Hey Scotty,
I'm looking to buy an SUV/Truck for less than $20k and want something that is unique/cool and will last. I landed on a 2007 FJ Cruiser with 134k miles on it going for $17.5k and am very intrigued. I recently rented a Jeep Gladiator and have driven my dad's Tahoe and definitely liked sitting higher on the road. I'm also fairly tall so I'm about ready to change from the Kia Optima I currently drive.
Does the FJ Cruiser sound like a decent option? Are there any other vehicles that you might recommend looking into?
Thanks!
Info update: This is an automatic transmission 4L V6. Would be purchased from a dealer.
In North America, that was the first model year and it had more issues than any other model year in that generation, in particular transmission shudder at speeds 35-45 mph (model years 2008+ didn’t seem to have it as much) as well as bulging/cracked fenders and frames rusting. Not sure how widespread the issues were, but , ideally, it’s best to look several years into a generation when issues are usually ironed out.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-toyota-fj-cruiser-is-the-best-used-toyota-suv-you-can-buy/
https://www.steves.co.za/a-few-potential-faults-on-the-toyota-fj-cruiser/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/FJ_Cruiser/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/FJ_Cruiser/2007/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/FJ_Cruiser/2007/recalls/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/FJ_Cruiser/2007/tsbs/
The prices on these FJ's be crazy, so price wise from dealer, that is to be expected. If this niche is something you are interested in, the car practically has a cult-like following. There are many positives to these cars, for the specific engine and trans though I couldn't tell ya.
