10 Reasons I'm Not Getting a FJ Cruiser

[Sandi_k]

dsarka previously said:

1. No sunroof option

I don't care about a sunroof. Your mileage may vary (YMMV).

dsarka previously said:

2. Rear passenger windows do not open (or even flip out for air flow)

I agree the old-fashioned style hinged window would be nice for air flow. If I still have this Cruiser in 10 years, I may do an after-market adjustment. Right now, not necessary (I rarely carry back seat passengers).

dsarka previously said:

3. No flip down tailgate like the concept FJ

I agree that either a tailgate would be preferred, especially since we plan to to with this vehicle. After looking it over, I decided it was not a deal breaker for me. I currently have ambulance rear doors on our Ford van, and it's hard to clear the trailer box with those doors when the trailer is hitched. At least with the FJ, the hinge is on the driver's side, allowing me access to a partially-open rear door. Also, the flip up rear window will allow for flinging of jetski covers and tiedown ratchet straps into the rear bed. So again, while I might have preferred a tailgate, I can live with this.

dsarka previously said:

4. Bad designed roof rack makes rain water drip on driver through front window.

I didn't get the rack, 'cause I hate wind noise. Not an issue for me. For you, many after-market companies have manufactured rain gutter add-ons so that the rain water gets diverted. In the meantime, keep the window closed.

dsarka previously said:

5. Rear seats do not recline at all.

I don't understand a need for rear reclining seats. Are there other midsize SUVs in this class, with this towing and passenger capacity, that DOES have this feature? It seems you want a bling-mobile for your $30K. In my opinion.

dsarka previously said:

6. Rear seats do not fold completely down flat, can't be removed

While the seats themselves can't be removed, AFAIK, the seat back CAN be removed. Even so, the seats fold at an incremental angle afterwards. If I HAD to have a flat load floor, I'd get some plastic or plywood cut to fit. Not a deal breaker.

dsarka previously said:

7. Bad gas mileage along with small gas tank (~250 mi range)

This is pretty much true for all 4WD/2WD midsize SUVs. So it doesn't belong on this list. And if you do the math, at 17 mpg, and a 19 gallon tank, range is actually 323 miles. Which is about what my 1997 Subaru got. This sort of mileage is also true for the Mazda RX-8. Simply put, it's the price you pay to play. Buy a Highlander Hybrid for $40K if gas mileage matters that much to you.

dsarka previously said:

8. Tires do not even look like off-road tires

Big deal. Buy new ones when the stock ones wear out, or go to Discount Tire and work a deal. It's been done, so again, this is not a real criticism of the FJ - it's a criticism of what you WISH were optioned, and it is changeable.

dsarka previously said:

9. Not enough leg room for rear passengers

I don't find that to be the case. It has much better legroom than our best friend's Toyo Tundra Double Cab. And it's about the same of my previous car.

dsarka previously said:

10. Rear windows look large from outside, but are small from the inside.

While I do wish that the stylized rear windows were a little bigger, it's nothing that sitting tall on the seats and using your mirrors aggressively won't correct.

dsarka previously said:

Just some input from a guy that was going to buy one before seeing it in person...

I understand that it's disappointing to have the 3D model be different than you'd imagined. I had the opposite reaction - I decided it was smaller than I had feared from looking at it on paper, and I drive just fine with the mirrors. So I bought it.

It sounds to me like you want a luxury SUV, or a minivan. You want better visibility, better legroom, removable seats, longer mileage range, reclining rear seats, a tailgate...Try budgeting and spending $50K plus. In the $25-$30K segment, there had to be compromises. Welcome to product development realities.

Sandi

[garrett]

dsarka previously said:

1. No sunroof option
2. Rear passenger windows do not open (or even flip out for air flow)
3. No flip down tailgate like the concept FJ
4. Bad designed roof rack makes rain water drip on driver through front window.
5. Rear seats do not recline at all.
6. Rear seats do not fold completely down flat, can't be removed
7. Bad gas mileage along with small gas tank (~250 mi range)
8. Tires do not even look like off-road tires
9. Not enough leg room for rear passengers
10. Rear windows look large from outside, but are small from the inside.


Just some input from a guy that was going to buy one before seeing it in person...

Blah,Blah,Blah......yada....yada....yada....yada Since this crap has been posted so many times before, refer to previous replies that have been posted before. Or should I start another brand new thread just to show how my thoughts are the only ones that count even though I have read all this before.

Now go back to work........ So you can afford to buy one.

[justfred]

garrett previously said:

Blah,Blah,Blah......yada....yada....yada....yada Since this crap has been posted so many times before, refer to previous replies that have been posted before. Or should I start another brand new thread just to show how my thoughts are the only ones that count even though I have read all this before.

Now go back to work........ So you can afford to buy one.

(sarcacstic I don't understand the complaining about the complaining. So people want to complain, what's your problem with that? If you don't want to read it, don't. You don't have to reply just to complain. Does anyone really need to hear your griping, about the people that are griping? Where's the love, man?

Complaining about the complaining about the complaining, though - now that's postmodern.

[Stingraykid]

Top 10 reasons to BUY BUY BUY an FJ:
10) Aftermarket stuff galore within a year
9) Best resale value in class
8) Long service life
7) Excellent balance between on- and off-road capability
6) DC/AC inverter
5) Superb build quality
4) Torquey proven powerplant
3) Competitively priced
2) Looks friggin' COOL
And the top reason to buy an FJ -
1) Bulletproof freaky insane Toyota reliability

If you can't afford the gas try a Prius or one of them Suzukis (just don't try to take it down Rubicon...heeheeeheeheeeeheeeheeeeheheeeheeeee)

[garrett]

justfred previously said:

(sarcacstic I don't understand the complaining about the complaining. So people want to complain, what's your problem with that? If you don't want to read it, don't. You don't have to reply just to complain. Does anyone really need to hear your griping, about the people that are griping? Where's the love, man?

Complaining about the complaining about the complaining, though - now that's postmodern.

Because you are clogging up the threads, come up with something new. Like the MT slip is important, this thread is not.

Or do you just like complaining about the complaining about the complaining.

[ckit]

moabite previously said:

Xterra....real back seat that folds flat, real rear windows, locker, standard traction control on front and rear, better tires than FJ, standard roof rack, more power than FJ........

But for all that, it still couldn't climb the hill in that road test comparo...

I really don't mind distancing myself from people who use the vehicle primarily for people-carrying capacity or for highway cruising. In my neighborhood, people who buy Xterras are ones who couldn't afford Pathfinders...

The price point and functionality of Xterras makes them cross-shoppable with Highlanders and Pilots... and Elements on the low end. Those are the people I see driving them around.

The Off-Road Xterra version is $23,850 base. It's the only one available with a locking rear differential... but that won't matter to most Xterra owners. How many do you see that are the Off-road version?

One more thing about the rear windows... if you drive fast enough, nobody is ever in your blind spot....