Same quality compared with the 2008 Land cruiser?

[Yoga gal]

Hi!

I'm in the market for a 2008 land cruiser when a friend told me to look at the Lexus GX 460. After reading some posts here about how great the Land Cruiser is, I'm just wondering if the Lexus GX 460 is built with the same quality everyone here raves about. I'm going to be keeping it for a while and camp every few weeks.

Thanks!

 

[Corbet]

IMO they are when it comes to build quality. Don't own either but have driven both.

However as the aftermarket embraces the LC as an offroad vehicle the same can't be said for the GX. You can lift the GX pretty easy as its a shared platform with other Toyota vehicles worldwide. But bolt on accessories like bumpers, sliders, etc... are not really available. So if mods like that are on your radar keep it in mind.

They are considerably different vehicles. Kind of like comparing a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton truck IMO

 

[patrickfinley]

The Lexus GX (or Land Cruiser Prado as it's called outside the US) is the little brother to the 200 LC. Just as reliable and tough. The better vehicle for you would depend on how many people you transport and how much gear you want to take with you on camping trips. The 200LC will hold more gear and people, however it will cost you more in gas to get it around.

For mild to medium off road the Lexus GX will perform beautifully, but some say the Lexus needs a few more mods to make it as tough on the harder trails. Also, as Corbet stated, mods are harder to come by for the Lexus in the US.

 

[80BajaBound]

The only significant difference between the 200 LC and GX 460, IMO, is size. If you plan on using the 3rd row for anything other than children under 5'8" or cargo (not both) you should go with the 200. I just put the seats up for my fiance to haul some kids around - It would be miserable if someone my sized (6'3" / 205) to sit back there for any extended period of time. If both trucks are equipped the same (crawl mode and cameras) they will go where ever you want to take it.
Another , less expensive option, is the new 4runner. The GX and 4runner are built on the same platform but the difference being v8 (gx) to v6 (4R). The 4runner has tons of aftermarket off road equipment but the gx has basically none. Granted, the front bumpers on 4runners will fit on a GX, but you'll have to do some creative trimming where the 4R has directions on where to cut.

Personally, I love our GX. It rides nice, the seats are the most comfortable I've ever sat in and there is plenty of power. Recently, I went in for an oil change and wanted to check on a few things, my iphone would intermittently stop playing when hooked up to the stereo and I had some squeaky brakes that another dealership couldn't hear. I was expecting a bill for the brakes and oil, but since the last dealership couldn't hear the brakes and this new one did - they comped the brake job and chalked it up to customer service. I was floored. On top of this, they couldn't get the iphone to do what I was claiming, but they went ahead and ordered a new ECU and installed it - for free. Moral of the story here - Lexus is about a different kind of car buying / owning experience. I will definitely own another CPO Lexus, probably never a new one though.

 

[Yoga gal]

Thanks! I'm not going to modify anything. I currently drive a 4runner that i've had since college and kinda wanted an upgrade from that. I just wanted to make sure I can go everywhere my 4runner went!

Thanks!

The only significant difference between the 200 LC and GX 460, IMO, is size. If you plan on using the 3rd row for anything other than children under 5'8" or cargo (not both) you should go with the 200. I just put the seats up for my fiance to haul some kids around - It would be miserable if someone my sized (6'3" / 205) to sit back there for any extended period of time. If both trucks are equipped the same (crawl mode and cameras) they will go where ever you want to take it.
Another , less expensive option, is the new 4runner. The GX and 4runner are built on the same platform but the difference being v8 (gx) to v6 (4R). The 4runner has tons of aftermarket off road equipment but the gx has basically none. Granted, the front bumpers on 4runners will fit on a GX, but you'll have to do some creative trimming where the 4R has directions on where to cut.

Personally, I love our GX. It rides nice, the seats are the most comfortable I've ever sat in and there is plenty of power. Recently, I went in for an oil change and wanted to check on a few things, my iphone would intermittently stop playing when hooked up to the stereo and I had some squeaky brakes that another dealership couldn't hear. I was expecting a bill for the brakes and oil, but since the last dealership couldn't hear the brakes and this new one did - they comped the brake job and chalked it up to customer service. I was floored. On top of this, they couldn't get the iphone to do what I was claiming, but they went ahead and ordered a new ECU and installed it - for free. Moral of the story here - Lexus is about a different kind of car buying / owning experience. I will definitely own another CPO Lexus, probably never a new one though.

 

[Corbet]

Moral of the story here - Lexus is about a different kind of car buying / owning experience.

I definitely agree with that statement. And I feel its part of the reason there is $20K difference between a 4R LTD verse a GX460. The V8 and a few other accessories do not add up to that much IMO. They need to cover those customer service expenses some how.

 

[Yoga gal]

Omg. Is this something I should worry about still?

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100510/RETAIL03/305109969/1292

 

[80BajaBound]

No. Not at all. An ecu update fixed the "issue".

 

[Yoga gal]

Sorry for another question, but what is the difference between the base model and "premium"? All that I can find is something with air suspension. What would you need that for? Is it worth the extra $5k? Thanks!

 

[chimyz]

Can I throw a usability question out there...

I have 3 small children (all in some sort of seat or booster) and was wondering what the second row room is to fit all three? I know it can be done in a LC200 but what about the "little brother"? Just hoping someone with some experience could chime in? TIA.

 

[OGBeno]

They are built at the same plant in Japan. Both are built at the Tahara Plant in Aichi. They roll down the line one in front of the other.

I would have no qualms about getting either.

 

[80BajaBound]

Can I throw a usability question out there...

I have 3 small children (all in some sort of seat or booster) and was wondering what the second row room is to fit all three? I know it can be done in a LC200 but what about the "little brother"? Just hoping someone with some experience could chime in? TIA.

I don't think you would have a problem fitting all the kids in the middle row. But just a FYI... You can fold the rear seats (3rd row) individually if you have needs for cargo room. I would put the oldest in the 3rd row just to break the kids up. My .02...

 

[Moby]

[STRIKE][/STRIKE]

Sorry for another question, but what is the difference between the base model and "premium"? All that I can find is something with air suspension. What would you need that for? Is it worth the extra $5k? Thanks!

The premium has the rear air suspension and front and rear electro-magnetic shocks. By varying the current to the shock the fluid can change its consistency from almost water to almost mud. This allows the suspension to hit a pothole and immediately firm up so that it doesn't bottom out. I saw videos of this stuff back when Millen Motorsports was working with it for the military. It's pretty neat and is becoming standard on high end cars and trucks.

Having driven both the standard and premium the premium does have a nicer ride. The standard is harsh on small bumps, highway cracks... But smooth over larger bumps.

All that being said I bought a standard 460. I really didn't want to test the long term durability of the electric shocks and the durability of the air suspension in Lexus and Toyota cars and trucks isn't that great. I'm used to valving performance shocks and knew that I would want to upgrade the suspension anyway. I dropped in a 2.5" Radflo 0" suspension system. $1600 vs. $5000 and I now have a much more capable suspension. The front coilovers can go up 2" in the future if I decide I need a lift (would need new rear coils as well).

 

[patrickfinley]

Can I throw a usability question out there...

I have 3 small children (all in some sort of seat or booster) and was wondering what the second row room is to fit all three? I know it can be done in a LC200 but what about the "little brother"? Just hoping someone with some experience could chime in? TIA.

Hey Chimyz,

I'm a bit late to the conversation, but it all depends on how wide you're child seats are. I've seen 3 across in a Honda Civic. Some of the new car seats now have built in side impact bumpers on them that make the seats about 3-5" wider. Getting three of those across even in a 100 or 200 would not work.

Britax has some of the best rated seats, and their seats are fairly narrow considering much of the competition. Their highly rated Boulevard is 18.5 inches wide. Three of these would most likely fit across in a 100, not sure about a 150.

I've also found that measuring the width of the back seat and dividing by 3 doesn't always work. You may loose a few crucial inches depending on where your LATCH or seatbelts are located.

 

[JERSEY80]

[STRIKE][/STRIKE]

The premium has the rear air suspension and front and rear electro-magnetic shocks. By varying the current to the shock the fluid can change its consistency from almost water to almost mud. This allows the suspension to hit a pothole and immediately firm up so that it doesn't bottom out. I saw videos of this stuff back when Millen Motorsports was working with it for the military. It's pretty neat and is becoming standard on high end cars and trucks.

Having driven both the standard and premium the premium does have a nicer ride. The standard is harsh on small bumps, highway cracks... But smooth over larger bumps.

All that being said I bought a standard 460. I really didn't want to test the long term durability of the electric shocks and the durability of the air suspension in Lexus and Toyota cars and trucks isn't that great. I'm used to valving performance shocks and knew that I would want to upgrade the suspension anyway. I dropped in a 2.5" Radflo 0" suspension system. $1600 vs. $5000 and I now have a much more capable suspension. The front coilovers can go up 2" in the future if I decide I need a lift (would need new rear coils as well).

Tell us more about he suspension mods on the GX460. I just Picked up a 2011 and a looking into options.

Maybe this should be a new thread...

 

[SWUtah]

I think the GX460 has the same quality but not the beefy build that the Landcruiser has. I agree with the poster that compared the 1/2 ton pickup with the 3/4 ton pickup. I love LC's and LX's but if you are happy with the GX size and not going rock crawling the GX should be good for several 100's of thousand miles.

 

[theoverachiever]

Quality wise, IMHO they are not even close. Everything you feel and touch in a Land Cruiser feels like quality, not so much in my gx460. As with the 5th gen 4runner, I feel Toyota made the 460 interior nicer looking, but extra cheap feeling. My dad has a 200 series TLC and its unquestionably the nicer vehicle. The only drawback, for me, was its size. Next time around I'll be buying a real land cruiser for sure.

 

[Kevin Rutherford]

A GX460 is much "lighter-duty" than any Land Cruiser. It is great for getting around for daily driving, conditions of low-traction (like a few inches of mud or snow) and for light camping etc. If one is going to go into areas where they might get stuck of have to beat their vehicle up to get over rough terrain, then they should be getting a vehicle that is tougher. A tougher vehicle means; heavier, less MPG, more expensive to buy, etc. Really only a justifiable expense if you need a "tougher" vehicle.

1a2b3c4d

 

[mp_cude]

A GX460 is much "lighter-duty" than any Land Cruiser. It is great for getting around for daily driving, conditions of low-traction (like a few inches of mud or snow) and for light camping etc. If one is going to go into areas where they might get stuck of have to beat their vehicle up to get over rough terrain, then they should be getting a vehicle that is tougher. A tougher vehicle means; heavier, less MPG, more expensive to buy, etc. Really only a justifiable expense if you need a "tougher" vehicle.

1a2b3c4d

Which part of this statement is based on reality?

 

[uzj100]

The GX is a light duty LC. The 100 and 200 are heavy duty LCs. Check the dimensions and weight differences. The GX470 was like 700 lbs lighter than a 100. In the USA would it probably ever matter, probably not. If you want the most durable, that would be a 100 or 200. If you want really close with better mpg's then get the GX.

http://blog.toyota.co.uk/history-of-the-toyota-land-cruiser-heavy-and-light-duty-models