Thinking about selling the FJ… Thoughts?

I am not sure if I posted this at the time, but I leased my FJ two years ago. I leased it with the intention of buying it at the end of the lease period. I knew I wanted that truck. It was a conscious decision to give myself a lower monthly payment for two years. Knowing I was planning to buy the truck at the end of the lease, I had no hesitation in modifying it. Well, I have just recently finalized the financing work on the truck. This has got me thinking...

As I have posted in the past, I love this truck. It is the best daily driver I have ever owned. However, I have been contemplating selling it lately for a few reasons.

1. I want to keep modifying it. There are so many things I want to do to this truck. I know I should hold back. It is my daily driver. It is meant to get me to and from work and out and about to do everyday things. I am not supposed to want to modify it like a toy. Right? Not only that, but every time I walk out of my building at work, which is located in a less-than-safe city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I find myself wondering if my spare tire (which happens to be mounted to a 18" Volk TE37) is still going to be mounted to the rear door. Not that working in an unsavory neighborhood should affect decisions such as this, but I just do not want to worry about things like this.
2. I feel like I have neglected the Z because of this project. Yes, I have a bevy of nice Japanese parts piled up and ready to make their way onto the Z, but I could also be much further along if every penny I spent on the FJ went into the Z. That is not to say that I have regrets with the FJ. At all. I love it and I love what I have done to it, but I also have a completely stock Z that is not getting the love it deserves.
3. When I leased the FJ, I got locked in to a buy-out price of what the truck was worth in 2014. As 2014 was the last year the FJ was produced, the demand for them is high. In short, looking at the book value of this truck with the current mileage, I could make a few dollars selling the FJ.

I am not sure what I should do. The extra money in my pocket would be nice. I could do a few responsible "adult" things with it and then I could put a few dollars aside for a down payment on a new daily that I would not be so tempted to modify. Then, of course, I could devote more of my attention to the Z. I am in no rush at this time, but I am very seriously considering what I should do with this truck. If I had millions of dollars, I know I would not even be considering selling this truck. Unfortunately, I am not a millionaire.

In case you may be interested (or know someone who may be), here are the details of the truck. I would be willing to sell as-is or possibly part it out. It all comes down to offers, money, and what a potential buyer is looking for in an FJ.

2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Mileage: ~28,000 miles

Pro-Comp 3" Lift Kit

18" Volk Racing TE37 Large PCD (5)

34" BF Goodrich T/A KO2

MBRP Cat-Back Exhaust System

Demello Offroad Single Hoop Aluminum Front Bumper

Bushwacker Extend-A-Fender Flares

N-Fab Nerf Bars

Trail Teams Edition Black-Out Grille

Trail Teams Edition Black-Out Door Handles

Schrockworks Washer Reservoir

Baja Designs 3.5" Squadron Sport Lights
Black Anodized Billet Fuel Door

LED Interior Lighting

LED Headlight Bulbs

Hella Sharptone Horns

Springtail Solutions Straddle Combo Packs

Tint

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Project FJ: Stage One Completed.

Brian at Pro-Spec facilitated receipt of the FJ this past Friday before the holiday weekend. I am very happy with the final product. I have used every excuse to get out and drive it this weekend and I am left smiling each time. The truck is not nearly as sluggish as I had anticipated and prepared myself for and there is no rubbing with the unproven/untested tire size selection. Thus, the risk and labored research and contemplation paid off, as the final look is exactly what I had hoped for. My only "complaint," if it can even be referred to as such, is that it appears as though the front sits slightly higher than the rear. I am not making any hasty decisions as of yet, because I do anticipated some suspension settling over the next few days. However, I may end up remedying the situation with a small spacer for the rear, especially because my future plans for the truck entail a heavier rear bumper.

To recap all the work that was completed in this stage of the project, here is a list:

1. Pro-Comp 3" Lift Kit
2. Volk TE37 Large PCD Wheels (18x8") w/ matching spare.
3. BF Goodrich T/A KO2 (34x12.5R18)
4. Demello Offroad Single Hoop Aluminum Front Bumper
5. Schrockworks Washer Fluid Relocation Reservoir Kit
6. Baja Designs 3.5" Squadron Sport Lights
7. Bushwacker Extenda Fender Flares
8. N-Fab Nerf Bars
9. Hella Sharptone Horn (link to hear it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOdNCv9UwE)
10. Tint (2 front windows to match the rear and a small windshield banner)
11. Interior LEDs
12. Rear license plate LEDs
13. LED headlight bulbs

The MBRP exhaust system was supposed to be installed in this stage, but it was backordered across the country from the manufacturer, so it should be arriving this week. That is one thing I noticed - with the more aggressive look, it needs a more aggressive growl. I am really looking forward to having this installed.

I have not had a chance to take many good pictures of the truck, but I will post what I have.

Demello Single Hoop Aluminum Front Bumper

If you look closely, you can see the Hella horns behind the grille...

Pig on gas...

JDMphasis: Innovation over Imitation
(Message me for JDMphasis decals.)

Matching spare...

Poor neglected/stock Z in the background…

The mod bug has certainly hit in regards to Project FJ. I can honestly say that this truck ranks as the favorite daily driven vehicle I have ever owned. Some of my future plans for this truck include, as mentioned above, possibly adding a small spacer to the rear suspension, as well as a rear bumper - I am thinking Warrior at the moment. I would also like to do a light bar across the roof rack - both front and back. Also, one of the things I notice when I now look at the truck is the side mirrors. I feel like I need to black them out to match the rest of the truck. Performance-wise, I think the truck could benefit from a cold air intake system. There are a few other smaller things I would like to do, as well, but I would really like to concentrate some attention on the Z at this point. We will see if that happens… Stay tuned.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Project FJ: Making progress...

It has been so long since I have dropped off a vehicle for some modification work that I almost forgot the excitement and anticipation that builds and builds leading up to the receipt of the final product. I left the FJ in the competent hands of my buddy Brian at Pro-Spec Autosport this past Sunday. Yes, Sunday. The shop is closed on Sundays but Brian made a special trip to accommodate my schedule because that is the kind of guy he is. He has always been good to me and has always taken great care with my cars.

Anyway, I just received a few "teaser" shots of my truck in progress. Enjoy and stay tuned…

Pro-Comp 3" lift installed...

Volk Racing TE37 Large PCD on BFG T/A KO2 rubber...

Matching spare...

Bushwacker flares installed...

More to come…

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Project Goals for 2016

First, Happy New Year to the readers of JDMphasis… I hope 2016 proves to be a happy and prosperous year for all of you.

It has been a while since I have posted any progress posts about either of my two projects. I believe the first day of the new year is an opportune time to share my goals and objectives for these builds for the upcoming year.

PROJECT Z33

As you may know, I have quite a few parts stockpiled for Project Z33. The car is still 100% bone stock at the moment. However, here is a list of the parts that I have waiting to be installed.

• 18" Volk Racing TE37SL wheels
• Kics Project Leggdura racing Nuts
• Tanabe Sustec Pro Comfort-R Coilovers
•  Blox Shorty Antenna
• VeilSide VIII Aero Mirrors
• Tommy Kaira Hebi Bebi Shift Knob
• Nismo GT Titanium Shift Knob
• Redline Goods Shift & E-Brake Boots
• Nardi E-Brake Handle
• Works Bell Hub
• Vertex 10 Star Deep Corn (330MM) Steering Wheel
• TWM Performance Short Shifter

The following parts are en route from Japan:

• INGS+1 N-Spec Type E Aero (shown below)
• Longnose Front Bumper
• Rear Bumper
• Side Skirts
• Type II Bonnet
• Carbon Canards
• Z-Power Wing

• Runduce Big Brake kit
• 8-Piston Front kit (380MM)
• 6-Piston Rear kit (356MM)
• Amuse R1-Titan Exhaust
• Amuse R1-Titan Y-Pipe

So, clearly, there is plenty of work to be done once these parts arrive. I recently received word that my brakes are in California. I am just waiting for some of the other parts to arrive stateside so as to combine shipping and save a couple dollars. I am hopeful that we can get the project well underway by spring. On top of the listed parts above, I have a few other things I would like to address at the time that the build process begins. Namely, some other suspension components and tires - I am still up in the air as to what rubber to use on this build. The car is ten years old, so we are going to assess the condition of some of the suspension components and see what we would like to address in terms of replacing and upgrading. Other than that, we are going to wrap the car. I am thinking a similar color and finish to that of the R's Tuning R35 GT-R:

I am truly looking forward to getting this build underway. I know it will not come together overnight and I am sure there will be some snags, delays, and issues that arise, but I am hopeful that the end result will be well worth all the headaches and hiccups.

PROJECT FJ

Aside from a few small exterior modifications, the daily driving FJC is still in relative stock form, as well. A few of my plans for this build have changed with the acquisition of the Z33. I have decided to tone down the goals a bit. However, I think the end result will be a pretty fierce daily-driven FJ Cruiser.

Parts I have waiting to be installed:

• 18" Volk Racing TE37 LARGE PCD
• Pro-Comp USA 3" Lift Kit
• N-Fab Nerf Bars
• Trail Teams Edition Black-Out Grille
• Trail Teams Edition Black-Out Door Handles

Tires are also on the list of things to procure for this build. I have only recently, after months of research and back-and-forth, finally decided on the sizing. I would also like to upgrade the horn. The horn on this truck, in my opinion, is pathetic. Other than that, I would like to do a light bar and install a more aggressive front bumper, perhaps a Demello Offroad Single Hoop:

I think that will be it for this truck for 2016. But, then again, who really knows?

Though these projects have barely begun at this point, I would not even be close to where I am at this point without the assistance and support of my friends at Bulletproof Automotive, namely Ben and Bo, who have hooked me up with great sponsorship pricing on some of the best Japanese parts available for my platform and my good buddy Brian of Pro-Spec Auto who has had my back since Day 1.  

Thank you for following the build log of these projects of mine. Stay tuned…

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation