Considering buying 2007 but....

[Wurth]

Hi Everyone,
My first post. Doing my homework to help in the decision process. Certainly I have some questions from what I have found online...mostly here at FJ Forums.

This FJ would be a second vehicle for me, kind of more of a daily driver. I plan on leasing it for 36 months. If it proved to be a great vehicle I would by it out at lease end.

I am looking at a new silver or blue 2007 4x4, auto with almost no options.
Blue VIN# JTEBU11F370063959
Silver VIN# JTEBU11F070071534

Here are my questions in short:


1. Fender ripping issue? Do we know what VIN's are affected and what caused some to do this?

2. Whats the problem with the front windshields?

3. Are some vibrations normal in a 4x4? Both had a little seat of the pants vibration at different speeds while in 2 wheel drive.

4. Engine tick?

5. Anything else I should know of?


I sincerely thank all responders for your input.

Bye.

[AF Chief]

Ticks suck. My sister got sick from one, but I think its a regional problem. I'm gonna put a lift on cause the extra 2" should help keep the ticks off.

[gnwhite]

Here they come.

[MarkBNJ]

I have had some fairly minor build-quality issues with mine, but the dealer has stepped up and fixed them so far. One was a windshield seal leak that required replacement, another was an interior vibration due to an issue with a headliner bracket. I currently have a small body panel that is loose and I am going to try to fix that myself. I think it was put back on improperly after the windshield replacement, but others have had this piece just fly off, so there is something wrong with it.

I don't think you'll regret getting the FJ if its what you want. I love driving mine every day. On the whole I give Toyota a B- for initial build quality, which was disappointing in that this is my third Toyota, and the first two had no initial problems at all. There are more initial issues and design problems in this vehicle than I expected from a Toyota. Note that I don't include cracked windshields and visibility issues in design problems, as these vulnerabilities are evident to the buyer. I'm thinking more about little things like storage, interior plastics, parts that are vulnerable to breakage in ordinary use; that sort of thing.

And then there's the fender ripping thing. Any potential buyer should take this seriously. I have a late-build '07 with the redesigned inner apron, and no issues in that area at 5K miles, but that's a young truck. I rely on Toyota's reputation and financial abilities here, and we'll see what happens.

[04e46conv]

How can you tell if the fender is going to be a problem... I am about to pick up an FJ and I going to head over to the lot and pick of the vin number and look up the build date!!

[MarkBNJ]

04e46conv previously said:

How can you tell if the fender is going to be a problem... I am about to pick up an FJ and I going to head over to the lot and pick of the vin number and look up the build date!!

I don't believe anyone can answer that question definitively yet.

[Noisycow]

Just stay on a smooth highway and most of those problems won't apply!! Fixed!!

[PTofTheNorth]

I have no problem with my fenders and my serial number is in the 1800s.

[air]

Wurth previously said:

Considering buying 2007 but....

"but" nothing.

dont be a traitor.

and dont drive behind big trucks on the hwy or your windshield is toast.