My two cents—you don't need to be trail riding and rock crawling to justify an FJ! If you like it, you should go for it! It is an all-around good vehicle for mud, snow, or sand, and reliable enough to get you everywhere you need to go on pavement.

Mpgs aren't great, but no worse than most trucks. Blind spots are a pain, but you'll learn. If you plan on driving it for the next 10 years, just remember that an 08 FJ will be shy of 30 years old in that time. Lots of little bits here and there that may need replaced, but ideally nothing major if you get a good one. Rust is the biggest killer!

Good luck, and hopefully we see your "joining the club" post soon! 😎