I am looking into getting a used Lexus GX in the next few months and I have some questions for current owners. I previously owned a Lexus GS300. With that model you had to use premium unleaded gasoline because of the straight inline 6 cylinder motor. I want to make sure that is not a requirement or a GX even though it is an 8 cylinder motor. I also had to perform a 90,000 mile service on my GS which included changing the timing belt and water pump among other items. Does the GX require a similar service? Are there any models that have heated/cooled rear seats? I would also like to have remote start and it is unclear which models have that. What about towing a camper? I currently have a Toyota Sequoia with the 4.7 liter V8 engine but it lacks power. Would the GX570 to okay even though it is a smaller vehicle than the Sequoia? Thank you for your input. I hope to narrow my choices down so I can make a purchase.

 

-Yes, Lexus says use premium fuel. This is what the owners manual says: "Unleaded gasoline with a Octane Rating of 91 or higher." Some owners here do not and report no problems.
-GX has a timing chain. However the water pump will need service at some point.
-Some models have rear (2nd row) heated seats only, not cooled.
-Some model have remote start from the factory, or it can be added via aftermarket.
-GX460 is rated to tow 6500 lbs.
-I think you mean LX570 (not GX570)? The LX570 and Sequoia are similar in many areas, both are larger than the GX460.

 

I will address the octane question. The number of cylinders is irrelevant. It’s all about compression ratio. The gx460 has a compression ratio of 10.2 to 1. That would be considered the starting point of high compression engines. We live in Scottsdale so as you can guess, it gets hot in the summer. We must run premium in the summer months to prevent the engine from the dreaded diesel effect upon engine shut off. Right now during the winter we run regular unleaded with no problems but as the temperature rises, so will the octane rating of the fuel to prevent the diesel effect upon engine. Although with a high compression engine, you are able to take advantage of higher octane fuel and achieve a bit more power and with that, an increase in fuel mileage. Does the increased mileage offset the added cost of the fuel, perhaps. You’ll have to make the comparison for yourself.
As far has vehicles go, I love the gx460. It’s not the smoothest riding vehicle that Lexus makes but it’s close enough. It’s a proven bulletproof platform that with proper maintenance, just keeps running. When my wife drives the GX to Lake Havasu in the middle of summer when it’s 120 degrees, I don’t worry about her breaking down on I-10 in the middle of the desert. Anyway, hope this helps.

 

With regard to towing, my 2010 GX460 tows a 3800lb NoBo travel trailer with no complaints. I use premium gas year-round to help keep the injectors clean.

 

Thank you everyone for your input. I figured I could get straight answers from here.

 

Thank you mike202. I know about the LX compared to the Sequoia. I plan to keep the Sequoia for myself but the potential GX purchase is for my wife. She says the Sequoia is too big and harder to park. She did have a 4runner in the past and liked it. I understand the GX is similar in size to the 4runner which is why I want to get her a GX. We would take the GX on vacations, etc.

TrubruGX thank you for the info about towing. My camper is heavier so we will have to continue to tow with "Big Dog" my 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Duramax turbo diesel. I was just hoping we could have it do double duty. I figured as much as I do tow with my Sequoia occasionally and it is a bit "squirrely" towing with that bigger vehicle.

My Sequoia just turned 231,000 miles and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. I am just looking for a bit more comfort on long trips with a few more bells and whistles than the Sequoia.

 

i wish i had my 03 seq still. Never issue except tires brakes timing chain oil and ball joint. My 12 gx. with 99k. I owned since 70k. So far needed new starter 1700 bucks. Right cat being done now and it is a cat with manifold so 3k to replace .. not sure ill keep this for more than year maybe find 2013 to 16 tundra next

 

I've also been looking at a used GX460. My son has a low-mileage GX470 and it has been great. The GX460 is rated to tow 6,500 lbs, where the LX570 and Sequoia (4WD) are rated at 7,000 lbs. If you plan to use the GX to tow, you may want to consider looking at the Luxury package which has the adjustable rear air suspension and adjustable shocks. The Base and Premium packages do not have that. Since you have a better towing vehicle, you may want to skip those features because they are more expensive when they eventually have to be repaired. When Lexus transitioned from the LX470 to the LX570 in 2008 and from the GX470 to the GX460 in 2010, they went from a cast iron block to all aluminum engines. They had more horsepower, but did have some growing pains with some oil and coolant leaks. Those issues subsided over time, but I'm going to stick to 2014 and newer, when reports of those issues lessened.

 

Looking at old LC/LX 570 brochures tow ratings were up these in 2010 before dropping in 2011… assume may be related to SAE J2807


Example changes for LC/LX:

[2010 LX 570] - 8,500 lb tow rating

[2011 LX 570] - 7,000 lb tow rating

[2010 LC] - 8,500 lb tow rating

[2011 LC] - 8,200 lb tow rating
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