LSneewb

Hello LXers,

I got myself a LS430 a few months ago and absolutely love the car. Our current non Lexus SUV is about to retire and I am considering an 04-07 LX470 vs 2010-13 GX460. We need the SUV mainly for carrying the baby around town and for 3 hr interstate road trips a few times a month along with the occasional snow days here and there. I am not able find a clean "lower" mileage LX for under 14-16K on the east coast compared to 20-25K for a nice GX. I wanted help deciding which one do you guys think I should go with?

I am willing to put down some money upfront for the usual maintenance items like water pump,timing belt, brakes, bearings etc but would want a trouble free few years after that along with a safe and smooth ride.

I am somewhat turned off when I look up the history on some of the LX's I find. It seems they need one thing or the other repaired at every inspection. Things like ride height sensors, steering rack, leaking AC lines, leaking valve cover gaskets come up frequently even on examples with under 120K miles. My 2005 LS430 has needed nothing but oil and filters since I got it with 70K miles on it. The LX doesnt seem to hold up as well.

Should I cough up the extra 5K and go with the GX or is a well sorted LX the way to go? Any recommendations will be appreciated. Thanks

UZ214

I am from Delaware as well, ; having owned all the cars you mentioned above; I would suggest you get the newer GX over and old LX470. unless you are able to find an clean LX with great history record which arr very very hard to come by. People just don't sell their old LX. I was talking to Lexus of cherry manager hill and I told him to keep an eye out for a 06-07 LX ; waited 6 months and then bought a 2015 GX460 luxury with all options. as you said the LX I saw were either had bad rust under frame or had spoty history, I wasnt going to buy a LX and spend 3-k on tires, brakes and timing belt and water pumps right away.

I have 3 kids one is a baby, its a decent size to get everyone around, I also have a LX570 that gets used less because the GX is just easier to drive with size and all.

LSneewb

Thank you for the input UZ214. We should start a DE Lexus chapter. I am going to look at a 05 lx470 with 120k miles for 15K. T belt and water pump already done by lexus. Hopefully it wont be rusty.
I drove the GX and wasnt very impressed with the 3rd row or interior finish. If the LX checks out I will get a quality truck for half the price of a used GX.

Btw how do you like lexus of cherry hill? I have been driving to Annapolis and even used Hertrich Toyota in Milford for a $82 oil, filter and tire rotation for my LS.

UZ214

If you can swing it get a lx570, yes the gx is not on par with lx but it’s still very capable. The mpg is somewhat better.
06 lx470 will give you more hp, but end of the day a lx is a tank. Can’t go wrong with either one.

I like Lexus of cherry hill. Actually bought few cars from them new/used. Service wise they are ok, anything better than Lexus of Wilmington. I use Newark Toyota for oil/rotation for gx/ls if I am not doing it my self. I think they charge about 85$.
Lexus of Chester springs is also very good. I know the service manager there very well.

LSneewb

Thanks UZ214. An early model LX570 can be had for under 30K. But that would mean I stretch the budget to double what I had in mind for the 470. This will be our 5th car and I really dont want to spend that much before thinning the herd a little
I just missed out on the 1 owner 05 with 120 K . Someone bought it over the weekend while I was still contemplating the 3 hour drive to go see it this week. The hunt continues.

Is there a noticeable difference between the HP on a 2005 LX vs a 2006? The 2006 and 2007 dont come easy under $18K even with higher miles.

Reggie1

My opinion is that comparing the 2007 LX to your LS430 isn't a valid thing to do. Your LS started with 70K miles, and you have had it lor a "few months, with no problems. Unless you get exceedingly lucky in your 2004-2007 LX470 search, you'll likely never find one with only 70K miles, and realistically will probably have to settle for more than twice that mileage. There were only about 26,000 total LX470s in your years range sold in the USA. The LS430 had US sales of around 160,000 sedans, so the chance of finding a low mileage one in good condition, as you did, is way better than the LX470. The 2007 LX470 is the rarest LX model, with only 2,468 of them sold in the USA market,. I owned one for 6 years, and it was an excellent vehicle. I traded it because the AHC system failed, and I did not want to spend the large amount of money to repair it. I toyed with the idea of converting to the Land Cruiser suspension, but finally decided to move on to a new LX.

Looking at car prices online, the LS430 appears to sell used for about half of the price of the LX470, for the same age vehicles.

Your other option,the 2010-2013 GX460, sold about twice as many units in the USA as the LX470 in the years you want, so a good GX460 should be easier to find. It also will be 3 to 9 years newer. But it will cost around $10K more than the older LX470.

You have done your homework on price, and know what you can afford. Of the two choices, I would recommend you go with the newer GX, unless of course you come across that low mileage, well-maintained LX. You may never find one, or it may fall into your lap tomorrow.

Now, having advised you to go with the GX, I will say that I personally would not pick it. I am a former GX owner, as well as 2 LXs, and the LXs are hands-down the better vehicles for me. I never use the 3rd row seats, and finally removed them from both my LXs to increase cargo room. The GX side-swinging rear door was a pain to use, and the LXs have been quieter and more comfortable. There's a recent thread here about motion sickness, and I had passengers experience it in my GX, but not in either LX. Hauling kids around makes that a consideration. The GX just seemed to me to have more pronounced side-to-side sway. It also had a horrible lane-change blind spot for me that neither LX has. I do a fair amount of trailer towing, and the LX was far superior to the GX, but that's another story, as is how the GX was totaled. It was fairly new at the time, and the final repair estimate was over $50,000.

UZ214

I think the GX with the adjustable suspension drives much better, off course the LX is a better car; but I think GX is also a very good value. It's almost as capable; probably as reliable and in his case a good choice unless he finds a decent LX. I don't know if agree with it handing/sway. Its a odd shaped car/sort of tall. The swing door is a pain. I like the fact the 3rd seats fold out of the way.

hankinid

The GX is based on the Prado, which is not exported to the U.S.

To me, it's more of a gussied up 4Runner and definitely not comparable to the Land Cruiser or LX.

UZ214

GX is rebadged Toyota Land Cruiser Prado; if Toyota calls it land cruiser I am sure there is something there; 4runner is nothing like the GX; engine ; trans; different more quite much more Lexus like ride.

LSneewb

Found a 2006 with 160K miles about 1500 miles from me. Sent it to Toyota dealer for a PPI ( only cost $90!!!) Has the night vision and everything works. Only thing Toyota tech found was seepage from valve cover gasket and rear brakes at 3mm.
They inspected the frame and suspension and told me ZERO RUST.

Dealer said windshield was replaced with a "reputable brand" called XYG and night vision works fine. He wants $16.5K for it. Is this a good deal?
I have never bought a car site unseen before. Please advise.

Thanks!

hankinid

XYG glass is not close to OEM...cheap and made in China.

If it doesn't say Toyota or Lexus on the windshield, I would not call it a "reputable brand". Google a little.

LSneewb

Yes XYG it seems is a horrible way to replace a LX windshield. Warped glass causing distortion and non OEM fitment causing water leakage enough to damage the inside electronics is a definitely a deal breaker for me. I got very excited at the "No Rust" report. The car lived in Georgia all its life. Ah well ....the hunt continues. Thanks hankinid

hankinid

You are welcome. My experences with our LX and Cruiser is that the insurance company will pay 100% for non-oem glass, and 100% less a $100 deductible for oem. I'm fortunate that the glass guy who specializes in high end cars and trucks in the Boise area lives about 2 miles away. He'll do a perfect installation in my driveway.

As to the hunt, you've noticed that the good ones go fast. Be patient knowing it will be a pita. I searched for ~ 4-5 months for both our trucks. I responded to the adds the first day they ran. Caught a ride to Bend, OR, about 400 miles away for the LX, and flew to Spokane and drove the Land Cruiser home. Best advice I could give is to stay flexible and be ready to roll without a lot of notice. Good for you to get a pre-purchase...it's cheap insurance and definitely worth the $$.

LSneewb

Here is a 2006 LX470 that lived on the east coast all its life. Great service history at the dealer. What do you guys think about the surface rust in the undercarriage pictures below? Is that anything out of the ordinary? Im thinking of pulling the trigger this weekend...any objections?

hankinid

It's beautiful, more or less...particularly for an east coast car. Do service records exist?