How much $$$ Have you sunk into your FSJ?

[will e]

The story here is the initial cost is small but the actual cost is high. But still cheaper than a brand new vehicle.

[Crankyolman]

I look at it this way, If I had bought a new truck it would have cost me at least $6,000 a year in payments as a result I try to keep my annual budget at $1,000-1,500 a year. My truck is my daily driver. About 6 months after I got it the cam went bad and evolved into an engine rebuild that cost about $3,000. Original purchase price $2,400. I bought an HEI ignition for something like $100, had the interior redone for $700 ish. That was the first 2 years. I have a couple hundred in the rhino grill and now $1,000 into the new Fitech fuel injection and that is all I've done to it. So a total of about $7,200 or around $2,000 a year, unless I've owned it longer, I'm really not sure, but it sure beats a truck payment and I drive a truck that is exactly what I want and not some set package that some car company or dealer tells me I have to upgrade to just to get the one thing I do want.

[derf]

You must either have a long loan or a big down payment to get $6K/year in payments. Most new truck loans I've been looking at are close to $1K/month, which is double your $6K/year.

[Crankyolman]

You must either have a long loan or a big down payment to get $6K/year in payments. Most new truck loans I've been looking at are close to $1K/month, which is double your $6K/year.

I'm not sure what trucks you have been looking at but the nearest equivalent to my '72 J4500 is the Toyota Tacoma or Ford Ranger which in extended cab 4x4 run around $30,000 - 33,000 which comes to right at $500 a month by my calculators.

[derf]

Well, if you get a stripped down 2WD base model, that makes sense. It's easy to get north of $40K pretty easy, even in those compact trucks.

And I've been looking at getting a truck I can tow my Jeep behind so that sends the price up even faster.

[Crankyolman]

Well, if you get a stripped down 2WD base model, that makes sense. It's easy to get north of $40K pretty easy, even in those compact trucks.

And I've been looking at getting a truck I can tow my Jeep behind so that sends the price up even faster.

It's not hard to spend upwards of $60,000 or even $70,000 on a new truck but you are not comparing apples to apples. By today's standards these old trucks ARE stripped down base model compact trucks, that's why I compared it to the Toyota Tacoma, they are the same size.

Tacoma / J4000 / Toyota Tundra
overall length = 212" / 206" / 228"
Overall width = 74.4" / 78" / 79.9"
Overall height = 70.6" / 70" / 76"
Wheel base = 127.4" / 132" / 145.7"

So you can see the "full size truck" is considerably larger than any J-series ever was and by today's standards they are now at the most "Mid size trucks" So we must compare them to today's mid size trucks to have an equal comparison.

Now lets move on to options. That stripped down base model Tacoma comes with Tilt telescopic wheel, Power windows, power locks, heated mirrors, air conditioning, auto limited slip diff, back up camera, and numerous other luxuries. With 4WD and the optional V6 engine it comes to $32,670. In 1972 and on through most of the J trucks the option list was pretty slim. Mine came with the custom cab, which was an interior upgrade, Horn bar, chrome switches, power steering, power brakes, AM only radio, 360 engine, Automatic transmission, and not a whole hell of a lot else. There weren't a lot of other available options besides bucket seats, air conditioning and a winch, which mine doesn't have. So even if it had every possible option that was offered it would still fall far short of a "Stripped down base model" Tacoma as would virtually every J truck ever made but it is the closest thing to comparing apples to apples.

[dodgerammit]

The reason vehicles are so stupidly large today is to protect us from our stupid selves. Take away the crumple zones, massive side impact airbags, built in rollover protection, super thick sides for impact strength, and you would have a vehicle that would weigh less than our old rigs. Sadly, we are driving bubble cars today. WIFI, bluetooth, wireless charging, in-car entertainment systems, heated and cooled seats, self driving autonomous features, etc. So isolated from reality, we need all of these protective features to keep us safe because we are not focused on the most important task at hand.

[tedlovesjeeps71]

The reason vehicles are so stupidly large today is to protect us from our stupid selves. Take away the crumple zones, massive side impact airbags, built in rollover protection, super thick sides for impact strength, and you would have a vehicle that would weigh less than our old rigs. Sadly, we are driving bubble cars today. WIFI, bluetooth, wireless charging, in-car entertainment systems, heated and cooled seats, self driving autonomous features, etc. So isolated from reality, we need all of these protective features to keep us safe because we are not focused on the most important task at hand.

I think it’s an alternative to pure utility. The modern pickup is less utility and more daily driver with shades of status symbol. It is touted as a worker but many don’t gain that duty until they leave the used car lot and headed to the farm or construction workers garage.
Utility could be a label assigned to something like this:


But I don’t think I’d want to commute or daily drive it. Probably have to avoid all freeways which would make moving around slower.

I wouldn’t mind giving this a test drive.

[dodgerammit]

I avoid freeways if possible regardless of what vehicle I drive. Too much traffic and too many stupid people. One little accident, and you have a 5 mile standstill. You aren't going anywhere for over an hour. This is why I take state routes. Oh well. I've railroaded this topic. Sorry.