Looking to purchase a Lexus GX 460 as a first time owner and have some questions (2 Viewers)

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Welcome to the search for the perfect GX. We purchased our ‘17 Luxury with Driver Support package for $38k in November from a dealer in SoCal under the AP/certified program which includes two years maintenance and extended Lexus warranty. I looked for a while for a private sale and it was painful to see the prices creep up over 18 months, but over the time we came to see some of the benefits of a CPO. I think you will be hard pressed to find a GX premium or higher trim with 40k miles under $35k. Our GX was almost indistinguishable from new - I applaud the previous owner for the way they treated it - not even a scratch on the undercarriage, and Lexus for their top to bottom inspection and refresh. Lexus reset the clock on maintenance with new brake rotors, pads, and fluid, new battery, new Michelin tires (spare is pretty worn however, only real evidence of use), radiator flush, new filters across, and much more. I didn’t tell my wife what car I was buying and when I brought it home she was impressed that “I splurged for a new car”. I looked long and hard for this exact trim/options package and only a couple others have popped up in that time- both several grand more expensive.
r2M nailed the answers here as he always does (I’m a long time lurker who has benefited greatly from his and others posts) but one small point is you do get Crawl Control from the factory in the U.S. with the Luxury+Drivers Support option. It’s not an important point as you can add MTS (we did) or CC in an hour or two for reasonable tariff using the great resources here in the forum.

Good luck with your search!

Thanks for the reply, some good deals that I’ve been finding in the $33K - $35K price range with around 40K miles (or even less in some circumstances) appear to be on private dealer lots (not Lexus or Toyota or other popular car dealers most of the time).

Would it be safe to purchase from them if I take the car to Lexus and get it checked out, or would it be advisable to only purchase from Lexus with a CPO? Because Lexus seems to charge much higher.
 
Also, I really would like to have radar cruise control and lane departure warning if possible. Which years/trims came with this option?
 
Available on all years but will have to search them out

 
Model Year Changes are listed here

 
Check the VIN on the Lexus Owners website and most will check out on maintenance, if it does then I'd be confident in the purchase if it visually checks out as well.
 
Check the VIN on the Lexus Owners website and most will check out on maintenance, if it does then I'd be confident in the purchase if it visually checks out as well.
Thanks for the info, can you link me the Lexus owners website and how I can do this?
 
Also, is it considerable to look at a GX 460 with 70K miles or more since these engines are reliable, especially after a full inspection at a Lexus dealership if everything passes?

I’m assuming the Lexus dealership can tell me after a full inspection if it was a grocery getter or an off-roaded vehicle. Also I’m hoping that they can tell me if it was all highway miles or city miles by the wear and tear on the vehicle.

The reason I’m asking this is because I can save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a 2014-2018 GX 460 with 70K - 80K miles in the high 20K to low 30K range and spend the savings on lifting the truck and buying bigger tires for it.

I would also assume that an extended warranty is useless since I’ll be modifying the suspension as long as I find a good shop to maintain the GX 460.

Or is it still advisable to purchase a low mile (below 40K miles), spend the extra money and wait on the suspension/tire mods?
 
Thanks for the info, can you link me the Lexus owners website and how I can do this?
Register your account here. Then you can 'add a vehicle' by entering the VIN and it will bring up the lexus service history.
 
Also, is it considerable to look at a GX 460 with 70K miles or more since these engines are reliable, especially after a full inspection at a Lexus dealership if everything passes?

I’m assuming the Lexus dealership can tell me after a full inspection if it was a grocery getter or an off-roaded vehicle. Also I’m hoping that they can tell me if it was all highway miles or city miles by the wear and tear on the vehicle.

The reason I’m asking this is because I can save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a 2014-2018 GX 460 with 70K - 80K miles in the high 20K to low 30K range and spend the savings on lifting the truck and buying bigger tires for it.

I would also assume that an extended warranty is useless since I’ll be modifying the suspension as long as I find a good shop to maintain the GX 460.

Or is it still advisable to purchase a low mile (below 40K miles), spend the extra money and wait on the suspension/tire mods?
Heck, Toyota's and Lexus' aren't even broken in until they've reached 100,000 miles!
Seriously, every Toyota we've had (more than a half dozen) have easily gone over 200,000 miles. The only reason we get rid of them is that the paint and interior is usually getting really tired after that long, but the drive trains were always strong!
 
Heck, Toyota's and Lexus' aren't even broken in until they've reached 100,000 miles!
Seriously, every Toyota we've had (more than a half dozen) have easily gone over 200,000 miles. The only reason we get rid of them is that the paint and interior is usually getting really tired after that long, but the drive trains were always strong!
Yeah that’s what I thought as well, but what about all the other components at that higher mileage like the suspension components, the electrical components, the seats, etc...?

How well built is the GX 460 overall apart from its stout engine and drivetrain?
 
Our last two vehicles were 100 series Landcruisers, both were 1998's.
My wife traded hers in at 285,000 miles and I sold mine at 265,000 miles.
Literally EVERYTHING worked on both our vehicles when we sold them, even stupid things like the rear window washer, seat heaters, stereo, etc.
Again, the only reason we got rid of them was because the leather was worn out from too many surf secession, and all the clear coat was gone from the paint along with a little rust starting to show.
I know they aren't Lexus' but they are still in the Landcruiser family.
 
Our last two vehicles were 100 series Landcruisers, both were 1998's.
My wife traded hers in at 285,000 miles and I sold mine at 265,000 miles.
Literally EVERYTHING worked on both our vehicles when we sold them, even stupid things like the rear window washer, seat heaters, stereo, etc.
Again, the only reason we got rid of them was because the leather was worn out from too many surf secession, and all the clear coat was gone from the paint along with a little rust starting to show.
I know they aren't Lexus' but they are still in the Landcruiser family.
Thanks I’m hoping to find that wonderful GX 460 soon, so I’ll post as soon as I purchase one and then hopefully start my build right after. :)
 
Thanks I’m hoping to find that wonderful GX 460 soon, so I’ll post as soon as I purchase one and then hopefully start my build right after. :)
Where in So. Cal are you? You don't have to reply if you want stay discrete, or you can PM me. I'm in San Clemente.
Some people want like there anonymity.
 
Hi everyone,

After much searching, I'm looking to purchase a used Lexus GX 460 but I have a few questions that I have before buying it.

First, a bit of background to give you some context on how I came to wanting to purchase a Lexus GX 460.

I’m new to the off-roading world as I’m more into the sports car scene (my other car is a modified 2020 Subaru WRX STi), however I’ve been looking for an SUV to use as our family road trip vehicle, but also with a very capable 4WD system that we can drive on trails or on the beach. This vehicle will replace our 2006 Honda Pilot so here’s the short list I had:
  • 2020 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4WD for it’s gargantuan size and space (especially it’s third seat room) and Landcruise engine, however I can’t find a 2020 model less than $60,000 and it’s 4WD system is limited when compared to the others on the list so that’s off the list.
  • 2016+ Toyota Landcruiser for it’s huge reliability factor, it’s legendary off-road capabilities, and the fact that I’ll be driving a piece of 4WD history (similar to why I purchased the 2020 Subaru WRX STi, for it’s rally heritage and analog driver’s feel in a world of modern “computer-driven” automatic transmission sports cars), however even a 2016 Landcruiser is around $60,000 for a good one so that’s off the list.
  • The new Ford Bronco because of it’s awesome looks and off-road capabilities (I didn’t really want a Jeep), but there’s a huge waiting list for that one so that’s off the list.
  • Toyota 4 Runner TRD Off-Road Premium for it’s outstanding off-road capability and rugged looks, however it’s lack of a V8 and a third row cross it off my list.
Okay so now why the Lexus GX 460?
  1. It’s well within my budget of $25K - $35K and I can get a 2015 - 2019 Lexus GX 460 with about 40K - 50K miles for within price range.
  2. Stout reliability with it’s 4.6L V8 engine and Toyota 4WD system as it’s based on the Toyota Landcruiser Prado.
  3. Third row seating, although I wonder if the Landcruiser 200’s third row is roomier than the Lexus GX 460’s third row.
  4. Beautiful interior and striking exterior (especially with a 3” lift and 35” tires).
  5. Lots of aftermarket support for it as it’s a very matured platform.
  6. I’d like to tow my WRX STi to the track when I start tracking my car. But this might not be for a while, however having the 6,500lbs towing capacity is wonderful. It’s a solid body on frame truck with creature comforts vs an everyday boring crossover. lol
If I could find a 2017+ premium model (I’ll explain below why premium and not the luxury trim) with 40K miles for $30K, that would be great! So here are the modifications I would do to it:
  • 3” lift —> should I get an Icon setup with the control arms or an Old Man Emu lift kit? What about shocks? Should I be thinking about Kings or Fox shocks?
  • 35” tires —> are Nitto Grapplers good or BFG KO2’s?
  • 17” rims —> Or do I need 18” rims to clear the brakes? I like the bronze method wheels or perhaps the TRD wheels if I can get good price on them.
  • Rear mounted spare tire —> I can’t imagine what to do if one of the 35” tires fail and I had to put a much smaller spare tire…wouldn’t the truck be lopsided? lol
    Will a 35” spare tire fit under the vehicle in the original spare tire space? If not, how complex is it to get a rear mounted spare tire kit installed?
  • Roof rack
What I would like to do is to go on some trails, go sand tuning and go to the beach. I probably wouldn’t do rock crawling so I’m hoping this setup should be fine for that.

So my questions (apart from the ones I asked above) are as follows:
  1. I really like getting the top of the line model like the GX 460 Luxury with all the options and the rear DVD screens if possible, but mainly because it comes with crawl control + MTS and the front and side cameras, however not only is this trim pricier, but it adds the airbag suspension which I understand makes lifting it more complicated and possibly expensive. So is there a trim level or option package on the premium trim that the first owner would have purchased (since I’m looking to be the second owner of the vehicle) which has crawl control and MTS enabled?
  2. I’ve also heard that crawl control can be added as a mod that I can get so how does that work? Is a toggle added to the blank switches on the 4WD button bank where the heigh-adjusting suspension toggle would have been, and how expensive would that be? Also, is it possible to get MTS as a mod?
  3. I really do like the Landcruiser 200’s cool box in the glove compartment, so how difficult and pricey would that be to have installed?
  4. I really want Apple CarPlay function, so I understand that there’s a Grom VLine unit that I can purchase which gives this functionality that works seamlessly with the factory screen. Has anybody installed this, and if so, do you like it?
  5. How sturdy are the skid plates underneath when compared to the TRD Pro skid plates offered on other Toyota off-road vehicles? Is there a TRD Pro skid plate or should I look into aftermarket skid plates?
  6. With KDSS, is it hard to do a 3” lift?
  7. Since etc GX 460 has a lockable torsen center diff, is it still wise to get a rear diff locker installed? Is that expensive and how complicated of an install is it?
  8. Is there a TRD exhaust or a good aftermarket exhaust I can get? If the TRD exhausts fit, I would prefer to get that one, like the one used in the Toyota Seqouia TRD Pro. I really want to hear the V8 growl a bit more when the throttle is pressed but be quiet when cruising. I already have a loud boxer rumble from my WRX STi so I’m not looking to replicate that lol, just want to hear the V8 sound a bit more. :)
Also, I really want a white one with the tan/beige interior so I’m shopping for deals right now on a mildly used Lexus GX 460.

Since the GX 460 I’m looking for should only be a few years old with around 40K miles, I’m hoping that it was a “grocery getter” vehicle rather than an off-roader lol. What are some areas that I would need to check in order to make sure that the vehicle was not seriously off-roaded? Should I also get a compression and leak-down test as well?

I appreciate any help with these questions as I’m trying to do some research before purchasing my Lexus GX 460.

Thanks!
I am in the same boat as you and am searching for my GX online, but I don't return to the US until July so I have to wait a few more months to buy. For now I will be happy to follow the post and hope you find a good rig to build on!
 
I am in the same boat as you and am searching for my GX online, but I don't return to the US until July so I have to wait a few more months to buy. For now I will be happy to follow the post and hope you find a good rig to build on!
Thanks, I just bought my GX 460 and really love it! :)
 
Congrats! I just posted a reply to your questions on that thread.
Plan out your build carefully and enjoy! :cheers:
 

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