[JimMorris]

I have a 2012 TT. To me mine is priceless, but for $50K it can be bought.

 

[Gharddog03]

 

[Preamble]

One of the worst financial decisions you can make is to buy a low-miles collector car -- which a low-miles FJ is, for now -- and then put a ton of miles on it. Why is this such a bad financial decision? Depreciation. Let's consider two 2014 TTUE FJs on BringATrailer:

7K miles, $65.5K - 7k-Mile 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition
63K miles + mods, $39K - Modified 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition

So you buy a nearly new FJ, put ~$10K in mods on it, drive it 56K miles and now it's worth $26K less than you paid for it (plus the $10K in mods).

Put another way, the depreciation cost of doing ^^^ this is roughly equal to what this 2010 Trail Teams with 73K miles bid to on BringATrailer: 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition

So a +1 to your point, low mileage really isn't worth that much. But also, FJs are overpriced. I regularly see people paying more for 50-60K 2010+ examples than what it would cost to buy a 2016+ GX460 with half as many miles. The GX has a V8, heated & cooled seats, factory nav, a sunroof, will take most suspension / armor mods from a 4Runner.

The biggest risk to these insane low-miles FJ values is Toyota themselves. All Toyota has to do is to release a vehicle that is undeniably superior to the FJ and prices will crash. Will they do this is the big question. A 2-door US "Land Cruiser" with a decent engine would do it.

A 4runner isn't an FJ and never will be. I've had 3 FJs and 3 Tundras but would never even consider purchasing a 4runner. If you are in the market for an FJ and have the money then you can't go wrong with that low mileage, highly desirable color/package example. Drive it until the wheels fall off, bolt on a set of new ones and repeat. You'll get more than your money's worth even at $47k, which certainly is negotiable.

 

[DeeMoose]

One of the worst financial decisions you can make is to buy a low-miles collector car -- which a low-miles FJ is, for now -- and then put a ton of miles on it. Why is this such a bad financial decision? Depreciation. Let's consider two 2014 TTUE FJs on BringATrailer:

7K miles, $65.5K - 7k-Mile 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition

I was actually a bidder on that 7K mile TTUE.

 

[Macarver]

Whatever someone is willing to pay…

 

[DeeMoose]

A 4runner isn't an FJ and never will be. I've had 3 FJs and 3 Tundras but would never even consider purchasing a 4runner. If you are in the market for an FJ and have the money then you can't go wrong with that low mileage, highly desirable color/package example. Drive it until the wheels fall off, bolt on a set of new ones and repeat. You'll get more than your money's worth even at $47k, which certainly is negotiable.

Yeah, I agree. 4Runner was never even on the radar for me. I was specifically looking for an FJ Cruiser. When they were available new years ago, I was never really a fan of them. But as time passed and they were no longer available to purchase new, I started to appreciate them for their unique style and simple nature. Now, when I look at them, they look like nothing else on the road today. I wanted to grab one while I could still find one in decent shape. My wife thinks I am nuts for buying a 10 year old car and paying close to the original sticker price for it. My 2012 TT was purchased recently with 55k miles on it, but I was definitely willing to pay more for some even lower mile examples.

 

[LeoOshkosh]

One of the worst financial decisions you can make is to buy a low-miles collector car -- which a low-miles FJ is, for now -- and then put a ton of miles on it. Why is this such a bad financial decision? Depreciation. Let's consider two 2014 TTUE FJs on BringATrailer:

7K miles, $65.5K - 7k-Mile 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition
63K miles + mods, $39K - Modified 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition

So you buy a nearly new FJ, put ~$10K in mods on it, drive it 56K miles and now it's worth $26K less than you paid for it (plus the $10K in mods).

Put another way, the depreciation cost of doing ^^^ this is roughly equal to what this 2010 Trail Teams with 73K miles bid to on BringATrailer: 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition

So a +1 to your point, low mileage really isn't worth that much. But also, FJs are overpriced. I regularly see people paying more for 50-60K 2010+ examples than what it would cost to buy a 2016+ GX460 with half as many miles. The GX has a V8, heated & cooled seats, factory nav, a sunroof, will take most suspension / armor mods from a 4Runner.

The biggest risk to these insane low-miles FJ values is Toyota themselves. All Toyota has to do is to release a vehicle that is undeniably superior to the FJ and prices will crash. Will they do this is the big question. A 2-door US "Land Cruiser" with a decent engine would do it.

You are not wrong. I have an extensively modded 2011 NSSE FJ. I dumped a lot of money into it.

I started thinking why did I not invest in a GX460? On paper you get so much more.

However, it's a lot tougher to fit 35's on GX. Also, The GX460 will not offroad as well as the FJ. The flip-side is that the GX is much better on road and the creature comforts are much better.

I still may build a GX, but I love my fj and fully intend on keeping it!

Why not both?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[RedRockMotors]

Ok, my two cents here. Yes, a mind FJ is worth whatever someone is willing to pay, and, if the car is Canadian, I strongly urge you to have it inspected for rust. I've seen very low mileage FJs be pretty rotted out underneath. And, I've seen high mileage ones that live in salt road climates be excellent as the owner took care of the frame. If it is rusted badly, it is likely not worth anywhere near what it would be otherwise. If it is in good shape underneath, it is probably a high $40s car right now to the right buyer. Red is the color in Trail Teams that seems to be the most temperamental. Some love it, some find it too "red." The 13s and 14s are desired by some as crawl control was added that year. But, as others have pointed out, if you are going to build it, drive it, offload it, etc. you might be better served by buying a higher mileage one and not pay the premium of a low mileage one that is coveted by collectors.

 

[Virtual-Chris]

Ok, my two cents here. Yes, a mind FJ is worth whatever someone is willing to pay, and, if the car is Canadian, I strongly urge you to have it inspected for rust. I've seen very low mileage FJs be pretty rotted out underneath.

I think that's smart advice no matter where the vehicle is from. But yeah, Central and Eastern Canada is just like the rust belt in the US. However, here on the west coast, it's much milder, like Seattle, with lots of rain and very little snow, although they do use road salt occasionally when there's a threat of freezing/snow. I saw some badly rusted frames here when I was shopping for mine.

 

[DPStL]

Go to Bringatrailor.com. They are a bit different than other auction sites because their auctions are curated. They have had several FJs sold and they bring big $$$. If it's mint, trail teams and clean, I would expect they would have a recent auction to comp it out. I'd guess with that mileage you'd get $50k. On their site you can search a model and they have a very nice graph of what has sold and for how much.

 

[Virtual-Chris]

Go to Bringatrailor.com. They are a bit different than other auction sites because their auctions are curated. They have had several FJs sold and they bring big $$$. If it's mint, trail teams and clean, I would expect they would have a recent auction to comp it out. I'd guess with that mileage you'd get $50k. On their site you can search a model and they have a very nice graph of what has sold and for how much.

FYI, The seller (or any buyers) are not present in this thread... it's just a discussion about what owners think it's worth and whether it's a good buy or not.

 

[DeeMoose]

Go to Bringatrailor.com. They are a bit different than other auction sites because their auctions are curated. They have had several FJs sold and they bring big $$$. If it's mint, trail teams and clean, I would expect they would have a recent auction to comp it out. I'd guess with that mileage you'd get $50k. On their site you can search a model and they have a very nice graph of what has sold and for how much.

Bringatrailer.com has been brought up in a few posts already. I do think prices have peaked for now and trending lower in the short term, but Bringatrailer.com does seem to fetch top dollar for sellers. They do offer sellers a decent platform to present their cars and trucks for auction, in that sellers post tons of pictures and are also available in the comments section to answer any additional questions that bidders may have. I have bid on cars on their site a couple of times but, as of yet, have never purchased through BAT. And like you mentioned, it's good for researching recent comps. Here is a link to a 23k mile 2012 TT from back in August. Sold for $48.5k

23k-Mile 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition

Bid for the chance to own a 23k-Mile 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #81,655.

bringatrailer.com

 

[jimmy-buffett]

A 4runner isn't an FJ and never will be. I've had 3 FJs and 3 Tundras but would never even consider purchasing a 4runner. If you are in the market for an FJ and have the money then you can't go wrong with that low mileage, highly desirable color/package example. Drive it until the wheels fall off, bolt on a set of new ones and repeat. You'll get more than your money's worth even at $47k, which certainly is negotiable.

It's strange that you've never owned a 4Runner but so strongly assert what the 4Runner is and is not.

I've offroaded both extensively here in Colorado. How are they different? They have the same powertrain. The 4Runner's wheelbase is just 4 inches longer to get the second row of doors, and not 22 inches longer like the 2-door to 4-door Wrangler, or 16 inches going 2-door to 4-door Bronco. Which mean a lot less high-centering going FJ->4R than the Bronco or the Wrangler. They're easier to get into and out of for the rear passengers, have factory leather, factory nav, factory sunroof, a rear window that rolls down. They both have the same rubbing issues when you go 33 inches or larger on tires.

Based on my extensive experience in both, the FJ's marginal increase in offroading ability -- an increase that most even on this forum won't do enough offroading to tell the difference -- isn't worth the many improved features on the 4Runner.

A GX is all of that ^^^ plus a V8. I live at 6100 elevation, regularly offroad over 12K and have ~800 pounds of extra steel on my trucks. V8 vs V6 is the difference between struggling on I-70 to/from the trails -- as both the FJ and 4Runner do, no matter how they're built -- and not struggling.

I consult on dozens of FJ transactions (buying/selling) a year. I get people who will only buy a manual, I get people who aren't interested in the GX over an FJ. It doesn't bother me, it's their money. Some people like the styling on the FJ, I totally get it. If you're one of those people who knows exactly what you want and has the money to make that happen, I can respect that. My only goal is to help those people make an informed decision. Most aren't aware of the GX. Many, when made aware, buy the GX because it is objecively a better value for money.

I have nothing against the FJ, but they are overpriced. And if the rumors about the next Land Cruiser are true, we might be coming up on an FJ price crash.

 

[Sasman]

A 4runner isn't an FJ and never will be. I've had 3 FJs and 3 Tundras but would never even consider purchasing a 4runner. If you are in the market for an FJ and have the money then you can't go wrong with that low mileage, highly desirable color/package example. Drive it until the wheels fall off, bolt on a set of new ones and repeat. You'll get more than your money's worth even at $47k, which certainly is negotiable.

Why do you not like the 4-Runner's versus the FJ? I also have a 2012 TT-FJ. I've enjoyed it since the day I got it. The 4-Runner is the only other vehicle I would consider in the future. But I understand there are features of the FJ that are not part of the 4-Runner. What's your assessment?

 

[DeeMoose]

I'm not answering for Preamble, but will say for myself, that not everyone that is interested in an FJ is also interested in a 4Runner. Yes the 4Runner is a very capable off roader, no one is denying that. If you are looking for something specific for that quality, then there is no reason to not consider the 4Runner and/or a GX. For myself, my FJ will probably never see a dirt road while I am the owner, so how capable it is as an off roader wasn't my deciding factor.

 

[Virtual-Chris]

And if the rumors about the next Land Cruiser are true, we might be coming up on an FJ price crash.

What do you mean by this? The new Land Cruiser has been announced and it's a luxury barge.

 

[jimmy-buffett]

What do you mean by this? The new Land Cruiser has been announced and it's a luxury barge.

The 300-Series is only being sold in the US as the Lexus LX. Rumors going around at the LA Auto Show last week though that we'll be seeing a US "Land Cruiser" based on the Prado.

 

[Virtual-Chris]

The 300-Series is only being sold in the US as the Lexus LX. Rumors going around at the LA Auto Show last week though that we'll be seeing a US "Land Cruiser" based on the Prado.

I watched a video recently where the inside story from Toyota in Japan was that 4x4s are simply not a priority for them. Globally, the market is minor compared to world cars. I'd be surprised if we see anything compelling from Toyota for off-road enthusiasts. Even the next-gen 4Runner is continually delayed and when it finally emerges will likely be a bloated street vehicle.

 

[rantoskow]

I have a 2012 TT. To me mine is priceless, but for $50K it can be bought.

My Wife has the same 2012 TTE. Her second FJ BTW. She wouldn't sell it for $50K that she was offered. She loves it and says it can't be replaced.

 

[Up North]

You are not wrong. I have an extensively modded 2011 NSSE FJ. I dumped a lot of money into it.

I started thinking why did I not invest in a GX460? On paper you get so much more.

However, it's a lot tougher to fit 35's on GX. Also, The GX460 will not offroad as well as the FJ. The flip-side is that the GX is much better on road and the creature comforts are much better.

I still may build a GX, but I love my fj and fully intend on keeping it!

Why not both?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Curious to find if there's much milage difference between the V8 GX460 and the FJ.
Or does the worse coefficient of drag on the FJ make it a wash.