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Re: Field Maneuvers – Is the FJ ready when driven off the showroom floor?
Here is my take as a former Jeep TJ owner/Ford Excursion/1977 Ford Bronco onwer (still have the bronco)
The Toyota excels at what it was designed for. Off the beaten path exploring. To take the Jeep rock crawling it ended up being alot of money to upgrade/upkeep. The Jeep was fun while it lasted. I took it down to Montrose, indepedance trai system, Buena Vista Carnage, Moab, Johnson Valley, Rubicon and the Hammers.
What will I use the FJ for, all the mining roads, back country trails here in Colorado and a venture or two to Moab.
It will go all over the Silverton/Ouray area, easily tackle Tincup, Han**** and Tomichi.
The visibility out the rear is more hindered by the headrests than the C pillars. Will I miss the soft top/removable top HELL NO. Only benefit was not worrying about windows with low hanging trees.
The Toyota is a MUCH MUCH better vehicle to drive on a regular basis. Less noise, better street manners, more comfortable. And I can say without question it is going to be better in the snow. The short wheelbase wrangler wanted to go round and round. Wife rolled it once on the road.
Toyota reliability and resale value.
I have no intentions of taking it where the Jeep went, it was fun, but it cost ALOT to keep it going... Forgetting about body damage, it was getting ripped apart (ARBs, Hi-pinion 9" up front, Dana 44 rear, 35 MTRs Atlas 3.8) Shock mounts, track bars, steerings and lots of other stuff.
For Colorado I think it is a A-. Few things I would like to change... front locker, just because, stock bumper capable of winch, better tires.. A few niceties for the snowy winter.... heated wipers/heated washer fluid (like a subaru)... LED lights all around for ease of maintainence. Better idea for a navigation system. More power points for cell phone/ipod.
Nothing big, for me it is about perfect.
Howard
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