This is not a typical Barn Find, actually, it’s not any kind of a find per se but a vaunted and desirable SUV, a 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser, and is up for sale. Being an ’88, this model predates the SUV pandemonium by a few years but it came to market in top-flight form with a bullet-proof, go anywhere, do anything, haul anybody bearing as opposed to the lower level, introductory models. This Toyota is located in Deerfield, Illinois and is available here on eBay for a current bid of $10,800, twenty-two bids pending and one day to go.

With 32 years and 175,000 miles under its belt, this Land Cruiser shows as new. Actually, some would say that it’s just broken-in. The finish, body panels and chrome appear pretty much as they would have when new. In spite of this Land Cruiser’s go-anywhere capability, it would seem to have been gently used and stored undercover. The styling of this Toyota was spot-on, at least compared to some of the CUV dreck that bounces off of designer’s desks and flies off of the shelves at dealerships today (yes – subjective on my part!). A reason to buy, if for no other reason, is its purposeful appearance. Found here is a minute and a half walk around and engine running video that will let you get up close and personal. From my experience with Toyota engines, this one sounds like it needs a valve adjustment.

While we are on the subject of the engine, it is a 4.0 liter “3F”, in-line, six-cylinder affair, developing a leisurely 155 net HP. The seller states that it, “runs and drives very good, idle smooth, and starts right up”  While not known for power, this 3F motor is torque prone which makes sense for low-end pulling power when fully weighted down. That said, under full load, it’s doubtful this arrangement makes for hasty on-ramp highway entries. This is a tough engine though and the high mileage shouldn’t be a concern along as the motor has been maintained. The drive-train continues with a four-speed automatic transmission connected to a four-wheel-drive transfer case.

I would expect the interior to show a lot more wear than it does but as to my experience with the durability of a Toyota powertrain, that concept transcends the interior too. There are one or two blemishes on the driver’s seat but they appear to be cigarette burns, otherwise, the light-colored upholstery is showing no signs of discoloration or wear (there is a minor hole in the backseat bottom-rest). Ditto the original carpet, I have usually managed to wear my heel through the driver’s side carpet in a lot less than 175K miles. The seller states that all lights and gauges work well – good to know. I’ll go with the assumption that the A/C is in working order.

As I stated at the outset, this Toyota is not the typical barn find so there’s not too much thought to be given as to what to do with it – drive it, use it as intended and enjoy it. One thought, however, does the high mileage give you cause for concern or is there no worry in this instance?