Looking for advice on GX470 purchase (1 Viewer)

[tacodan723]

I have been slowly looking for a 2005+ GX470 (I think they were made from model year 2003 - 2009). I am in search of a few things that would be helpful to know:

Are there "preferred" years, for some reason I have been convinced that anything 2005+ would be better?
I greatly prefer the non-nav units as I would like to upgrade the audio system and I use my phone for nav anyway. Are these difficult to find?
I am fairly seasoned at purchasing used cars but the nuances of the GX 470 are not known to me. What things should I be concerned about on the model years I am focused on?
At what mileage should I be concerned when purchasing one?
I prefer to purchase from a private party but am open to other options, thoughts?
On the common websites (CL, Car Gurus, etc) there lots and lots of them in the $10K-$15K range with 120K-220K miles. All seem to be stock. Are these fine vehicles to purchase or should I stay away from them?
Other thoughts or items to consider?

Really appreciate the site and getting to know you all better. TIA

Dan

 

[Mahalol]

Anything 2005+ will be a vvti model which gives you 65ish more hp. Don't quote me on the exact number though. However, on the downside, it is equipped with the secondary air injection pump system that will sooner or later fail and is a costly fix. 2003-2004 did not come with it. There are several aftermarket bypass solutions that are possible alternatives.

Non-nav equipped GX's are harder to find but not impossible. If that is your preference, I would base your purchase on the non-nav feature first then year.
FYI - 2007 and up nav screens are much better if you decide to give up your non-nav search.

Aside from those features, everything else is basically the same except for a kdss model which is about as tough to find as a non-nav GX.

All GX's come with rear air bags that eventually leak. Make sure to check and see if it works.

Not all GX's came with the third row seats. You can tell by the carpet cut out/mounting brackets and seat belts (if the seats are missing).

Look out for dash crash as this was a recall. I think the driveshaft "thump" was a recall as well. This can be easily fixed by greasing the u-joints and splines. Or you can purchase a newer version of the driveshaft.

As many on here would say, mileage isn't as important as service history. You can register on Lexus and enter the VIN number to see what was done. i.e. if the dash and driveshaft was replaced. I passed on a GX for sale with both of these replaced that I sort of regret because my current GX suffered from both. Make sure the timing belt has been changed or ask for a lower price.

I encountered so many scams with my initial search for a GX on CL. Usually, the mileage is low and the license plate is never pictured. Always ask for the VIN number. I almost bought one and asked the owner to send me a vin the day before purchase and I never heard back. Do not accept screen shots of carfax reports either. I ended up buying from a small dealer but at least I didn't get hosed. I would say buy the best GX that you WANT and are willing to pay for. I paid $13,500 with 126k. Seems to be right in the middle of going rates.

 

[wrcfan]

Definitely check out the FAQ thread 120 Series FAQ and Links and the GX0R site for more info.

I think the '05+ is a good option for the bump in power, I went in knowing that I'll do the air pump bypass in the future.

I think the 100K to 150K miles is the sweet spot for these trucks, you can get one that was used for highway travel and mall crawling (and taken a nice depreciation hit) and you are giving it its second life as a most capable off road rig.