota Hilux V6 Dual cab. I am still a bit cautious over buying any common rail 4WD with med to high kms due to reliability issues, hence the V6 options. I'd hate to be stuck with replacing a $5000 high pressure fuel pump or injectors not long after purchase!
 
Bugger, I should have looked who sent the post, you've seen mine lol, but the offer is still there.

BTW my van is about 1400kg and I'll be taking it to the Vic Goldfields in a couple of months.
 
The Toyota Hilux V6just chews fuel under load. My son has a work hilux, we towed a 1.5 tonne excavator on the weekend and the fuel gauge went down really quickly. Have a look on the caravan forums for fuel used.
 
Be aware that the current shape Toyota FJ cruiser (the really rounded one that looks like it was squashed from the top) has just been recalled worldwide with 2500 of them in Australia being recalled.

Saw it on the news a couple of nights ago. Apparently here is a fuel hose that breaks loose / melts and pours fuel onto the hot engine and causes fires. They are all being fixed under warranty so contact the dealer you bought it from if you have one.

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/toyota-recalls-suv-20140219-32zud.html
 
gcause said:
Be aware that the current shape Toyota FJ cruiser (the really rounded one that looks like it was squashed from the top) has just been recalled worldwide with 2500 of them in Australia being recalled.

Saw it on the news a couple of nights ago. Apparently here is a fuel hose that breaks loose / melts and pours fuel onto the hot engine and causes fires. They are all being fixed under warranty so contact the dealer you bought it from if you have one.

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/toyota-recalls-suv-20140219-32zud.html
Click to expand...

More specifically this recall applies to FJ Cruiser's with a build date between Oct 2012 & Jan 2014.
As mine is a Mar 2012 build, I and many others are OK.

There was a recall on my model re the front lower seat belt mount, which was corrected during one of my services. As with all recalls, a sticker was and should be afixed to the door pilar to show the recall fix has been applied.

My advice to any buying a 2nd hand vehicle is to check the web for recalls for the make/model and see if it has a sticker.
 
Re a 2nd hand FJ Cruiser, they are out there but very few. I had mine serviced last Friday and whilst waiting noted a 10mth old FJ with 12,000+ kms on it, it was priced around 45K. (dealer demo)

From what I see on the web a 2011 (bearing in mind this was the 1st year it was sold in Aust.) with 50,000 kms is still selling in the at $38-39,000. They are holding price.
 
I am seeing a fair few around with relatively low kms around the $35000 mark, mostly ex work cars that are simply being upgraded, mostly just town kms too. My only qualm is it worth having a petrol engine over a diesel considering the price of diesel is more than petrol, and the question of reliability of the current diesels over a petrol. Just look at some of the petrol 80 series landcruisers getting around now with 4-500000kms on them, and still going strong. I reckon in the time, a common rail diesel would have gone through several sets of injectors and pumps, at great expense with no warranty cover.
 
The FJ engine is the Prado V6 4 lt petrol, trans is the Prado, 4x4 is the Hilux, chasis and suspension are similar to Prado.

So even tho 2011 is the 1st year in Oz it has been on sale in the U.S. since 2006. So its mechanics are proven, not something new. But, then as a FJ owner, I'm biased.

I've done Loveday, Bushy's and Saunders Gorge. Last year the FJCC (Cruiser Club) did some mud tracks near Ashbourne in the Adelaide Hills, 10 of us. Some, like mine, at the time had OEM suspension and road tyres. On one stretch, which was one way, of deep rutted mud, we all got through unassisted. Waiting to go the other way were 2 TD Hiluxes, we had to pull them out.
 
My issues with LPG is that adding a gas tank + gas to the back end of an FJ will add about 80-100kg in weight to an already limited 510kg load capacity.

The other being that as it is not new, so bugger all rebate, I'ld be up for $4,000+ to install and at the current price of near $0.90/lt for gas, an average of $1.50 E10 and about 10% less economy with LPG it would take near 60,000kms to pay off the gas system. I've already done 40k.
 
So the earlier models only come with the one fuel, and the later ones cone with the sub tank I'm guessing? Is the rear diff lock optional or standard? I did read about the limited weight capacity, I guess that might also dictate what sized caravan you can tow too.
 
Hey Goldpick, I've been thinking about your choices and desire to avoid potentially expensive common rail diesel costs. Anecdotally I know a few people with both v6 petrol and small common rail diesels and typically the diesels are using about 8L/100km less in fuel. I am looking good for about 25000km this year, which works out to 2000 litres of additional fuel in a petrol or around $3200 - Over say 3 years you've saved enough for a new engine or a clutch or two. Plus, with my 80L tank I theoretically get 730km range whereas the petrol would get 420 which may mean you need to carry jerry cans or look at getting sub tanks fitted if looking to longer journeys.

A FJ would be sweet if they released a BJ model and stuck the 3.0 D4D motor in it.

For the calcs on gas being 10% less economy, it doesn't always work that way either, a mate with a petrol patrol ran 20L/100 on petrol and around 30 on gas.

Sorry, just some other stuff to consider...
 
The FJ rear diff lock is std. Go to Toyota.com.au and look at the specs, What you see is what you get, there is one model only.Here's the historical differences.

2011 - No GPS or rear cig sockets .
2012-13 - Added a GPS & Rear cig sockets.
2013-2014 - Added Sub Tank and roof consol with Crawl Control.

Re Gas, I was quoting a minimum difference and it is pretty standard accross most vehicles fitted with the latest LPG conversion. Earlier models were not as efficient.
 
I grabbed one of these in 2011 when first released. Love it, tows my jayco eagle ( 1400 kg fully loaded) no dramas. Thirsty on fuel though. Put long range tank in, extra 120 litres bringing total fuel to 190 litres. Get about 1300 km out of it before dumping the pay cheque into the tanks to fill. Beautiful to drive, nice and comfy, heaps better than my mates 2012 Pajero.
 
Hey Goldpick, I don't know if I'm off the track but I drive a Holden Captiva 5 and pull a 17' Coromal. The Captiva's a diesel and drives and pulls like a dream. Its an al wheel drive on demand and last time we were over for the Bash we went into and pulled the van thru tracks with potholes nearly 12" deep. Pulled it thru no worries. Ours is a 2013 model and cost us about $25,000. very pleased with it. Does that help?
 
I recently upgraded my van to a Jurgens Skygazer, my first trip to the Laanacoorie Bash averaged 20 lt / 100kms towing.

I have a bout 200kgs of accessories on the FJ withour me in it, the Jurgens is about 1700kgs.

I towed at 100kph most of the time and upto 110
 
Common rails aren't that scary , I had my injectors done at 250k . With the economy of my D4D 3L hilux I reckon I'm in front , change your oil and filter every 5000k and you got no worries.
 
There are aftermarket tanks available for the earlier versions if you are worried about fuel carrying capacity. I work at a well known 4wd accessory supplier and these vehicles have a cult following with their owners and aftermarket accessories are readily available. Toyotas have that reliability that is often looked for and the fuel consumption isn't bad for a petrol vehicle, they are very competent off-road also.
 
Ferozn1 said:
There are aftermarket tanks available for the earlier versions if you are worried about fuel carrying capacity. I work at a well known 4wd accessory supplier and these vehicles have a cult following with their owners and aftermarket accessories are readily available. Toyotas have that reliability that is often looked for and the fuel consumption isn't bad for a petrol vehicle, they are very competent off-road also.
Click to expand...

Yes there are, but here's the reason I don't have or want one.

The pre auxiliary tank FJ 2011-12 kerb weight is 2000kg, the GVM is 2510 that's a 510kg load. So, my wife and I weigh about 155kg, I have a roof rack, bull bar, driving lights, Engel and slide and an auxiliary battery setup that total about 200kg. So that totals 2355kg with no luggage, which leaves me 155kg for the caravan ball weight.

My van weight on the ball is about 145kg, which means I am 10kg under limit and legal.

The OEM auxiliary fuel tank is 87 litres = about 60kg of fuel plus the plastic tank, which is about an extra 15kg. The Long Ranger tank is 110lt and steel, so much heavier.

So the choice is long range, don't tow or fill up more often and tow. The FJ will tow, but it was not designed as a serious tug. But, it was designed as a very serious off road 4x4.
 

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