4x4 / Off-Road TechThis section contains all discussion related to taking the FJ Cruiser in Off-Road situations, 4x4 applications and any armor modifications.
I would love to have a switch to turn off the ABS, I haven't had that since our 1992 Audi.
I have a few more posts than the average other sales dbags, I promise most are worthless for the hard core crowd.
I like image concious non-adventurous pavement princesses.........they taste like chicken
Love Ya, Mean it!
OK now, I am going to go on the assumption that deep down you didn't mean to be overbearing, use scare tactics, or be overtly threatening (my warrenty voided, please read the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act, it's the law). Although a rereading of your posts make them seem even more so. Good community member right there no matter how many posts. This forum is for owners to exchange ideas and is yes commercially supported, but if the free exchange of ideas is squashed by folks like you this community will disappear.
To the point, as much as it pains me to point out, you are misrepresenting this vehicle to customers if you say it is as good as a Jeep, OFF ROAD, right out of the box. The base Wrangler sport has an RTI index 300 points higher than the FJ. That's about 80% better out the door. Heck, this doesn't even consider the vast difference in approach and departure angles. Yes you can pull, scrape, and gouge your way up some of the same trails but with a lot of damage and fuss. This is considering stock vehicles. I don't know anyone in Moab with a stock vehicle. Then the FJ gets left behind. You probably want to throw out that magic Rubicon name now. Yes it did make it from begining to end but it avoided several of the most trecherous obsticles including the upper sluice (which a stock jeep can make by the way). I've been on the Rubicon, the experience you have on trail is only as extreme as you choose. I think you can run the whole trail at a level 4 if you take the bypasses the FJ did. Have you looked close at the marketing pics from this trip? There is a whole lot of road rash on the stock bumpers and suspension components. I doubt you would want to take one through this trail twice in stock condition.
I didn't buy the FJ for it's out of the box potential but for it's upgraded potential, uniqueness and room. From your comments you make it seem that your offroad experience is mild. This is great fun but does not make you any kind of an informed arbitor. If you want to see my credentials follow the sig line and see how serious folks play offroad on trails like Poisen Spider, Hells Revenge, and Metal Masher. I'm glad the Toyota offroad team members don't share your attitude about mods and potential. I'm looking foward to their presentation of some modified vehicles to the crowds at Easter Jeep Safari this year. I hope I can pose some of the modification questions I have to the development folks who want to see their vehicle in offroad magazines, and competitions. Out of the box this is a fun and fine vehicle for moderate offroading and secure all weather travel.
OK now, I am going to go on the assumption that deep down you didn't mean to be overbearing, use scare tactics, or be overtly threatening (my warrenty voided, please read the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act, it's the law). Although a rereading of your posts make them seem even more so. Good community member right there no matter how many posts. This forum is for owners to exchange ideas and is yes commercially supported, but if the free exchange of ideas is squashed by folks like you this community will disappear.
To the point, as much as it pains me to point out, you are misrepresenting this vehicle to customers if you say it is as good as a Jeep, OFF ROAD, right out of the box. The base Wrangler sport has an RTI index 300 points higher than the FJ. That's about 80% better out the door. Heck, this doesn't even consider the vast difference in approach and departure angles. Yes you can pull, scrape, and gouge your way up some of the same trails but with a lot of damage and fuss. This is considering stock vehicles. I don't know anyone in Moab with a stock vehicle. Then the FJ gets left behind. You probably want to throw out that magic Rubicon name now. Yes it did make it from begining to end but it avoided several of the most trecherous obsticles including the upper sluice (which a stock jeep can make by the way). I've been on the Rubicon, the experience you have on trail is only as exteem as you choose. I think you can run the whole trail at a level 4 if you take the bypasses the FJ did. Have you looked close at the marketing pics from this trip? There is a whole lot of road rash on the stock bumpers and suspension components. I doubt you would want to take one through this trail twice in stock condition.
I didn't buy the FJ for it's out of the box potential but for it's upgraded potential, uniqueness and room. From your comments you make it seem that your offroad experience is mild. This is great fun but does not make you any kind of an informed arbitor. If you want to see my credentials follow the sig line and see how serious folks play offroad on trails like Poisen Spider, Hells Revenge, and Metal Masher. I'm glad the Toyota offroad team members don't share your attitude about mods and potential. I'm looking foward to their presentation of some modified vehicles to the crowds at Easter Jeep Safari this year. I hope I can pose some of the modification questions I have to the development folks who want to see their vehicle in offroad magazines, and competitions. Out of the box this is a fun and fine vehicle for moderate offroading and secure all weather travel.
Thanks for sharing, I know I feel much better now.
The Magnuson Moss act refers to a manufacturer not denying a warranty claim because an owner uses non-original manufactured parts. It does not protect you if you try to use a Toyota branded switch, or any other to modify the electronics built into the vehicle to take advantge of a latent feature.
I think you're pulling your RTI numbers out your arse though! (Wrangler 300 points higher....)
I was simply stating that's it's gonna be harder $$ wise to recover from the experiment and restore the vehicle back to original condition, if it doesn't work out; considering that Toyota probably will not be participating in the cost. If you want to revert back to manual brakes, even; it's your truck!
I hope it works for you, I really really do!
I will stand corrected if I'm wrong, I'm not on a Toyota trail team. I've only been offroading for around 35 years and beleive in the "Tread Lightly" philosophy, if you are familiar with it.
My off-road experience has nothing to do with you voiding your warranty on your vehicle. My dealership experience may have a little to do with my opinion there, though.
Ah yea, sorry I forgot to ask, RoverGGM, do you drive or are you planning to purchase an FJ yourself?
I drive a 2006 Double Cab Tacoma TRD Off-road. I own a 1990 Range Rover Classic as well (I know it's no PT Cruiser, but it holds it own off-road )
I would love to own an FJ Cruiser, I still love the Rangie a little too much at this point to hook up right now.
Now, believe me, I love the vehicle at the price point; I truly feel it has no competition. There are a lot of new vehicles available for me to buy at a dealer employee discount price. (BALDY mentioned it too) and this truck is the only new vehicle lately that made me think about living with a car payment again. The last was an A6 Quatro 2.8
I have a sort of fetish for having all the blanks on the dash of whatever I'm buying filled in with the correct switches, too.
I owned a 1977 CJ-5 "Golden Eagle" "Levi's" seats and all!
I drive a 2006 Double Cab Tacoma TRD off-road. I own a 1990 Range Rover Classic as well (I know it's no PT Cruiser, but it holds it own off-road).
I would love to own an FJ Cruiser, I still love the Rangie a little too much at this point.
Um, yea.
As far as the warranty stuff is concerned it would be interesting for Toyota to prove to an arbitrator that a Toyota branded switch would be a problem but if I bought the switch from Delco it wouldn't be. Also, I'm a grown up and accept that if I mess something up I pay for it. My point is only that this does not affect them honoring the warranty for my fuel injection or something else like that later.
I don't know where you came up with the tread lightly stuff. I also participate in all our local trail restorations and only ride on designated trails soooooo. I'm glad you've had 35 years offroad. You must ride with quite a few modified Rovers if you hang with your local Rover club.
Motor Trend listed the RTI index for the FJ at 491 (April 2006)
"As a result, the all-new 2007 Jeep Wrangler boasts a 652 Ramp Travel Index (RTI — a measurement of a vehicle’s suspension articulation) with the front stabilizer bar engaged and an 832 RTI with the front stabilizer bar disconnected – a 28 percent increase"
So 832 minus 491 is 341 points better. I was being conservative at 300.
I know you have experience as a dealer, but you don't have to try to scare folks with stories of ECMs recording their every move and their whole warranty being voided for any modifications. You know this isn't true. That's what I meant my the boogieman comment. Thanks for the slander calling me some sort of doper.
Um, yea.
I know you have experience as a dealer, but you don't have to try to scare folks with stories of ECMs recording their every move and their whole warranty being voided for any modifications. You know this isn't true. That's what I meant my the boogieman comment. Thanks for the slander calling me some sort of doper.
I don't want to be misunderstood, so one more little "last post" effort here.
I questioned a replacement ABS acuator's cost, (LANDROVER responded that on the Disco it was around $2000) I noted it was approaching the cost of the upgrade package for about the same money, I advised someone posessing the cojones to try it, but if it messes up the truck; Toyota may not pay for it.
Would I try it with my own $$$$, no. I like the blanks on the truck to be filled anyway, so I would buy the truck with the real deal and the other stuff too.
Do I hope it works, heavens yes! I hope it works as well as all the latent crap in the Prius, like EV mode, the resident RS3200 security settings, and whatever else you can hack into it!
Heck I even hope if it doesn't work and messes up a specific related component (ABS actuator) that your chosen Toyota dealership fixes it for you, and Toyota pays for it.
I would feel better if I knew "event data recorder" is not recording such things!
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Linear Mode
