You don't have to blast to toast the ML speakers. The surrounds of the speaker deteriorate with age even if you never turn the radio on. The cheapest fix is to remove the old speaker surround and glue on a new one.
Considering the GX470, cost of ownership, purchasing advice
- Thread starter Springs505
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Just picked up a 2007 GX for $15.5k with 125k miles one owner and serviced by the dealer at every interval within 200 miles of when required. Took the car to my mechanic who put it up on the rack and drove it this morning and he said it was the cleanest he had ever seen. Has ML system with 6 disc audio and dvd. Will replace speakers and put in a new amp next week - I have several blown speakers and am used to a much better sound stock in my 2000 Land Cruiser.
My hat's off to David Trice and Alex Delgado at North Side Lexus in Houston!
My hat's off to David Trice and Alex Delgado at North Side Lexus in Houston!
Thanks Steve. According to my audio guy the new amp spliced into the old amp will solve that problem.
Ours was serviced the same way at the same dealership. Everything was done at North Side by the previous owner.
I cannot tell you how pleased I was to get the call and complete the deal for this car. Big fan of North Side Lexus.
Congrats, keep us posted on how the audio install goes! If it works out I may follow in your steps.
Will do. The plan is to disconnect the top of the dashboard speaker and the driver and passenger mids(center) speaker. The 6x9's in the front doors will be replaced with a high quality HK Infinity speaker.
Is your rear sub blown too? My doors speakers and the rear sub is blown. That is the tricky one as it's a 6" I believe.
No - I think it is fine. Sounds like a good thing.
- Thread starter
- #71
We pulled the trigger on an 06 today 
The upside:
The downside:
I am thinking that I may not want to go 90k on an unknown type of timing belt, so I will probably replace this early, maybe within a year or 2. I think we will drive on the leaky shocks until we start to notice a decrease in performance, and then look at options. Probably going to install some sort of double din nave/backup camera setup in the next few months, I will post up install info when this gets done.
Thanks for all of the advice!
The upside:
- "only" 120k miles, 1 owner, no accidents
- no exhaust leaks
- Very good paint: 2 little blemishes and almost no rock chips because of clear bra...best we saw out of 8+trucks
- Leather still in great condition
- Some service records
- great ride, great to drive
- no ML/Nav
The downside:
- Timing belt was done at 94k, but I am guessing the non-lexus sticker for the replacement is a sign that genuine Toy/Lexus parts were not used
- 2 shocks are leaking, still rides nice, but it's going to need attention
- paid good money to get the cleanest we could find
I am thinking that I may not want to go 90k on an unknown type of timing belt, so I will probably replace this early, maybe within a year or 2. I think we will drive on the leaky shocks until we start to notice a decrease in performance, and then look at options. Probably going to install some sort of double din nave/backup camera setup in the next few months, I will post up install info when this gets done.
Thanks for all of the advice!
Sounds like nice truck, congrats! What does the timing belt sticker look like?
- Thread starter
- #73
A side-note on the ML system: Through our search I have been checking carfax and dealer service history on these trucks. I did look at one ML equipped truck that had 7- 8 service visits for the ML system in 150k miles including a visit with $1300+ in parts at high mileage. I am sure that that is not typical, but I feel like there is enough evidence to say that the ML system should be avoided from a reliability and upgrade-ability standpoint.
EDIT due to feedback: It's probably not fair to say that they should be avoided. I chose to avoid the ML systems since:
EDIT due to feedback: It's probably not fair to say that they should be avoided. I chose to avoid the ML systems since:
- there seems to be more reported problems with them online and based on seeing the service history (lexusdrivers.com) of this particular vehicle, despite only having looked at a few trucks with the ML system.
- there is no ability to upgrade if something breaks or if I desire to installer newer/different technology
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- Thread starter
- #74
It's a plain white label, around 1x4 inch with only hand writing: date in 2012 and 94XXX miles
little_joe
SILVER Star
One example is not typical, yet you come to a funny conclusion.
Another downside of the ML/Nav: last weekend, I did a 1,000mi road trip. Every town I passed through I got a ticket or arrested because my GX w/ ML/Nav killed kittens due to being a GX w/ ML/Nav. It's true, this is a post about it on the internet.
That might actually be the sticker the dealers use. You can also check by making an account on the Lexus Owner's website and putting in the VIN, you will get all the records Lexus has.
- Thread starter
- #77
I hope those kittens are OK! Also, I edited my post above.
I checked it before we purchased and no such luck. The PO stopped servicing this truck at Lexus before 90k, so no record of the timing belt. There was some documentation included to show later service elsewhere.
little_joe
SILVER Star
My snark wasn't warranted, apologies for that. Congratulations on landing one you are happy with, and Pearl White is the best color!!!!!
Please check your paint carefully, esp the roof. Lexus was known to have some issues with the Pearl White where it actually cracks and peels off. I have a ~4" x 8" spot aft of my sunroof where the paint literally is cracking off. Lexus won't do anything about it, so I'll fix it up once the weather cools a little here.
- Thread starter
- #79
My snark wasn't warranted, apologies for that. Congratulations on landing one you are happy with, and Pearl White is the best color!!!!!
Please check your paint carefully, esp the roof. Lexus was known to have some issues with the Pearl White where it actually cracks and peels off. I have a ~4" x 8" spot aft of my sunroof where the paint literally is cracking off. Lexus won't do anything about it, so I'll fix it up once the weather cools a little here.
No worries, and I like the pearl white, too. The truck has one little area where the clear has peeled off of the paint on the lower door plastics. Hopefully I can touch up the spot and the rest stays together well.
PM me if you need any OEM shocks/springs. I have all of it sitting in my garage and I know two of the shocks were replaced fairly recently.
