City Driving

[Rhythmdoctor]

Hey folks! Long time lurker, minimal poster here. I just traded my most recent LX 470 for an RX 350 and instantly regretted it. I miss sitting up high and the great visibility of the larger LXs. Soooo, I'm now shopping for another LX... already sold the RX to my ex-wife. I've been looking at LX 570s and starting to fall in love with them..

But then, a bigger question came up in my head. I NEVER off road and rarely drive very far, 75% of my driving is city driving here in Chicago... which is littered with pothole roads and tons of stop lights/signs. So I'm sitting here wondering, am I stupid for wanting to buy a LX 570 when most of my driving is short distance city driving? I mean I will take it on the interstate periodically driving to the burbs for dinners etc or going back to my hometown (3 hours) or to gigs (working musician)... but most of my driving is in 10-30 minute spurts to grocery stores, school pickups etc... I'm just really trying to make a smart decision. As much as I love the LXs, the whole reason I traded for the RX was to get better gas mileage. Granted, I'm willing to sacrifice that again for a more comfortable ride but I don't know, starting to rethink everything.

Thing is, I do need the cargo space for music gear and stuff. Talk me on or off the ledge, please. I truly can't decide what to do. I need some help from you experts

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

Meant to add that my ex said I can take the RX anytime if I need to go out of town etc. So maybe I just get a LX ES/LS and call it a day? I haven't had a low sitting sedan in over 20 years. Been driving FJ62, FJ80 and LX 470 for the last 20 years, so I've become super used to the high sitting, great visibility of these trucks but maybe it's time to rethink all of this. Also, I don't plan on being in Chicago much longer. Would love to move NOW but waiting for my daughter to graduate high school which is 3 more years. Decisions, decisions.

 

[hoser]

Lifted Highlander AWD Hybrid?

 

[coleAK]

I’ve had it for 13 years now but If I didn’t off road regularly there is no way I’d own/drive my LX570. It’s big, clumsy, terrible mpg, …. There are countless way better on road vehicles.

 

[04UZJ100]

Daily drive 200s locally all the time. Horrific gas mileage but it is what it is.

 

[linuxgod]

I have a 2013 LC and live in Chicago.

Pluses include: handles the potholes better than a car because of so much tire sidewall, not unreasonable to parallel park because it’s a mid-sized SUV length.

Cons include: parking garages can be an issue (especially for me being listed), gas mileage is horrible in the city… like <10mpg normally and often closer to 7 in the winter for me, though again my truck is modified. Also if you park on the street the dings you get in the city will make you sadder

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a 570 in the city. It’s not ridiculously sized like an Escalade or hummer or cybertruck, though a GX or 4Runner would be a bit better fit

 

[HighRanch]

Hey folks! Long time lurker, minimal poster here. I just traded my most recent LX 470 for an RX 350 and instantly regretted it. I miss sitting up high and the great visibility of the larger LXs. Soooo, I'm now shopping for another LX... already sold the RX to my ex-wife. I've been looking at LX 570s and starting to fall in love with them..

But then, a bigger question came up in my head. I NEVER off road and rarely drive very far, 75% of my driving is city driving here in Chicago... which is littered with pothole roads and tons of stop lights/signs. So I'm sitting here wondering, am I stupid for wanting to buy a LX 570 when most of my driving is short distance city driving? I mean I will take it on the interstate periodically driving to the burbs for dinners etc or going back to my hometown (3 hours) or to gigs (working musician)... but most of my driving is in 10-30 minute spurts to grocery stores, school pickups etc... I'm just really trying to make a smart decision. As much as I love the LXs, the whole reason I traded for the RX was to get better gas mileage. Granted, I'm willing to sacrifice that again for a more comfortable ride but I don't know, starting to rethink everything.

Thing is, I do need the cargo space for music gear and stuff. Talk me on or off the ledge, please. I truly can't decide what to do. I need some help from you experts

You are trying too hard to justify the purchase...if you appreciate the LX/LC200 go ahead and buy it. Lots of people buy performance cars and they never hit the track , lots of people buy Minivans and Highlanders and are not hauling large families, and many more buy pickup trucks and rarely haul anything. Buy what what you like and what you can afford!

 

[32cls6speedmt]

I think you want to hear Just do it! Make sure you fluid film or wool wax. We don’t want your “surface rust” 200 used to end up in the south.

Test drive gx. Might like it.

 

[DallasTide]

Best to forget the words "gas mileage" if you daily a LC/LX in the city.

That being said you should get back in an LX if that's what the heart wants. You tried the downsize experiment and obviously it didn't scratch the itch.

 

[BobK1]

I was in your same boat last year. After spending no joke three months test driving every SUV from $30k up to the new GX, my wife said those fateful words “I don’t care, just buy something”. I figured if I’m spending around $50k for a new rig, it should last forever and be something I actually want. I got a CPO 2019 LX with 65k miles. Couple pieces of advice:
1. You MUST be brutally honest when you test drive. I really don’t like the ride quality (lack of) in the LX. The AHC system snubs out the shock travel even in Comfort. Directly hit potholes and broken roads at normal speeds. It’s teeth rattling with zero damping. The trade off is it corners dead flat on cloverleaf on ramps. I swapped the 21” wheels/tires for 18” and Falken AT4W’s which helped, but not enough. I’m due for service soon, and I’m going to get the AHC fluid changed, but I don’t have high hopes that will improve things significantly.
2. Yes the gas mileage is horrible. Financially it’s painful but OK. The problem is the tiny tank. Refilling every 5 days is really annoying (50 traffic commute miles/day).
3. Being part of the LC family is pretty cool. I had a terrible FJ40 right out of college (traded for an 4Runner) and have been waiting years to get another Cruiser.

Waiting for winter in NH,
Bob

 

[augustwest73]

Clearly God is telling you to go back to an LX. MPG’s be damned. I have just learned to accept they suck in the city and rest in knowing I am driving one of the best built tanks ever made. My brother got nailed in his 2022 LC by a 30 foot box truck doing 70 outside of Charlotte. Pushed him across three lanes of traffic into another car and a wall. He walked away largely ok. LC was totaled but actually looked ok. But you should have seen the box truck!!!! Looked like a SCUD missile hit it. Tow truck driver told my bro the LC saved his life. And that’s why I’ll take the low MPGs - especially around the city.

 

[pavell]

Clearly God is telling you to go back to an LX. MPG’s be damned. I have just learned to accept they suck in the city and rest in knowing I am driving one of the best built tanks ever made. My brother got nailed in his 2022 LC by a 30 foot box truck doing 70 outside of Charlotte. Pushed him across three lanes of traffic into another car and a wall. He walked away largely ok. LC was totaled but actually looked ok. But you should have seen the box truck!!!! Looked like a SCUD missile hit it. Tow truck driver told my bro the LC saved his life. And that’s why I’ll take the low MPGs - especially around the city.

100% if not for safety do it!!

 

[coleAK]

I was in your same boat last year. After spending no joke three months test driving every SUV from $30k up to the new GX, my wife said those fateful words “I don’t care, just buy something”. I figured if I’m spending around $50k for a new rig, it should last forever and be something I actually want. I got a CPO 2019 LX with 65k miles. Couple pieces of advice:
1. You MUST be brutally honest when you test drive. I really don’t like the ride quality (lack of) in the LX. The AHC system snubs out the shock travel even in Comfort. Directly hit potholes and broken roads at normal speeds. It’s teeth rattling with zero damping. The trade off is it corners dead flat on cloverleaf on ramps. I swapped the 21” wheels/tires for 18” and Falken AT4W’s which helped, but not enough. I’m due for service soon, and I’m going to get the AHC fluid changed, but I don’t have high hopes that will improve things significantly.
2. Yes the gas mileage is horrible. Financially it’s painful but OK. The problem is the tiny tank. Refilling every 5 days is really annoying (50 traffic commute miles/day).
3. Being part of the LC family is pretty cool. I had a terrible FJ40 right out of college (traded for an 4Runner) and have been waiting years to get another Cruiser.

Waiting for winter in NH,
Bob

I would get your suspension checked out. And comfort mode my 2013 LX is smooth as butter. I can run 45 to 50 miles an hour on the Dalton Highway with washboard the size of motocross whoops and pot holes the size of mini coopers and it is at least as smooth as my buddies 2024 raptor or my daughter‘s ZR2.

In NH better run dedicated winter tires (I run Hakka 10’s in Alaska) the 200 is ok but not great on winter roads.

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

Within 10 minutes of posting this thread earlier today, I hit the road and drove 3.5 hours to purchase my new (to me) 2008 LX 570 :wootwoot: 132k miles and got a great deal at $19k even. Reading all of your replies now is reassuring me I made the right decision. I love all my fellow LC/LX heads and I thank you for your support. I’ll try to post some pics once I get back home tomorrow. The heart wants what the heart wants . My 17 year old son who joined me on the trip - someone needs to drive this god awful RX back - said it’s the best vehicle we’ve owned. He’s also quite the car aficionado, meaning he’s also a Toyota/Lexus snob, lol. But yeah, overall it handles potholes way better than the two 470s I had previously so already off to a great start. Thanks everyone for chiming in! I truly appreciate each and everyone of you.

To the poster who mentioned wool wax and something else… is that worth doing even with surface rust already on the undcarriage? How much does something like that cost or is it something I can apply myself?

Thanks again, dudes

E2A: here’s the Facebook marketplace link to the LX I bought, hopefully it still works for y’all to see:

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2874615709406581/

 

[pavell]

congrats. interested to hear more comparisons vs the 470.

 

[Heckraiser]

Yes, in Chicago, definitely woolwax every fall, even (especially!!!) if it's already got some surface rust. Your frame isn't going to rust out, but AHC has lots of little hoses and fittings that rust can kill and they can be hard to diagnose and cost a fortune to fix. Nice truck, looks just like mine!

 

[pavell]

post pics

 

[32cls6speedmt]

she is perfect! Your son thinks you drive a cool whip. So it makes even better.

You got a great price and it appears previous owner was a cruiser enthusiast.

@Heckraiser gave you great advice.

There should be plenty of shops who can treat it for you. Also check the clubhouse section of this forum.