Toyota FJ Cruiserfor chasing???

Kem Poyner

Kem Poyner

EF2
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
142
Location
Mesa Arizona
I am getting ready to buy a used one. It hase very low miles and will cost around $20,000. I chose the FJ for several reasons. had to aggressive 4X4 performance, modesst gasmilage ans sleepable rear area. But the one thing I really love is the steep angle of the windshield. Not hailproof, but better than most suvs, rubber floors and mats hose right off , a nice bonus. I an not in love with the thing, it looks like an inflatted bug so I wount cry over hail dents,

Anybody else chasing with an FJ?? Love some feedback on how they handle slick, mud roads.
 
I spent $12k on a new Honda CR-V this season, and I cringe at the thought of it getting pummeled by big hail.
$20k is a lot to spend on a vehicle and risk severe hail - eh?
The need for 4WD has been debated before; some say it isn't necessary and some won't chase without it.
I get 29-32mph and I am happy with the gas mileage - unless you have lots of money to spend on gas too.
Personally, I would steer twards a ride with 28mpg - or face possible fewer chases IF gas prices go up again.
Things like that can always change again...
 
I took one for a test drive and liked everything about it... except the visibility. There's some pretty severe blind spots everywhere except out the windshield.. personally I would feel like I would have a hard time watching the sky when chasing with it. Otherwise a very nice vehicle.
 
I was looking at FJs this past spring, but couldn't tear myself away from buying a 4runner....a vehicle I have wanted for a while now. Justin Teague bought one and it is a sweet ride. If you get some AT tires, something better than the stock tires, you should never really have to worry about getting stuck. And you can't go wrong with the reliablility of a Toyota.
 
Kem Poyner said:
I am getting ready to buy a used one. It hase very low miles and will cost around $20,000. I chose the FJ for several reasons. had to aggressive 4X4 performance, modesst gasmilage ans sleepable rear area. But the one thing I really love is the steep angle of the windshield. Not hailproof, but better than most suvs, rubber floors and mats hose right off , a nice bonus. I an not in love with the thing, it looks like an inflatted bug so I wount cry over hail dents,

Anybody else chasing with an FJ?? Love some feedback on how they handle slick, mud roads.
Click to expand...

If I can find an old edition of Monday Developments by Interaction, I think I can find the ad that they use to run about vehicles (like the FJ) that were designed for overseas roads conditions for non-profit aid groups. These stripped down FJ (no side moldings, rubber floors , stripped interiors, no wheel fender extensions) looked like a perfect start for a chase vehicle. I never got into them myself...love American trucks too much. But maybe a google search or some resourceful looking may turn something up before I find the info.
 
Looks like a sweet ride, but wow, look at the blind spots... This is the view from the drivers seat looking over your right shoulder...

visibility.jpg


Doug Raflik
 
I own an FJ. I havent done much chasing in it though as I normally drive for SLT when chasing.
Anyway. Yes, there are blind spots. Get yourself a set or round mirrors to stick on the upper outside of your side mirrors. This helps eliminate the blind spots.
the windoshields are not defective. Just odd shaped! Then tend to "catch" more rocks due to the fact that they are almost straight up and down vs any slant to them like most vehicles. I have yet to crack or chip mine, but I really haven't driven off road that much with it.
All that being said, I LOVE my FJ. I get 20 mpg consistantly in it. Would I get it for the sole purpose of chasing? No. Just my two cents. I would find something to get me better milage.
 
I was looking for a new vehicle to chase in over this past summer, it was between the FJ and the Nissan Xterra, I went with the Xterra for a few reasons. The FJ felt just "too big" if there is such a thing. Also, it does run off of 91 Octane, so if gas prices do go back up...ouch. Finally, I tend to take a few people with me chasing on almost every trip, and the fact that it has suicide doors for the back chairs was the deal breaker. I would hate to have to open and close everyones door for them while on a chase and secondly, god forbid I ever got into a wreck, the thing to me is a death trap for anyone riding in the back. On that note, I love my Xterra lol. FJ is still a great looking vehicle and everything, just a few personal bugs dragged me away from it.
 
The FJ DOES NOT require 91 octane, in fact, only a few select high performance vehicles actually REQUIRE 91+ octane to run safely. Todays EFI systems are very advanced and will simply retard ignition timing to make up for the lower octane fuel. This makes the engine slightly less efficient, but doesn't endanger the reliability. I have only put 91 octane in my FJ a couple of times and haven't found it to be worth the extra $$$.

As for the windshield... Chris hit the nail on the head. I have yet to find any cracks in mine, but I am expecting it to happen sooner or later, due to the vertical nature of the glass. The blind spots can be an issue, but they aren't that difficult to adjust to. The interior is rather spacious in the front, with the rear seeming more like that of a mid-size sedan. 3 passengers would be comfortable while chasing, but 4 might be a bit of a stretch. The FJ really shines in off-road situations. Mine has 4WD, a manually actuated differential lock, and active traction control.

Is the FJ the best storm chasing vehicle? That all depends on how you chase and whether or not you like to fill your vehicle with passengers. If it's just you and your chase partner, I can't see why the FJ wouldn't be an excellent chase vehicle, especially if you are like me and love to venture onto muddy county roads. There is also the added bonus of having an interior that can be washed out with a simple garden hose (unless you have leather seats like me).
 
FJ or FJ series...aka Land Cruiser

Doug Raflik said:
Looks like a sweet ride, but wow, look at the blind spots... This is the view from the drivers seat looking over your right shoulder...

visibility.jpg


Doug Raflik
Click to expand...

OK....I was all confused...you guys are talking about the new "FJ" that Toyota came out with a few years ago....that thing is horrible to chase with.

The real "FJ series" is the Land Cruisers that date back to the 60s. Now those are the real good chase vehicles....and the one I was talking about in my previous post.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Kem Poyner
FJ Cruiser..now F150
2
Replies
17
Views
5K
Greg McLaughlin
Greg McLaughlin
cdcollura
Hurricane Chasing
Replies
12
Views
25K
Dan Robinson
Dan Robinson
Back
Top