The towing comments I get all the time, at least 3-4 times a year.I need these on a shirt stat
Thoughts on going from G500 to LX 570?
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That’s hilarious! I’ve been asked if it is a Highlander as well as a 4Runner and just can’t seem to understand how they see that cause the LC is so much bigger lol
Cool to see how many guys here have owned g-wagons. I've never driven one, but I have seen them off road, so take my commentary with a grain of salt.
I'd be willing to bet you're not leaving any off-road capability behind by switching to the LX, in fact, I'd bet you're gaining some. The merc's suspension travel is so pitiful they lift tires over the most innocuous obstacle. This is probably why they come with lockers, lol, otherwise they'd stall out pulling into a steep driveway
LX is big, but it has a great turning radius for it's size and a pretty good wheelbase for wheeling (just lots of front and rear overhang). AHC is IMO the most premium on and off-road suspension system ever offered by a major OEM.
Size wise, it is a pretty big vehicle for 2. It's just me, my wife and our 11 pound dog and I frequently think the LX bigger than I would want. But then I drive a GX or 4runner and immediately miss the power and "solid" feeling. Honestly *solid* is probably the defining characteristic of the LX. I bought the LX because I had a camper to tow at the time. I have spent a good amount of time in 4runners and GX460, and those are both good options if you don't tow much and don't mind being one of the crowd.
One thing the LX is definitely missing is character. I call mine the minivan, because I feel like a soccer mom driving it. If you really have feels for your g-wagon, or if looking back at your car and saying to yourself, "damn that's cool" is important to you, you'll probably have regrets making the switch.
I'd be willing to bet you're not leaving any off-road capability behind by switching to the LX, in fact, I'd bet you're gaining some. The merc's suspension travel is so pitiful they lift tires over the most innocuous obstacle. This is probably why they come with lockers, lol, otherwise they'd stall out pulling into a steep driveway
LX is big, but it has a great turning radius for it's size and a pretty good wheelbase for wheeling (just lots of front and rear overhang). AHC is IMO the most premium on and off-road suspension system ever offered by a major OEM. Size wise, it is a pretty big vehicle for 2. It's just me, my wife and our 11 pound dog and I frequently think the LX bigger than I would want. But then I drive a GX or 4runner and immediately miss the power and "solid" feeling. Honestly *solid* is probably the defining characteristic of the LX. I bought the LX because I had a camper to tow at the time. I have spent a good amount of time in 4runners and GX460, and those are both good options if you don't tow much and don't mind being one of the crowd.
One thing the LX is definitely missing is character. I call mine the minivan, because I feel like a soccer mom driving it. If you really have feels for your g-wagon, or if looking back at your car and saying to yourself, "damn that's cool" is important to you, you'll probably have regrets making the switch.
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Yeah, I think it would just be overkill for two people. I don't have a dog and I don't tow. I would like the extra space in the rear for sleeping in the back. I was only considering it to move up to a newer vehicle, a more reliable platform, and more comfort and luxury amenities.Cool to see how many guys here have owned g-wagons. I've never driven one, but I have seen them off road, so take my commentary with a grain of salt.
I'd be willing to bet you're not leaving any off-road capability behind by switching to the LX, in fact, I'd bet you're gaining some. The merc's suspension travel is so pitiful they lift tires over the most innocuous obstacle. This is probably why they come with lockers, lol, otherwise they'd stall out pulling into a steep driveway
Size wise, it is a pretty big vehicle for 2. It's just me, my wife and our 11 pound dog and I frequently think the LX bigger than I would want. But then I drive a GX or 4runner and immediately miss the power and "solid" feeling. Honestly *solid* is probably the defining characteristic of the LX. I bought the LX because I had a camper to tow at the time. I have spent a good amount of time in 4runners and GX460, and those are both good options if you don't tow much and don't mind being one of the crowd.
One thing the LX is definitely missing is character. I call mine the minivan, because I feel like a soccer mom driving it. If you really have feels for your g-wagon, or if looking back at your car and saying to yourself, "damn that's cool" is important to you, you'll probably have regrets making the switch.
But on the flip side, I do care about character. Most of the vehicles I've owned have had some type of character or uniqueness to them. I do find myself looking back at my car when parked haha. I like the design of the LX but it does look like a "soccer mom" car as you mentioned. I know I would definitely miss it and possibly regret selling it. I had no hesitation selling my '89 HJ61. It was cool and definitely very unique, but it gave me so many problems and I was happy to get rid of it haha.
Well if you get a well-maintained one (and in many cases, even if you don't), the Lexus ownership experience is largely problem-free, so there's that.
I deleted my roof rack (hate the look of the shorter LX roof rack), door mouldings, some de-chrome and de-badging and added 35" knobby tires and liberal dents and scratches and it looks a little less soccer mom now.
I deleted my roof rack (hate the look of the shorter LX roof rack), door mouldings, some de-chrome and de-badging and added 35" knobby tires and liberal dents and scratches and it looks a little less soccer mom now.
INEOS Grenadier? If I needed a g wagon or LX type Vehicle today it would be near the top of my very short list.
I was on the reservation list for the new EV g wagon but recently heard from MB it is going to be ~$180k, I got my deposit back.
I don’t get it either. I think it’s the rounded minivan appearance and the fact it is noticeably shorter than 1/2 ton trucks.
Its mostly only me in the LC, no kids, no dogs, no gear, and don't tow or really offroad except over the curbs in Costco. I think the LC is perfect lol.
Test drove both GX and 4R before settling on an LC. The 4R and GX both felt too small and narrow and in the case of the 4R, also gutless. If I want narrow and gutless, I drive my Miata.
Plus the LC/LX are in a luxury class above..
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I just traded my 2024 Grenadier for a 2020 LX570. I had it for 23 months and 29k miles.
Such a great platform. But despite loving it, I don't miss driving it one bit.
The quietness of the LX570 cabin, the stereo, the a/c and cooled seats. Maybe I am getting old, but driving a really capable and cool looking box with little sound deadening at high speed on interstates can get tiresome after some time.
All that off-road capability is useless on the road.
The truck is amazing off road. It is a solid built vehicle. The doors are truly vault like, vs the tin can Toyota/Lexus metal.
The biggest issue with the Ineos for those not living near a dealer is re-setting the oil change reminder.
After 3 years of production world-wide and 2 years in the US, having the dealer reset the reminder is still the only way to turn it off.
I was on a 7 hour road trip home wishing that I had an LRA tank on it and then thought about having to drive 3.5 hours in the next few months for my next oil change.
Right then I decided to sell it and get another 200 series.
Thanks for the perspective! I’m unlikely to get one but this sounds similar to how I felt about my g- wagon. But for me the interstate noise and ride doesn't matter as much since in Alaska we don’t have “interstates” and I take the Tesla all the time for long trips if not towing the camper. My LX really only gets driven off road, towing, and when I need to haul something that won’t fit in my model 3 or my daughters Colorado. For me an Innos (or whatever comes next, possibly new scout?) would fill the same slot.
My challenge with the Ineos is where I would get it fixed in Alaska or Mexico? Even Washington state is tough. They opened a showroom in Seattle-SLU by my old office but how would they help me if there is a problem? They did not have a good answer for me. Everyone I know who bought one sold it after a year, mostly due to the lack of service centers. And they all took a $25-30k hit. Ouch.
I had a 2005 G55 at the same time we had our 2016 GX460. The GX is lifted and set up for mild off roading, it currently lives on a small island in Greece. I currently daily a 2017 LX570
I do miss the G55. The power, the interior, its size. Was a peach to work on and had plenty of space. I had it loaded with 22 cases of ceiling tiles (24"x24"). You cant do that with a LC/LX.
I sold the G because it was due for a suspension refresh and I was planning to lift it while I was in there. Wife wouldnt have it. So I sold it. No regrets. The older plastics did not hold up very well, the frame had some rust that needed to be addressed. Parts did have the "G Tax" on them so thats never fun.
No regrets moving into my current LX. Its comfy, reliable and meets all the needs I have of a daily plus light off roader. I moved from 21" wheels to 20"s and 33" KO2s and it is rock solid. Suspension is no comparison as mentioned and the LC/LX is easier to tow with due to the longer wheelbase. ALSO, lifting the G on my 2post lift was interesting since the lift points are so close together.
I do miss the G55. The power, the interior, its size. Was a peach to work on and had plenty of space. I had it loaded with 22 cases of ceiling tiles (24"x24"). You cant do that with a LC/LX.
I sold the G because it was due for a suspension refresh and I was planning to lift it while I was in there. Wife wouldnt have it. So I sold it. No regrets. The older plastics did not hold up very well, the frame had some rust that needed to be addressed. Parts did have the "G Tax" on them so thats never fun.
No regrets moving into my current LX. Its comfy, reliable and meets all the needs I have of a daily plus light off roader. I moved from 21" wheels to 20"s and 33" KO2s and it is rock solid. Suspension is no comparison as mentioned and the LC/LX is easier to tow with due to the longer wheelbase. ALSO, lifting the G on my 2post lift was interesting since the lift points are so close together.
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- #33
I'd probably miss it a lot more if I had the G55 with the M113K engine lol. I'm in a similar situation with mine - power steering gearbox has a minor leak, so does the pinion seal, right swipe seal needs ANOTHER refresh, and there's some rust on the rear door that needs to be fixed at some point, as well as one of the rear crossmembers on the frame. And then lots of minor things. So a lot of potential future $$$.
I'm sure the LX would still have its issues at some point, but the money to fix those would probably be less than Mercedes, especially if I find one that's been sorted.
There are an impressively large number of them up here. I know 2 guys with them but both have many vehicles (one of them had a Veyron) way more than they can drive. Our closest dealer/service is Seattle, I asked one guy I know and he said the BMW dealer does his PM.
I can not imagine we will ever get a dealer in Alaska. And like you that would make it a no go for me.
Having had both a g and LX, parts for the LX are overall cheeper but not necessarily easier to get. As the LX570 (and 200 LC) was also a very limited production vehicle here in the US.
This thread has me thinking, if my LX was totaled today personally I’d look for a 8-10 year old GX. Used ones are considerably cheeper and tons of inventory (compared to a LX), They are great off road, way more were made so parts (including salvage yard) should be more available for longer. And my daughters Colorado pulls our 7k camper very well (although not quite as well as the LX, close enough for me to be use it as a tow rig)
Yeah - I see them occasionally in Homer.
I totally get character and drama in a vehicle and have owned vehicles looking for that feel. Oftentimes, that character and drama can be equated to certain shortcomings or trades already built in.
I've learned I can build and bring out the exact characteristics and trades I'm looking for, but it's much hard to build in goodness that's not there to begin with. That's the LX, it has refinement and goodness in spades. Arguably unmatched. With capability and strong enough bones to be anything more that I want it to be, and that's exactly what I've taken advantage of. With the mixed group of vehicles I run with, many of them elites in their own right, it really shows just how good the LX is. The is no capability that the LX aspires for.
In it's current form, it's a do everything no drama vehicle - character that is hard to replace. If I happen to wad it up tomorrow, I'd be right into another 200-series LX.
I've learned I can build and bring out the exact characteristics and trades I'm looking for, but it's much hard to build in goodness that's not there to begin with. That's the LX, it has refinement and goodness in spades. Arguably unmatched. With capability and strong enough bones to be anything more that I want it to be, and that's exactly what I've taken advantage of. With the mixed group of vehicles I run with, many of them elites in their own right, it really shows just how good the LX is. The is no capability that the LX aspires for.
In it's current form, it's a do everything no drama vehicle - character that is hard to replace. If I happen to wad it up tomorrow, I'd be right into another 200-series LX.
Am going to be brutally honest, so please excuse my candor if it comes across as harsh.
While the older Gs were more understated and less showy than newer Gs, the US G wagon is a far cry from its old utilitarian self (think 1980s Germany when they were primary used by farmers; the military etc.)
G wagons have become a meme - a flex by those who seek to impress. Not everyone falls into this category, of course - but that’s what I see when I see someone driving a g wagon. My brother said it perhaps best when one day he asked “Why does everyone who drives a G wagon look like they can’t afford it?” It’s for those who want to flex and those who want to look gangsta. Which is a pity, because it’s a really cool vehicle - especially the older models (like yours, and non-AMGs IMHO). And it’s capable. And expensive to own/operate - which comes with MB territory. (I just recently sold a bought-new AMG - not a G - and it was a money pit).
The LX will drive better than the G. It won’t feel as top heavy as your 02. I’d also argue it’s better built (and certainly better built than new Gs), more reliable and more affordable to own. It will be relatively cheap to maintain, in comparison. That said - it’s also more understated; less bling. Personally - that’s what I love about LX/LCs.
IMHO you can’t go wrong going from an older G to a slightly newer LX. The LX isn’t as iconic and cool-looking but it’s definitely the better vehicle. That said - an older LX will blend in. It won’t stand out. So if standing out is important, you ma be better off staying in the G.
I’ve looked at buying a G wagon many times. And every time I’ve decided against. Primarily because of its image - and with the newer ones - poor build quality and the ridiculous total cost of ownership of MB. And so my next new vehicle will instead be an LX700h…. once Lexus / Toyota fixes the engine issues they’re currently suffering.
While the older Gs were more understated and less showy than newer Gs, the US G wagon is a far cry from its old utilitarian self (think 1980s Germany when they were primary used by farmers; the military etc.)
G wagons have become a meme - a flex by those who seek to impress. Not everyone falls into this category, of course - but that’s what I see when I see someone driving a g wagon. My brother said it perhaps best when one day he asked “Why does everyone who drives a G wagon look like they can’t afford it?” It’s for those who want to flex and those who want to look gangsta. Which is a pity, because it’s a really cool vehicle - especially the older models (like yours, and non-AMGs IMHO). And it’s capable. And expensive to own/operate - which comes with MB territory. (I just recently sold a bought-new AMG - not a G - and it was a money pit).
The LX will drive better than the G. It won’t feel as top heavy as your 02. I’d also argue it’s better built (and certainly better built than new Gs), more reliable and more affordable to own. It will be relatively cheap to maintain, in comparison. That said - it’s also more understated; less bling. Personally - that’s what I love about LX/LCs.
IMHO you can’t go wrong going from an older G to a slightly newer LX. The LX isn’t as iconic and cool-looking but it’s definitely the better vehicle. That said - an older LX will blend in. It won’t stand out. So if standing out is important, you ma be better off staying in the G.
I’ve looked at buying a G wagon many times. And every time I’ve decided against. Primarily because of its image - and with the newer ones - poor build quality and the ridiculous total cost of ownership of MB. And so my next new vehicle will instead be an LX700h…. once Lexus / Toyota fixes the engine issues they’re currently suffering.
sadovnik
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Spot on. Almost everyone that buys a G-wagon nowadays is a douche canoe. I'd be lying if I said it was not one of the factors that made me sell mine.
Haha. Well said, I bought mine before (2004) they became a luxury status symbol. The first few years of ownership I rarely got questions and very few people knew what it was (similar to the LX today).
Also it always has confused me as to why the SoCal crowd drives them, they ride fairly terrible as compared to everything this side of a wrangler. There are other highly noticeable, expensive vehicles out there. But I guess I can’t complain as the image was a huge advantage for me, I sold my 2004 almost 10 years after I bought it with 120k miles for only ~10% less then I paid for it.