GX470 Owner Looking for LX570 (4 Viewers)

[jonshonda]

Hey guys,

I've done as much research as my schedule allows and hoping I can tap into the 200/LX570 community knowledge pool for info. We have an 07 GX470 w/ 235k miles that has been great. We camp a lot (12-15 times a year) and pull a smaller 3800lb (dry)19ft hybrid camper, we have two kids, and after adding a second yellow lab are looking for a slightly larger tow vehicle to tow our possibly slightly larger camper.

Our budget max is $35k, and although I live in Wisconsin I am NOT willing to buy another Midwest truck. My questions are as follows.

1) What age and mileage would you consider to be ideal for $35k? I am looking for a southern vehicle with no accidents and excellent service history. Is the market still very inflated from covid?
2) Approaching the 100k mileage mark and older age, what should I anticipate being near end of life (water pump, radiator, globes, accumulators, etc) and put on the replacement list for baselining the vehicle for reliable transportation?
3) I am using autotempest for my search, any other leads on dealerships or locations where I might have better luck?

Thanks!

 

[Madtiger]

Living up there. Get LC.

 

[jonshonda]

Living up there. Get LC.

Come on man...you can't leave me hanging on why! haha

 

[Madtiger]

Come on man...you can't leave me hanging on why! haha

AHC lines are prone to rust in your area due to salt etc.

KDSS unit can get rusty too. BUT as long as you don’t modify your suspension, etc, then rusty KDSS unit should work fine for life of vehicle. You can always grease it up and protect it from rusting if you get a good conditioned LC…and very easy To grease it up. Takes 5 min at most.

The problem with AHC lines is that there is not much you can do to prevent. And once it rust and cracks, AHC fluids leaks out and your LX goes to the ground picking up road kill. And then fixing it and then putting fluid back in it etc is a big hassle. I hope that you’re handy!

 

[jonshonda]

AHC lines are prone to rust in your area due to salt etc.

KDSS unit can get rusty too. BUT as long as you don’t modify your suspension, etc, then rusty KDSS unit should work fine for life of vehicle. You can always grease it up and protect it from rusting if you get a good conditioned LC…and very easy To grease it up. Takes 5 min at most.

The problem with AHC lines is that there is not much you can do to prevent. And once it rust and cracks, AHC fluids leaks out and your LX goes to the ground picking up road kill. And then fixing it and then putting fluid back in it etc is a big hassle. I hope that you’re handy!

Like I said I would be looking for a used southern vehicle, plus I really would like not having to add airbags for towing. I am handy, no issue replacing radiator, water pump, etc.

 

[tbisaacs]

$35k would be looking for something at 100k miles +\- 20k.

common stuff at 100-150k miles

• Radiator replacement. If you keep an eye under the engine covers you’ll usually get some notice before it cracks along the top
• AHC fluid service
• Globes around 150k
• Most people replace starter as preventative maintenance - mine went out at 150
• Some alternator failures

Make sure you don’t have a cam tower leak. They are a nuisance and $$$ to re seal.

 

[jonshonda]

$35k would be looking for something at 100k miles +\- 20k.

common stuff at 100-150k miles

• Radiator replacement. If you keep an eye under the engine covers you’ll usually get some notice before it cracks along the top
• AHC fluid service
• Globes around 150k
• Most people replace starter as preventative maintenance - mine went out at 150
• Some alternator failures

Make sure you don’t have a cam tower leak. They are a nuisance and $$$ to re seal.

Yeah figured radiator is a given on most any vehicle of the vintage I am looking at.

Toyota V8 that has cam tower leaks? ya don't say! Some day someone will come up with a spray that hardens leaking motor oil into a sealing surface!

 

[SF1911A1]

I would get something like this and have a budget left for building it. This is a Florida truck.

 

[32cls6speedmt]

Yankees always wanting our pristine under carriages

 

[PDoyle]

There’s always a down side. Heat bakes interiors, paint and rubber. Choose your poison.

 

[ThRiLlGmYr]

I would think a 2014 ~100k would probably be around there, maybe 2015? You can definitely expect the radiator to go. Mine just went at 160k. I am happy with my 2013. It still feels reasonably new and is in very good condition in the interior. I would not want to go much older than that.

 

[SF1911A1]

There’s always a down side. Heat bakes interiors, paint and rubber. Choose your poison.

I’ve lived in Houston my whole life and never had an interior ruined by heat. Of course I’ve never owned a dodge…. I would take a southern truck over rust any day without hesitation.

 

[Madtiger]

Most modern car window’s block UV. Toyota and Lexus windows in particular block over 90% UV.

 

[lx200inAR]

Like I said I would be looking for a used southern vehicle, plus I really would like not having to add airbags for towing. I am handy, no issue replacing radiator, water pump, etc.

There is a thread in the classifieds for current prices of 200s. Might peruse that to get an idea of where the market is currently. From my own "watching prices" locally on the LX side prices are falling back to pre-covid/200 series demise times. I've seen multiple high mileage LXs for under 20k lately, which is where they were before the boom. I would think 35k would get you a 90-120k mile 13-15 pretty easily. There's not a huge difference between 08-11 and 13-15, but improved crawl control and added multiterrain select (MTS). HID dual projector headlamps/updated tail lamps and a 12v plug in the 2nd row. Those are the biggest differences to me. That and just the fact that they are a few years newer with less wear on plastics and the like.

If mods need to be in your budget (like wheels and tires) remember that stuff adds up quick. Maintenance parts aren’t that crazy since a lot of parts also fit Tundras, but they add up as well.

 

[jonshonda]

Yankees always wanting our pristine under carriages

Rust in your eye and your garage always smelling like pb blaster is great motivation to head south. I've told myself I am NEVER buying another used midwest vehicle again.

I bought an 09 Honda Fit last year that lived it's life in Florida, and that thing was so clean underneath I just sat in aww of the beauty. My Milwaukee mid-torque was yawning the whole time I saw swapping out shocks and struts. For fun I even brought over the Hi-torque to look on so he didn't feel too left out. What's funny is after I was done and cleaning up I couldn't find the Hi-Torque. It had made its way over to my GX and there was a puddle of what I assume were tears near it.

 

[bloc]

I concur on advising 13-15 if possible, especially if this will also be a daily driver. It just feels a bit more current between the HID lamps and high resolution MFI in the gauge cluster.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I went from a 2006 GX to a 2016 GMC Denali Sierra 6.2. I had that truck for 6 months and couldn’t get back to a LC platform quick enough (I’ve had two 80s and a 100 in the past). My wife still has a 2008 GX.

I’m in the same boat. 2 kids, dog, hybrid camper and we camp 10-20 times per year. I ended up with a 2011 LC and while it doesn’t tow as easily as the Denali I feel more comfortable driving a Land Cruiser. The 5.7 is enough to pull the hybrid with power left, where the GX would drop down to 3rd going up a mountain and you weren’t passing anyone. You are on the right path….now just have to find one!

 

[jonshonda]

I went from a 2006 GX to a 2016 GMC Denali Sierra 6.2. I had that truck for 6 months and couldn’t get back to a LC platform quick enough (I’ve had two 80s and a 100 in the past). My wife still has a 2008 GX.

I’m in the same boat. 2 kids, dog, hybrid camper and we camp 10-20 times per year. I ended up with a 2011 LC and while it doesn’t tow as easily as the Denali I feel more comfortable driving a Land Cruiser. The 5.7 is enough to pull the hybrid with power left, where the GX would drop down to 3rd going up a mountain and you weren’t passing anyone. You are on the right path….now just have to find one!

I drove a Yukon Denali and although I am taller then the average American at 6'2", I don't have very long legs and with my seated adjusted back correctly the B-pillar was right in my face. To the point of being very difficult to drive. My 09 Honda Fit is 1/4 the size of the Denali, and no issues with the B-pillar.

My GX470 with the oem air bags handled the camper very well, but when they started giving me problems I converted over to FJ springs and firestone coil bags. The oem bags do much better and handling the weight. I am also cross shopping the GX460 Luxury as well.

 

[LX Cruiser]

I found my immaculate '09 with 149k miles late 2022 for $24k. It's a beast. We love it. I am buying parts for and planning to do some of the preventative maintenance items mentioned in this thread. Next up when I get a day off is the accumulator globes.

I would stick with AHC over KDSS if you're towing that much. It's worth the extra hassle, IMO. I coat the undercarriage of both of my vehicles (my other truck is a '21 Tundra) seasonally with Amsoil HD Metal Protector.

 

[Lou Gill]

Just a thought, but you can undercoat your truck in the north and pay for unlimited car washes??? Mine has both and very little rust at 130,000 in WI……NHOU is very good!