Upgrading: LC vs LX?

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OakieEd

10 Year
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Threads
6
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I read tons on this here, but still feel confused which direction and year to go. I have worn out 2001 LX470 and loved every mile. So I upgraded to a 2013 LX570. Hated every mile for a year before I sold it back to the dealer. I like the 5.7l engine, but all the added electronics were quite worrying and annoying. I do alot of offroad remote desert camping, and I would not trust a 2013 LX at all.
So I want to go 'newer' than 2001...but how far? The 2008LC has the 5.7l. Would I be happy with a 2008LC or would it feel like the 2013 LX570 junk I had? If so, should I go with a LC before the remake of 2008? Should I stick with a pre 2007LX? (Definitely pre 2013!)
I'm not interested in 'features' like sound systems or rain sensing wipers. I'm interested in a solidly built, long lasting and very durable vehicle. The first thing I do is take out all rear seats, only leaving the two front seats, and convert it to an off road camper. Thoughts?
 
LC200 will still have a lot of electronics assuming you’re in North America. The biggest con to this platform I can see from your perspective is the electronic controls for the t-case (other stuff can fail but not leave you stranded). There are rare failures of the actuator if it gets corrosion in there and the button itself can theoretically fail. If you need newer but still simple, I’d look at an 07-09 gx470 with the very good 2uz v8 you already have in your lx but still has a t-case lever and only one button that could fail to lock the diff. It has no other off road electronics (besides pretty primitive atrac). If you get one without navigation you have all manual HVAC and can play your cassette tapes. Air suspension delete is easy to do for swapping in coils. For more robustness, swap in 200 series steering rack and tie rods and you should be unstoppable.
 
OakieEd said:
...but all the added electronics were quite worrying and annoying. I do alot of offroad remote desert camping, and I would not trust a 2013 LX at all.
Click to expand...

I'm curious what has failed for you to give you this perception?
 
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Nothinghead said:
Air suspension delete is easy to do for swapping in coils.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you know, and so we don't perpetuate this and its associated connotations, it's not air suspension.
 
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Nothinghead said:
LC200 will still have a lot of electronics assuming you’re in North America. The biggest con to this platform I can see from your perspective is the electronic controls for the t-case (other stuff can fail but not leave you stranded). There are rare failures of the actuator if it gets corrosion in there and the button itself can theoretically fail. If you need newer but still simple, I’d look at an 07-09 gx470 with the very good 2uz v8 you already have in your lx but still has a t-case lever and only one button that could fail to lock the diff. It has no other off road electronics (besides pretty primitive atrac). If you get one without navigation you have all manual HVAC and can play your cassette tapes. Air suspension delete is easy to do for swapping in coils. For more robustness, swap in 200 series steering rack and tie rods and you should be unstoppable.
Click to expand...
GX is not long enough to remove ALL the rear seats and put in a full size bed. The LX is
 
TeCKis300 said:
I'm curious what has failed for you to give you this perception?
Click to expand...
I was remote camping and left the back hatch open to sleep. The light did not time out and I got a dead battery. Jumped it. The computer had reset so the LX570 will not go into low range until the computer recalibrates from some driving. There was no way to drive where I was without low range. That was my final straw..
 
Naturally, the older the vehicle, the less technology and electronics it will have. But then you start dealing with reliability issues simply from the age of materials such as rubber and wiring. For a modern vehicle, the LC200s are about as reliable as it gets stateside.
 
OakieEd said:
I was remote camping and left the back hatch open to sleep. The light did not time out and I got a dead battery. Jumped it. The computer had reset so the LX570 will not go into low range until the computer recalibrates from some driving. There was no way to drive where I was without low range. That was my final straw..
Click to expand...

If you hate the LX you won’t suddenly love the LC because it doesn’t have AHC - you’re still CANBUS, electronic transfer case, and emissions/secondary air world.
 
nwfl4runner said:
If you hate the LX you won’t suddenly love the LC because it doesn’t have AHC - you’re still CANBUS, electronic transfer case, and emissions/secondary air world.
Click to expand...
Not having AHC is a bad thing? To many, that is a huge plus....
 
OakieEd said:
I was remote camping and left the back hatch open to sleep. The light did not time out and I got a dead battery. Jumped it. The computer had reset so the LX570 will not go into low range until the computer recalibrates from some driving. There was no way to drive where I was without low range. That was my final straw..
Click to expand...

Yeah I hear you. I once got stuck in low range after camping overnight in Death Valley. Dreaded "moab" emissions CEL. I was stuck in low range for 1/2 the day, but luckily is what I needed for the route. Once on more traveled routes, pulled the battery to reset.

I once ran the battery dead on my LX470 too while in camp with kids going in and out of the car too often. Was a PITA as this was before lithium jumper batts and BT OBD-II code readers.

I think it's just part of learning the car and not many will do better than old or new cruisers.

@Supra Turbo makes a great point about age and relative reliability.

madkat, as usual, makes useless points.
 
OakieEd said:
I read tons on this here, but still feel confused which direction and year to go. I have worn out 2001 LX470 and loved every mile. So I upgraded to a 2013 LX570. Hated every mile for a year before I sold it back to the dealer. I like the 5.7l engine, but all the added electronics were quite worrying and annoying. I do alot of offroad remote desert camping, and I would not trust a 2013 LX at all.
So I want to go 'newer' than 2001...but how far? The 2008LC has the 5.7l. Would I be happy with a 2008LC or would it feel like the 2013 LX570 junk I had? If so, should I go with a LC before the remake of 2008? Should I stick with a pre 2007LX? (Definitely pre 2013!)
I'm not interested in 'features' like sound systems or rain sensing wipers. I'm interested in a solidly built, long lasting and very durable vehicle. The first thing I do is take out all rear seats, only leaving the two front seats, and convert it to an off road camper. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I suggest you go find a newer LX470. If you loved every minute of that vehicle, you just need a newer version. Given your criteria and your feelings about the LX570, I don’t think you’ll be happy with any 200. Get a clean LX470 with a good history, do a complete baseline PM, and enjoy camping again.
 
To OP: what you want it is not sold in the US. Other markets may have a 200 with less electronics, but usually not with the 5.7 engine.
If I would be you, I'll research a bit more and be ready to accept the results of that search which very likely will be that you are looking for a unicorn as in it does not exists. Then I'll do some research on how to be better prepared when you are in remote places to deal with the unexpected (or rather expected if you go there). Taking about having battery packs with you, OBDII tools, having a generator and/or 2nd or 3rd battery, solar panels to charge the batteries when you camp, etc.
Time does not stand still so we have to move with it.
 
P.S. if you are still running incandescent bulbs in your truck, it is time to switch to LED. Have you had LED's inside the battery would not have gone dead till morning. Then there are buttons to turn the inside light off. I usually do not have any inside light on automatic. As for the trunk I have the Australian light in the tailgate that is far more useful than the cargo area OEM light.
 
OakieEd said:
I was remote camping and left the back hatch open to sleep. The light did not time out and I got a dead battery. Jumped it. The computer had reset so the LX570 will not go into low range until the computer recalibrates from some driving. There was no way to drive where I was without low range. That was my final straw..
Click to expand...
Maybe get a truck? Tundra?? And just sleep in the bed.
 
TeCKis300 said:
I'm sure you know, and so we don't perpetuate this and its associated connotations, it's not air suspension.
Click to expand...
I’m referring to the GX470 that has air bags in the back. Not the AHC that is in LX’s. The GX suspension conversion is incredibly simple and easy to do.
 
Sandroad said:
I suggest you go find a newer LX470. If you loved every minute of that vehicle, you just need a newer version. Given your criteria and your feelings about the LX570, I don’t think you’ll be happy with any 200. Get a clean LX470 with a good history, do a complete baseline PM, and enjoy camping again.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree, as did the rep at the Lexus dealership that bought the dreaded 2013 LX570 off me. What do you mean by 'newer'? Later model date or less miles? Didnt the 2007 get viaiable valve timing for +25hp? Would you reccomend a 'best year' LX470 for me?
 
OakieEd said:
I tend to agree, as did the rep at the Lexus dealership that bought the dreaded 2013 LX570 off me. What do you mean by 'newer'? Later model date or less miles? Didnt the 2007 get viaiable valve timing for +25hp? Would you reccomend a 'best year' LX470 for me?
Click to expand...
If you want the 40 HP gain of VVT, go with ‘06 or ‘07 and the lowest mileage you can find in a well maintained truck. And watch out for rust since those are going to be 18 years old. Maybe put a want ad in the Mud classifieds?

And you’ll get more and better ideas in the 100s section of Mud, including buying advice in that section’s FAQs.
 
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