FJ Cruiser
 

Since my 370Z decides to fail me at 12K miles, I am thinking about moving up my plans for a dedicated race car and baby. In order to get them, I will need a tow vehicle. I am thinking about a FJ Cruiser since it is relatively cheap and it has a decent towing capacity (5000lbs, 3000 race car with 2000 trailer). Have you guys driven one? I just want to see your thoughts on it.

I am tempted to get another sports car, but nothing is really good in the 20-30K range. I dont want to go overboard since I don't plan to track any car over 10K on the track in the near future as I saw my friend's 30K Corvette getting totalled. I will miss the autox scene, but I can always take the Prius with slicks to scare the rookies. I would also love a sports car to drive to work, but I am not sure a used European car for $20K is a good idea, especially with my luck on cars since almost every car I owned broke for one reason or another the last 4 years.

My folks just bought a 2008 FJ with TRD pkg.

It's not bad. It's not powerful, considering the weight. It's not sporty in the least. Brakes are a bit light, too.

But it's comfortable and capable. And you can fit adults in the back pretty comfortably. It's a nice ride, and they can be had for a very reasonable cost.

I dunno if I'd want to tow with that thing. You'd be maxed out with just the car and trailer...

True. The putt-putter engine is already doing a lot of work to try and pull that hefty vehicle.

And what's really weird on this vehicle is the 3 front windsheild wiper blades.

Makes it look kind of like a cyclops.

If you are gonna tow a trailer with a vehicle on it you need tow rig with torque and a long wheelbase. Look for an older used deisel truck or and gasser like a F250. I would be afraid of the trailer over powering the FJ on a windy hilly road.

I ride in my friend's FJ at least 2 or 3 times a week. it feels more like a truck above anything else. The space inside feels awkward IMO, especially if you plan on having adults of my size in the backseat; Very very good in snow. Decent car overall but not the best for towing anything else as the engine is not very powerful.

FJ fails for towing tbh.


What are you getting for the track?

FJ is all fluff, and over-priced.

I would recommend a low mileage 2005-2007 Xterra SE over an FJ

FJ's correctly optioned out are a very good off road vehicle, but I wouldn't tow anything substantial wiht it. Esp since it has a relatively short wheelbase.

If you're set on a 'yota, I'd go with the new 4runner instead, it's good better room/ergonomics inside and has the same tow rating and a slightly longer wheelbase.

A used ,or new for that matter, Xterra would be cheaper. Has a 5K tow rating as well, but like I said earlier, I wouldn't really want to take any of these vehicles right up to their max rating.

used 1/2 ton pickup or 3/4--1ton diesel pickup is your best bet for a tow vehicle.

Xterra is an old design and it is a piece of poop. It gets like 16mpg average while the FJ gets 20. Look at the resale value, the FJ is not a bad car. The problem is that they all come loaded from the factory, I am not paying $32k for it.

meh, sounds like you've convinced yourself to get an FJ and don't really care about advice.

xterra may be an old design, but it works and it's super rugged. Won't argue about the gas mileage. No need to hate on it just cause your Z turned out to be a lemon tho.

Get an FJ, it's seems obvious you are leaning that way already. I personally really like them, wouldn't mind a trail teams ed. FJ in either white or this year's army green color at all.

My folks have an FJ, my bro has an Xterra. Both are nice vehicles.

suggestion for a track car..... Miata.

I am not set on the FJ, I just know the Xterra is a piece of poop.

I don't want to get a Miata as a track car, you end up racing with a lot of idiots

:facepalm:

Tundra? Trd got a lot of stuff for it just in case the mod bug bites. They even have a supercharger for it. Go to the trd website. A used tundra wouldnt cost too much either and they should tow

Ok....I OWN A FJ....drive it daily....THE ENGINE IS NOT UNDERPOWERED....239HP. It tows great BUT I have towed my 370 on a trailer and it was close to TO MUCH for a long trip. The weight of the car and trailer is too close to the FJ's limit. Local car tows.....OK....long car tows.....challenging!

:ugh2:

Hey Blue, didn't the newer FJ's get a small bump in power since the motors are now DI iirc? (same motor as in the latest gen 4runner right?)

The engine is enough to move the truck, but it is not "peppy" by any standards. I like it, but it's not a powerful truck. 239hp moving 4000 lbs plus towing weight is not fast.

Yes....the newer FJ's are at 260hp. Funny how everyone keeps saying they are underpowered when: they dont own one, they will out pull they hummer h3 and jeep liberty (stock vs stock), and are actually very quick and powerful considering their heft.

If they are so bad then.....why are they so hard to find used?? Just sayin......

My parents own one, I've driven it several times, and it is underpowered in my opinion, but everyone's entitled their opinion.

It's a nice truck overall. And I wouldn't dare suggest a Jeep Liberty or H3 over one. Those trucks are garbage.

Get a nice v8 like a Suburban or something. That'll tow ya a race car. It'll also eat through your checkbook in gas prices. But that's torks.

But I love the Xterra bashing in this thread. Basically the same truck.

Because nobody bought them new:ugh2:


Seriously though, they aren't a bad vehicle-- they're just a limited purpose vehicle. Buying one to tow a car is like buying a Ridgeline as a pickup. It will do the job, but it's probably not quite how you want it to.

I am only going to buy new Toyota or Honda, everything else would be used. The used prices on the 4runner and FJ are crazy, 2008s are going for almost as much as a brand new one with discounts. I don't get why anyone would want to do it.

On another note, I THINK i found the problem to my Z (i have said this a few times before), will test it after dinner and gym.

Xterra and FJ ARE NOT even close.....lots of different parts and frame.

For the others.....here is a quote from Edmunds review of the FJ....."Our test of a 4WD automatic FJ Cruiser confirmed that it's fairly quick for a 4,300-pound SUV, as our test vehicle ran the 0-60-mph drill in 7.8 seconds".

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

I already know that arguing with you just turns into a flame war, so I'll leave it where it is. I've driven both, and fairly frequently, but you and Edmunds know the score.

If you read my original post you will see I never said it was great for towing.....ok or decent at best. I mentioned the H3 and Liberty because they had the EXACT same HP in 2007 as the FJ.....239. That being said, the FJ out pulled them and out performed them.

My FJ is my daily driver. I know you might believe your random drives in the FJ are = to my DD experience....but thats not possible.

The point everyone missed is that its not a power issue but rater a wheel base issue. Yes, a longer wheel base vehicle will tow better....but...the FJ is not under powered.

Having towed in a wrangler and an fj, I can attest that power is part of the issue.

I ride in my friend's FJ numerous days every week and I drove it around on several occasions. I can definitely attest that it still feels under powered to me and not the best car for towing purposes. Someone mentioned Suburban in the thread ... now that's a towing car. Pls easy with the caps in your reply.

/\ not EVERYONE missed that...:happydance:

not sure about the towing part, but as for cheap sports car, i'd get a used S2000. :)

:gtfo2:



:roflpuke2:

why dont you consider ford F-250 or F-150 ??

Wife won't let me buy a truck, plus I don't want one. I will probably get a used Yukon if I keep the Z

dude, buy a 300zx 2+2, drop in a v8, add some dualies. and be done!

just kidding...

but why won't your wife let you buy a truck?