I may have accidentally cost myself a lot of money.
Since my son was about 10, he’s been in love with the Toyota FJ Cruiser and obsessed with having one as his first car. Being a loving and supportive dad, I told him that I’d pay half and match his contribution to buying one when the time came.
My son is 14 now, and his driving years are getting frighteningly close. He’s still set on having an FJ Cruiser, but prices haven’t exactly fallen like I expected.
Insead, some used FJ Cruisers are selling for more than when they were new. What’s going on?
Toyota ended production of its retro FJ Cruiser at the close of the 2014 model year. Over 222,000 had been sold in the U.S. since the SUV’s 2006 debut. There are still plenty of used models on the market, but they aren’t cheap.
A base model 2014 FJ Cruiser 4WD with an automatic transmission would have carried an MSRP of just over $29,000. A search yesterday of the CarGurus used listings in my area for 2013 and 2014 FJ Cruisers returned results priced between $30,000 and $37,000.
The least expensive model in my area was a 2007 with 103,000 miles for an eye-watering $19,000.
Ouch.
Why the high prices for a used car from a mass-market automaker? It all comes down to demand. Since new FJ Cruisers can’t be purchased anymore, all the supply is limited to the used market. Low gas prices are helping to fuel a high demand for SUVs, but many of the newer models are car-based crossovers. A late-model truck-based SUV that’s truly off-road capable is a rare beast.
The Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner fit the bill, but don’t have the FJ’s retro-cool factor. The Nissan Xterra is another off-road-capable SUV that is no longer in production, but it hasn’t become a cult favorite.
The price of the Xterra is right, though. In fact, there’s a nice 2007 model in my city with just 87,000 miles on the clock and a price of $10,500.
We’ll see what happens over the next couple of years. If gas prices rise again, the FJ’s thirsty 4.0-liter V6 might fall out of style. People who paid a premium for their FJs in 2015 and 2016 might be willing to let them go for a loss just to get out of their payments in 2019 and 2020.
For now, though, the FJ Cruiser is a modern collectible, and it doesn’t appear that prices will ease in the immediate future.
I wonder if I can get my son to consider a Nissan…
Would you pay over $30,000 for a used Toyota FJ Cruiser?
-tgriffith
Used Toyota FJ Cruiser
Used Jeep Wrangler
Used Toyota 4Runner
Used Nissan Xterra
I just sold my 2014 fj with the off road pkg with 4500 miles for $39,999. 5-28-19
Hi! My name is Mike and Ive had it for 4 years and still absolutely love my FJ
The Toyota FJ is pretty much the ‘it car’ for me – yes, the price-to-condition ratio is pretty jacked, and the gas consumption is a clear concern when fuel prices recover to usurious heights (11-15 liters per 100km could be a $200 drive Toronto > Montreal & back, for example)
But the torque! And the truck-like, impeccable build of these cars. I’m in awe of the Toyota quality here, and I wonder if a well-kept one will remain a classic for a very long time. Decisions…
After searching for several years I finally found and picked up my 2012 Radiant Red (Solid Red, No White Roof ) in 2015. It only had 37K miles on it. Since then I’ve put on 14K miles of my own miles and have added a front grille and step up mounts. No matter where I go my FJ attracts attention and several people have offered to buy it at a premium from what I paid for it. I love everything about my FJ but my wife and kids hate the suicide doors. I find the small gas tank ( 15 gal ), the high profile windshield which is a magnet for pebbles and the blind spot as the biggest shortcomings.
Dude, come t Australia and you’ll be shocked by the prices.
New they are $55K and they are starting to creep up.
I bought mine 3 years ago. 2012 model with 35,000kms (21,000 miles) for $32,000
EPIC car though and takes to the mud and sand like a champ.
I’ve owned my 08 sandstorm TRD supercharged since new and its by far the longest I’ve ever held a vehicle. I have beat the crap out of it and it runs as good as new w/ almost 150k on it. I’ve debated whether to sell and get a pickup again as I miss the bed but damnit I’m in love w/ this thing. It is a tank and I have so much aftermarket invested OME lift, bumpers, winch etc. I have debated either paying up to get a as new paint job or buy another w/ low miles and keep one to drive and one as a collector/driver. You cannot go wrong with these trucks they are bulletproof.
I’ve owned my 08 Team Trails for 7 years now and still enjoy driving it both on and off-road. While it’s been modified to the hilt, it still has all the qualities I cherish in a daily driver. It’s safe (built like a tank), very reliable, has a smooth ride and handles very well, has a roomy cabin, and it’s tough looking with all the off-road mods.
There are some shortcomings too, like blind spots, but can easily be addressed with new aftermarket mirror panel swap-outs. The off-road visibility is hampered with the tall wide front hood, but going doorless solves it for the most part. And finally, the FJ Cruiser doesn’t have a solid front axle, so if you’re into rock climbing or traversing extremely rocky teratin it will be more of a challenge. In regard to Baja, expedition, or some higher speed back road or trail driving the IFS’s superior stability is a win.
Because aftermarket off-road parts are growing in availability and selection the FJ is starting to generate some serious interest in both the casual off-road and expedition crowds vs the full time on road driver. The more FJs that hit the trials, over time, the total number available units will drop due to catastrophic off-road damage ( rolls, fires, floods).
To that end, I’m betting the FJ will drop in price some but will be rebound as a hard to find beloved off-road collectible.
Just bought a 2014 FJ today, and it has the convenience and off-road packages included.
I was also shocked at how little they’ve depreciated, if at all. Hopefully that will still be the case if I ever decide to let my FJ go… but I don’t see myself ever selling with all the SUVs transforming into soccer mom cars.
I wish they would keep the boxy styles, but I guess it’s hard to with all the safety requirements.
Just invested a hefty sum for a 2014 FJ Cruiser. Soooo cute and possibly a gas hog but i have searched 4 years and now its mine.
Yes, they are cool and will be so ten and twenty years from now. I have a 1978 FJ40 LandCruiser and it is worth more than it sold for new. It is cool too. In fact, I am buying a 2014 FJ Monday at hefty premium – with the expectation of turning over the keys to my 11 year-old son in five years. There are a lot on the road. The ones with 150,000 are in good shape and reliable. I drive a cool 1990 Landcruiser for 110,000 miles as a second car over an almost ten year period. I bought it when it was used for a year. The only repair I made was to replace a brake master cylinder for $79. When I sold it, I sold it for $2,000 less than I paid for it.