GX 460 High Mileage -- Great Service History (1 Viewer)

[200HeritageFan]

Hi All.

Wanted some input. Pondering about a Lexus Gx 460 that has more than 250K miles. Looks the previous owner did every single recommended service. Do you think this vehicle still has 4-5 years of life left?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[r2m]

Hi All.

Wanted some input. Pondering about a Lexus Gx 460 that has more than 250K miles. Looks the previous owner did every single recommended service. Do you think this vehicle still has 4-5 years of life left?

Thanks in advance for your input!

What's the belly of the beast look like? Any rust on the undercarriage? Especially considering you're in Montana.
If it's running strong, has a clean CarFax, all service maintenance along with no rust or very minimal surface rust AND the price is right, JUMP ON IT!

 

[WTITW]

I'd have Lexus go through it and at that mileage make sure they do a compression test. At 250K you'll likely need replace some major components soon (Steering rack, wheel bearings, pumps, harmonic balancer can start to fail between 200-300K even with full maint). You might get lucky but they always sell them for a reason and it's generally because they get a big estimate for something.

If you only plan on keeping it 4-5 years you'll likely spend a lot of time fixing things. If you were in it for the long haul, like to make it a dedicated wheeler, it might be more worth the investment. At that mileage, you might end up needing a tranny rebuild which go on these from time to time. If you don't wrench yourself, all that stuff will blow all your savings in going high mileage.

We bought my wife's 3rd gen with 215K on it. I had to replace all the suspension, fix a leaky steering rack, redo the valve covers and cam shaft seals, rebuild the wiring harness and flush every fluid to get it up to snuff. That would have cost 10K at a shop. And since the lady we bough it from had been using to 'Jimmy's Garage', I ran into a s*** ton of half assed fixes.

It REALLY depends on who did all those services. If it's all Lexus, your in good shape, if it's random "Jimmy's Garage" you better hope Jimmy was an excellent mechanic who refused to cut corners to make a profit.

 

[WTITW]

What's the belly of the beast look like? Any rust on the undercarriage? Especially considering you're in Montana.
If it's running strong, has a clean CarFax, all service maintenance along with no rust or very minimal surface rust AND the price is right, JUMP ON IT!

Oh yeah, forgot about that. Montana salts. Rust makes it frustrating to wrench on. You'd have to get real acquainted with a blow torch if that's the case : )

 

[Rednexus]

Agreed totally on it needing lots of consumable parts. The biggest question mark will the the transmission and frequency of fluid changes. If it's on it's OEM transmission fluid at that mileage, I'd only buy it if it were super cheap. If it's been regurarly changed, it likely has lots of life in it.

In addition to the items Jake mentioned, it is probably also getting ready to be "time" for suspension bushings, spark plugs, shocks, sway bar end links, etc. If you're planning on lifting the rig that's NBD since you'd be replacing most of that anyway.

I personally would have no qualms buying a 250K+ GX if it checks out above AND if you don't mind refreshing things that are just worn out. The drivetrain, if well cared for, should last many hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

[200HeritageFan]

I'd have Lexus go through it and at that mileage make sure they do a compression test. At 250K you'll likely need replace some major components soon (Steering rack, wheel bearings, pumps, harmonic balancer can start to fail between 200-300K even with full maint). You might get lucky but they always sell them for a reason and it's generally because they get a big estimate for something.

If you only plan on keeping it 4-5 years you'll likely spend a lot of time fixing things. If you were in it for the long haul, like to make it a dedicated wheeler, it might be more worth the investment. At that mileage, you might end up needing a tranny rebuild which go on these from time to time. If you don't wrench yourself, all that stuff will blow all your savings in going high mileage.

We bought my wife's 3rd gen with 215K on it. I had to replace all the suspension, fix a leaky steering rack, redo the valve covers and cam shaft seals, rebuild the wiring harness and flush every fluid to get it up to snuff. That would have cost 10K at a shop. And since the lady we bough it from had been using to 'Jimmy's Garage', I ran into a s*** ton of half assed fixes.

It REALLY depends on who did all those services. If it's all Lexus, your in good shape, if it's random "Jimmy's Garage" you better hope Jimmy was an excellent mechanic who refused to cut corners to make a profit.

All maintenance at Lexus dealership -- apparently the previous owner prepaid for a service package when he made the purchase. Did every single maintenance since he wasn't paying out of pocket. It's actually in the North East, so rust is probably even a bigger issue than Montana. Will have to get it shipped here, so can't test dirve it myself, unfortunately.

 

[WTITW]

All maintenance at Lexus dealership -- apparently the previous owner prepaid for a service package when he made the purchase. Did every single maintenance since he wasn't paying out of pocket. It's actually in the North East, so rust is probably even a bigger issue than Montana. Will have to get it shipped here, so can't test dirve it myself, unfortunately.

If you found that out of Texas, CA or AZ I'd be more inclined but I would want full underbody pics on a lift. 250K means LOTs of highway miles.... where they salt the most.

Price?

 

[xychromosome]

yeah, a NE vehicle with that many miles can easily be a rust bucket. What year is it?

 

[200HeritageFan]

Agreed totally on it needing lots of consumable parts. The biggest question mark will the the transmission and frequency of fluid changes. If it's on it's OEM transmission fluid at that mileage, I'd only buy it if it were super cheap. If it's been regurarly changed, it likely has lots of life in it.

In addition to the items Jake mentioned, it is probably also getting ready to be "time" for suspension bushings, spark plugs, shocks, sway bar end links, etc. If you're planning on lifting the rig that's NBD since you'd be replacing most of that anyway.

I personally would have no qualms buying a 250K+ GX if it checks out above AND if you don't mind refreshing things that are just worn out. The drivetrain, if well cared for, should last many hundreds of thousands of miles.

Very extensive service history at the Lexus dealership. Looks like the transmision fluid was flushed about 20k miles ago. Also noticed every time it was serviced it said this in the details:

• Transfer case fluid checked
• Transmission fluid/oil leak checked

 

[200HeritageFan]

What's the belly of the beast look like? Any rust on the undercarriage? Especially considering you're in Montana.
If it's running strong, has a clean CarFax, all service maintenance along with no rust or very minimal surface rust AND the price is right, JUMP ON IT!

I have asked the dealer for undercarriage pictures. Should get them later today.

 

[200HeritageFan]

yeah, a NE vehicle with that many miles can easily be a rust bucket. What year is it?

 

[200HeritageFan]

more pics

 

[Rednexus]

Very good shape for a NE vehicle. Still, i would want to look inside the frame where the AC drip line discharges on it. And you'd need to give it a good undercoat (fluid film, woolwax, etc).

 

[200HeritageFan]

Looks good to me? But I don’t have too much experience examining under carriages (no pun intended).

 

[200HeritageFan]

Very good shape for a NE vehicle. Still, i would want to look inside the frame where the AC drip line discharges on it. And you'd need to give it a good undercoat (fluid film, woolwax, etc).

Damn he asked if I needed anything else before he took the vehicle off the lift.

 

[WTITW]

Surprisingly clean other than the skids which don't matter and can be replaced. Could be a good rig if it's a good deal.

I bought mine the same way, had it shipped from OK to AZ and it's worked out great. Don't tell your spouse I said that if it goes to s*** though

 

[ericm979]

All maintenance at Lexus dealership -- apparently the previous owner prepaid for a service package when he made the purchase. Did every single maintenance since he wasn't paying out of pocket. It's actually in the North East, so rust is probably even a bigger issue than Montana. Will have to get it shipped here, so can't test dirve it myself, unfortunately.

If the maintenance has been done at a dealer you can probably get the records off lexusdrivers with the VIN. From looking at different GX's records it looks like some dealers input more detailed records than others. If you're lucky they list all the operations. If you're not, it's "20k mile service". But it's worth looking at.

I don't know for sure but I suspect that trans fluid change isn't part of the regular maintenance schedule. It is in the severe duty schedule that no one follows.

 

[WTITW]

I don't know for sure but I suspect that trans fluid change isn't part of the regular maintenance schedule.

I second that. Mine had all Lexus dealership maintenance but when I had it flushed the fluid looked toasted. All my maint said 15K service, 30k service, etc. all the way up to 120K, then it said 5K service at 125k-ish so I guess they start over. Never stated tranny serviced. I asked the guy who flushed it for me who is an excellent LC only mechanic and he said it's hard to tell with tranny fluid but didn't look like it had been flushed in the first 150K. That would be my main concern.

Worst case, tranny rebuild can be done for around $3K according to a few reports here on mud.

 

[Rednexus]

With records of a trans flush 20K ago and an undercarriage like that despite being in the NE, it's telling a story of a P.O. who really took care of the vehicle. The only way the underside would be that clean is if they didn't drive it much in the winter or washed the underside regularly. I would say that based on the pictures and info you've provided on the service history, it seems like it could be a good buy (if the price reflects the likely need to replace most suspension components and probably other engine consumables due to wear). If the price is good AND you have a chance to drive it and it checks out I'd personally pull the trigger on it.

Do keep in mind that there is cost with shipping a vehicle 2/3 of the way across the country to buy sight-unseen - plus the risk of it not being what you were told when it shows up, and having limited availability to fight with a dealer located so far away in a different state. It's a risk/reward you'd need to balance with the GXs you have available locally and what they are selling for. There is value in going to look at one in person that doesn't require shipping, even if it is a few K more, as the transaction will always be lower risk. You could always fly out there to look at it, but there is also a cost involved in that.

 

[re_guderian]

Man, I HATE rust after buying a PA/MD/VA car (that wasn't even that bad). I just don't want to deal with it at all. But that doesn't look TOO bad (unless it's like a 2018 or so). If you're a DIY guy, get an induction heater gun. Oh, and fly-and-drive it. Take your wife, and make a NE fall colors trip if it don't work out...