Gx Or Lx?

[DWB1113]

I have a 2000 LX 470 that I really like, but it just turned 127,000 miles. This is a second car for me, but I ran across an opportunity to pick up a 2004 GX470 that is loaded with only 40,000 miles. Is the lower mileage and added interior features worth getting rid of an LX470, or should I hold out until I can afford to trade for another LX? Is there any of you folks who have owned both and who might share their experiences???

[LEXIRX330]

I have a 2000 LX 470 that I really like, but it just turned 127,000 miles. This is a second car for me, but I ran across an opportunity to pick up a 2004 GX470 that is loaded with only 40,000 miles. Is the lower mileage and added interior features worth getting rid of an LX470, or should I hold out until I can afford to trade for another LX? Is there any of you folks who have owned both and who might share their experiences???

I think that this is more of a question only you can answer. I love my GX...there are people that love their LX...I am sure if you ask we can all give you the reasons to buy one or the other.

The GX that you are looking at only has 40k on it...it is 4 years newer than you current LX and I bet that I am safe to say that it has some big improvements vs your current LX...If you like the GX...get it, but if you want the LX just wait. Don't buy a car that you don't want.

[Krawler]

I have a 2006 lx470 with 39500 miles and I love it. I decided on it over a same priced 2008 GX even though the GX has better MPG, more features, and is more compact.

I originally looked at a 2003 LX, but quickly discovered that it lacked some features I knew I would want like Bluetooth, rear backup camera, and a few other minor things, so I looked at an '04 and then worked myself up to a 2006 because of the engine and horsepower improvement. I do a lot of off-road so I was willing to forgo MPG to have the land cruiser off-road capabilities. I also did not like the swing gate on the GX. I almost could not get over this because I knew how I would use the tailgate at campsites and events.

As the previous poster stated the decision is based on how you will use the vehicle and what are your acceptable tradeoffs. With Lexus I have always found that the hidden features of the car are almost more impressive than the ones in the brochures

I would also recommend that you look at a certified pre-owned. I am a very cheap person and I hate the thought of paying extra for something I might never use, but Lexus is so thourgh with the certified cars that I could tell an immediate difference between the one I bought and the other ones I drove that were not certified.

[RetiredDoc]

I previously owned a 2004 GX470 and now own a 2007 LX470. While my wife was driving the GX she was broadsided on the passenger side, left the road and crashed frontwards through a brick wall. When the repair estimate came in at over $45,000, the insurance company totaled it. The good news was, that except for chest bruising from the shoulder harness, my wife was not injured! So, from experience, I'd declare the GX to be a pretty safe vehicle, but I imagine the LX is as well.

I see no real difference in performance, but the GX got slightly better gas mileage. I use the adjustable height control system a lot, and prefer the LX over the GX. The GX just seemed to lower the rear end, while the LX system lowers the entire vehicle, so passenger boarding/exiting is easier. Also, there is move travel overall with the LX system.

I prefer the LX rear access via the two part tailgate over the GX side opening door. With the LX I can drive with the hatch open to haul long pieces of lumber, etc.. That's not really feasible with the GX. I did find the GX door much easier to close than the LX lift door. The LX rear door takes a fair amount of effort to pull down, and a pretty good slam to latch it completely. I removed the third row seats from both vehicles within a week of purchase. I find the rear space in the LX is more usable than the GX.

Also, I tow a two-horse horse trailer. Part of that meant adding an electric trailer brake control unit. Both the GX and LX are pre-wired for the hookup. However, the plug under the dashboard to allow the connection was easily accessible in the GX, while installing the same unit in the LX required a fair amount of disassembly of the lower part of the dashboard. I much prefer the LX as a towing vehicle. Both have the same engine, and both are a bit underpowered for towing a 5000 pound trailer. The LX with trailer attached just feels more stable.

The GX navigation system had an override feature so that a passenger could program a destination while the vehicle was moving. Between the GX and LX production years, this feature was removed from the LX. My wife has a Lexus without a navigation system, and when we travel in it, we use a Garmin 255W unit. I actually prefer the Garmin over the Lexus system, evn with a 2.5 inch screen versus the Lexus 7 inch.

Having driven both the GX and the LX for about three years each, I found both were dependable vehicles. Neither ever left me stranded or refused to start. The GX, however had far more defects, all fixed under warranty. The GX had rear air conditioning problems, driveline problems, tire pressure monitoring system problems, and side mirror adjustment problems, among others. In three years with the LX, thre has been only a single problem - side mirror actuator binding, also a warranty covered repair. Perhaps this is due to the GX being relatively new in its production cycle. While the 2007 LX was the final production year. If you consider buying a GX, at least through a 2004 model, make sure the orginal owner had the rear AC repaired and the driveshaft replaced with the re-designed one. Neither were recall items, but were TSB items, so the fixes were not volunteered by the dealer - you had to note the problems yourself and ask that they be fixed.

[1990LS400]

^^^ That has to be the most well thought out comparison between the GX and LX I've ever seen. Great job!