Just purchased my 2017 Lexus GX 460 Premium! (1 Viewer)

[ben7]

Hi everyone,

I’ve posted on here before as I was looking to purchase a Lexus GX 460, so after much searching and researching my family and I are blessed to be owners of a 2017 Lexus GX 460 Premium with just over 29K miles!

I come from a sports car world and am new to the off-road world (my other car is a modified 2020 Subaru WRX STi), so I really love the “raw feel” of a vehicle. The STi is one of the last analog sports cars available and I wanted the same rough, analog, and reliable (old-school body on frame) vehicle for an SUV, and since this shares the bones of the Toyota Landcruiser Prado, it has serious 4WD chops but can take my family places in comfort, so I consider this the “STi equivalent” of the off-road world.

Initially I was looking for a white exterior color, but I couldn’t find a good condition one and I really wanted the tan (Ecru I think it’s called) leather (it really lights up the interior), so when this black GX 460 showed up at a really good price, I jumped on it and totally love the car!

The GX 460 is great, I love that old school V8 and it drives smooth!

The previous owner had painted or powder coated the stock rims black which I thought I wouldn’t like at first, but I’m really loving it the more I look at it. It goes with the car.

My plans for it are the following (in order of importance):

1. Grom VLine unit for Apple CarPlay (The GPS that comes with the car is quite old)
2. Two detachable headrest DVD screens for the kids
3. Crawl control and MTS install
4. 3” lift (with upper control arms) and 285 wide BFG KO2 all-terrain tires
5. 17” method wheels (or should I go with 18”wheels?)
6. Rock sliders
7. Red tail lights from the sport model (I don’t like the clear tail lights currently on the vehicle)

I’m basically looking to take my family on trips and have it the GX 460 be well behaved and comfortable on the highway but able to go off road without any problem.

Some questions I have are:

1. Can anyone recommend a good install shop in Southern California to install the Grom VLine unit as well as the crawl control/ MTS units with the calibration? Can this be done at a Lexus dealership?
2. For the 3” lift, I’ve been quoted $4K (parts and labor) at a shop for the OME BP 51 kit with Bilstein shocks with KO2’s and method 17” wheels to around $7K for the same tires and wheels but with a King lift kit with reservoirs. I’m new when it comes to the off-road world, so do I need the King’s kit or is the OME and Bilsteins with upper control arms good enough for what I need, which is some sand duning and off road trails in the mountains? Can you recommend a good shop to do this work in Southern California?
3. After the lift kit and tires are installed, how long should I drive with it until I do an alignment?
4. When I tested 4 Lo, the throttle is almost sluggish and it feels very lazy to shift and drags out a gear. I assume this is normal since 4 Lo would be used at low speeds on a serious off road condition, correct?

I’m excited to upgrade my Lexus GX 460 so I would really appreciate your help in ironing out some of these questions.

Thanks!

 

[qdogg]

Great looking truck! I like the powder coated wheels if you were going to stay stock, I would just beef up the tires. But who am I kidding jack that puppy up and get her some new shoes!! Congrats!!

 

[jmanscotch]

My plans for it are the following (in order of importance):

1. Grom VLine unit for Apple CarPlay (The GPS that comes with the car is quite old)
2. Two detachable headrest DVD screens for the kids
3. Crawl control and MTS install
4. 3” lift (with upper control arms) and 285 wide BFG KO2 all-terrain tires
5. 17” method wheels (or should I go with 18”wheels?)
6. Rock sliders
7. Red tail lights from the sport model (I don’t like the clear tail lights currently on the vehicle)

I’m basically looking to take my family on trips and have it the GX 460 be well behaved and comfortable on the highway but able to go off road without any problem.

Some questions I have are:

1. Can anyone recommend a good install shop in Southern California to install the Grom VLine unit as well as the crawl control/ MTS units with the calibration? Can this be done at a Lexus dealership?
2. For the 3” lift, I’ve been quoted $4K (parts and labor) at a shop for the OME BP 51 kit with Bilstein shocks with KO2’s and method 17” wheels to around $7K for the same tires and wheels but with a King lift kit with reservoirs. I’m new when it comes to the off-road world, so do I need the King’s kit or is the OME and Bilsteins with upper control arms good enough for what I need, which is some sand duning and off road trails in the mountains? Can you recommend a good shop to do this work in Southern California?
3. After the lift kit and tires are installed, how long should I drive with it until I do an alignment?
4. When I tested 4 Lo, the throttle is almost sluggish and it feels very lazy to shift and drags out a gear. I assume this is normal since 4 Lo would be used at low speeds on a serious off road condition, correct?

Congrats on the purchase, looks like a nice one!

Here's my $0.02 on the topics/questions.

Plans list:

3. Lots of folks really think MTS is potentially worth getting, while crawl control is less of a needed upgrade. If you're going to do sand dune driving and want the feature for the ability to potentially get unstuck using the CC, then sure, but without a specific desire or need, it's really generally considered not needed (but yes it's cool if you want it).

5. Most go with 17s for better wheel choices and tire size availability. You can go with 18s and get it done though, so primarily personal preference with what you find in each size.

7. I've seen folks swap earlier red taillights in, some also just get the lights tinted red to fix it.

Questions:

2. I've yet to see a kit that won't handle some basic-to-moderate shenanigans/off roading. I'm not sure about the Kings, but some high end shocks like Icon will need the shocks rebuilt on a relatively common schedule and that can be a big PITA to get done. A truly great setup, if you need to use it for it's full capacity. If you don't, then a basic setup might be easier to live with while doing everything you need from it. $4K for a good lift, good wheels and tires installed is very reasonable (does it include a matching spare?).

3. Alignment needs to be done ASAP after the lift. You can usually wait a day or so if needed for scheduling reasons, but if the lift installer knocks the alignment WAY out of whack (usually doesn't) then it could be more of a concern to have the alignment done at the same time or directly after.

4. Sounds pretty normal behavior for 4Lo.

 

[ben7]

Great looking truck! I like the powder coated wheels if you were going to stay stock, I would just beef up the tires. But who am I kidding jack that puppy up and get her some new shoes!! Congrats!!

Thanks! Yeah I’m planning on doing the lift kit with big tires. Not only would it be more capable off-road, but look really cool as well.

 

[ben7]

Congrats on the purchase, looks like a nice one!

Here's my $0.02 on the topics/questions.

Plans list:

3. Lots of folks really think MTS is potentially worth getting, while crawl control is less of a needed upgrade. If you're going to do sand dune driving and want the feature for the ability to potentially get unstuck using the CC, then sure, but without a specific desire or need, it's really generally considered not needed (but yes it's cool if you want it).

5. Most go with 17s for better wheel choices and tire size availability. You can go with 18s and get it done though, so primarily personal preference with what you find in each size.

7. I've seen folks swap earlier red taillights in, some also just get the lights tinted red to fix it.

Questions:

2. I've yet to see a kit that won't handle some basic-to-moderate shenanigans/off roading. I'm not sure about the Kings, but some high end shocks like Icon will need the shocks rebuilt on a relatively common schedule and that can be a big PITA to get done. A truly great setup, if you need to use it for it's full capacity. If you don't, then a basic setup might be easier to live with while doing everything you need from it. $4K for a good lift, good wheels and tires installed is very reasonable (does it include a matching spare?).

3. Alignment needs to be done ASAP after the lift. You can usually wait a day or so if needed for scheduling reasons, but if the lift installer knocks the alignment WAY out of whack (usually doesn't) then it could be more of a concern to have the alignment done at the same time or directly after.

4. Sounds pretty normal behavior for 4Lo.

Thanks for the replies!

As far as I recall, I believe the King kit would need to be rebuilt after a certain mileage as well. So OME BP 51’s with either Fox or Bilstein shocks might be the setup I go with. I’ve also heard that Dobinson kits are pretty popular for the GX 460. Do you know if they need to be rebuilt and how they compare to the OME BP 51 kit?

Yes the $4K sounds like a good deal but it does not include the spare tire. Btw, will a 285 sized tire on 17” wheels fit under the car in the spare tire section?

The shop who quoted me said that I’d have to drive my GX 460 for about 200 miles after the lift and tire install prior to getting an alignment.

I wasn’t sure about that even though I’m new to the off-roading world because when I lowered my STi on lowering springs with 19” performance low profile tires, I did the alignment right away as it was really off right after the install. So I’ll look to getting the alignment done on my GX 460 after the install sooner than their suggested mileage.

 

[re_guderian]

...The shop who quoted me said that I’d have to drive my GX 460 for about 200 miles after the lift and tire install prior to getting an alignment.

I wasn’t sure about that even though I’m new to the off-roading world because when I lowered my STi on lowering springs with 19” performance low profile tires, I did the alignment right away as it was really off right after the install. So I’ll look to getting the alignment done on my GX 460 after the install sooner than their suggested mileage.

They're probably suggesting that for the springs to settle into a more permanent ride height? Which is reasonable IF you aren't replacing the upper control arms, but at a 3" lift, you most likely are, since you won't be able to get caster in spec after lifting over 2". If you're replacing the UCA, it's gonna need an alignment. You won't likely destroy your tires in a few days/miles, but it'll handle better after alignment. Load it down, take some bumps, get things settled in, then I'd take it to the alignment shop.

BTW, the black and tan rocks!

We had to "settle" for white/ecru, but it looks sharp, too!

 

[r2m]

Some questions I have are:

1. Can anyone recommend a good install shop in Southern California to install the Grom VLine unit as well as the crawl control/ MTS units with the calibration? Can this be done at a Lexus dealership?
2. For the 3” lift, I’ve been quoted $4K (parts and labor) at a shop for the OME BP 51 kit with Bilstein shocks with KO2’s and method 17” wheels to around $7K for the same tires and wheels but with a King lift kit with reservoirs. I’m new when it comes to the off-road world, so do I need the King’s kit or is the OME and Bilsteins with upper control arms good enough for what I need, which is some sand duning and off road trails in the mountains? Can you recommend a good shop to do this work in Southern California?
3. After the lift kit and tires are installed, how long should I drive with it until I do an alignment?
4. When I tested 4 Lo, the throttle is almost sluggish and it feels very lazy to shift and drags out a gear. I assume this is normal since 4 Lo would be used at low speeds on a serious off road condition, correct?

Okay, here's another .02¢ worth of opinion. Now you'll have .04¢ in your account!
I'll answer your questions in the order you've placed them:

1. For the MTS, if you have a screwdriver and an extra hour after work or on a weekend, you can very easily do it yourself. It is literally plug-n-play. No programing or anything, just plug it in and you'll see it on your dash. Crawl Control is a little more work but if you have a wee bit of mechanical and electrical (basically being able to tell colored wires apart one from another) you can do that also. And as for the programming, you can purchase Techstream or do the paperclip short cut. Both are easy. View the Youtube of the guy explaining how it's all installed and calibrated on the sticky thread, the very first post: 460-Add Crawl Control (CC) and Multi Terrain Select (MTS) to 2010-2019 models/all trims - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/460-add-crawl-control-cc-and-multi-terrain-select-mts-to-2010-2019-models-all-trims.1040976/
2. Regarding installation shops:
   1. I used YotaMasters in Corona. Eric the owner is great to work with but because they are very good, there is usually several months wait time in their queue to get work done. If I remember correctly, mine took about 3 months. They're located here: 371 Elizabeth Lane Suite 100 Corona, CA 92878 (951) 279-0220 Here's their link: Yotamasters - Quality parts and service - https://www.yotamasters.com/ Mention my name!
   2. Then in your neck of the woods there's ORW (Off Road Warehouse) I've used them to rebuild my Icon shocks before. They seem good and stand by their work, but they may be $$$. 5555 Kearny Villa Rd. San Diego, CA 92123 (858) 565-7792 Here's their link: ORW San Diego - https://www.offroadwarehouse.com/articles/orw-san-diego-location
   3. And then there's 4Wheel Parts. I've used them many years ago and they have a pretty strong reputation for a chain store. There are several locations down in San Diego, so you'll have to use the link to see which is closest to you: Truck & Jeep Parts & Custom Installation in California | 4 Wheel Parts Stores - https://www.4wheelparts.com/stores/california
3. Whoever does your suspension and tire installation will automatically do an alignment. That will be part of your install price. If they don't align, then somethings wrong, but the three shops mentioned above will do alignments as part of installation.
4. Yes, 4Lo will impact several driving characteristics:
   1. Steering:
      1. Will become heavy and may want to pull out of your hands. Hold on tight in rocky terrain and above all when holding the steering wheel, DO NOT wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel!!
      2. Very difficult to go lock-to-lock, and on that note DO NOT push your vehicle hard in 4Lo at steering lock, you'll break something, like a half shaft or birfield (axle CV joint)
      3. You will have to turn the wheel much farther for your turns. It may even feel that something is broken, but everything is okay!
   2. Throttle:
      1. The whole idea of 4Lo is for very low gearing for steep and difficult terrain. Throttle response will be very jerky because of the low gearing. Freely use the shift lever to shift between 1st and 6th gears when going up or down very steep or difficult terrain. I'm not sure what you mean by, "...lazy to shift and drags out a gear..." without more information. I'm truly hoping your description of what you're feeling is not accurate and there's nothing amiss with your rig!

And one last point which you did not bring up and that you must consider, going with such a large diameter tire will dramatically change the driving dynamics of your vehicle and I'm not talking about suspension handling. I'm referring to mpg, your speedometer being very off, the transmission hunting for gears going over passes like Grapevine or Cajon pass.
If you're going to go with those size tires, I really recommend you re-gear your differentials!

 

[ben7]

They're probably suggesting that for the springs to settle into a more permanent ride height? Which is reasonable IF you aren't replacing the upper control arms, but at a 3" lift, you most likely are, since you won't be able to get caster in spec after lifting over 2". If you're replacing the UCA, it's gonna need an alignment. You won't likely destroy your tires in a few days/miles, but it'll handle better after alignment. Load it down, take some bumps, get things settled in, then I'd take it to the alignment shop.

BTW, the black and tan rocks!

We had to "settle" for white/ecru, but it looks sharp, too!

Haha thanks, yeah we love the way our GX 460 looks!

I’ll definitely look into getting an alignment shortly after I get the lift done. It perhaps drive it for a 100 miles or so depending on how “off” it feels.

 

[ben7]

Okay, here's another .02¢ worth of opinion. Now you'll have .04¢ in your account!
I'll answer your questions in the order you've placed them:

1. For the MTS, if you have a screwdriver and an extra hour after work or on a weekend, you can very easily do it yourself. It is literally plug-n-play. No programing or anything, just plug it in and you'll see it on your dash. Crawl Control is a little more work but if you have a wee bit of mechanical and electrical (basically being able to tell colored wires apart one from another) you can do that also. And as for the programming, you can purchase Techstream or do the paperclip short cut. Both are easy. View the Youtube of the guy explaining how it's all installed and calibrated on the sticky thread, the very first post: 460-Add Crawl Control (CC) and Multi Terrain Select (MTS) to 2010-2019 models/all trims - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/460-add-crawl-control-cc-and-multi-terrain-select-mts-to-2010-2019-models-all-trims.1040976/
2. Regarding installation shops:
   1. I used YotaMasters in Corona. Eric the owner is great to work with but because they are very good, there is usually several months wait time in their queue to get work done. If I remember correctly, mine took about 3 months. They're located here: 371 Elizabeth Lane Suite 100 Corona, CA 92878 (951) 279-0220 Here's their link: Yotamasters - Quality parts and service - https://www.yotamasters.com/ Mention my name!
   2. Then in your neck of the woods there's ORW (Off Road Warehouse) I've used them to rebuild my Icon shocks before. They seem good and stand by their work, but they may be $$$. 5555 Kearny Villa Rd. San Diego, CA 92123 (858) 565-7792 Here's their link: ORW San Diego - https://www.offroadwarehouse.com/articles/orw-san-diego-location
   3. And then there's 4Wheel Parts. I've used them many years ago and they have a pretty strong reputation for a chain store. There are several locations down in San Diego, so you'll have to use the link to see which is closest to you: Truck & Jeep Parts & Custom Installation in California | 4 Wheel Parts Stores - https://www.4wheelparts.com/stores/california
3. Whoever does your suspension and tire installation will automatically do an alignment. That will be part of your install price. If they don't align, then somethings wrong, but the three shops mentioned above will do alignments as part of installation.
4. Yes, 4Lo will impact several driving characteristics:
   1. Steering:
      1. Will become heavy and may want to pull out of your hands. Hold on tight in rocky terrain and above all when holding the steering wheel, DO NOT wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel!!
      2. Very difficult to go lock-to-lock, and on that note DO NOT push your vehicle hard in 4Lo at steering lock, you'll break something, like a half shaft or birfield (axle CV joint)
      3. You will have to turn the wheel much farther for your turns. It may even feel that something is broken, but everything is okay!
   2. Throttle:
      1. The whole idea of 4Lo is for very low gearing for steep and difficult terrain. Throttle response will be very jerky because of the low gearing. Freely use the shift lever to shift between 1st and 6th gears when going up or down very steep or difficult terrain. I'm not sure what you mean by, "...lazy to shift and drags out a gear..." without more information. I'm truly hoping your description of what you're feeling is not accurate and there's nothing amiss with your rig!

And one last point which you did not bring up and that you must consider, going with such a large diameter tire will dramatically change the driving dynamics of your vehicle and I'm not talking about suspension handling. I'm referring to mpg, your speedometer being very off, the transmission hunting for gears going over passes like Grapevine or Cajon pass.
If you're going to go with those size tires, I really recommend you re-gear your differentials!

Thanks so much for the info, I’ll definitely look into those install shops!

What I mean about the rig being “lazy to shift in 4 Lo” was that I had to really push down on the throttle for it to build up engine revs in order to shift and it held the gear for a while. I took it into a Lexus dealer and the technician briefly tested the 4 Lo gear, center diff lock, and the DAC and the service advisor told me everything worked well and that the “hesitation to build up revs was expected”

I’m actually not comfortable about doing the install myself because I don’t want to break anything lol, so is there a shop that would do the install? I’m also trying to install the Grom VLine module for Apple CarPlay so hopefully the shop can do both.

I really like the look of 33” - 35” tires so is there a lot of work to be done with re-gearing the diffs? Will any of the above shops be able to do the diff work as well as re-calibrate the speedometer after the lift kit and bigger tire install?

I understand that the vehicle dynamics would be different, so what would be a healthy tire size for on road long distance trips but still be able to hand off road pretty well?

Thanks again for your response!

 

[bicycleagent003]

Another thought it to just drive it for a while before making those changes. Particularly if you are not used to driving in 4Lo or off-road, there are some advantages to getting used to doing that in stock form. You may find you don't need as much lift as 3" - that is a lot of lift and is going to change the stance, ease of entry and exit from the car, MPG, etc., a fair amount. If you have the money burning a hole in your pocket, charge on. But as someone who bought one lift (a cheap one) and wishes he had bought a better one, I suggest taking your time with these bigger money decisions on a new rig. You're not going to want to redo that work. Just my two cents.

 

[r2m]

Thanks so much for the info, I’ll definitely look into those install shops!

What I mean about the rig being “lazy to shift in 4 Lo” was that I had to really push down on the throttle for it to build up engine revs in order to shift and it held the gear for a while. I took it into a Lexus dealer and the technician briefly tested the 4 Lo gear, center diff lock, and the DAC and the service advisor told me everything worked well and that the “hesitation to build up revs was expected”

I’m actually not comfortable about doing the install myself because I don’t want to break anything lol, so is there a shop that would do the install? I’m also trying to install the Grom VLine module for Apple CarPlay so hopefully the shop can do both.

I really like the look of 33” - 35” tires so is there a lot of work to be done with re-gearing the diffs? Will any of the above shops be able to do the diff work as well as re-calibrate the speedometer after the lift kit and bigger tire install?

I understand that the vehicle dynamics would be different, so what would be a healthy tire size for on road long distance trips but still be able to hand off road pretty well?

Thanks again for your response!

Doing the M/T and CC is not something any shop (either stereo or off road shop) will be comfortable with. A Lexus dealer will probably do the M/T because that is a U.S. option and how simple it is to do. But I don't think they will be able to do CC because it was never a U.S. open on GX's. Yea, the 200 series has it, but not sure if those dealer techs are savvy enough to translate how it's installed in a 200 series to a GX.

Regarding diff's, I know YotaMasters can do the re-gearing, and am pretty sure both ORW and 4Wheel Parts can also. But that's just a simple call to them. I have a thread I started about re-calibrating the speedo that I started about a week ago: Speedometer Correction After Larger Tires? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/speedometer-correction-after-larger-tires.1246256/
The short answer is no. You'll just have to either use a phones GPS speed app or calculate the difference in your head until you remember at 65 mph real speed is on your dash. For me running 275/R75/15 BFG M/T's, my speedo is almost a perfect 10% off. If my dash is reading 50 mph, I'm just about at 55 mph. So for me it's pretty easy math. Just remember that you WILL BE traveling faster than what your speedometer reads!

As for a "healthy tire size", I'm running the tire size mentioned above which measures out to about 33.9" diameter. If you're looking to build a good looking an functional rig, this is a great tire size for:

• Fitment within the wheel wells with no rubbing (yes you'll have to do minimum trimming), much larger tires start becoming very expensive unless you truly plan on serious off roading and doing it very often and really need them to be that huge.
• Decent gas mileage. My wife and I just came back from South Lake Tahoe a couple weeks back and were getting over 17 mph. Although you may want to go with an All Terrain instead of Mud Terrain's. The M/T's have a tendency to get a little noisy as they wear down. We have about 50,000 on our BFG M/T's and are about 1/5 down on tread. They are wearing great! But many people have their own opinions on tires as I'm sure you do also.

If you wan to see how my rig sits with those size tires and 3" suspension lift, here is my build thread: Builds - R2M 2013 GX460 Overland Build - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/r2m-2013-gx460-overland-build.1104719/

 

[ben7]

Another thought it to just drive it for a while before making those changes. Particularly if you are not used to driving in 4Lo or off-road, there are some advantages to getting used to doing that in stock form. You may find you don't need as much lift as 3" - that is a lot of lift and is going to change the stance, ease of entry and exit from the car, MPG, etc., a fair amount. If you have the money burning a hole in your pocket, charge on. But as someone who bought one lift (a cheap one) and wishes he had bought a better one, I suggest taking your time with these bigger money decisions on a new rig. You're not going to want to redo that work. Just my two cents.

Yeah, after thinking about it a little more, I plan to drive it stock for a little bit more and do the suspension upgrades maybe sometime in the summer.

 

[ben7]

Doing the M/T and CC is not something any shop (either stereo or off road shop) will be comfortable with. A Lexus dealer will probably do the M/T because that is a U.S. option and how simple it is to do. But I don't think they will be able to do CC because it was never a U.S. open on GX's. Yea, the 200 series has it, but not sure if those dealer techs are savvy enough to translate how it's installed in a 200 series to a GX.

Regarding diff's, I know YotaMasters can do the re-gearing, and am pretty sure both ORW and 4Wheel Parts can also. But that's just a simple call to them. I have a thread I started about re-calibrating the speedo that I started about a week ago: Speedometer Correction After Larger Tires? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/speedometer-correction-after-larger-tires.1246256/
The short answer is no. You'll just have to either use a phones GPS speed app or calculate the difference in your head until you remember at 65 mph real speed is on your dash. For me running 275/R75/15 BFG M/T's, my speedo is almost a perfect 10% off. If my dash is reading 50 mph, I'm just about at 55 mph. So for me it's pretty easy math. Just remember that you WILL BE traveling faster than what your speedometer reads!

As for a "healthy tire size", I'm running the tire size mentioned above which measures out to about 33.9" diameter. If you're looking to build a good looking an functional rig, this is a great tire size for:

• Fitment within the wheel wells with no rubbing (yes you'll have to do minimum trimming), much larger tires start becoming very expensive unless you truly plan on serious off roading and doing it very often and really need them to be that huge.
• Decent gas mileage. My wife and I just came back from South Lake Tahoe a couple weeks back and were getting over 17 mph. Although you may want to go with an All Terrain instead of Mud Terrain's. The M/T's have a tendency to get a little noisy as they wear down. We have about 50,000 on our BFG M/T's and are about 1/5 down on tread. They are wearing great! But many people have their own opinions on tires as I'm sure you do also.

If you wan to see how my rig sits with those size tires and 3" suspension lift, here is my build thread: Builds - R2M 2013 GX460 Overland Build - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/r2m-2013-gx460-overland-build.1104719/

Thanks for your help, I think I’ll drive the suspension stock for a little while more as the dealer actually had put on brand new Goodyear Wrangler tires and I’m really starting to like the black wheels as well, so I think I’ll wait till the summer to upgrade my suspension and put the BFG KO2’s on it.

However the mods I’m going to do right away are:

1. Grom VLine VL2 as I want Apple CarPlay. I already purchased this unit and waiting to install it.

2. Two DVD headrest screens for the kids

3. MTS and Crawl Control - I’m checking with my dealership if they can do both if I purchase the parts from the Lexus dealership, otherwise I’ll have to find a other shop to do the install.

 

[offroad47]

Welcome. Keep posting the pictures. 29k is awesome

 

[ben7]

Welcome. Keep posting the pictures. 29k is awesome

Thanks, yeah I’ll keep this thread open and post new pics as I upgrade my GX 460.

 

[ben7]

Since these all season Goodyear Wrangler 265 tires are brand new, I feel bad about replacing them so early with the 285 sized all terrain BFG KO2’s.

Even if I do the suspension and wheels/tires upgrade this summer, these tires will have about 2,000 miles on them.

I will probably end up selling them but I haven’t decided if I will sell the 18” painted black stock wheels to replace them with the 17” bronze method wheels as these stock wheels are really growing on me! lol

 

[offroad47]

In had the same dilemma. I put on a cheap set of mud tires on my stock 18” wheels till I got the other items installed.

 

[ben7]

In had the same dilemma. I put on a cheap set of mud tires on my stock 18” wheels till I got the other items installed. View attachment 2628910

Looks great! What wheels and mods have you done to it so far?

 

[ben7]

Just thought I’d put some quick thoughts in as a new owner after driving it for just over a week.

It drives solid, really comfortable, I don’t feel any bumps in the road. I did some highway trips and my wife and kids love the comfort and room compared to our old Honda Pilot, so I’m really impressed with the ride quality.

The driving dynamics are just about what I expected:

- Steering feel is quite numb (coming from my STi’s hydraulic steering setup where you feel every thing on the road).
- Handling is subpar and I take corners easy, however not as bad as I originally expected and taking corners are not as scary as I thought it would be in a tall SUV (I’m assuming the KDSS is at work here). I also figure that handling will get worse once I put a lift kit on it with bigger tires.
- Acceleration is snappy off the line (I love that V8 roar!), however I noticed that it likes to shift more quickly and always keep the transmission at a higher gear (possible to save fuel). It’s also quite lazy when I put my foot down on the gas pedal and it doesn’t drop gears unless I’m really putting my foot down. I mean slapping the gear shift to manual mode would solve it, but I usually like to keep the automatic transmission in drive and let the computer do its job. Does anyone with the “Luxury” trim in sport mode have a better time with automatic gear changes?
- The sound is great. The stock exhaust works well for the GX 460. It roars when I start it which I love, and has a nice “throaty” sound when on the throttle, but quiet when cruising.

I haven’t taken it off-road yet but I hope to do an in-depth review on my YouTube channel as soon as I get a chance and maybe do a video off-road review once I put a lift kit on it with bigger tires.

It has a very analog and mechanical feel as well and the luxury aspect of the car doesn’t remove that raw driving experience which I really appreciate in an automobile.

Overall, I love how my GX 460 drives and the fact that it’s a big body on frame SUV. I get to sit higher up and have a great view of the road, its reliable, it’s super comfortable on road and I’m sure it’s extremely capable off-road (which I would like to
test soon on an off-road trail).

Its truly a unicorn in a field of watered-down, bland crossovers. I love cars that have an analog feel as I just stated above, and like my STi gives me that same enjoyment for on-road performance, this will give me that same enjoyment off-road but with the added benefit of going on long road-trips with my family in luxury.

 

[BigSwede]

I am in a similar boat having had my 2018 for a week and a half. I am actually surprised how nimble this beast is compared to my expectations of a soft, cushy but lumbering ride. It is impressive how it well it rides and handles.

I suspect most of the "exhaust" roar you are hearing is actually induction noise, to me the exhaust is nearly silent, which is one of the reasons I am getting the Magnaflow overlanding cat-back setup. But if you like the way yours sounds, no worries!

I do love the old-school feel of the thing.