Why???

[FelixLeiter [OP]]

I thought that this section of the forum was a aimed at the automatic equipped FJ's until I looked up the American Toyota site...in Canada we can not buy a 2wd FJ. It would be like buying a 2wd Jeep (or a 4cl truck)... (haven't checked, but are those available in the US?). I am interested in the reasoning behind your purchase. It can't be $$, as the 2wd vs 4wd is almost identical. I am not a huge wheeler, a yearly trip to Moab is pretty much the extent of my off road adventures. I go camping a lot and am often on crappy roads (but they are roads) and have been a lot of places in 2wd trucks (which are rare nowadays) but I am really curious about the reasoning behind purchasing a 2wd version of a vehicle intended for 4x4 use. I do see a lot of women driving FJ's (heck, my wife uses ours as a DD) and I suppose 4x2 is more than adequate for mall crawling in a cool "retro" vehicle; but those aren't the type that usually contribute to vehicle based forums.

Admittedly, my MPG is crap with a lifted, MTR equipped FJ; but from a long term perspective the difference in MPG is peanuts in the bucket of vehicle expense.

[ANGRY BARBER]

Don't know where to even begin. Going to sit this one out.

[Bang Bang]

Well, for me you hit several nails on the head. First, I drive a company car so we only need one vehicle. The wife and I both saw the FJ (at different times) before it was released and were telling each other about this great looking new vehicle. We quickly realized we were talking about the same thing. She has NEVER owned a BRAND SPANKING NEW vehicle before. So, we went and test drove one and bought in July '06. AT that time, the FJ's were in short supply and the dealers in our area would not budge much off the MSRP. The difference, at the time in this area, was around $2500. We didn't figure she would ever use the 4WD and it was before I found this forum and others. I had no idea how the FJ bug was going to grab me. I now wish I had gotten the 4WD but the 2WD definitely serves it's purpose for us. She uses it for her daily driver and I get to play with it on weekends. So, I guess we have a poser or mall crawler or whatever other name you can come up with. But as I see it from some of our 2WD brethren, the 2WD FJ's are VERY capable of hanging with the 4WD's.

[MelloFJYellow]

Bang Bang previously said:

The difference, at the time in this area, was around $2500. We didn't figure she would ever use the 4WD and it was before I found this forum and others. I had no idea how the FJ bug was going to grab me. I now wish I had gotten the 4WD but the 2WD definitely serves it's purpose for us. She uses it for her daily driver and I get to play with it on weekends. So, I guess we have a poser or mall crawler or whatever other name you can come up with. But as I see it from some of our 2WD brethren, the 2WD FJ's are VERY capable of hanging with the 4WD's.

I had the opportunity to get a 2WD FJ in March, '06, BEFORE I could get my hands on a 4WD. I seriously considered it, since it would be my daily driver and I don't go off-roading very often, so I wondered, do I really need the 4WD model? After posting on here before I made my decision, the consensus was to go for the 4WD, as it would be great to have it if I ever found the need for it and also for later resale value.

So, I got a 4WD, and I have been happy with my decision. But, since mine is a AT, like the vast majority of FJ's are anyway, I am running in 2WD mode on the pavement 100% of the time. The 2WD is an ideal choice, still, after all, it is still a FJ, so how can you go wrong? If it is going to be your daily driver and you never have the need or want to go off-roading, the 2WD FJ is the perfect choice!

[OneManBanned]

the 4x4 makes up for my short wiener

I have always had a 4x4 and from the sounds of it I off road as much as you .

4x2 was not an option when i bought

[1983FJ60]

i dunno.

probably because there's no such thing as a 2wd land cruiser.

[hazardhat]

I've always wondered why you can't get 2WD in Canada. I didn't even know 2WD existed in an FJ until I found this forum.

[adayinthedirt]

Insurance is higher w/4x4. More mechanical things to fail. {seal went bad on my transfer case in work truck. tech said from lack of {never} use}. Here in so cal, if your not in to any type of rock crawling, the 2wd w/ rear diff. locker works great in the deserts and mountains. I bought my wife's fj in Sept 06, traded in her 03 runner 4x4 for it too. I assume some bought 2wd cause all dealer had but, i preferred it.

[FelixLeiter [OP]]

I wasn't trying to start a flame, I am really just curious.

In Canada we may be a little sheltered... no 2wd versions of a lot of things (XTerra, Jeep, etc) and we don't get the 4cyl option a lot of the time. Good luck finding a 6-cyl p/u truck (full size) unless you order it from the factory (fleets will do this, but not individuals).

Also, the Toyota dealerships up here are pretty much like Saturn dealerships--pay one price! They even try to rape you on their used vehicles. I was once quoted msrp on a year old used Matrix--sales manager's response to my walking him through Toyota's website pricing and comparing the new to this year-old was "you don't have to pay the freight and PDI!" Needless to say I never bought. I picked up this FJ from a Chev dealer, 12,000km (7500mi) for $10,000 less than new MSRP (C-pkg up here is just short of $40k).

It would be interesting to see 2wd vs 4wd sales figures from Toyota. Maybe in Canada this streamlining of product offerings from auto mfgrs has led to our healthier auto business (in comparison to the US).

[LandCruiserSteve]

Why not?? 4X4 to 4X2 conversion


BTW, be sure to tell 007 that I said hi when you see him, Felix.