Advice on choosing between GX460s (1 Viewer)

[MGBmud]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here, at least new to posting though I've been lurking/soaking up knowledge for a while now. I've been shopping GX's, 4Runners, Bronco's, and LR4's, and have settled on a GX460 for reasons I'm sure you all know better than me. I've found two locally that I'm stuck choosing between, and hoping to get some advice from those of you who have been there and done that. This will be my first GX.

The car will be my daily driver, so needs to be comfortable on-road, reliable, and easy to live with. I haul mountain bikes around whenever I can, so will have ~150lbs of bikes+rack hanging off the hitch receiver regularly. It'll also tow a fairly light trailer a few times per year. Throw in a few winter weekend ski trips per year, a few summer weekend MTB trips per year, and a couple of backcountry camping / overlanding trips per year, and you get the idea for how it'll be used. Not planning on any rock crawling, but I would like it to be capable off road with a comfortable margin for error as I will often be solo.

Option 1:
2015 GX460 Luxury, nearly 200,000 miles, original owner with good maintenance history. Brakes and radiator are fairly fresh, air suspension is original. For sale by owner, asking $18k.

Option 2:
2018 GX460 Base, 80k miles, two owners (leased, then sold as CPO) with gaps in the maintenance history. For sale at a Lexus dealer, $28k.

So yeah, it's a big spread on price, but I am sure Option 1 will require some deferred maintenance work and no doubt more repairs in the near future given the mileage. Either way I'd put 17" wheels and AT's on right away, and probably a leveling kit or small ~1.5" lift as well, probably 5100's. I like the idea of the air suspension to level out the bikes and occasional towing, but I'd be fine with coils and reasonable rake. Either option is in budget, and resale value in 2-3 years is important to me.

Any and all input welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Washingtontaco]

Buy the lowest mile newest GX you can afford. Check the carfax to ensure at least the coolant was replaced at or arround 60,000 miles.

 

[Roody]

What @Washingtontaco said-- buy the newest, lowest mileage vehicle you can swing. There's always time for modifications and such down the line, but your baseline vehicle and the foundation on which you start with is something you can never undo (within reason).

Not to poke the bear here, but why is the decision narrowed down to these two specific examples? Of the two I'd unquestionably go with Option #2. The GX is generally a super reliable, but 200k miles is really getting up there regardless of reputation. As for resale, I'll stay away from that one; there's so many variables that it's impossible to whittle down to a quick summary.

I'd get a solid PPI from either a separate Lexus dealer or a good independent shop regardless of if you go with either of these options or another one that isn't listed here.

 

[bcski]

Look at CARFAX.com. Search nationwide, be willing to fly one way and drive 600 miles. That is what I am doing. $30,000 can get you 45k miles 2015’s

 

[MGBmud]

Buy the lowest mile newest GX you can afford. Check the carfax to ensure at least the coolant was replaced at or arround 60,000 miles.

Thanks. Is the 60k coolant advice because of the recent head gasket concerns, or something else I should know about?

 

[MGBmud]

What @Washingtontaco said-- buy the newest, lowest mileage vehicle you can swing. There's always time for modifications and such down the line, but your baseline vehicle and the foundation on which you start with is something you can never undo (within reason).

Not to poke the bear here, but why is the decision narrowed down to these two specific examples? Of the two I'd unquestionably go with Option #2. The GX is generally a super reliable, but 200k miles is really getting up there regardless of reputation. As for resale, I'll stay away from that one; there's so many variables that it's impossible to whittle down to a quick summary.

I'd get a solid PPI from either a separate Lexus dealer or a good independent shop regardless of if you go with either of these options or another one that isn't listed here.

Thanks, good advice. I don't mind the poking, and it's a very fair question. Honest answer is that each of these appeals but for different reasons, which makes it that much harder to pick a direction. At least for me. The older one is obviously way more used, but has great maintenance history and seems like a pretty great price even with the additional maintenance I'd have to do. The newer one also seems pretty well priced for a 2018 with very reasonable mileage.

 

[MGBmud]

Look at CARFAX.com. Search nationwide, be willing to fly one way and drive 600 miles. That is what I am doing. $30,000 can get you 45k miles 2015’s

Thanks!

 

[23GXOR]

The Premium models have most of the tech goodies the lux's have, without some systems that can be problematic on an older vehicle. If I were shopping for a roughly ten year old GX, that's what I'd be looking for.

 

[MGBmud]

The Premium models have most of the tech goodies the lux's have, without some systems that can be problematic on an older vehicle. If I were shopping for a roughly ten year old GX, that's what I'd be looking for.

Good advice, thank you. Aside from the air/adjustable suspension and ML audio, what else do the Lux models have?

 

[MrTorgue]

I'm going to go against the grain here. Go with the one that's:

1. In the best mechanical shape according to the PPI AND service history (NOT carfax).
2 Has the options / is the trim you want.
3. Is the exterior design you prefer.
4. Has the least number of owners.

Lower mileage does NOT mean it'll be trouble free and or hasn't been neglected. To me 60k and 160k mean exactly the same for GX's.

I drove and looked at over a dozen GX460's before settling on the one I bought. Service history and current mechanical condition were my primary focus. Almost 5 years later and I couldn't be happier.

 

[MeefZah]

TLDR: Option 2

I bought my first GX 7 months ago and also was debating between two models, a 2015 (I think) premium with air suspension and maybe like 40,000 miles; and a 2020 base with 28,000 miles. The 2015 was one owner and all maintenance done by selling dealer. The 2020 was a lease turn in but still had a solid maintenance history albeit across three states but was a CPO, so 2 year unlimited mileage warranty. There was a spread of about $10,000 between them and I would have really liked to save ten grand and buy a one owner vehicle, but ultimately the newer model won out for me because, as noted above, buy the newest lowest mileage one you can find in budget. The base appealed to me with the lack of air suspension as I intended to 1.5" lift it anyway (might be relevant to you, too, it sounds like); and the CPO really sealed the deal for me. 2 years with no worries about repairs is pretty enticing. Honestly the CPO warranty is better than the new car warranty. Plus resale is always better on the newer one, all other things being equal.

I respect those guys buying a 200k mile truck but I would not ever buy a truck with that sort of mileage unless it was just for fun, never as a DD.

Oh, one tip is if you are still looking for candidates, look at individual Lexus dealer's websites also. At least locally, the used GXs at Lexus dealers did not show up on my Autotrader and similar searches. I'm unsure if the dealers do this on purpose, like to keep the poors from coming on their lots and kicking tires, but the one I ended up buying - which was the 2020 base if that wasn't clear - was listed nowhere but on the dealer's site.

My use case is very similar to yours and I did mostly the same immediate mods as you describe, too: 1.5" lift, 17s, 32" AT tires. It's a brilliant vehicle for DD with a few light mods like those.

 

[JCliftonB]

Skip the premium and luxury models, as those have even more BS exterior details that get in the way if you plan to even minorly wheel the GX. I'd search for a base 2015+ model with a good history and as low mileage as you can. That would be the best foundation for a GX build, in my opinion. The radiators fail at about 100-120k miles, so look out for that. From what I can gather, the valley plate leak is sporadic and depends on the conditions the vehicle has to endure over its usage. Overall, the 2015+ GX's are a reliable platform with a solid drivetrain if maintained decently.

 

[MGBmud]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the info here!

 

[jeremy j]

My opinion is basically what you've heard. Get the newest lowest mileage one you can afford that has the best PPI. Balance those three things to find what is best for you. I think the ML stereo is worth it. I don't know why I typed all this below because it probably isn't any help but whatever.

If I had it to do over, I might have chosen differently. This was 2 years ago. I went basically with the max I wanted to spend (~$25K) with the lowest mileage. I was thinking I would keep it for a really long time. I found a one owner 2014 Lux with all service records from Lexus for I think $27500. Has some door dings and scuffs but I figured it's going to get pin striping anyway so who cares. I still don't mind all that. Its a great truck now that I have a seat risers, 2" lift and 33s.

My issue is just how much I LOVE this truck. I've had a lot of cars but my GX feels like it was made for me. I'm terrified of it being worn out. I wish I had a 2022-23 in Nori Green with the ML stereo and >20K miles so I could keep it until I die. I just hit 100K in mine so it's got plenty of life left but it lived 9 years with someone else before I got it and I greedily want those years for myself. I probably will keep mine for a long long time but I'll always kind of wish I had just bought a newer one.

 

[MGBmud]

Thanks everyone!

 

[r2m]

The car will be my daily driver, so needs to be comfortable on-road, reliable, and easy to live with. I haul mountain bikes around whenever I can, so will have ~150lbs of bikes+rack hanging off the hitch receiver regularly. It'll also tow a fairly light trailer a few times per year. Throw in a few winter weekend ski trips per year, a few summer weekend MTB trips per year, and a couple of backcountry camping / overlanding trips per year, and you get the idea for how it'll be used. Not planning on any rock crawling, but I would like it to be capable off road with a comfortable margin for error as I will often be solo.

First off, the question is just begging to be asked: Do you have a job?
In reading the paragraph above, and all thing things you do "a few" times per year, it sounds like you either have several months of vacation per year or you're an outdoor/adventure magazine contributor.
But seriously, I have the 2013 premium model, which is the highest trim for the 2014+ models. Really like the 3 climate zones, better stereo, heated steering wheel, headlight washers, etc.
With all your adventures, I ABSOLUTELY would go with less miles, because it sounds like you'll be stacking them on. Spend a little more, as MrTorgue noted, ensure maintenance, and everything has been faithfully been taken care of.

 

[MGBmud]

First off, the question is just begging to be asked: Do you have a job?
In reading the paragraph above, and all thing things you do "a few" times per year, it sounds like you either have several months of vacation per year or you're an outdoor/adventure magazine contributor.
But seriously, I have the 2013 premium model, which is the highest trim for the 2014+ models. Really like the 3 climate zones, better stereo, heated steering wheel, headlight washers, etc.
With all your adventures, I ABSOLUTELY would go with less miles, because it sounds like you'll be stacking them on. Spend a little more, as MrTorgue noted, ensure maintenance, and everything has been faithfully been taken care of.

Haha, yes indeed, I do work for the man. I'm pretty selfish with my weekends though, and fortunate enough to have kids who like to bike, ski, and be outside with me, at least some of the time. Almost all of the above are weekend trips... but if you happen to know of an opening at an outdoor/adventure magazine that pays well enough to cover the mortgage and upcoming tuition, let me know!

 

[MrTorgue]

For what it's worth my 2010 base model has the 3-zone climate control and powered 3rd row (standard). I do not feel like I'm missing anything over a premium or luxury.

Like I mentioned, I don't think trim matters ultimately. I'd 100% focus on condition, history, and then styling and features.

*edit*
To add I purposely looked to buy a 2010 for the 3-zone HVAC option, standard powered 3rd row, AND no rear airbags. I had a few to choose from when I was shopping in 2020.

 

[r2m]

If you go to the sticky post of this forum: GX 460 Manuals - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gx-460-manuals.1129713/
Go to post #13 and there will be a list of brochures and available options/model year, including interior and exterior colors available.
This may help narrow down what you want to look for.

 

[suitcase]

I would take the lower mileage 2018 base - especially if it's being sold CPO. My use case is pretty similar to yours. The only thing I like about the Lux model is that I think it has power-folding rear seats. I believe there's a way to tap into that power to reliably power a portable fridge. The rear outlet in at least the 2017 Premium, which is what I have, is woefully inadequate.

200k is up there and I think you'd have to expect shorter remaining life with things like gaskets, seals, and anything rubber. The parts themselves are probably cheap, but if you don't or can't do the work yourself it could get expensive.

My brother has a 470 and the airbags blew out on a camping trip. I think it had a little over 200k miles when they popped. He got it used for a good price at the time. He's not the type to do anything more than his own oil changes and early on he's had to replace CV axle because of torn boots, a transfer case seal on the actuator or something like that, probably some more things I'm forgetting, and now the most recent thing is a rear axle seal.