KC Masterpiece
Hard Core 4+
- Joined
- May 4, 2019
- Messages
- 2,123
This is a post I never thought I'd write.
For the past 15 years, Land Cruisers have been a huge part of my identity. Many of my closest friendships, favorite trips, and best memories have come from this community and these trucks. My Cruiser history actually started with an FJC. It was my first vehicle and I absolutely loved that thing. In my early 20s it was just me and the dog exploring Colorado. It was the perfect vehicle for that stage of life. Then Amber and I moved in together and started taking more trips as a couple. The FJ began to feel a little small for the way we were using it, so we sold it and bought the 80. Looking back, that was probably the best vehicle decision I've ever made. That was eight years ago.
The 80 has been with us through a huge portion of our lives. We have camped out of it, traveled all over the West, wheeled it, maintained it, modified it, and made countless memories with it. One summer when we were still living in Silverthorne, I was between jobs and working four 12-hour days a week. I spent most of that summer living out of the 80 on the side of Aspen Mountain. Looking back, it was one of the best summers of my life and another memory that is inseparable from that truck. Tons of great backpacking trips with the boys where we were breaking trail up in Bears Ears to get out for a week without seeing another soul.
A few years ago I had a great career opportunity that completely changed our situation. My wife and I were able to buy a beautiful house in a place we love, and today I have far more responsibility than I did back then, and the reality is that time and priorities have changed. We simply have a lot less freedom than we used to. Many of you know I'm also heavily into endurance running now. Training takes 10 to 15 hours a week, and that's before races, recovery, travel, and everything else. Somewhere along the way, life got busy and we accumulated too many hobbies. What has surprised me most is that working on vehicles, something I used to genuinely love, often feels like a chore now. I have shelves full of parts for future projects that never seem to become present projects. The reality is that I haven't actually been four-wheeling in years. It's not because I don't enjoy it. Every time I see photos from Cruise Moab or a trail run, I think, "Man, I should get back out there." But when the weekend arrives, it always feels like a major effort to get everything together. Everywhere I used to take a cruiser is now accessible by foot.
The 60 is a perfect example. I absolutely love that truck, but it's gotten so nice that I'm honestly afraid to take it out and beat it up. I find myself wanting to preserve it rather than use it. For the last couple of years I've also been quietly contemplating the Sprinter van life. I know that statement alone may get me kicked out of Rising Sun. For years I thought Sprinter vans were a ridiculous trend for trust-fund kids and Instagram influencers. To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure how I keep seeing couples in their late 20s driving around in $150,000 van builds. Then again, when Amber and I were that age, we were sleeping in a used backpacking tent, cooking on a camp stove, and finding logs or rocks to sit on around camp. Maybe priorities have changed. Maybe expectations have changed. Or maybe we're just in a different stage of life now.
But my wife and I rented a van a couple of years ago and I have to admit, it was pretty great. It was comfortable, easy to travel in, surprisingly capable on the moderate 4WD roads we actually use, and fantastic on the highway. More importantly, it seemed to fit the way we spend our time these days. We're also talking about getting a third dog and are actively working toward having kids. The more I think about where life is headed, the more I find myself questioning whether our current vehicle lineup still makes sense. We're likely selling the Tundra soon because we simply don't need a truck anymore, and it's impractically large for Amber to drive comfortably. That has me looking at the rest of the fleet and wondering what makes sense for the next chapter. We will probably get something a bit higher mileage
So now I'm sitting here wondering if the 80 is still the right vehicle for us.
The thought of selling it honestly makes me a little sick. We've owned it for eight years and it feels like a member of the family at this point. Part of me wonders if the answer is a mildly built 200 Series that can do a bit of everything while still being a comfortable daily driver. Part of me looks at a 200 Series or GX paired with a Sprinter van for weekend warrior activities and thinks that combination is becoming more and more attractive. Part of me thinks the answer is keeping the 60 as the cool Cruiser and family heirloom, selling the 80, and putting that money toward a van that better fits the way we actually travel today.
Has anyone else gone through this?
Not necessarily the Cruiser-to-Sprinter transition specifically, but that feeling where your interests, priorities, and lifestyle evolved and suddenly the vehicles that once perfectly fit your life maybe don't anymore?
On that note. Anyone in the Club looking to get into a 2nd Gen Tundra, or a built out 80?
For the past 15 years, Land Cruisers have been a huge part of my identity. Many of my closest friendships, favorite trips, and best memories have come from this community and these trucks. My Cruiser history actually started with an FJC. It was my first vehicle and I absolutely loved that thing. In my early 20s it was just me and the dog exploring Colorado. It was the perfect vehicle for that stage of life. Then Amber and I moved in together and started taking more trips as a couple. The FJ began to feel a little small for the way we were using it, so we sold it and bought the 80. Looking back, that was probably the best vehicle decision I've ever made. That was eight years ago.
The 80 has been with us through a huge portion of our lives. We have camped out of it, traveled all over the West, wheeled it, maintained it, modified it, and made countless memories with it. One summer when we were still living in Silverthorne, I was between jobs and working four 12-hour days a week. I spent most of that summer living out of the 80 on the side of Aspen Mountain. Looking back, it was one of the best summers of my life and another memory that is inseparable from that truck. Tons of great backpacking trips with the boys where we were breaking trail up in Bears Ears to get out for a week without seeing another soul.
A few years ago I had a great career opportunity that completely changed our situation. My wife and I were able to buy a beautiful house in a place we love, and today I have far more responsibility than I did back then, and the reality is that time and priorities have changed. We simply have a lot less freedom than we used to. Many of you know I'm also heavily into endurance running now. Training takes 10 to 15 hours a week, and that's before races, recovery, travel, and everything else. Somewhere along the way, life got busy and we accumulated too many hobbies. What has surprised me most is that working on vehicles, something I used to genuinely love, often feels like a chore now. I have shelves full of parts for future projects that never seem to become present projects. The reality is that I haven't actually been four-wheeling in years. It's not because I don't enjoy it. Every time I see photos from Cruise Moab or a trail run, I think, "Man, I should get back out there." But when the weekend arrives, it always feels like a major effort to get everything together. Everywhere I used to take a cruiser is now accessible by foot.
The 60 is a perfect example. I absolutely love that truck, but it's gotten so nice that I'm honestly afraid to take it out and beat it up. I find myself wanting to preserve it rather than use it. For the last couple of years I've also been quietly contemplating the Sprinter van life. I know that statement alone may get me kicked out of Rising Sun. For years I thought Sprinter vans were a ridiculous trend for trust-fund kids and Instagram influencers. To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure how I keep seeing couples in their late 20s driving around in $150,000 van builds. Then again, when Amber and I were that age, we were sleeping in a used backpacking tent, cooking on a camp stove, and finding logs or rocks to sit on around camp. Maybe priorities have changed. Maybe expectations have changed. Or maybe we're just in a different stage of life now.
But my wife and I rented a van a couple of years ago and I have to admit, it was pretty great. It was comfortable, easy to travel in, surprisingly capable on the moderate 4WD roads we actually use, and fantastic on the highway. More importantly, it seemed to fit the way we spend our time these days. We're also talking about getting a third dog and are actively working toward having kids. The more I think about where life is headed, the more I find myself questioning whether our current vehicle lineup still makes sense. We're likely selling the Tundra soon because we simply don't need a truck anymore, and it's impractically large for Amber to drive comfortably. That has me looking at the rest of the fleet and wondering what makes sense for the next chapter. We will probably get something a bit higher mileage
So now I'm sitting here wondering if the 80 is still the right vehicle for us.
The thought of selling it honestly makes me a little sick. We've owned it for eight years and it feels like a member of the family at this point. Part of me wonders if the answer is a mildly built 200 Series that can do a bit of everything while still being a comfortable daily driver. Part of me looks at a 200 Series or GX paired with a Sprinter van for weekend warrior activities and thinks that combination is becoming more and more attractive. Part of me thinks the answer is keeping the 60 as the cool Cruiser and family heirloom, selling the 80, and putting that money toward a van that better fits the way we actually travel today.
Has anyone else gone through this?
Not necessarily the Cruiser-to-Sprinter transition specifically, but that feeling where your interests, priorities, and lifestyle evolved and suddenly the vehicles that once perfectly fit your life maybe don't anymore?
On that note. Anyone in the Club looking to get into a 2nd Gen Tundra, or a built out 80?
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