Builds Roody’s 2018 Lexus GX460 Build, Adventure, and Off the Road Again Podcast (4 Viewers)

[jdam]

My family has flip-flopped between the two. Went from Cressidas to Maximas and Quests to LS430s and Sequoias to G37s and M37s and Frontiers to now Tacomas and GX460s and GS350s. For me, I think it's more about the individual car. We'll see how the 400Zs end up being in the long run as the VQ/VR engines have always been kinda fun. Might go Euro next with a 718 Cayman. We'll see.

 

[r2m]

My family has flip-flopped between the two. Went from Cressidas to Maximas and Quests to LS430s and Sequoias to G37s and M37s and Frontiers to now Tacomas and GX460s and GS350s. For me, I think it's more about the individual car. We'll see how the 400Zs end up being in the long run as the VQ/VR engines have always been kinda fun. Might go Euro next with a 718 Cayman. We'll see.

Yeah, I'd like my next toy to be a Porsche Boxster. Cheap, comfy, fun and relatively affordable to own and have as a daily driver.

 

[Roody]

Wow, I didn't even realize that. We bought the Xterra new before we had our firstborn. Time flies.

Wild. And how many trucks have you been through since then? Haha

Was a Nissan fanboy in my early years. My very first "new" vehicle, just out of high school was a bright red Datsun short bed pickup.
After getting married, it was a Hardbody 4x4 extra cab.
After our daughter came along, both our vehicles were 2+2 seating, the extra cab Nissan and a 944 Porsche. Had to capitulate, trade in the truck for a Toyota Previa (all-wheel drive!) mini van. The rest is (Toyota) history.

Nissan has had some absolutely iconic vehicles in its lineage. But how'd that 944 do with a car seat? Also, Previas are rad! AWD, manual, mid-engine minivan. Super cool.

 

[CaptRussia253]

-Toyota Matrix 2007
-Scion TC 2007
-Frontier 2013
-Xterra 2015
-Durango(surprisingly comfortable and great mpg) 2017
-GX460 2017
-4Runner(still own) 2016
-Tundra(still own) 2017

My car lineup since I got my license

 

[r2m]

But how'd that 944 do with a car seat? Also, Previas are rad! AWD, manual, mid-engine minivan. Super cool.

Wife had to pull her passenger seat all the way up to fit car seat behind her. Plus it was a literal "pain in the back" getting it in and out.
The Previa was really cool, lowered to and put 17" 30 series tires all around. Handled great!

 

[Roody]

-Toyota Matrix
-Scion TC
-Frontier
-Xterra
-Durango(surprisingly comfortable and great mpg)
-GX460
-4Runner(still own)
-Tundra(still own)

My car lineup since I got my license

That's not bad. I'm 33, here's mine:

-2004 Tahoe Z71
-2005 Avalanche Z71
-1988 BMW 325 (briefly, didn't run)
-2014 Challenger R/T
-2001 Isuzu VehiCROSS
-2017 Subaru WRX
-2005 4Runner V6 Limited
-2012 Corvette Grand Sport
-2018 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium
-2013 Miata Club
-2005 4Runner V8 Limited
-2013 Wrangler Sport 2-Door
-2018 GX460 (still own)
-1999 Miata

 

[CaptRussia253]

You got me beat. I’m 36 and don’t think I’ll get another vehicle for a very long time. Both Tundra and 4runner will be paid off next week and we don’t want anymore car payments. Even though my wife is looking at a LX570(but we’ll pay cash for that)

 

[r2m]

You got me beat. I’m 36 and don’t think I’ll get another vehicle for a very long time. Both Tundra and 4runner will be paid off next week and we don’t want anymore car payments. Even though my wife is looking at a LX570(but we’ll pay cash for that)

So far I've had 29 vehicles, albeit I've slowed down swapping out vehicles in the last 25 years.
One year, we purchased 6 vehicles! They were 2 motorcycles, 3 new cars and one used. There's a story to it all but this isn't the forum.
I'll tell ya all the story if we ever get to a sitting around a camp fire together.

 

[Roody]

You got me beat. I’m 36 and don’t think I’ll get another vehicle for a very long time. Both Tundra and 4runner will be paid off next week and we don’t want anymore car payments. Even though my wife is looking at a LX570(but we’ll pay cash for that)

That's a solid plan. The only vehicle I plan to add anytime in the even remotely distant future is a fun/weekend car. But that'll be cash, and determined by when there is sufficient cash to do so. Current prospect: When I'm 40...

 

[Rednexus]

That's a solid plan. The only vehicle I plan to add anytime in the even remotely distant future is a fun/weekend car. But that'll be cash, and determined by when there is sufficient cash to do so. Current prospect: When I'm 40...

I'd suggest both of you guys look at the overall financials of taking new/used car money (say, $35K) and putting it in an interest-earning account (say stocks/bonds, with 7% annual return) vs. paying cash for the car (and avoiding 3-6% interests).

Summary - never pay cash for big purchases. What you save on finance charges is simple interest, what you make on investment returns is compound interest, and you'd have a higher net worth (by thousands of dollars) on the day you make the last car payment than if you paid cash for the vehicle.

I learned this the hard way and missed out by paying cash for our camper and even paying my GX off early. I didn't believe it until my money guy really pushed it and I ran a bunch of comparisons in Excel for various interest rates - investment won with every scenario.

 

[CaptRussia253]

I'd suggest both of you guys look at the overall financials of taking new/used car money (say, $35K) and putting it in an interest-earning account (say stocks/bonds, with 7% annual return) vs. paying cash for the car (and avoiding 3-6% interests).

Summary - never pay cash for big purchases. What you save on finance charges is simple interest, what you make on investment returns is compound interest, and you'd have a higher net worth (by thousands of dollars) on the day you make the last car payment than if you paid cash for the vehicle.

I learned this the hard way and missed out by paying cash for our camper and even paying my GX off early. I didn't believe it until my money guy really pushed it and I ran a bunch of comparisons in Excel for various interest rates - investment won with every scenario.

I completely agree. That’s what we’re doing with majority of our earnings from our home we just sold.

 

[Hiluxforever]

So far I've had 29 vehicles, albeit I've slowed down swapping out vehicles in the last 25 years.
One year, we purchased 6 vehicles! They were 2 motorcycles, 3 new cars and one used. There's a story to it all but this isn't the forum.
I'll tell ya all the story if we ever get to a sitting around a camp fire together.

Been driving 29 years and have had 13 vehicles. Had one 5 lug tacoma as a daily driver for 10 years. I have only had 3 vehicles that weren't 4 bangers and 3 automatics.

I was absolutely gutted when I learned the 5 lug died in 2015. I was really hoping to have one with a factory turbo.

 

[JDUB fab]

All this vehicle recounting got me thinking about my own list. In the order I owned them starting at age 16.

1987 Oldsmobile delta 88
1989 VW Golf
1987 Audi 5000 Quattro (one of my favorites on this list)
199? Mazda protege
1996 Toyota T-100
2000 Toyota Tundra
2004 Honda Element (still miss that toaster)
2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD OR
2010 Lexus GX 460 (current)
2013 Honda insight (current-but broken)
1993 Volvo 240 wagon (current project car- runs and drives but needs work)

Oh memories. I still miss the front a rear diff locks on that Audi, that was such a legit ride in the snow, 5cyl engine and manual, gosh makes me want to spend way to much money trying to find an 80s Audi again.

 

[ypyun]

I'd suggest both of you guys look at the overall financials of taking new/used car money (say, $35K) and putting it in an interest-earning account (say stocks/bonds, with 7% annual return) vs. paying cash for the car (and avoiding 3-6% interests).

Summary - never pay cash for big purchases. What you save on finance charges is simple interest, what you make on investment returns is compound interest, and you'd have a higher net worth (by thousands of dollars) on the day you make the last car payment than if you paid cash for the vehicle.

I learned this the hard way and missed out by paying cash for our camper and even paying my GX off early. I didn't believe it until my money guy really pushed it and I ran a bunch of comparisons in Excel for various interest rates - investment won with every scenario.

i know you mean well but this isn't good advice for folks who swap cars every year or two. they will probably use it to justify buying a bigger better car than they can afford.

also i think the financial analysis is wrong on a number of points:
* you should compare t-bill rates (currently ~5%) to the interest rate on the loan
* it does not account for depreciation
* risk of falling behind and losing the car .... (for most of us in the U.S. a car is a necessity)

 

[Rednexus]

i know you mean well but this isn't good advice for folks who swap cars every year or two. they will probably use it to justify buying a bigger better car than they can afford.

also i think the financial analysis is wrong on a number of points:
* you should compare t-bill rates (currently ~5%) to the interest rate on the loan
* it does not account for depreciation
* risk of falling behind and losing the car .... (for most of us in the U.S. a car is a necessity)

My advice is meant for someone financially stable and has enough cash sitting around to comfortable purchase a used/new car cash-only. Since this is kind of a upper-middle class or even upper-class hobby forum, chances are that's a good bit of folks on here. If that isn't someone reading my post, then my advice may not be applicable .

For the analysis I described, lets say someone has $35K in cash sitting around and wants to buy a used 200 Series. However, they do have enough monthly income to afford the payment. We can assume the interest rate for the used car loan is 6%, the loan period is 4 years, and the rate of investment return is 8.7% (average Dow Jones growth over the past decade).

If that $35K were invested, it could be worth $48,800 at the end of Year 4. If the $35K were spent on the vehicle instead of invested, it would save the purchaser around $4,500 in finance charges. Borrowing money for the car and investing the cash would leave the purchaser $9,400 richer at the end of Year 4. That's not a trivial amount even for upper-middle and upper-class folks. The investment return rate has to drop all of the way down to 3.1% for this comparison to break even - and most banks are offering CDs right now that are 5%+ return.

 

[RadoTracks]

Hey @Roody, I was wondering if you can give an update on your experience with the JW Offroad Tire Carrier. There is a a lot of speculation on how it would last so I'm curios to see what your experience has been since you've had it for a few years on done some offroading with it. Still solid? Any sag in the door? Any rust issues so far?

Thanks for any input you can provide!

 

[Banandalorian]

My advice is meant for someone financially stable and has enough cash sitting around to comfortable purchase a used/new car cash-only. Since this is kind of a upper-middle class or even upper-class hobby forum, chances are that's a good bit of folks on here. If that isn't someone reading my post, then my advice may not be applicable .

I've always hated the Dave Ramsey-style "pay cash for everything because only idiots use financing" financial advice however I also realize that a good portion of the population simply can't be trusted to not immediately use consumer credit to get, and remain, up to their eyeballs in debt their entire lives.

 

[Roody]

Hey @Roody, I was wondering if you can give an update on your experience with the JW Offroad Tire Carrier. There is a a lot of speculation on how it would last so I'm curios to see what your experience has been since you've had it for a few years on done some offroading with it. Still solid? Any sag in the door? Any rust issues so far?

Thanks for any input you can provide!

Sure can. Impressions are largely unchanged from this post: Builds - Roody’s 2018 Lexus GX460 Build, Adventure, and Off the Road Again Podcast - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/roodys-2018-lexus-gx460-build-adventure-and-off-the-road-again-podcast.1302517/post-14981223

Long story short, it's holding up fine. No rust on the mount itself, which is what matters. The provided hardware was rusted rather quickly and JW replaced it at their cost. I did add the Bofn Racing replacement door striker which may or may not have helped; hard to say. The door doesn't squeak whatsoever when it's warm, but when it's cold it does make an unpleasant squeak upon closing. It never squeaks or makes any noise when closed. The plate/stopper that keeps the door off the bumper is showing signs of wear. No cracks or anything on the tailgate, though I haven't opened the insides up yet to check on the innards. I don't expect there is any wear on the door itself. The hinges, I can't say. I suspect they're doing just fine as well. Grabbing the spare tire and pushing on it rocks the entire truck.

Up until recently the JW carrier was holding a 285/70/17 Toyo Open Country A/T III mounted on a 17x8.5, 0 offset Motegi Trailite. It now holds a 34x10.5R17 BFG KO2 on a 17x8, 0 offset American Racing AR172 Baja. The window still opens, though I do admit I use it quite a bit less than before the spare was mounted there (i.e., pre-Toyo). Regarding the potential wear on the door and hinges, note that as far as upsized wheels/tires go, this is a relatively light combo; I'm sure many who have this setup carry a spare wheel/tire that's easily 10-15 pounds heavier.

I like the JW Offroad tire carrier for what it is, but don't think it's my ultimate long-haul spare tire mount solution.

 

[RadoTracks]

Sure can. Impressions are largely unchanged from this post: Builds - Roody’s 2018 Lexus GX460 Build, Adventure, and Off the Road Again Podcast - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/roodys-2018-lexus-gx460-build-adventure-and-off-the-road-again-podcast.1302517/post-14981223

Long story short, it's holding up fine. No rust on the mount itself, which is what matters. The provided hardware was rusted rather quickly and JW replaced it at their cost. I did add the Bofn Racing replacement door striker which may or may not have helped; hard to say. The door doesn't squeak whatsoever when it's warm, but when it's cold it does make an unpleasant squeak upon closing. It never squeaks or makes any noise when closed. The plate/stopper that keeps the door off the bumper is showing signs of wear. No cracks or anything on the tailgate, though I haven't opened the insides up yet to check on the innards. I don't expect there is any wear on the door itself. The hinges, I can't say. I suspect they're doing just fine as well. Grabbing the spare tire and pushing on it rocks the entire truck.

Up until recently the JW carrier was holding a 285/70/17 Toyo Open Country A/T III mounted on a 17x8.5, 0 offset Motegi Trailite. It now holds a 34x10.5R17 BFG KO2 on a 17x8, 0 offset American Racing AR172 Baja. The window still opens, though I do admit I use it quite a bit less than before the spare was mounted there (i.e., pre-Toyo). Regarding the potential wear on the door and hinges, note that as far as upsized wheels/tires go, this is a relatively light combo; I'm sure many who have this setup carry a spare wheel/tire that's easily 10-15 pounds heavier.

I like the JW Offroad tire carrier for what it is, but don't think it's my ultimate long-haul spare tire mount solution.

Thanks Roody, this is exaclty what I was hoping for. I keep my cars for a very long time, which is why I chose a GX. I love the JW solution because it is the "most stock". Not swing outs, doesn't mess with parking sensors, etc. My core concern has been the durability of the product and it's integration with the rear door. So thinks for the input!

 

[Roody]

Thanks Roody, this is exaclty what I was hoping for. I keep my cars for a very long time, which is why I chose a GX. I love the JW solution because it is the "most stock". Not swing outs, doesn't mess with parking sensors, etc. My core concern has been the durability of the product and it's integration with the rear door. So thinks for the input!

Not a problem, glad I could help. You could certainly use the JW as a long-term solution with some basic reinforcement within the tailgate and on the hinges; wouldn't be too difficult at all, or at least I don't think it would. Of course, if you want the "most stock" solution then you can always get a real Prado rear door with the built-in tire carrier...