steevr

Just hit the 1,000 mile mark on our '04 GX. I finally got to stop babying her and got on the throttle some. What a great engine. It's like Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde. The engine is so smooth and quiet when you drive easy, yet comes alive with a great sound when pushed. The trannie seems to find the perfect gear. This is like night and day from our 5.4L Expedition we had. Can't wait until summer to see how effortlessly it pulls our 23' Crownline.

The exhaust note about 3,000 rpms is sweet!!!

I am very happy with this truck. Only wish it was mine and not the wife's.

Nas

Haven't gotten my '05 GX yet, but I did test drive the '04 GX hard. I was quite suprised how well the engine accelerated. The exhaust note sounded very good too. Lexus makes amazing V8s. I have good experience with the Lexus 4L V8, and the 4.3L V8. Both were remarkable. They drive ultra smooth, and pack lots of power. I am not satisfied with the 3.3L V6. It just seems like a weak V6.

Camden

I love the engine as well. We're at approx. 800 miles and will be taking the GX from South NJ to Va Beach around Christmas just when it breaks 1000 miles - plus my wife doesn't like to drive during long trips (hehehe!).

Tengbt

i too wl be hitting 1k soon. so far so good.... at least i know the tire pressure gauge works as i had my first flat tire (it's close to the fuel gauge that i thought i was low on fuel). nyc streets are filled with nails and screws for yr enjoyment. i've never had to change a tire for a suv b4, so it wasn't pretty. you have to put together a 3 piece rod and blindly fish for the nut that lowers the spare. the rod goes in this little square and on a slight angle to the right. there's a little arrow that points the direction. i do feel the jack and the rod was a little on the flimsy side considering this is luxury suv. oh yeah as for the thread...yes great engine!

flipside909

You can thank Toyota for that as they make your 2UZ-FE.

SacKen

You'll love it! I pull a 20' SeaRay with ease. If I don't mind using a couple gallons of gas, I can easily accelerate past other folks... going uphill... when I get to a passing lane going up highway 50 to Lake Tahoe. If I take it easy on the hills, I get better fuel efficiency than any other V8 I have towed the boat with.

Compared to the Ford F-250 I towed it with before, there is a little more "tail wagging the dog" syndrome (smaller size and wheelbase?). Putting the suspension in one of the two sport modes significantly reduces it, though. Compared to other tow vehicles, it still rides butter smooth while towing.

Although a 23 footer might be getting pretty close to the hitch limit, so you might get a little more "wagging". Might want to use a weight-distributing hitch to help out.

And I agree, the V8 gurgle when you floor it is nice without being loud and over-bearing like other V8 noise makers.

angelslex

You are right on the money ... I got about 1200 miles on mine and the engine is Amazing smooth and the power is there when ever i need it. Im in love

bunka

I don't know if you realize this or whether it even makes a difference but I believe that the roadside service that comes with these standard includes having someone from a autoservice come change your tires for you as part of the service (My wife called them for her RX300 a while back)

Gohawks63

I have pulled our 21ft Glastron Deckboat with no problems. Loaded up with fuel, I'm guessing I was a little over 5200 pounds. Now I have a Land Cruiser, but it's the same engine as the GX.

I had no problems aside from the obvious decreased gas mileage.

brent0226

We used to have a 5.4L Expedition as well. The Expy's 4-speed auto wasn't all that great, and despite the lower horsepower and torque rating of the GX, it feels much more peppy than the Expy did.

We just got back from the mountains in Colorado. The GX's engine loses LOTS of its pep when up at high altitude. I've always known this is a factor when driving at a high elevation, but it actually felt weak (believe it or not) when passing people.

I do have to agree that the engine sounds awesome. I like its sound at around redline. It never begins to sound raspy or unpleasant at redline like other engines.