Or gen5 4Runner and roll the dice on a Magnuson Supercharger if you have an extra $10k to spend? 
This is probably going to be very unliked, but this is just like my opinion man. This is my issue with the LC250 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dbbowen
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
GX460 with a Prado conversion would be where I would dump the $10KOr gen5 4Runner and roll the dice on a Magnuson Supercharger if you have an extra $10k to spend?
. Or is it $15K?
Yes, I could. But that's another $2,500, plus the $1,000 for the 20" wheels that I didn't want. So now I would be out $3,500 and trying to find a way to sell the 20" wheels and tires.
It's not a huge deal, but it is one more straw in the 250 camel's back, when I can get a GX Overtrail with 18s.
I just hate the drivetrain on the 5th gen.
Does the 2023 GX 460 still have that stupid touch pad infotainment system with no touch screen and no CarPlay? Or did Lexus finally fix that on the GX 460?
The bolt pattern is the same, but the stud size and center bore are different on TNGAF
I can understand that. I've always driven diesel trucks and that V6 almost feels like driving an oil burner so it doesn't bother me too much. But if I had long commutes everyday, it might be annoying.
Your review of the 460 was almost word for word what I would have written myself after two test drives, so if I were in the market in the States (and I am not) I would lean towards the Gen 5 4Runner. Though a Nori Green GX 460 looks pretty nice and might make one accept the grill.
All we are getting in the EU is the 250 with the 2.8l diesel and I am going to give it a good look when I get home. But I likely will not go in that direction. I would buy the 4Runner or GX460 if they were available, but they aren't.
Last edited:
GX460 got a refreshed center stack in 2022 that has a touch screen and carplay/android auto. The track pad is still there if you want to use it but you don't have to.
2022-23 have the updated infotainment and interior. With Carplay.
I've driven my 2018 GX for the past week after not doing so for quite some time and have really thoroughly enjoyed it. The new 550 looks awesome [saw one the other day] but with 52.5K miles on my GX, it makes no logical sense at all to punt and take on risk/payment for the new one even if it looks better and is more modern. If I were in the market, I do think I'd choose the GX over the LC though but will have to wait to experience an LC in the flesh first.
Zero? What about GX460 transmission failures? Not exactly a rare occurrence, nor is it cheap to fix.
No way I'd buy a used one with any significant mileage unless there was documentation of trans fluid change(s) being done, and that it never, ever, towed anything.
The GX is among the most reliable vehicles that exist based on the dashboard-light data set. Is not perfect, but it's the best public objective data set I know of. It's more reliable than an LC200.
Vs
Just for perspective - Ford expedition
Last edited:
What LX year is that measuring?
I have not heard of one LX transmission issue in the 200 series. Last I recall of a tranny issue is MY 2000 in the 100.
The sample set is all years of LX with about 2300 vehicles. It weights later models higher. But the newer LX models are worse than older ones for certain years. 2016 in particular was a bad year.
What GX460 trans failures? Perhaps I have been under a rock for a while, but the Aisin A7xxx transmissions are anvil like in my experience.
I bet the 2016-2017 year issues pertain to complaints about the rough shifting prior to the TSB they released in the 2017-2018 timeframe.
Nothing was wrong with the transmissions, but Toyota definitely dropped the ball on the original shift logic prior to the TSB.
While I agree that zero might be stretching it did you catch that it is a 2020 with 64K?
Tranny problems start at ~120K miles plus. Depends on running conditions and the GX is not the only Toyota with a sealed tranny. It is a bunch of crap based on trying to reduce total cost of ownership of ownership. My 2013 Baja T|X Taco had a sealed tranny as well.
Try an older Dodge back in the day if you could go 120K without 3 trannies you were above average LOL.
Toyota isn't bulletproof never has been but better than most. The 2F in the FJ55 had bronze guides that wore out ~20K I am sure that some Iron Pig guys on here can verify that.
Got tired of that and stuffed a Small Block Chevy 350 4 bolt main in it eventually with an early Man A Fre conversion kit. Bit of difference between what a 2 bolt and 4 bolt main bearing was back then. Now the "advancement" to a 6 bolt and ladder main which is current production is a totally different animal, but still focuses on the main crank bearings. Which take most of the stress.
Have a 19 Lux that I am more than impressed with especially for long road trips. Today took the day off from work to shoot 200 practice rounds in sporting clays with a SxS to get ready. Hit 82° with 42 percent humidity for the first time this year and after spending many years of heat strokes in some damn sand box turned on the ventilated seat cooling. First my back got cool then my shooting and hunting buddy said make sure you check for ticks when you get home. At the same time the cool air came up from the bottom of the seats and tickled my privates. My first thought was a tick and was getting ready to smack the family jewels and right before my hand hit home pulled back and I smiled. So did the jewels LOL.
You can take my 460 when you pry it from cold dead hands.
Ended up with it when I went to the dealer in Nov. that I was #2 on the list for a LC250 and he said he had a TRD Pro 4runner I might like.
2023 $68K and like every 4R couldn't get out of its own way. Put the D in Dog. And that color OMG talk about ugly hope that isn't the green all the young kids rant about LOL.
They also had an Iron Pig on the floor that was not for sale. Memories sake had to look at it
Mine went from West Coast to East Coast and in some of the most unbelievable places. When I got married it was the first thing to go. The Ex called it the beast last I seen of it sold it to a Seabee that was headed to Alaska. After 24 years of marriage I don't miss her so much but do miss my Iron Pig. Yes and no it was primitive as hell compared to vehicles now.
They all take work, some more then others. But fluid exchanges will get you farther than most especially if you don't do solid state steaming in the same environmental conditions.
Hard to know. The info doesn't include any level of repair needed. It is based on repairs needed for vehicles going through a few of the biggest auction companies. I wouldn't be terribly concerned about a GX or LX so long as they shift normally during a test drive.
I would prefer if the trans had not ever been touched. Most of the 4Runner trans issues I've read of have been shortly after a trans drain and refill with one of the fluids that claims to be both Toyota type 4 and WS (which isn't possible because they're different viscosity). And they're super sensitive to fluid level. The difficulty of fluid change is something IMO toyota dropped the ball on.
Last edited:
That’s a robust and interesting dataset. It shows that several Toyota models exceed the 200’s reliability, including Sequoia, Tundra, and Tacoma.
It has 64k on it and he'll be adding a Hayden 678 cooler with a MaxLife ATF fluid change. He's been listening to me blab about how awesome GXs are for years now and he's also a mechanical engineer.
If by some reason that 460 needs a trans in the future - which IMO is 100% preventable with regular fluid changes and a cooler - his whole rig only cost $5k more than a VA35F shortblock replacement
Also - I had heard the VA35F Tundra was not selling. I just logged on to my local Toyota dealer to order a few parts - and that's true. Tundras are being offered at 1.99% financing right now. Conversely, new 4Runners at 4.99% and Highlander Hybrids are 5.75% (glad we got ours at 2.99%....5.75% is a tough pill to swallow for a car loan). Not sure if the reliability question mark has anything to do with that, of if the Tundra is just too expensive and not stacking up well relative to it's domestic competition. I'd personally hard a hard time paying the Toyota tax unless the vehicle has the corresponding Toyota reliability (which maybe it will).
