Looks like a keeper. You may want to consider some rust remediation to keep what's there from getting worse. Will you be driving in the road salt belt? If so, doing that is even more imperative. How many miles on it and is there a service/maintenance record, especially for the serpentine belt, coolant, brake fluid and automatic transmission fluids.

 

So it has 52,400 miles on it. It spent its life in WV and VA. I live in NC, so no snow or road salt concerns, but I live near the coast so that is a concern. My plan it to take the FJ out of service for about 2-3 weeks, I’ll do a full chassis restoration. I have some experience in this after doing the same to my 1977 280z a few years ago. Looks like new now. So first, a good power wash, then knock off any loose rust dust with a wire brush/wheel. Powerwash again To remove all dust. I then treat all the metal with a rust converter like Correseal. Problably two treatments of that. Then I carefully paint the metal with chassis paint like VHT I’ll tape off all area so no overspray. Once done it will just require annual inspection and touch up. This is not structural rust at this point but left untreated it will just get worse.
I have a decent service record from carfax, both previous owners has all service done at Toyota so they have good records of the VIN.
Unless the dealer tells me it was recorded previously here is my plan.
1. Radiator flush
2. Power steering flush
3. brake fluid flush
4. front and rear differential fluid change as well as transfer case.
5. new denso or NGK plugs
6. new belts
7. Oil change
8. air filter
9. transmission fluid change

I just bought a fresh set of Sightline Toyota wipers. Will swap out the front skid plate for a TRD aluminum one. The stock one I have is looking rough.

 

I just bought a fresh set of Sightline Toyota wipers. Will swap out the front skid plate for a TRD aluminum one. The stock one I have is looking rough.

From the photos, it appears that you still have the original OEM wiper blades. Don't throw these away as they are more expensive than the SightLine wipers and a durable and serviceable product. The Sightline wipers are a low cost replacement product that the dealers keep in stock. The OEM wipers are usually not stocked and special order if you have lost them and want them back. With the OEM wipers, you can just purchase the rubber strips inexpensively from a Toyota dealer to make them like new again rather than replacing the whole blade.

The spark plugs should be fine as they are. On a 2012, the replacement interval is 120000 miles(!) if they are the factory original plugs. Check the condition of the radiator cap. After 12 years, the rubber seals in the cap may have hardened.

The rust doesn't look bad, but it is certainly time to deal with it before it gets worse. You have a nice looking and well equipped FJ. Hopefully it will be trouble free for a long time. Car smells tend to reduce after some time in the sun too. Maybe a new cabin air filter will take care of most of it?

 

It does look like a keeper

 

Nice FJC!

 

Nice FJ! Very clean

 

I'll be in OBX in August. I'll have to keep an eye out for your new FJ.

 

You got a white one, I’ll be looking. Is there an a FJ secret handshake or wave ? Triple light flash or something?

 

Triple light flash always gets attention. 😎 I'll be in Kitty Hawk. My white FJ has the same black TRD wheels as your newer 4 Runner.

 

I‘m on it, ill be looking, but I live in the southern crystal coast but get up that way now and then. We can drive on the each here but I’m too worried about rust to do that…the guys that drive on the beach regularly have cars turn into rust buckets. I always cringe when i an expensive new vehicle out there.

 

I too bought my 2014 FJ from a previous "light" smoker, though smoker still. As I sell sailboats for a living I used what we use on boats to get rid of foul smells, an Ozone generator. Run a couple of times and the smoke odor disappears! Beautiful FJ, congratulations.

 

Congrats! Def looks like a keeper!🎉 I bought my 2012 brand new and I will never sell it!!

 

Thanks Jorgy, I’ve looked at many of these over the past year this is the best I could find. I paid more than I wanted and arguably more than it probably solded for when it was brand new. I’m so disgusted with the new car market and especially Toyota. They have really hurt their credibility with the recent scandals. Dealerships all put these BS dealer add-ons like nitrogen inflated tires and lokack you can’t remove with prices off the chart. Then the vehicles are overly complicated full of warning bells and chimes. Then we have the new Turbo engine issues and now transmission issues on the Tacoma. I love the FJ for everything it IS and ISN’T. It’s simple, reliable, while thoughtful and unique. No gimmicks, not BS. Just a fantastic vehicle that will never return or anything ever like it again,

 

I have had excellent results with the inexpensive windshield chip repair kits. Surface Shield literally undermined and stopped my frame weld rust. I'm in Florida on the coast and keep vigilant on rust. One heavy treatment two years ago has held up well. It's hard to beat a low mileage FJ find. I looked for 2 years and could not be happier.

 

I’ve heard about the Surface Shield and plan on using it. Looks like it’s superior to Fluid Film. I’ll have the car on jacks and do a full clean up this coming week. My wife will freak out and ask why so much work needs to be done on a car we paid $33,900 for. She doesn’t really get it but I can sympathize with her point. I will emphasize that pretty much any new car we would buy for 34k will be essentially a throw away car, because that’s what many new cars in this price range are. We live in a throw away society and companies build throw away products now. I feel if you take care of your FJ it can last a lifetime. Try that with any 2024 vehicle model, that list will be short.

 

Okay update on my FJ, I’ve been busy. Here‘s what if completed so far.
-New windshield and proper upper windshield trim
-Full service of the 4WD (drain and fill - front and rear diff, transfer case and lube chassis and propeller shaft)

• replace Coolant
• replace brake fluid
• install new wipers
• new PCV Valve
• ran a bottle of injection cleaner (now running only Top Tier fuel and 89 octane grade)
• new air filter
• had the paint corrected and ceramic coated. He also did an Ozone treatment Looks Awesome and smells better but not perfect.

Things left to do:

• Fix TPMS light. Toyota wanted $750 to replace all 4. I have a $350 deductible with Carvana for an out of network repair and a $50 for in network. This is part of the 100 day warranty. I found an in network shop to change out sensors next week. I hope those 33500 sensors he install are compatible and can be programmed with the FJ. I know newer Toyotas have issues with those TPMS sensors.
• install ceramic window tint.
• change out transmission fluid (will do in the next three months.)
• replace power steering fluid
• oil change (Carvana just did it but I’ll replace with a full Synthetic like Pennziol Ultra Platinum ( what I use on my other 4Runners)

• Ordered new Clazzio seat covers (black with beige inserts beige stitching. He’s a pic of what they’ll look like that I found from a guy who put colors together on his Quicksand 4Runner. Hopefully this finally kills the remaining smell that is probably coming from the seat foam..
• finish frame rust restoration.
• bought a Bando serpentine belt and new Desno iridium plugs. Won’t install now but figured with the rate of inflation the plugs will be 2x the price when I hit 100k miles. I might put them in early. I’ll pull a plug and inspect them soon.

What have I forgotten?
I want to ditch the stock wheels. Don’t like the looks. Was considering the TRD wheels or a set of Method MR305. I might make a separate on the wheels.
I also found a 2014 rear view mirror for $200. Is this worth it? Should I swap out the rear camera with one from a 2015 Siena. Rear they are plug and play, found one for $34

 

You've been busy! I've given up on the TPMS nonsense- I can live with the light on the dash.
Check out these TRD wheels- FN makes high quality wheels and these are light (less than 24 lbs.) and come in 17x8" (1/2" wider than stock). Method makes nice wheels as well- do the 305's come with their 'beadgrip' technology? I like the 705's myself...

 

The TPMS is any annoying system on most cars. This is government mandated on all car produced after Sep 2007 under the Tread act. I don’t want to go too off but I can’t stand needless government regulation. I get they’re trying to promote safety but these systems are expensive and not all that great. My state has a inspection program and you won’t pass with the TPMS light so I cant ignore it. The future vehicle regulations that were approved in the President’s 2021 Infrastructure Bill requires all cars built after 2026 to have a remote kill switch capability and alcohol breath testing if the tech can be validated. More cost and more intrusion to citizens. I wont be buying a new car again i think. New cars are too complicated already and wait until AI makes hacking vehicles easy. I don't know but the future seems sketchy. My FJ will be just perfect for me, unless they start to penalize gas power cars in the future.
I like those wheels, also like the traditonal TRD wheel that came with the trail teams edition but 16” seems small. No the Method MR305 have a fake beadlock they offer the real beadlock in a different style.