Just put a pile of money into my '83 Toyota Land Cruiser. This is one ugly truck - dented, rusted - in fact I bought it that way. I figured if I'm taking this up where I might bounce it off a rock or rub up against a tree, I would rather not be the first to dent it! That said, it runs, runs well, and gets me through deep snow and up mountain trails. My courage fails before it reaches it's limits. And it is fun to drive (my wife points out that opinions vary).
But you know politicians and bureaucrats. Vehicles with carburetors are bad, evil, planet destroying monsters. Never mind that I drive it fewer than 3000 miles per year, or that from an ecological standpoint it has a far smaller carbon footprint (factoring manufacturing costs, life of the vehicle, and ultimate disposal costs) than a Prius hybrid. No, old is bad, new is good. Easier to make blanket statements than to allow common sense or freedom to run amok in this country.
So, it is getting tougher to pass any carbureted vehicle through the local emissions test. Hence the rather substantial repair bill.
Now, the plus. The fellow who repairs my FJ-60 runs an independent shop here in Denver. I have never been disappointed in his work. After all the emissions work was taken care of and paid for, I find the extras: he's adjusted the clutch, lubed the door, even replaced my broken aerial. The truck runs better than it has in a long time. I find this even when I take it in for an oil change - the truck runs better than before. I appreciate the work he does, and the fact that he takes care of the small points as well as the big problems.
So, it may be a small chance that someone reading this blog is in the Denver area and owns a Toyota, but if you do, call Greg at The Toy Shop.
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