Picked Clean: Toyota Land Cruiser Junkyard Shoppers Must Move Quickly!

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin

Sometimes I see a vehicle in a self-service junkyard that I know is going to look like the carcass of a Thanksgiving turkey by about December 4th, after all the bits of meat have been harvested for sandwich-making. The Toyota Land Cruiser is such a vehicle. When we saw this truck on May 10, it had been been stripped of some parts but was largely complete. When I returned to this yard a couple of weeks later… well, see for yourself.

The Land Cruiser is like the Acura Integra or International Harvester pickup; the word spreads that one has appeared in a low-price junkyard, and then the vultures swoop in.

Actually, this truck still has plenty of good stuff left, including most of the drivetrain and some interior bits. By the time it gets gobbled up by The Crusher, it will be a bare shell.



Murilee Martin
Murilee Martin

Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.

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  • 1998redwagon 1998redwagon on Jun 04, 2012

    that action puts a smile on my face. reused, recycled. delaying the date with the crusher. it's all good.

  • Icemilkcoffee Icemilkcoffee on Jun 04, 2012

    I am amazed the front axle is still there. I beleive these wagons have the very valuable high-pinion front axles.

    • Mad_science Mad_science on Jun 04, 2012

      The FJ60s had low-pinions that were basically the same as the trucks. Wasn't until the '80 that they went to high-pinion and rear steer axles. Still surprised it's there, though. Toyota solid axles are getting harder to find.

  • Brandon I would vote for my 23 Escape ST-Line with the 2.0L turbo and a normal 8 speed transmission instead of CVT. 250 HP, I average 28 MPG and get much higher on trips and get a nice 13" sync4 touchscreen. It leaves these 2 in my dust literally
  • JLGOLDEN When this and Hornet were revealed, I expected BOTH to quickly become best-sellers for their brands. They look great, and seem like interesting and fun alternatives in a crowded market. Alas, ambitious pricing is a bridge too far...
  • Zerofoo Modifications are funny things. I like the smoked side marker look - however having seen too many cars with butchered wire harnesses, I don't buy cars with ANY modifications. Pro-tip - put the car back to stock before you try and sell it.
  • JLGOLDEN I disagree with the author's comment on the current Murano's "annoying CVT". Murano's CVT does not fake shifts like some CVTs attempt, therefore does not cause shift shock or driveline harshness while fumbling between set ratios. Murano's CVT feels genuinely smooth and lets the (great-sounding V6) engine sing and zing along pleasantly.
  • JLGOLDEN Our family bought a 2012 Murano AWD new, and enjoyed it for 280K before we sold it last month. CVT began slipping at 230K but it was worth fixing a clean, well-cared for car. As soon as we sold the 2012, I grabbed a new 2024 Murano before the body style and powertrain changes for 2025, and (as rumored) goes to 4-cyl turbo. Sure, the current Murano feels old-school, with interior switchgear and finishes akin to a 2010 Infiniti. That's not a bad thing! Feels solid, V6 sounds awesome, and the whole platform has been around long enough that future parts & service wont be an issue.
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