Technic Pub

[dhc6twinotter]

On 7/9/2026 at 4:36 PM, Toastie said:

Why is that? This is so cool to read - 400000 km - incredible. And of course absolutely sustainable, this car was built using resources which are still in use.

So cool.

Best wishes,
Thorsten

 

It has been a great vehicle.  I did some repairs within the first two years of owning it (timing belt, front brakes, clutch).  Then I went 12 years and did nothing but oil changes, valve cover gaskets, rear axle seals, clutch master cylinder, and a seat bracket.  I haven't touched the brakes since 2014.   It is starting to show it's age now though, and within the last two years I've replaced the alternator, radiator, clutch slave cylinder, and valve cover gaskets.  I have a few more things that need attention, some of which are more involved repairs (parasitic electrical draw, clutch, and timing belt).  The clear coat is shot too.  I'm at the point where I'm not sure how much money to dump into the vehicle.  There is a loyal following for 3rd generation 4Runners, so they hold their value well, especially unicorns like mine.

Here's a photo from an off-roading trip I did in California.  2012.  The 4Runner looks the same, except the clear coat is shot on the hood and roof.

18 hours ago, dr_spock said:

What do you plan to replace it with? 

 

12 hours ago, Jurss said:

Is there any replacement at all? :)

 

11 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

A manual Tacoma with a cap, maybe? You can still get those new, at least

I like Toyota BOF (Body On Frame) vehicles, so I'd like to replace it with a 2020-2024 4Runner.   Unfortunately, a manual isn't available, but they are good vehicles.  Since 1996, the 4Runner rides on the same chassis as a Land Cruiser Prado. They hold their value incredibly well here in the U.S., so the price is hard to justify.  Low mileage 2020-2024 models are being sold for higher prices than they were new, and I can't really justify that.  So, I'm looking at newer Tacoma pickups as well.  We don't have the Hilux here in the U.S., but the Tacoma is a good vehicle, and it rides on a modified Prado chassis.  The best thing about the Tacoma is they have a 6spd available.  I will most likely end up with one of these, and there are better deals on the used market.

Or I just buy a car.   Acura Integra Type S and Honda Civic have a 6spd option here in the U.S., but the 1.5L turbo four doesn't seem like a great engine (head gasket issues). I'd prefer an Integra Type R with the 2.0 turbo four and 6spd, but they are way above my budget. Soooo maybe I'll just get a boring Camry and have something that gets good mileage.  I dunno.

 

Edited July 10 by dhc6twinotter

[dr_spock]

Have to enjoy my manual wagon/estate/variant while it lasts.

Where in the world is Spock now?

 

 

14 hours ago, Toastie said:

Rocher Percé?

Have a nice vacation time!!!

Best
Thorsten

Correct.  Thanks.

 

[2GodBDGlory]

4 hours ago, dhc6twinotter said:

I like Toyota BOF (Body On Frame) vehicles, so I'd like to replace it with a 2020-2024 4Runner.   Unfortunately, a manual isn't available, but they are good vehicles.  Since 1996, the 4Runner rides on the same chassis as a Land Cruiser Prado. They hold their value incredibly well here in the U.S., so the price is hard to justify.  Low mileage 2020-2024 models are being sold for higher prices than they were new, and I can't really justify that.  So, I'm looking at newer Tacoma pickups as well.  We don't have the Hilux here in the U.S., but the Tacoma is a good vehicle, and it rides on a modified Prado chassis.  The best thing about the Tacoma is they have a 6spd available.  I will most likely end up with one of these, and there are better deals on the used market.

Or I just buy a car.   Acura Integra Type S and Honda Civic have a 6spd option here in the U.S., but the 1.5L turbo four doesn't seem like a great engine (head gasket issues). I'd prefer an Integra Type R with the 2.0 turbo four and 6spd, but they are way above my budget. Soooo maybe I'll just get a boring Camry and have something that gets good mileage.  I dunno.

Toyota BOF stuff is really cool! Have you thought about the J250 Land Cruiser (Prado)? I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, we finally get a Prado in Canada and the US! On the other hand, the Prado seems to have been conformed to our tastes to the point that it lacks the appeal of the older ones. No manual option, and maybe more styling for styling's sake.

[dhc6twinotter]

16 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Toyota BOF stuff is really cool! Have you thought about the J250 Land Cruiser (Prado)? I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, we finally get a Prado in Canada and the US! On the other hand, the Prado seems to have been conformed to our tastes to the point that it lacks the appeal of the older ones. No manual option, and maybe more styling for styling's sake.

I like the J250. They are more than I can afford though.  Here in the U.S. we have the 1958 version, which is a bit stripped down.  Maybe too much so for the price.  It would be more appealing if they added the larger infotainment screen, power seats, and the sway bar disconnect.  I like the upper trims though, they just cost a lot.  The 4Runner rides on the same chassis and has the same engine options, so the 4Runner and J250 seem a bit redundant.  I don't mind the 2.4 turbo-4 in the 4Runner and Tacoma, but I wish Toyota offered something larger in the J250, just to differentiate it a bit more.  But, we have the Lexus GX, which is basically a J250 with a J300 engine.  I wish Toyota still sold the Land Cruiser instead of the Prado here in the U.S.  The J300 would make a bit more sense in Toyota's lineup.

I don't really understand Toyota BOF strategy for North America.  There's a lot of overlap with the 4Runner, J250, GX, and LX.  I think the LX and Sequoia need to move to a large rear-drive unibody platform, with the GX and a V6/I6 J250 or J300 rounding out the top of the BOF lineup. 4Runner can then come in as a mid-tier model, with something smaller (Land Cruiser FJ, Fortuner, etc, FJ Cruiser replacement) at the bottom.   

Toyota is in a tough spot right now in that they don't have a good petrol engine larger than the 2.4 Turbo-four or 2.7 NA four (not sold in US anymore).  The TT V6 isn't good.  They need a new TT V6 or turbo inline-6 ASAP.

[2GodBDGlory]

4 hours ago, dhc6twinotter said:

I like the J250. They are more than I can afford though.  Here in the U.S. we have the 1958 version, which is a bit stripped down.  Maybe too much so for the price.  It would be more appealing if they added the larger infotainment screen, power seats, and the sway bar disconnect.  I like the upper trims though, they just cost a lot.  The 4Runner rides on the same chassis and has the same engine options, so the 4Runner and J250 seem a bit redundant.  I don't mind the 2.4 turbo-4 in the 4Runner and Tacoma, but I wish Toyota offered something larger in the J250, just to differentiate it a bit more.  But, we have the Lexus GX, which is basically a J250 with a J300 engine.  I wish Toyota still sold the Land Cruiser instead of the Prado here in the U.S.  The J300 would make a bit more sense in Toyota's lineup.

I don't really understand Toyota BOF strategy for North America.  There's a lot of overlap with the 4Runner, J250, GX, and LX.  I think the LX and Sequoia need to move to a large rear-drive unibody platform, with the GX and a V6/I6 J250 or J300 rounding out the top of the BOF lineup. 4Runner can then come in as a mid-tier model, with something smaller (Land Cruiser FJ, Fortuner, etc, FJ Cruiser replacement) at the bottom.   

Toyota is in a tough spot right now in that they don't have a good petrol engine larger than the 2.4 Turbo-four or 2.7 NA four (not sold in US anymore).  The TT V6 isn't good.  They need a new TT V6 or turbo inline-6 ASAP.

Their lineup is pretty packed! The GX, J250, and 4Runner don't have much to distinguish them. The issue with moving the LX and Sequoia to a unibody platform is that there then isn't much distinguishing them from the TX and Grand Highlander...

In Canada, for some reason, we never got the 100 or 200 series Land Cruisers, even though we got the Lexus LX all along, and the US always had the Land Cruiser as well. I don't really understand their thinking for that! I think the appeal of either the LC or the LX was always going to be fairly niche, for people who knew what it was, since the LX was never going to be as comfortable as the American or European luxury SUV competition, thanks to its off-road bones. But then instead of playing up its off-road capability, they took away the legendary Land Cruiser name, and started making the styling less and less off-road focused. I guess that situation is the same now in both the US and Canada, which is a shame.

I am happy to see the GX leaning back into its off-road chassis, after having some pretty generic street-focused bodywork for a while

[Jay Psi]

Switching tack slightly, can I just say that the Lego Control Interfaces thread has been a joy to read. Seeing passionate members actively contribute to the wider community is exactly the strength of special interest forums.

And now I'm sad because so much of this discovery is now being locked in Discord groups or hidden in subreddits.

[Toastie]

30 minutes ago, Jay Psi said:

And now I'm sad because so much of this discovery is now being locked in Discord groups or hidden in subreddits.

Well, I am saying it again: >Exactly< this situation motivated a bunch of EB members to approach EB leadership and propose a Vintage Technic Electronics subforum. Which was already positively decided on. Not only that, there was enthusiasm about that, at least this was our notion.

It will take a couple of days/weeks to organize (including compensation for world time - Australia, Europe, the Americas).

There are many threads on EB shining bright light on this technology. The plan is to dig-up all what drowned into "Page Oblivion" on this forum, accompany that with links to the Internet Archive, provide knowledge how to deal with the archived files, disc images and so on.

It will happen. No locking, no hiding, but rediscovery and discovery, being creative, moving forward. Conservation is one thing, making it work again with modern machines is another. Both can't be divided: You need to now how it worked back then to make it work now. And even more so go so much further, connect a LEGO Dimensions Portal to an Interface A and just for fun let a MicroScout beep, when the connection is established.

That is what the "Vintage Technic Electronics" will be about.

OK: We will get serious flak for posting LEGO related stuff in the pub.

Hmm - on the other hand, we are talking about a general observation/situation here, don't we? In a world, where only the Locomotive Breath is felt, where Now is all we realize and appreciate - and the future is rendered by AI, well then we have a non-LEGO theme! It appears as if How is replaced by Now. How though relies on the past, on documented knowledge, on experience, on databases, on books, scans, and the blurring memory of the elderly and impaired. Now on thumbs ups.

Yes, AI will >eventually< get us to the How, for sure. As far as I am concerned though, AI is >currently< serving the Now. The moment you dive into, e.g., Vintage Technic Electronics, AI is (still) dumb as a rock, but boldly gives answers: I challenged Gemini so often in the recent weeks - and it told me so many things, that were told in >this very forum< for years, on @evank's website, and rarely elsewhere.

Maybe a forum like EB is currently an educated way of conserving, promoting, and developing hardware and software for LEGO devices that, in my opinion were never even remotely exploited regarding the resources they provided.

Once such a forum is filled with life, then Gemini, Grok, ChatGPT and so on and so on will take that over as well. But as of now, they have no clue.

So let us have fun for some time, knowing it better.

Please excuse my long rant.

All the best
Thorsten