Hope it's OK to start a new thread for my intro...
Been wanting a GX470 for many years, finally decided it was time. I didn't want a newer GX460, I don't like the styling and especially hate the rear 3rd row that is built in and a huge PITA to remove. Been looking hard for a few weeks, nothing around me had low enough miles or was in good enough condition to consider (too much rust), so I was casting a big net. Had 2 trucks bought out from under me before I could get there. I especially wanted a non-nav model, which is extremely hard to find.
Started considering a 100-series. Then I discovered that the 200-series actually gets slightly better gas mileage that the 470 engine. Whaaat??? So the hunt was on.
Looked at a couple in New England, both were 2008's, both were extremely rusty. Didn't even bother looking at the KDSS valve, but I did take them for a ride. Whoa that 5.7 is a nice engine! I'm hooked. But they were both beat up, not worth considering.
Had a road trip planned last Thursday to drive to MD to sell my ES350 to a family friend, and pick up a nice IS250C for my wife. Found a nice looking 2008 in PA that wasn't too far off my route, so I contacted the dealer a few days ahead of the trip, they sent me photos of the underside, wasn't perfect but not too bad. Then they emailed me Thursday morning, truck sold the night before. ARGHHH!!!
Got to MD, got an email from AutoTrader that a 2011 was newly listed, but it was at a Land ROver dealership in Wilmington DE. It was kinda out of my price range ($35K), but I kept it on my radar, figured I'd stop to look at it on my way home on Monday (tomorrow).
Saturday (yesterday) was a lousy rainy day, and it turns out the dealer was only 45 mins away from where I'm staying, so I made and appointment to come look at it, my brother tagged along (also a Cruiser lover).
Holy crap is this truck clean underneath. Not SoCal clean, but pretty darned close. The salesman was super nice, he let me bring it into the shop, put it up on the lift, and had one of the techs work with me to check it out. After marveling at how clean it was, I went straight to the KDSS valve. A few squirts of rust penetrant, and a 5mm wrench, both of the infamous plugs popped loose very easily.
I couldn't pass this up. Made the deal. They are throwing in 5 new tires, even the spare was bald.
Been wanting a GX470 for many years, finally decided it was time. I didn't want a newer GX460, I don't like the styling and especially hate the rear 3rd row that is built in and a huge PITA to remove. Been looking hard for a few weeks, nothing around me had low enough miles or was in good enough condition to consider (too much rust), so I was casting a big net. Had 2 trucks bought out from under me before I could get there. I especially wanted a non-nav model, which is extremely hard to find.
Started considering a 100-series. Then I discovered that the 200-series actually gets slightly better gas mileage that the 470 engine. Whaaat??? So the hunt was on.
Looked at a couple in New England, both were 2008's, both were extremely rusty. Didn't even bother looking at the KDSS valve, but I did take them for a ride. Whoa that 5.7 is a nice engine! I'm hooked. But they were both beat up, not worth considering.
Had a road trip planned last Thursday to drive to MD to sell my ES350 to a family friend, and pick up a nice IS250C for my wife. Found a nice looking 2008 in PA that wasn't too far off my route, so I contacted the dealer a few days ahead of the trip, they sent me photos of the underside, wasn't perfect but not too bad. Then they emailed me Thursday morning, truck sold the night before. ARGHHH!!!
Got to MD, got an email from AutoTrader that a 2011 was newly listed, but it was at a Land ROver dealership in Wilmington DE. It was kinda out of my price range ($35K), but I kept it on my radar, figured I'd stop to look at it on my way home on Monday (tomorrow).
Saturday (yesterday) was a lousy rainy day, and it turns out the dealer was only 45 mins away from where I'm staying, so I made and appointment to come look at it, my brother tagged along (also a Cruiser lover).
Holy crap is this truck clean underneath. Not SoCal clean, but pretty darned close. The salesman was super nice, he let me bring it into the shop, put it up on the lift, and had one of the techs work with me to check it out. After marveling at how clean it was, I went straight to the KDSS valve. A few squirts of rust penetrant, and a 5mm wrench, both of the infamous plugs popped loose very easily.
I couldn't pass this up. Made the deal. They are throwing in 5 new tires, even the spare was bald.
