Looking for sagely advice before purchasing

[LaserNomad]

I am going to have to buy a new car here in the next month or two. I have been looking at both the FJ Cruiser because I love the look, and the slightly better mpg. I KNOW you get way more car for the money by getting a gx I am really drawn towards the gx because the engine and transmission are way over built for a rig of its size. Its just so damn boring in design. Here is what I need in a rig I need it to carry me the ladyfriend and all the stuff to set up a sales tent at an art fair. I want to put a RTT on it so we can stay at Ntl forest/ blm or a campground then cruise in set up sell and gtfo minimizing our expenditures for lodging. I am planing on driving this thing all over the western us until its only value is as scrap metal.

I currently live in Arizona, but I keep seeing decent deals in the Denver area on both FJs and GXs and Frontier flights are stupid cheap. I am only holding on to the funky retro FJ dream by a thread. What I have gathered is pre 2007 GXs are best no nav 07 and newer have a decent nav system. KDSS is a catholic vs protestant kind of thing. I dont want to mod it too heavily but I want it forest service road capable, I also want it to blend in with all the other cars at the art shows so I probably want it to look as stock as possible.


So what are the finer things I need to look at, are certain model years just better? How many miles is too many? Is there a price to year/ mileage sweet spot? How long do we expect the drive train service life to be?
Is there a difference between a 03 with 110k mi and a 06 with 127k? If both were in $1000 which would be the better buy assuming no service records what so ever. I kind of feel overwhelmed right now. The ideal budget is between $10-15K

 

[GXO]

start [GX Offroad]

I would get one with KDSS if you are driving that much and not going nuts on the suspension. Get a good basic suspension like iron man, dobinsons, or OME and just go. Make sure to get the right rear spring weight based on your cargo load.

As for service life...we have some GXes out there with over 400k. Timing belts, water pumps, alternators, and starters are the mechanicals. Radiators sometimes leak. CVs, tie rods, and wheel bearings on wear items. Actuator seal at the tcase.

Check the link. Can't really go wrong with any year. Non-nav is just easier if you want to do a custom stereo. 05+ have vvti so there is a little more HP but you can't add a supercharger (if you ever wanted to).

 

[GBinAZ]

I'm in AZ bought GX a few months ago as a DD and could not be happier. With the third row removed, and the second row folded down its cavernous. It drives like a dream and the comfort is amazing.

Its a 2004, 190k and a stack of service records since new. Mine came with Nav and KDDS swapped to coils without a lift. I did a lot of research before I bought mine and he consensus was that this drivetrain is pretty bullet proof if maintained properly so I didn't think twice about the 190k miles since I had full service history. I negotiated down and paid $5700 to a local mom that switched to a van to cart her kids around.

My rig needed CV's, was dirty inside, driver seat has slight tear an the seam, and had a slight dog smell. A steam clean and ozone treatment took care of dirt and smell. I replaced CVs with new OEM in my driveway which set me back about $900.

I would take my GX on forest roads as is without hesitation, but nothing more serious as lack of lift and stock running boards could be a problem.

If I put in small lift and pulled the running boards i would take it most places in AZ, but I have lifted, slidered, locked 80 series for more serious off roading so no need to at this time.

 

[ewillis]

I'd lose the FJ dream quick and snatch a GX. The engine/tranny, leather, and space (compared to a FJ) is a no brainer. I think the styling is quite handsome actually. Mine is 12 years old and still looks contemporary among the bulbous newer SUV crowd IMO.

 

[LaserNomad]

Ok I have been looking at the service histories... That is a powerful tool, what would a good service history for a 200k vehicle look like?
What makes for good service histories in general?

Also thanks for helping me.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Like @Vlad said (Gotta get used to the new Vlad name there!)...Regular oil changes and fluid changes like transmission every 100k, diffs, coolant, transfer case, brake fluid every 30k. Timing belts done at 90k and 180k. Water pump changed at 180k.

One that has been babied at the dealer will have all kinds of minor things done at the dealer like battery changes, cv boots replaced, airbags replaced, brake changes, etc.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

By the way, a stock FJC with a rear 8.2” differential and rear e-locker is more capable offroad in medium to difficult trails than a stock gx470 any year.

But then again, you are not looking to rock crawl, so the GX470 has more room and more comforts than the utilitarian FJC

 

[LaserNomad]

So my 2.5 year plan is to take my business fully mobile. I want to drag this rig behind a converted highway bus. I do want the thing to be capable of getting out of somewhere if we drive the bus into a boondocking situation and there are heavy rains and the bus will get stuck if moved. To scout a road to see if the bus can make it down there. To be able to live out of for a week if we have to hit a show or two that the bus would be stupid to take. Or if heaven forbid your path is blocked by something like a wildland fire and the only way to safety is a Jeep trail. But mostly I know that it will be paved roads, blue highways, super slabs and city streets for 85 % of the time forest service roads 14% and WTF/GTFO 1%

 

[HomersCanyonero]

First, the manual says you can’t drag it behind a bus or rv with the tires on the ground. I think you were aware of this and you are planning to pull the gx470 off the ground.

Second, taller skinny 32x10 tires, removing the running boards, and a basic 2” lift will get you through 95% of the stuff you are describing.

If you are concerned about encountering too much mud, then get a hidden winch platform that sits behind the stock front bumper. Put a winch and get other mud gear to get you unstuck. Now you are at the 99% of what you want to do.

The above should be enough for your needs.

If that’s not enough, then you gotta drop major coin to get it to the next level which is like a @Vlad build. Now you are talking swapping an FJC rear axle with a bigger differential and rear e-locker, add UCAs, bigger wheels, bigger fatter tires.

And still, you can never be guaranteed that you won’t get stuck.

By the way, you don’t need an FJC with a rear e-locker for the stuff you are describing.

 

[LaserNomad]

When I say I am worried about mud I mean I drove a 30+' bus onto public lands, then it rains, now moving bus( which will be my home and workshop) becomes a sucicidal proposition. It isn't that I want an FJ because it is more capable I just think they look ****ing rad. Honestly 90%of the time a 2wd FJ would work... But that 10% could literally be life and death to me. So RV towing folk say you can get a drive shaft disconnecter or simply disconnect it when towing. I figure that I could probably pull it from an off road bumper rather than a tow plate.

 

[Jstawgn]

You might need front and rear driveshaft disconnect for GX due to AWD.
I think part time 4WD of FJ or 4Runner would be better suited for flat towing.

 

[LaserNomad]

According to remco towing, which amongst RVers is considered basically the last word in dinghy towing.
2009 Lexus GX 470 ALL 4WD V8 4.7L cyl 5-Speed Automatic A750F
Notes

• This vehicle will need a drive shaft coupling (disconnect) to be towed with all four wheels on the ground. Remco Industries no longer sells the Drive Shaft Coupling (Disconnect). If interested in a Drive Shaft Coupling, please contact Just For Towing LLC,(1-928-782-3611) or David at Drive Shaft King (1-800-442-6329).
• No Base Plate available from Blue Ox for this vehicle. May be Custom Application.

Now the GX460 cannot be towed even with the disconnect. Hell most newer cars are just nearly un towable. Jeep's are the easiest to tow but are so unreliable I don't want to deal with them. I read a bit on towing Toyotas, and even if I need 4 disconnects. So be it, that part I am fine with.