Hey folks,

Hoping to buy a GX soon but worried about PPI results. I'm not sure how much I should be alarmed at with a 12 year old vehicle. I checked out an '05 with 145k for $11k and the PPI returned the following:

Here are the items I'm concerned with:

- Front axles vibrate upon acceleration recommend replacement with ABS rings
- Front lower control arms with ball joints, broken at bushings ball joints are leaking grease
- Front sway bar end links have broken boots recommend replacement
- Front outer tie rods have torn boots recommend replacement
- Rear differential control arms have broken bushings, recommend replacement

Here are the items that just seem like general maintenance that I'm less concerned with:

- Rear tires are cracked and unevenly wearing left 3mm right 6mm
- Front brake pads have pulsation present pads 7mm rotors 28 mm
- Throttle body and intake system services due by time and mileage
- Air filter is dirty, cabin air filter recommend replacement as pair
- Brake fluid is dirty and due by time and mileage
- Transmission fluid is dirty
- Rear differential, front differential, and transfer case fluid services due by time and mileage
- Coolant fluid service due at 100k
- Thermostat and gasket recommended with coolant fluid service
- Spark plugs due at 120k
- 4 wheel alignment recommended with steering and suspension work

Here's the thing, I might be able to get away with just replacing the front axles... mechanic said it'd be ballpark $1800... when I brought this to the car lot and offered $9k so I could repair, they balked and said they could do it for $300 and include it in the price of the vehicle. How much of the other stuff is critical? Mechanic also mentioned differential control arms and suspension work could be $3-4k...

This is the second GX470 I've taken to PPI (first one needed steering rack replacement), not sure if I should keep looking or accept these issues as normal with a 12 year old truck. Is the mechanic trying to upsell? Or are these more serious issues that I should be concerned with? As I'm less mechanically inclined I'm not sure if I should be running away from this deal.

I'm already $300 into PPIs and will probably be looking at a 3rd GX tomorrow (and 3rd PPI) - but will likely find issues in PPI where I'm unsure of the degree of seriousness. Thanks for looking, hoping to officially join this community soon.

> '05 with 145k for $11k

For the amount of work needed on that vehicle, I'd offer $7k. But would be more tempted to walk away. If the maintenance hasn't been done to that extent - there's likely a bunch more things which haven't come to light yet.

Unless you'd want it purely as an off-road fun weekender and not a daily driver.

Chip H.

The maintenance on these things get very expensive quickly. If you are unable to do it yourself and unwilling to pay a bundle for maintenance you might be better off with a newer cheaper car. They are pretty strong trucks but they are getting old and they are complex with expensive luxury parts.

While the parts shared with Toyotas are mainstream price-wise, yeah, anything Lexus specific will be at Lexus prices.
Also - some of the trim pieces are now out of the parts system (unobtainable at the dealer).

Chip H.