bigsaus

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.

chiph9

> '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.

kdburtch

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.

chiph9

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.